You possess the most remarkable system in all of biology, the human brain. You have the power to direct it with the most complex set of processes in the universe, the mind. When you use this creative power consciously, you not only actualize the power to excel in whatever you do, you can direct your experience in ways that make life fulfilling and meaningful. As wonderful as this might sound, for many the journey may be anything but. Every major survey shows that the majority of us are plagued by stress and anxiety, which is toxic to the brain. The new science is clear: transcend stress, regain higher brain function, and the mind lights up with creative intelligence. Mystic Cool shows us how to calmly turn our backs on stress and walk in the direction of the brilliant life we were born to live.
WINNER OF THE 1997 ATTICUS AWARD, STRATEGY CATEGORY "Fantastic! Creating Ever-Cool is a 'must-read' for all manufacturers and advertising agencies that are marketing to children." Bennett Wolk, Director Worldwide Consumer Research Mattel Toys By its very nature, "cool" is a nebulous distinction. What is cool one year, or even one month, may not be the next. Yet some products are able to remain consistently cool year-in and year-out. In their quest for a share of the $171 billion of purchases that kids influence every year, marketers strive to develop such cool products. These the author terms "Ever-Cools." The Barbie doll represents a perfect example of an "Ever-Cool" product. Barbie rides the trends and fads, assuming various guises to reflect current coolness. Mothers who had Malibu Barbie dolls now buy Baywatch Barbies for their daughters. This is an exploration of achieving the elusive Ever-Cool status.
Psychology and social science practically ignored “cool” as a legitimate topic of research. While in fact, the occurrence of cool has played an important role in the historical, social and cultural development of Black people, especially some Black males. Some Black male businessmen use cool behaviors to fight against stress caused by meaningful life supporting social, economic, political, and business issues. Coolposing is a leadership strategy based on African cultural elements of communicative individuality and mysticism, emerging from influences of “cool pose.” It is a part of character, and character is the representation of one’s self in everyday life. It is a positive response by America’s Black males (and not niggas) to alienation, lynching, and loss of community grounded in the coolness of the first group of captured, yet resistant Africans, who arrived at Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Within this book, readers will learn all about this often ignored subject, its central elements, and the nine kinds of “cool.” Coolposing proposes a major shift for the best mental, spiritual and physical health of Black males and prescribes measures for crisis intervention, as well as for preventing mental burnout.
"Janice M. Rasheed and Mikal N. Rasheed have produced a well-written and informative work that proposes a variety of innovative and practical strategies. . . A well-documented book, including excellent clinical case studies." --from the Foreword by Jewelle Taylor, Gibbs, Zellerbach Family Fund Professor, University of California, Berkeley "The need for theory related to social work practice with African American men is long overdue. . . . In addressing a broad spectrum of issues, including program development and public policy implications for African American men, Janice M. Rasheed and Mikal N. Rasheed...suggest that men are key to successful interventions with African American families. . . .Uniquely, this book provides detailed clinical counseling methods for practice with African American males that have not previously been demonstrated in social work literature. . . .Rasheed and Rasheed have taken a major step to fill this void by offering a theoretical framework for social work practice intervention that puts African American men at the center of analysis. This book represents a significant breakthrough in social work knowledge. Social Work Practice with African American Men will help bring a visible presence to African American men and their plight in social work literature and practices." --Lawrence E. Gary, Howard University, Washington, DC "The authors′ conceptualization, integrating the ecological, critical constructionist, and cultural perspectives in the service of empowerment, liberation, and social justice in practice with African American men is an outstanding contribution to social work and is on the cutting edge of theory and practice development. . . .A rich, innovative, and fascinating book that may well bridge the gap between the profession and this neglected, misunderstood, and often denigrated population." --Ann Hartman, D.S.W., Dean and Professor Emerita, Smith College "The authors of this useful text provide a lens through which social work practice might more effectively serve African American men. This work is a rich blend of conceptual perspectives, practice guidelines, and processes that the practitioner should find beneficial for enhancing the practice effectiveness with African American men." --Bogart R. Leashore, Dean and Professor, Hunter College Authors Janice M. Rasheed and Mikal N. Rasheed have developed a comprehensive, holistic approach to practice with African American men and their families. Social Work Practice with African American Men is a groundbreaking and long overdue book that proposes a variety of innovative and practical strategies to address relevant issues for African American men in micropractice approaches, such as individual, couple, family, and group treatment issues as well as macropractice approaches, such as policy formulation, program development, and community practice. This well-documented book is enriched with the authors′ years of qualitative research and their considerable clinical experience with African American men. The Rasheeds sensitively apply a multidisciplinary conceptual framework that integrates ecological, Africentric, and critical constructionist theoretical perspectives in their multilayered analysis of the various psychological, social, and economic issues confronted by African men and their families. These perspectives are skillfully applied to the life experiences of African American men with results that reflect their diversity, vulnerability, victimization, perseverance, adaptability, resilience, and strength. Excellent clinical case studies are used to illustrate the application of the multidimensional model of assessment and treatment. Professionals and students in social work, human services, family studies, ethnic studies, and multicultural counseling will find Social Work Practice with African American Men a reliable resource.
In this a much-anticipated conclusion to the Apocalypse series, First Sergeant “Goose” Gander of the United States Army Rangers is in over his head, and he knows it. Trapped by the Rapture in the carnage of Middle Eastern war, far from his wife and kid back home, he’s living every day on the edge, afraid each moment might be his last, terrified that he’ll never see the people he loves again. The war on the Syrian/Turkish border is heating up, and the opposition armies and the local warlords are skirmishing for power in a no-man’s land filled with innocent victims that Goose hopes to protect. Goose soon discovers elements within his own forces, fearful of his leadership, are determined to bring him down. With everybody gunning for him, Goose is going to need a miracle to pull off his mission. Even as he struggles to believe in the God of miracles, Goose is about to discover the power of redemption and the bulwark of pure faith. And as the Hand of God closes over him and he accepts salvation, Goose Gander will finally find the peace he seeks, even as the war-torn land around him explodes in violence.
Mystic is the start of an enchanting new epic fantasy series from Jason Denzel, the founder of Dragonmount. I called to the Myst, and it sent us you. For hundreds of years, high-born nobles have competed for the chance to learn of the Myst. Powerful, revered, and often reclusive, Mystics have the unique ability to summon and manipulate the Myst: the underlying energy that lives at the heart of the universe. Once in a very great while, they take an apprentice, always from the most privileged sects of society. Such has always been the tradition-until a new High Mystic takes her seat and chooses Pomella AnDone, a restless, low-born teenager, as a candidate. Commoners have never been welcomed among the select few given the opportunity to rise beyond even the highest nobility. So when Pomella chooses to accept the summons and journey to Kelt Apar, she knows that she will have more to contend with than the competition for the apprenticeship. Breaking both law and tradition, Pomella undergoes three trials against the other candidates to prove her worthiness. As the trials unfold, Pomella navigates a deadly world of intolerance and betrayal, unaware that ruthless conspirators intend to make her suffer for having the audacity to seek to unravel the secrets of the Myst. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
"Alleviating stress leads to success. Stress debilitates and even damages the brain, inhibiting you from living your fullest, most successful life. Every level of life, from career to family to your golf score, is all about higher brain networks functioning at optimum. In The End of Stress, Don Joseph Goeweybrings a simple, straightforward solution that literally switches the brain's auto-pilot from habitual stress and anxiety, to one that's calm and wired for success. By utilizing the latest research inneuroscience and neuroplasticity, Goewey offers a 4-step process that has been tested through webinars and seminars in high stress environments with chief executives, managers, engineers, and even blue collar construction workers. The End of Stress givesyou easy to apply tools to transcend stress and build the brain structure and chemistry to bring you your best day every day"--
In "Theology in Turmoil" Alan Sell examines the controversy between conservatives and liberals. The perennially important question "What is the Christian gospel?" was, writes the author, "thrust to the fore in that debate between theological conservatives and liberals which was at its height between 1890 and 1930, and of which echoes may be heard to this day. In this book I seek to trace the roots of this debate, to outline its course, and draw some lessons from it."
Since Christianity is a way and not simply a theory, commending the faith to others is an activity in which every Christian participates. Confessing and Commending the Faith discusses the presuppositions which underlie the intellectual commendation of Christianity in the face of the philosophical challenges of the present day.Following his earlier books, John Locke and the Eighteenth-Century Divines and Philosophical Idealism and Christian Belief, Alan Sell proposes a way of proceeding with Christian apologetics in the twenty-first century. He discusses what Christians wish to proclaim, asks whether these claims are reasonable and examines what is involved in the intellectual commendation of the Christian faith.Confessing and Commending the Faith makes extensive use of the historical tradition of apologetics and brings this work to bear on contemporary questions such as the meaning, use and reference of religious language, and the question of transcendence in relation to history. Alan Sell argues that if the intellectual commendation of Christianity's claim to truth is to be viable, contemporary apologetics must draw upon reason, revelation and experience to do justice to Christianity's basic confession of Christ as Saviour and Lord.
