One of America's preeminent psychiatrists draws on his famous Study of Adult Development to give us an exhilarating look at how the mind's defenses work. What we see as the mind's trickery, George Vaillant tells us, is actually healthy. What's more, it can reveal the mind at its most creative and mature, soothing and protecting us in the face of unbearable reality, managing the unmanageable, ordering disorder. And because creativity is so intrinsic to this alchemy of the ego, Vaillant mingles his studies of obscure lives with psychobiographies of famous artists and others--including Florence Nightingale, Sylvia Plath, Anna Freud, and Eugene O'Neill.

One of America's preeminent psychiatrists draws on his famous Study of Adult Development to give us an exhilarating look at how the mind's defenses work. What we see as the mind's trickery, George Vaillant tells us, is actually healthy. What's more, it can reveal the mind at its most creative and mature, soothing and protecting us in the face of unbearable reality, managing the unmanageable, ordering disorder. And because creativity is so intrinsic to this alchemy of the ego, Vaillant mingles his studies of obscure lives with psychobiographies of famous artists and others--including Florence Nightingale, Sylvia Plath, Anna Freud, and Eugene O'Neill.

Learn to let go of the illusions of the ego and discover the real you with this collection of inspiring quotes on the ego, mind, and spiritual enlightenment from human-consciousness expert Dr. David R. Hawkins. Are you willing to let go of seeing yourself as the ego believes you to be? Are you willing to go further, to know that the ego itself is an illusion? In this book, select teachings from Dr. David R. Hawkins’s extensive body of work will guide you in the process of realization, surrender, and transformation. When we let go of the old ways of thinking, our attachments, and the false promises of the ego, we discover the truth that we are one with All. Features classic passages, including: It is not really necessary to subdue the ego, but merely to stop identifying with it. Every life experience, no matter how “tragic,” contains a hidden lesson. When we discover and acknowledge the hidden gift that is there, a healing takes place. Enlightenment is not a condition to be obtained; it is merely a certainty to be surrendered to, for the Self is already one’s Reality. It is the Self that is attracting one to spiritual information. To be enlightened merely means that consciousness has realized its most inner, innate quality as nonlinear subjectivity and its capacity for awareness. The only energy that has more power than the strength of the collective ego is that of Spiritual Truth. “This book is small in size, but it can have a massive impact on your life. It will take you through the process of a total transformation of consciousness—if you choose to apply its teachings deeply within yourself.” — From the Introduction by Fran Grace, Ph.D.

Not since Anna Freud's 1937 book, The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense, has any one volume explored this topic as fully as Ego Mechanisms of Defense by George E. Vaillant. By summarizing the latest empirical studies, proposing a universal language of defense mechanisms, and demonstrating how various assessment methods can be used in diagnosis, case formulation, and treatment, Dr. Vaillant and an interdisciplinary group of contributors provide the groundwork for clinical practice as well as future research in the field.

The Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive (LYWA) is the collected works of Lama Thubten Yeshe and Kyabje Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. The Archive was founded in 1996 by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, its spiritual director, to make available in various ways the teachings it contains. This book contains the teachings and meditations Lama gave at a five-day retreat he led near Melbourne, Australia, which he introduced by saying:"Whether or not this five-day meditation course becomes beneficial is up to you; it depends on your own mind. It's not a lama thing; I'm not going to bring you to enlightenment in this short time. Instead of having too many expectations of the lama, it's better that you generate a pure motivation for being here. Expectations cause mental problems; instead of being positive, they become negative..."If over the next five days you can begin to recognize the reality of your own nature, this meditation course will have been worthwhile. Therefore, dedicate your actions during this time to discovering inner freedom through recognizing the negative characteristics of your own uncontrolled mind."In line with Lama's intentions, this book is dedicated to the awakening of inner freedom within the minds of its readers and all other sentient beings.

WINNER OF THE NAUTILUS BOOK AWARD Blending psychological insights with spiritual wisdom, this “brilliant and visionary” guide deconstructs the myth of the ‘selfish’ ego to provide a blueprint for fostering peace (Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance) Why have we failed to create the happy, peaceful world that we all want? And what can we do about it? For more than three decades, Jalaja Bonheim has explored these questions in her work with women leaders, activists, and spiritual seekers from around the world. In The Sacred Ego, she tackles one of the core myths of popular spiritual culture—the myth of the ego, supposedly responsible for our greed, selfishness, and violence. In contrast, Bonheim approaches the ego as a sacred function worthy of honor and gratitude. With riveting stories from her work, she guides us into the depths of our collective psyche to pinpoint the real sources of our problems and illuminate our path to wholeness. Firmly grounded in a lifetime of practical experience, The Sacred Ego is a visionary, uplifting book that explains why our world is in crisis and how we can support the unprecedented transformational process that’s underway.

Now a Wall Street Journal bestseller. What if the games we played as children were the greatest gift to helping us achieve more today? Before stage fright, impostor syndrome, emotional baggage, and the other dubious gifts of adulthood, everyone pretended to be a superhero, a favorite athlete, an inspiring entertainer, a nurse, a firefighter, a lion, or whatever else captured our imaginations. And yet, that natural creativity is slowly squeezed out of us because we think it’s childish or it’s “time to grow up.” Now Todd Herman—backed by scientific research and countless stories from the real world—will show us how to tap into the human imagination to unleash new versions of ourselves, ready-made to kick ass. Herman has been coaching champions in every field for over twenty years, and he’s helped them bring out their Heroic Self to transcend the forces pulling them into the Ordinary World. Anyone attempting ambitious things faces adversity, resistance, and challenges, but Herman confronts these obstacles with a question: Who or what needs to show up to make success inevitable? In The Alter Ego Effect, Herman presents countless stories from salespeople, executives, entertainers, athletes, entrepreneurs, creatives, and historical figures to illustrate how to activate the Heroic Self already nested inside each of us. And he reveals that we may not be using those traits in the moments when we need them the most. From the creative entrepreneur who resisted their craft, to the accomplished military officer who wanted to be a warmer dad at home, Todd Herman’s clients have discovered there is no end to the parts of their lives they could improve by using Alter Egos.

“Don’t read this book,” your Ego says. “Your life could change. And that scares me.” Sometimes our worst failures lead to our greatest transformation. In 2012, James McCrae left behind a comfortable life in Minnesota and a successful career in advertising to move to New York City and pursue his dreams of being a writer. Soon after he arrived, Hurricane Sandy ripped through the eastern seaboard. New York City was underwater, and James —jobless and running out of money—was suddenly homeless. Fleeing to the island of Culebra for refuge, James sat alone on Flamenco Beach while his greatest doubts and insecurities rose to the surface. What he discovered was his Ego—and it had a lot of sh#t to say. This story of adventure, redemption, and transformation reminds us that we all have two voices inside us: the Ego and the Higher Self. The Ego is our reactive, attached mind that tells us we’re victims of circumstance. The Higher Self is our source of intuition and imagination that reminds us we’re the creators of our reality. Sh#t Your Ego Says exposes the battle between these voices. With arresting honesty and candid, compelling prose, James takes you through practical strategies for overthrowing your Ego and reclaiming a life of creativity and freedom. Whether you’re looking to achieve meaningful career success, improve your relationships, or unlock your imagination, this book provides a no-nonsense roadmap to living with purpose.

From one artist to another, a helpful guide and a meditation on the nature of the ego and its toxic effects on the creative process Life Without Envy by Camille DeAngelis is a game-changer for artists of all stripes: a practical guide for navigating the feelings of jealousy, frustration, and inadequacy we all experience to create a happy life regardless of how your career is (or isn’t) going. In these pages you'll find strategies for escaping the negative feedback loop you get stuck in whenever you compare yourself to your fellow artists. You'll begin to resolve your hunger for recognition, shifting your mindset from “proving yourself” to making a contribution and becoming part of a supportive creative community. Best of all, you'll come to understand that your worth—as an artist and a human being—has nothing to do with how your work is received in the wider world. Life Without Envy offers a blueprint for real and lasting contentment no matter what setback you’re weathering in your creative life.