Here Grof presents a useful model of the psyche—a model extended by his thirty years of studying non-ordinary states of consciousness. It is useful for understanding such phenomena as shamanism, mysticism, psychedelic states, spontaneous visionary experiences, and psychotic episodes. The model is also useful in explaining the dynamics of experiential psychotherapies and a variety of sociopolitical manifestations such as war and revolution. This book might have been entitled Beyond Drugs. The second part describes the principles and process of the non-pharmacological technique developed by the author and his wife, Christina, for self-exploration and for psychotherapy. Grof explores in detail the components of this technique. He describes its method, its effective mechanisms, as well as its goals and potential. Its practice is simple, since it utilizes the natural healing capacity of the psyche.

The Discovery of Islands consists of a series of linked essays in British history, written by one of the world's leading historians of political thought and published over the past three decades. Its purpose is to present British history as that of several nations interacting with - and sometimes seceding from - an imperial state. The commentary presents this history as that of an archipelago, expanding across oceans to the Antipodes. Both New Zealand history and the author's New Zealand heritage inform this vision, presenting British history as oceanic and global, complementing (and occasionally criticising) the presentation of that history as European. Professor Pocock's interpretation of British history has been hugely influential in recent years, making The Discovery of Islands a resource of immense value for historians of Britain and the world.

The mind is a powerful ally for us to live in this world. However given absolute control of our lives, it becomes a silent tyrant.Indeed, there is no master more ruthless, no jungle more wild, and no fire more fierce and consuming than the reactive mind. Therefore the battlefield of the mind is the only one we have to conquer, the only prison we have to walk out of, and then we can realize we have always been free. Freedom is the true nature of our being. This book is a collection of Short Stories, Essays and Exercises which the author wrote over the years as a record of observations on her own journey towards finding the authentic Self.The author wishes to inspire the readers into self inquiry by incorporating her experiences in all the work and distilling those experiences for everyone to try.It is meant to be light reading rather than a textbook."The greatest politeness is free of all formality,perfect conduct is free of concern,perfect wisdom is unplanned,perfect love is without demonstrations,perfect sincerity offers no guarantee." ~The way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton

Jonardon Ganeri compares classical Indian and contemporary Western accounts of the self.