Explores the secret lives of various plants, from the colors they see to whether or not they really like classical music to their ability to sense nearby danger.
Written in Iceland around the year 1500, the little book now known only as AM 434a is a treasure trove of medieval medical knowledge. The book lists healing uses for over ninety different herbs. It gives advice on health matters ranging from bloodletting to steam baths to the influence of the moon on health and human life. And it contains a number of magical spells, charms, prayers, runes, and symbols to bring health, wealth, and good fortune. The roots of the healing traditions in AM 434a go back thousands of years before the book itself was written. We are honored to present the first complete English translation of AM 434a. Complete notes and commentary explain this texts's historical and cultural background. Medievalists, historians of science and magic, herbalists, and anyone interested in medieval Scandinavian lore and life will find this book indispensable.
The chakras represent a system of belief that is related to the practice of yoga and the principles of Ayurveda from India. The chakras are not physical structures that you can see with your eyes, they are an ‘energy map’ that overlays the physical structure of the spine. Presenting the chakras as an ‘energy map’ allows them to be explained in simple terms; there are ways to apply the map differently by using images, visualizations, activities and healing practices so that the different energy levels can be experienced. For example, you may get persistent throat infections or keep losing your voice, or you might be feeling unable to say what you really feel—these are signs that the throat chakra is underperforming and needs more energy. This book can provide ways to explore, unblock, and re-energize the different chakras.
Talent is not a matter of status, nor a sub-component of personality, nor a commodity that can be quantified or measured. This book consists of two parts. The first offers a fertile resource (epistemological and theoretical) to consider the notion of talent, as well as notions of potential, intelligence and business skills. The second part, in turn, investigates ten major families of talents (or “Natural Operating Modes”). From Marie Curie to Walt Disney, Hans Zimmer, Gabrielle Chanel and Claude Lévi-Strauss, the illustrations and examples are intended to be precise and demonstrative. Skills relating to observation, evaluation and elucidation are developed in detail and complemented with concrete examples. Both managers and employees can use this book to acquire the solid bases required to potentiate and develop their talents within their respective company and beyond.
The Craft and Science of Coffee follows the coffee plant from its origins in East Africa to its current role as a global product that influences millions of lives though sustainable development, economics, and consumer desire.For most, coffee is a beloved beverage. However, for some it is also an object of scientifically study, and for others it is approached as a craft, both building on skills and experience. By combining the research and insights of the scientific community and expertise of the crafts people, this unique book brings readers into a sustained and inclusive conversation, one where academic and industrial thought leaders, coffee farmers, and baristas are quoted, each informing and enriching each other.This unusual approach guides the reader on a journey from coffee farmer to roaster, market analyst to barista, in a style that is both rigorous and experience based, universally relevant and personally engaging. From on-farming processes to consumer benefits, the reader is given a deeper appreciation and understanding of coffee's complexity and is invited to form their own educated opinions on the ever changing situation, including potential routes to further shape the coffee future in a responsible manner. - Presents a novel synthesis of coffee research and real-world experience that aids understanding, appreciation, and potential action - Includes contributions from a multitude of experts who address complex subjects with a conversational approach - Provides expert discourse on the coffee calue chain, from agricultural and production practices, sustainability, post-harvest processing, and quality aspects to the economic analysis of the consumer value proposition - Engages with the key challenges of future coffee production and potential solutions