Books about Reduction from Amazon.com

In his follow-up to Full Catastrophe Living--a book in which he presented basic meditation techniques as a way of reducing stress and healing from illness--here Jon Kabat-Zinn goes much more deeply into the practice of meditation for its own sake. To Kabat-Zinn, meditation is important because it brings about a state of "mindfulness," a condition of "being" rather than "doing" during which you pay attention to the moment rather than the past, the future, or the multitudinous distractions of modern life. In brief, rather poetic chapters, he describes different meditative practices and what they can do for the practitioner. The idea that meditation is "spiritual" is often confusing to people, Kabat-Zinn writes; he prefers to think of it as what you might call a workout for your consciousness. This book makes learning meditation remarkably easy (although practicing it is not). But it also makes it seem infinitely appealing. --Ben Kallen.
Price: $8.43 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Although the sheer size of this dense workbook might cause initial hyperventilation--280 full-size sheets of text--take heart (and a deep breath!): the many self-assessment tools and calming techniques presented in this fifth edition can help overcome anxiety and promote physical and emotional well-being. First introduced in 1980, the book received praise for presenting a comprehensive look at stress, its physical manifestations, and the multiple ways it can be managed. Twenty years later, its well-organized chapters on breathing, relaxation, meditation, thought stopping, and body awareness still guide the reader through copious self-help techniques to try and, eventually, master. Other chapters, including job stress management, goal setting and time management, and assertiveness training, focus on daily scenarios people often find distressing. Lessons in identifying key elements that trigger unpleasant responses and in reacting differently to these elements are designed to defuse perceived conflicts. For this edition, coauthors Martha Davis (psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Santa Clara, CA), Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman (licensed clinical social worker with Kaiser Permanente Online), and Matthew McKay (clinical director of Haight-Ashbury Psychological Services, San Francisco, CA) have added topics on worry control, anger management, and eye-movement therapy. New diagrams and a more reader-friendly format should appeal to readers, despite a few typos and graphical mishaps. This is a valuable tool for therapists, their patients, and the stressed-at-large. --Liane Thomas.
Price: $14.48 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The second edition of the highly acclaimed American Accent Training, now on 5 audio CDs, is for foreign-born students and business people working, traveling or studying in the United States and Canada. Through extensive intonation and pronunciation exercises, students learn how to speak with a standard American Accent. At the same time, listening comprehension improves dramatically. Supplementary materials included detailed nationality guides for eight languages (Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Korean), access to a comprehensive website, and referral to a qualified telephone analyst for an individual diagnostic speech analysis. Also included are colored markers for written exercises, and a mirror to practice accurate pronunciation..
Price: $25.05 [Notify me when price goes down.]

In recent years, mainstream Americans have begun to come around to meditation in a big way-and scientific studies are suggesting that the physical and mental benefits are solid and real. But to many, it remains something mystical and inaccessible...and spiritually-oriented tomes on the market don't do much to make it easier.

As interest in meditation continues to grow, this book offers a simple, no-nonsense program to help beginners experience reduced stress and increased focus in only eight minutes a day. Designed by meditation expert and bestselling author Victor Davich, this program teaches the basic principles of meditation while clearing up the misconceptions and myths that too often get in the way..
Price: $6.73 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Join Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein -- two of America's most respected instructors -- for a step-by-step course in Insight Meditation. Learn at home, at your own pace, with this complete curriculum. The course includes:

-A 240-page Insight Meditation workbook: This workbook is designed as a complete self-guided curriculum. Organized into nine lessons, your workbook features more than 75 step-by-step mindfulness exercises, question-and-answer sections, glossaries, and photographs illustrating correct meditation postures.

-Two 70-minute compact discs: Six meditations teach you these cornerstone practices in the Insight tradition.

-Twelve Insight study cards: Reinforce your practice with these daily reminders of the fundamentals of meditation in a convenient, portable form..
Price: $17.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Drink less, crave less and nip your problem drinking in the bud with the easy Drink/Link Moderate Drinking Program in this book! Drink/Link has helped thousands of drinkers worldwide to control drinking and prevent alcoholism since 1988. Over 80% of the drinkers who have completed this program have either cut their drinking in half or significantly reduced it! No meetings, drugs, belief in a higher power or professional help are required for you to succeed.

First, you learn five healthy drinking guidelines. Then you're given clinically-proven strategies and techniques to help you stay within those guidelines. You'll learn to manage alcohol craving, how to slow down and pace your drinking, pre-plan for drinking occasions, learn from you slips and resolve issues that drive you to drink so they don't lead to binge drinking. Alcohol will become less important to you and you'll automatically drink less.

Drink/Link is the first moderate drinking program registered with the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has been recognized in many publications, including Time Magazine, ABCNews.com, the New York Post, Esquire and the Scripps Howard News Service..
Price: $17.02 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet, by Norma Lehmeier Hartie, is an indispensable reference book for anyone who cares about their health and well being and for the future of the planet. Hartie concisely covers a wide range of subjects and includes a comprehensive listing of advisory organizations, product and service resources. Part I of the book, Banish the Ugly from Your Life, is a blueprint for green, sustainable living. Discover how to replace toxic and unsustainable products from household cleaners to food (including recipes) to furniture to personal care products with safe, eco-friendly ones. Hartie is the tough but motivational Life Coach in her approach to cleaning, removing clutter and on organizing the home or office. Part II, Bring in the Beautiful to Create a Harmonious Environment and Self, includes a chapter on Earth-based spirituality and a fascinating look at the Four Elements (Earth, Fire, Air and Water) and the Medicine Wheel. The core of Hartie s philosophy blossoms in Chapter Seven, Applying Harmonious AdjustmentsTM: Using Feng Shui and Other Techniques for Powerful Results. Unlike other Feng Shui authors, Hartie has experience as a designer and her skills are apparent in this chapter and the following two. She has combined principles of Feng Shui, the Four Elements, color, energy, Vastu, and good design principles that create a unique and eclectic approach to home decorating. Finally, Hartie provides guidance on how to manifest personal or professional desires. In Part III, Putting the Pieces Together, Hartie skillfully integrates the many subjects of the book into a unified and cohesive whole. At its cover price of $19.95, Harmonious Environment is a value alone for the comprehensive green living product suppliers in the Resources section. What makes this book so truly ambitious, however, is what lies beneath the surface. In a sense, this book is only marginal.
Price: $12.83 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Many people spend their lives searching for the means to acquire tremendous financial wealth. They look to external resources to give them what they want, and are ultimately disappointed when their dreams don’t turn out the way they had planned They either become incredibly wealthy at the expense of their spiritual well being, family, and friends, or they never acquire the riches they’ve aspired to, and in their disappointment, they discover they’ve lost all sense of self-worth.

The Wealthy Spirit is the only book that offers an approach to achieving both spiritual and financial wealth. Through a series of daily affirmations that focus on the reader’s internal strength and capacity for change, this book will set them on a path toward personal enlightenment and wealth in body, mind, and spirit.

Using a day-to-day approach, readers will learn six keys:
--Think positive. Like mind over matter, mind over money begins with believing you deserve it and can get it.
--Send out ships. You can wait for your ship to come in, but if you don’t send any out, it’s going to be a long wait.
--Count your money. Money is a game and you have to know the score. The money score will tell you how well you’re doing at steps one and two.
--Swim with dolphins. Being "in the swim" will depend largely on who you’re swimming with. Find "your people" and avoid sharks.
--Survive the storms. You must weather interior storms as well as exterior ones. Persistence is key.
--Seek balance and enlightenment. Only from their perspective will you know when you have "enough."

The Wealthy Spirit offers readers peace of mind to help them build financial muscle and a successful, stress-free life..
Price: $8.40 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Joan Borysenko, best-selling author and lecturer, leads you through 2 empowering meditations: 1. Breath of Life, Breath of Love: This breath-centered meditation gently guides you through each part of your body, helping you establish contact with the life force within each cell and balance your body's energy. 2. Stretching and Relaxation: This series of simple meditative stretches and self-massage instructions are deeply restorative to body, mind, and spirit..
Price: $5.14 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Lose Your Accent in 28 Days is the powerful, proven system that will help you master American English pronunciation in weeks — not months or years. Practice 30 minutes a day for 4 weeks and greatly improve your pronunciation. No more being asked to repeat yourself! No more being asked, "What did you say?"

Discover the pronunciation system preferred by faculty and students at America's most prestigious universities — including Cornell, UC Berkeley, Middlebury, and University of Southern California.

Lose Your Accent in 28 Days features an interactive CD-ROM that shows you exactly how to pronounce EVERY vowel and consonant through hundreds of video clips. The Audio CD includes over 70 minutes of material on rhythm, stress, and everyday speech patterns. The Workbook offers 80 techniques for better pronunciation. In all, you'll learn from 956 guided examples. What an easy and enjoyable way to lose your accent!

Lose Your Accent in 28 Days is complete. There are are no extras to buy. You get all this with your system:

- A CD-ROM. Learn to position your mouth and make those difficult vowel and consonant sounds you never thought you could. If you use a system without video, you'll miss the picture. - An Audio CD. Join Ravin and her expert team to practice rhythm, stress and everyday speech patterns. Develop perfect pronunciation and total confidence! - A Workbook. Master pronunciation techniques that will make you sound native-born! People will no longer ask, "What did you say?" - A Carrying Case. Study both at home and on-the-go with this durable and attractive case!

Why do people choose this system over the others?

* Most accent reduction training systems have audio only. It is very helpful to see the instructor's mouth so you know how to position your own mouth to make the sounds correctly.

* Systems that use a video-cassette or DVD do not allow you the incredible flexibility of being able to click with your mouse on the sounds you need to practice...and click over and over again until you've mastered the target sound.

* Many systems are complicated and difficult to use. After a few chapters, many people just give up in frustration. Lose Your Accent in 28 Days is clear and user-friendly so you look forward to studying every day.

* Lose Your Accent in 28 Days also helps you master new vocabulary as you go. The system includes a handy idioms glossary definining every idiom used in the book..
Price: $44.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]