The islands of Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima in Japan's Seto Inland Sea are places of pilgrimage for friends of contemporary art and architecture. Alongside works in public spaces as well as site-specific installations, the islands are also full of numerous museums and collections of contemporary art. This publication offers a comprehensive documentation of this unique cultural landscape surrounded by Japan's Inland Sea. The photographs by the Dutch photographer Iwan Baan, ranging from tiny details to giant panoramas, create a comprehensive portrait of the islands with their fluid transitions between nature, art, and architecture. Numerous texts introduce readers to the individual areas and projects that are either permanently on display on the islands or have taken place there temporarily. In addition, other essays deal with the island as a cultural concept and phenomenon. Among others, the book presents buildings by Kazuyo Sejima, Ruye Nishizawa, Tadao Ando, and Hiroshi Sambuichi. ILLUSTRATIONS: 300

Explores where Aha! moments come from and why they feel so wonderful.

RELIGION& CIVILITY: The Primacy of Conscience (the third book of the breakthrough "Second Enlightenment Trilogy") reveals trial-and-error failures and successes of past and present civilizations. Man inherits from nature hard-won intelligence (cortical consciousness) to learn from errors of irreligion and incivility. Though more painful, error is sometimes the most convincing teacher.

Re-readings 2 is a companion book to Re-readings, originally published in 2004. This second volume is testament to the growing interest and demand for clarification of the re-modelling, adaptation and transformation processes within the existing built environment. With increased interest in the sustainability and heritage agenda and emerging interest from non-European-centric areas of the world in this type of work, this book explores how the re-modelling of existing buildings is a sustainable and viable alternative to the construction of new buildings. Throughout this highly-illustrated book, drawings and photos of various projects from around the world highlight how the new fits into the existing. Case studies are analysed holistically, and include information on the practical issues and challenges of individual projects.

Crafted entirely by the author (not a ghost writer), Insight into Piece by Kevin Raftery is an interesting, original and sharp-witted collection of articles, with a few unusual short stories thrown in for good measure. Comprising a variety of styles and genres encompassing local, national and international themes, the pieces appeal to all age groups and range from the factual, the psychological, the political, the insightful, the social and the critical. Written over a seven-year period (2011-2018) barring one or two exceptions, Kevin expertly focuses the critical spotlight on the institutions that govern us, simultaneously recording important socio-historical facts of the time, sometimes controversially. All the events catalogued proffer an entertaining twist to reading proceedings. This includes the fascinating fly on wall Inside O’Connor series which documents real life in rehab for those predisposed to addiction problems. Covering topics including human nature, disability, travel, addiction and mental health, Insight into Piece contains over 140 articles each written in Kevin’s ‘unheard’ but distinct narrative voice.

Attention, self-consciousness, insight, wisdom, emotional maturity: how Zen teachings can illuminate the way our brains function and vice-versa. When neurology researcher James Austin began Zen training, he found that his medical education was inadequate. During the past three decades, he has been at the cutting edge of both Zen and neuroscience, constantly discovering new examples of how these two large fields each illuminate the other. Now, in Selfless Insight, Austin arrives at a fresh synthesis, one that invokes the latest brain research to explain the basis for meditative states and clarifies what Zen awakening implies for our understanding of consciousness. Austin, author of the widely read Zen and the Brain, reminds us why Zen meditation is not only mindfully attentive but evolves to become increasingly selfless and intuitive. Meditators are gradually learning how to replace over-emotionality with calm, clear objective comprehension. In this new book, Austin discusses how meditation trains our attention, reprogramming it toward subtle forms of awareness that are more openly mindful. He explains how our maladaptive notions of self are rooted in interactive brain functions. And he describes how, after the extraordinary, deep states of kensho-satori strike off the roots of the self, a flash of transforming insight-wisdom leads toward ways of living more harmoniously and selflessly. Selfless Insight is the capstone to Austin's journey both as a creative neuroscientist and as a Zen practitioner. His quest has spanned an era of unprecedented progress in brain research and has helped define the exciting new field of contemplative neuroscience.

Are you bright? Do you know someone who is? Among the bright population, many social, emotional, and intellectual abilities are unrecognized. Bright people are misunderstood and mislabeled as awkward geeks, mad scientists, maladjusted poets, oversensitive artists, hyperactive clowns, or antisocial misfits. Do you want to understand the science behind why intelligent, sensitive, and highly creative brains are simply different? In Insight into a Bright Mind, Dr. Nicole Tetreault translates recent groundbreaking research examining the minds of the most highly intelligent, creative, and intense brains, and explores new directions for the neurodiverse experiences of humans. You will learn how your brain is as unique as your fingerprint, and how your experience is elevated because you are simply "hard-wired" differently! Insight into a Bright Mind is intensely argued in favor of neuroindividuality, superbly researched with the latest scientific data, and deeply invested in engaging with a myriad of bright minds capturing their essence through storytelling and voice. Be liberated to embrace your essence with greater self-compassion and awareness, and unlock your unconventional mind.