books – INFJ Ramblings

Best INFJ Books: Recommended Reading List #3

Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:45:45 +0000

Here is finally an update to the way overdue reading list as requested by some of you. This time I have a selection of lifestyle & health improvement books but also a recommendation in the field of parapsychology. Hope you all enjoy!

Daily Rituals: How Artists Work

There are many times in my life where I have questioned my own sanity when it comes to creativity and work related habits. Sometimes it is easy to feel alone in the world when it comes to these things and this book is a true gem when it comes to revealing the secret lives of many of the most talented artists in the history of time. This book proves not only that most of us is far from perfect and that we all struggle, but also contains insight on productive and life sustaining habits from some of the most talented minds in history. For me this book was a great comfort in times of struggle but also a motivational tool to keep me going. One of my most interesting reads this year, highly recommended!

Franz Kafka, frustrated with his living quarters and day job, wrote in a letter to Felice Bauer in 1912, “time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a pleasant, straightforward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers.”

Kafka is one of 161 inspired—and inspiring—minds, among them, novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians, who describe how they subtly maneuver the many (self-inflicted) obstacles and (self-imposed) daily rituals to get done the work they love to do, whether by waking early or staying up late; whether by self-medicating with doughnuts or bathing, drinking vast quantities of coffee, or taking long daily walks. Thomas Wolfe wrote standing up in the kitchen, the top of the refrigerator as his desk, dreamily fondling his “male configurations”. . . Jean-Paul Sartre chewed on Corydrane tablets (a mix of amphetamine and aspirin), ingesting ten times the recommended dose each day . . . Descartes liked to linger in bed, his mind wandering in sleep through woods, gardens, and enchanted palaces where he experienced “every pleasure imaginable.”

Here are: Anthony Trollope, who demanded of himself that each morning he write three thousand words (250 words every fifteen minutes for three hours) before going off to his job at the postal service, which he kept for thirty-three years during the writing of more than two dozen books . . . Karl Marx . . . Woody Allen . . . Agatha Christie . . . George Balanchine, who did most of his work while ironing . . . Leo Tolstoy . . . Charles Dickens . . . Pablo Picasso . . . George Gershwin, who, said his brother Ira, worked for twelve hours a day from late morning to midnight, composing at the piano in pajamas, bathrobe, and slippers . . .

Here also are the daily rituals of Charles Darwin, Andy Warhol, John Updike, Twyla Tharp, Benjamin Franklin, William Faulkner, Jane Austen, Anne Rice, and Igor Stravinsky (he was never able to compose unless he was sure no one could hear him and, when blocked, stood on his head to “clear the brain”).

Brilliantly compiled and edited, and filled with detail and anecdote, Daily Rituals is irresistible, addictive, magically inspiring.

Get it here:
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work

The Book of Floating: Exploring the Private Sea

At the start of 2014 I tried floating (sensory deprivation tank) for the first time and I have kept it up as often as I can ever since. Floating is an amazing experience which is difficult to put into words. If you are interested in meditation and exploring your mind you will love floating. The best part is that it will supercharge your meditation practice and make it possible for you to reach deeper levels quickly which would otherwise take up to years to develop. With practice floating makes OBE and astral projection experiences a reality and provides deep emotional relaxation that lasts for a long time after your floating session. In some countries floating is used as a proven treatment for depression, anxiety and insomnia. If you have a possibility to try floating where you live I highly recommend it, I will write more about floating in my upcoming ebook.

Michael Hutchison wrote a definitive book about all the studies done concerning floating. The book is called “The Book of Floating”. He addresses sleep studies and brain wave states where floaters were compared to Tibetan Lamas. It seems that for every year a Zen Monk or Tibetan Lama meditates, their brain can produce one minute of “Theta” brain wave while meditating. Theta is the mystical brain wave that normal people only produce for a split second when falling asleep and then again when waking, it’s considered a euphoric brain state.

With this premise a monk who has been meditating for 20 years can produce up to twenty minutes of Theta brain wave while in meditation. Michael says however, that these are the only people in the world who are able to produce theta like this except floaters. Michael’s book says that floating studies revealed that floaters with no meditation experience easily produced twenty minutes of Theta durring a one hour floating session.

There are many other stories, studies, anecdotes and revealing facts regarding FAQ and paranoia about drowning, sanitation, constructing a tank, and claustrophobia, etc.

Get it here:
The Book of Floating: Exploring the Private Sea (Consciousness Classics)

Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome

If you suffer from chronic stress, fatigue, anxiety or insomnia I highly suggest you read up on adrenal disorders. Especially if you are an HSP which are more susceptible to these kinds of problems. It is estimated that 90% of doctors visits are for issues that stem from stress. Prolonged stress is also the source of most of our diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, which all belong to some of the most common causes of death in modern society. Stress disorders is something that are just now beginning to be fully understood and I believe that in the future it will be one of the most important things to educate the public about in order to prevent disease. I have personal experience with suffering from adrenal fatigue and chronic low cortisol levels, this book is one of the best ones on the subject and provides lot’s of good tips on how to heal. I will be writing more about these type of problems in my upcoming ebook.

Dr. James Wilson has helped hundreds of people with adrenal fatigue regain their health and vitality during his 24 years of private practice. For the past 10 years he has also lectured extensively to physicians and is acknowledged as an expert on adrenal function and other endocrine imbalances, and their impact on health. With a researcher’s grasp of the science behind adrenal function and a clinician’s understanding of its human impact, he has helped many understand the physiology behind the condition.One of the few people to hold 3 doctorate degrees and 2 master’s degrees, all from different disciplines, he received his Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from the University of Arizona, with minors in immunology, microbiol-ogy, pharmacology and toxicology. In addition, he holds degrees as a Doctor of Chiropractic and Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. His master’s degrees are in bio/nutrition and experimental psychology. Dr. Wilson was also one of 14 founding fathers of the Canadian College of Naturopathic medicine (CCNM) in Toronto, Ontario. He is listed in The International Who’s Who in Medicine (Cambridge, England) and currently resides in Tucson, Arizona.

Get it here:
Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome

The Mood Cure: The 4-Step Program to Take Charge of Your Emotions–Today

This is the #1 book on the field of treating health problems like depression, insomnia and fatigue with the supplementation of amino acids. This approach is superior to antidepressants like SSRIs and should always be tried first before considering any medication. The reason why this is not done is because you cannot patent these amino acids because they exist naturally in our bodies, hence there is no money to be made for big pharma. Germany is one of the few countries in the world where doctors often consider a more natural approach like this before prescribing antidepressant medications. Amino acids like 5-HTP, Tryptophan, GABA, Tyrosine and Phenylalanine are used to correct imbalances in serotonin, dopamine, GABA and endorphins that help regulate our moods.

Are you a part of the bad mood epidemic? Here are the answers you’ve been looking for!

Julia Ross’s plan provides a natural cure for your mood. Drawing on thirty years of experience, she presents breakthrough solutions to overcoming depression, anxiety, irritability, stress, and other negative emotional states that are diminishing the quality of our lives. Her comprehensive program is based on the use of four mood-building amino acids and other surprisingly potent nutrient supplements, plus a diet rich in good-mood foods such as protein, healthy fat, and certain key vegetables. Including an individualized mood-type questionnaire,The Mood Cure has all the tools to help
you get started today and feel better tomorrow.

Get it here:
The Mood Cure: The 4-Step Program to Take Charge of Your Emotions–Today

Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle

Here is a interesting read on consciousness from the talented mind of one, if not the most famous psychologist of all time, Carl Jung. Synchronicity is the word for the meaningful coincidences that appear both in the external world and in the mind. On multiple occasions in my life strange things have happened which I cannot explain. Things that seem connected but cannot possibly be because the chance that they would is so extremely small. An simplified example would be the times when you thought about something or said something, just to have it appear or be mentioned on television or in a song a few seconds later. It happens to all of us but science have yet to been able to explain the nature of this phenomenon. In this book Carl Jung provides his beliefs and experiences with it and provides ample food for thought for you to explore this further in the mysterious world of consciousness.

Jung was intrigued from early in his career with coincidences, especially those surprising juxtapositions that scientific rationality could not adequately explain. He discussed these ideas with Albert Einstein before World War I, but first used the term “synchronicity” in a 1930 lecture, in reference to the unusual psychological insights generated from consulting the I Ching. A long correspondence and friendship with the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Wolfgang Pauli stimulated a final, mature statement of Jung’s thinking on synchronicity, originally published in 1952 and reproduced here. Together with a wealth of historical and contemporary material, this essay describes an astrological experiment Jung conducted to test his theory.Synchronicity reveals the full extent of Jung’s research into a wide range of psychic phenomena.

This paperback edition of Jung’s classic work includes a new foreword by Sonu Shamdasani, Philemon Professor of Jung History at University College London.

Get it here:
Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle. (From Vol. 8. of the Collected Works of C. G. Jung) (Bollingen Series XX: the Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Volume 8)

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INFJ Books: Recommended Reading List #2

Fri, 13 Dec 2013 09:23:00 +0000

I’ve have recently started some major rework on this blog to turn it into something better than it currently is. I started this website mainly as an outlet for my own thoughts but in the future I want this to eventually become a more serious blog with lots of INFJ, MBTI and HSP research. I just registered the domain www.infjramblings.com so feel free to update your bookmarks. The old address will still work as well. The blog will be getting a new layout and logos in the next few weeks so stay tuned for that.

Here is a long due update for the reading list to keep you occupied while I rework this blog. I’ve included some mixed books this time and I have read all of them and they are all highly recommended.

The ESP Enigma: The Scientific Case for Psychic Phenomena

This is one of my favorite subjects and every INFJ will love this book. The research presented in it is a testament for the true nature of the world and that there is a lot more going on behind the scenery of life then one might thing. Cannot recommend this enough!

A revolutionary scientific explanation of psychic phenomena and the nature of human consciousness.

Although much is now known about the brain, relatively little has been determined about where consciousness comes from: What is the source of the “I” in our internal monologue? How does something as nonmaterial as consciousness arise from something material like the brain? Dr. Diane Powell, a Johns Hopkins–trained neuroscientist, has brilliantly reassessed the meaning and nature of consciousness by exploring research on the workings of psychic phenomena.

Over the past few decades several well-designed and rigorously supervised experiments have documented the existence of telepathic interconnection, clairvoyance, precognition, psychokinesis, and out-of-body experiences. Mainstream science has largely ignored these data because they all defy the traditional model of consciousness as being solely the product of brain chemistry.

Building from these experiments, Powell constructs a new theory of consciousness. I ntegrating concepts from physics, neuroscience, and other disciplines, she offers an insightful and intriguing explanation of ESP, provocatively claiming that the existence of psychic abilities expands our understanding and appreciation of consciousness. Psychic abilities are also consistent with findings in modern physics: For example, psychokinesis implies that consciousness is a type of force field, while precognition suggests that the past, present, and future exist concurrently.

Eye-opening in its conclusions and exciting in its implications, The ESP Enigma will challenge your preconceived notions and expand your mind.

Get it here:

The ESP Enigma: The Scientific Case for Psychic Phenomena

The Highly Sensitive Person

If you have read some of my previous blog posts you might have noticed that I occasionally write about HSPs (Highly Sensitive Persons). Statistically it appears that a lot of INFJs are also HSPs. This book is the number one resource on HSPs and includes lots of research and great tips on how to make life easier as an HSP. Elaine N. Aron Ph.D. (Author) is a pioneer in this field of research and is an HSP herself, great read!

Are you a highly sensitive person?

Do you have a keen imagination and vivid dreams? Is time alone each day as essential to you as food and water? Are you “too shy” or “too sensitive” according to others? Do noise and confusion quickly overwhelm you? If your answers are yes, you may be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP).

Most of us feel overstimulated every once in a while, but for the Highly Sensitive Person, it’s a way of life. In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Elaine Aron, a psychotherapist, workshop leader and highly sensitive person herself, shows you how to identify this trait in yourself and make the most of it in everyday situations. Drawing on her many years of research and hundreds of interviews, she shows how you can better understand yourself and your trait to create a fuller, richer life.

In The Highly Sensitive Person , you will discover:
* Self-assessment tests to help you identify your particular sensitivities
* Ways to reframe your past experiences in a positive light and gain greater self-esteem in the process
* Insight into how high sensitivity affects both work and personal relationships
* Tips on how to deal with overarousal
* Informations on medications and when to seek help
* Techniques to enrich the soul and spirit

Get it here:
The Highly Sensitive Person

The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide: Essential Skills for Living Well in an Overstimulating World (Step-By-Step Guides)

Another great book for HSPs. This one is a smaller format and more condensed with information that might be useful on daily basis. I like to bring this on trips and vacations sometimes where I know I will be having a stressful time. It keeps me based in reality and reminds me why I feel the way I feel sometimes. Highly recommended if you need some tips on coping!

If you’re a highly sensitive person (HSP), you’re in good company. HSP’s make up some 20 percent of the population, individuals like you who both enjoy and wrestle with a finely tuned nervous system. You often sense things that others ignore such as strong smells, bright lights, and the crush of crowds. Even the presence of strangers in your immediate vicinity can cause you considerable distraction. You already know that this condition can be a gift, but, until you learn to master your sensitive nervous system, you might be operating in a constant state of overstimulation.
As an HSP, the most important thing you can learn is how to manage your increased sensitivity to both physical and emotional stimulation. This accessible, practical guide contains strategies to help you master this critical skill. Build your coping skills by exploring the books engaging exercises. Then, keep the book by your side, a constant companion as you make your way through your vibrant and highly stimulating world.

Find out what it means to be a highly sensitive person
Take the self-examination quiz and find out whether you are highly sensitive
Learn coping techniques indispensable to IHP’s
Discover how to manage distractions like noise and time pressure at home and at work
Reduce sensory-provoked tension with meditation and deep relaxation techniques
Navigate the challenges of interacting with others in social and intimate relationship

Get it here:

The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide: Essential Skills for Living Well in an Overstimulating World (Step-By-Step Guides)

The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World

The best book I’ve read on the subject of introversion. There is a great chapter in this book about the different neurochemistry of introverts and extroverts and how science have showed that we are actually born with this trait. This is a good book to read if you are having troubles accepting yourself as an introvert.

At least one out of four people prefers to avoid the limelight, tends to listen more than they speak, feels alone in large groups, and requires lots of private time to restore their energy. They’re introverts, and here is the book to help them boost their confidence while learning strategies for successfully living in an extrovert world.

After dispelling common myths about introverts-they’re not necessarily shy, aloof, or antisocial–The Introvert Advantage explains the real issues. Introverts are hardwired from birth to focus inward, so outside stimulation-chitchat, phone calls, parties, office meetings-can easily become “too much.”The Introvert Advantage dispels introverts’ belief that something is wrong with them and instead helps them recognize their inner strengths-their analytical skills, ability to think outside the box, and strong powers of concentration. It helps readers understand introversion and shows them how to determine where they fall on the introvert/extrovert continuum. It provides tools to improve relationships with partners, kids, colleagues, and friends, offering dozens of tips, including 10 ways to talk less and communicate more, 8 ways to showcase your abilities at work, how to take a child’s temperament temperature, and strategies for socializing. Finally, it shows how to not just survive, but thrive-how to take advantage of the introvert’s special qualities to create a life that’s just right for the introvert temperament, to discover new ways to expand their energy reserves, and even how, when necessary, to confidently become a temporary extrovert.

Get it here:
The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World

The Juice Master Keeping it Simple: Over 100 Delicious Juices and Smoothies

I recently switched my daily multivitamin for a delicious juice or smoothie each day, and one of the best decisions I ever made. This helps in keeping my health and wellbeing in shape which is very important for emotional health as an INFJ and HSP. Not only do I get all the vitamins I need but also all the healthy phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables which you can’t get in any pill. It’s a great way to start the day and I bought this book to get some recipe inspiration for different juices and smoothies. I’ve done quite a few and they are all taste great and the book include details on nutrients and health effects of different fruits and vegetables. My favorite is the New Zealand Special, orange, kiwi, banana and Manuka honey, try it!

The No.1 bestselling juicing author Jason Vale is back with his ultimate book of juices and smoothies. His complete recipe book contains recipes for over 100 easy and delicious juices and smoothies to help you lose weight, get healthy and feel fantastic. Jason Vale, the inspirational king of juice detoxing and the man who helped Jordan lose 2 stone in 3 months, has compiled his definitive selection of over 100 simple but delicious, low-fat juice and smoothie recipes. Keeping it Simple has the perfect juice or smoothie, whether you want to slim down, get healthy or just need a little juice-boost pick-me-up on a rainy day. With Jason’s motivational tips and unique ‘3-Day Super Juice Detox’ programme you will not only clean your system, rid yourself of physical addictions and get extra energy, but you will also learn the fundamental Juicy Rules for a permanently slim, trim and healthy body. With a complete list of ailments that can be cured by each juice, and a full breakdown of all the minerals and nutrients contained in each recipe, this is the ultimate collection of juicing recipes for full health, extra energy and permanent weight loss. Includes: * Over 100 delicious recipes for juices and smoothies * Jason’s slimming 3-Day Super Juice Detox * The Juice Master’s Natural Pharmacy – juices for common ailments * Complete A-Z of fruit and veg – how specific vitamins and minerals help health and vitality * Kids Stuff – how to get your kids to drink fruit and vegetables and love them!

Get it here:
The Juice Master Keeping it Simple: Over 100 Delicious Juices and Smoothies

The post INFJ Books: Recommended Reading List #2 appeared first on INFJ Ramblings.

INFJ Books: Recommended Reading List #1

Sat, 31 Aug 2013 08:46:00 +0000

I thought I’ll start posting reading lists that will include books and articles I want to recommend in various subjects. Many in subjects like psychology, biology, science but also some fiction. Some might also prove valuable for INFJ types and like minded. Here is my first list post:

Mean Genes: From Sex To Money To Food: Taming Our Primal Instincts

“Why do we want—and why do we do—so many things that are bad for us? And how can we stop? In Mean Genes economist Terry Burnham and biologist Jay Phelan offer advice on how to conquer our own worst enemy—our survival-minded genes. Having evolved in a time of scarcity, when our ancestors struggled to survive in the wild, our genes are poorly adapted to the convenience of modern society. They compel us to overeat, spend our whole paycheck, and cheat on our spouses. But knowing how they work, Burnham and Phelan show that we can trick these “mean genes” into submission and cultivate behaviors that will help us lead better lives. A lively, humorous guide to our evolutionary heritage, Mean Genes illuminates how we can use an understanding of our biology to beat our instincts—before they beat us.“

Buy it here:
Mean Genes: From Sex To Money To Food: Taming Our Primal Instincts

This is a very interesting book I’m currently reading which explains how human psychology is connected to evolutionary biology. The book explains how we do not really function that differently from all the other animals on this planet. It is a great guide to learn to understand why you can sometimes do and act in ways that you feel is not who you really are on a conscious level. Great book for personal development!

Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief

“We need adaptogens for their powerful effect of restoring and protecting our health. Finally, this important healing concept is made accessible to a wider audience.”
–CHRISTOPHER HOBBS, author of Handmade Herbal Medicines and Natural Therapy for Your Liver“Adaptogens are destined to play an increasingly important role in the future of health care. This book provides an excellent introduction to and comprehensive overview of their traditional uses and of the science supporting their safety and therapeutic benefits.”
–MARK BLUMENTHAL, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council“Brilliant! . . . a definitive work on this most important group of medicinal plants.”
–ROSEMARY GLADSTAR, founder of United Plant Savers and author ofHerbal Healing for WomenWe all deal with stress every day, and every day our bodies strive to adapt and stay balanced and healthy. InAdaptogens, authors David Winston and Steven Maimes provide a comprehensive look into adaptogens, nontoxic herbs such as ginseng, eleuthero, and licorice, that produce a defensive response to stress in our bodies. These rejuvenating herbs and tonics help the body to “adapt” to the many influences it encounters. They increase stamina and counter the normal effects of aging and thus are becoming important tools in sports medicine and in the prevention and treatment of chronic fatigue and other stress-related disorders.Winston and Maimes present the historical uses of these herbal remedies in India, Russia, China, and the Americas and explain how they work and why they are so effective at combating stress-induced illness. Monographs for each adaptogen also present the latest scientific research and include the origin, traditional use, actions, properties, preparation, and dosage for each herb.

Buy it here:

Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief

This book might just be one of the best buys I have ever done. Since I started to learn about herbal medicine and adaptogens my quality of life has increased tremendously. I no longer have to take my asthma or sinus medication, I have increased energy and feel great. Can workout often and recover fast, my insomnia is gone and I sleep like a baby. The best thing of all, my anxiety and stress levels are greatly improved. I have even been and had my blood values tested and my immune system levels are higher then they have ever been.

I think everybody owe it to themselves to learn about this area of medicine and how it can help you in a natural way that does not involve the side effects of conventional medicine. How to stay healthy and disease free with herbs that been used for thousands of years in many different parts of the world. I can’t recommend this book enough!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

“Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author’s own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings that reflect the character’s art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he thought he was destined to live.The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Alexie’s YA debut, released in hardcover to instant success, recieving seven starred reviews, hitting numerous bestseller lists, and winning the 2007 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.”

Buy it here:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

This is the month’s fiction recommendation and this book was released some years ago but I recently just discovered it. Not many books has made me laugh out loud like this one did. It’s a book that is written for both teens and adults and it brings up many important questions about life while still managing to keep it cheerful and funny. The book explains the lives of Native Americans and the struggles they have living in reservations closed off from the rest of the world. Truly great story that will stay with you for a long time!

The post INFJ Books: Recommended Reading List #1 appeared first on INFJ Ramblings.