Kirjahaku

Preaching and Teaching Laudato Si' is not a synopsis of Pope Francis' Encyclical on the Environment, but a simply written primer for those who wish to preach, teach or reflect on the spiritual implications of a green agenda; it is a resource for those of any faith who wish to respond to the Pope's plea for ecological conversion. Though the book is primarily intended for preachers and teachers, it offers basic principles for anyone who wishes to learn more about sustainable living.Beginning with an introductory section which presents the range of ecological crises currently facing humanity, the book includes an Ecological Examination of Conscience based loosely (and somewhat playfully) on the idea of Negative and Positive "Confessions" from the Egyptian Book of the Dead. This Examination is not all-encompassing, but it does open readers to the possibility that their habits and lifestyle may be harming Creation. The intention here is not to create guilt, but to initiate change, however infinitesimal.There are two chapters which address Preachers, though the content may be useful for others as well. "Preaching to the Choir" asks how one should present the Encyclical to those who are already open to its content. In other words, the assembly has no need of conversion, and so the preacher's task is not to inform but to support. Conversely, "Preaching to the Pew" asks how a preacher should approach those who dismiss the document as a "Papal Mistake." In these two chapters, author Elizabeth-Anne Stewart discusses what is liturgically appropriate as well as what is pastorally sensitive: different approaches to "unpacking" the Encyclical may vary according to the constituents one serves. The two chapters which primarily are geared towards teachers explore ways of reaching Millennials and Generation Z-- the two generations that have inherited the ecological mess mostly created by Baby Boomers and their offspring, Gen X. Here, Stewart draws on more than three decades of incorporating social justice issues in Humanities classes, especially social justice and the environment.This little book is not a scholarly work, but a series of reflections meant for every day people who happen to preach, teach or think

Mind-Shifting Imagery: Image Guidance for Life Coaches provides brief, safe, non-therapeutic applications of Image Guidance for coaches and other life guides such as spiritual directors, pastoral counselors, chaplains, social workers, and therapists. As presented in this book, Image Guidance has powerful implications for life coaching and is fully aligned with the International Coach Federation's core competencies and Code of Ethics. Used briefly, as a forward-focusing tool rather than as a strategy for re-visiting the past, Image Guidance offers a doorway into self-knowledge (I know who I am) and self-awareness (I understand my dreams, desires, fantasies, motivations and purpose, as well as the limiting beliefs that are stopping me from living the life I want to lead). It is not a "coaching method" as such, but a technique for taking clients to the next level, spiritually, emotionally and even physically. It was nearly 30 years ago that Dr. Elizabeth-Anne Stewart's fascination with the symbolic led her to develop a process for accessing the unconscious that she named "Image Guidance." While this process bears similarities to counseling approaches involving guided imagery and the active imagination, it is unique in that clients converse directly with their own imagery in the presence of a supportive guide who offers direction as needed, as well as feedback. Through her explorations-mostly with faculty, staff and students at DePaul University- Dr. Stewart discovered that images function much like dreams in their ability to heal, guide and illumine. Over time, she amassed a series of case studies which Paulist Press published as Image Guidance: A Tool for Spiritual Direction (1992) and Image Guidance and Healing (1994). Mind-Shifting Imagery: Image Guidance for Life Coaches illustrates simple ways in which life coaches can use archetypes, symbols and metaphors in personal guidance, relationship coaching and even in corporate settings; there is also a chapter on the use of religious imagery and one on imagery and physical healing. Throughout the book, the author provides sample transcripts and step-by-step commentary which serve as a "how-to" manual. She also discusses ways of developing the symbolic imagination, so that coaches and other guides can more readily understand and respond to their clients' symbols and metaphors. Though there are many ways of using imagery to open up coaching possibilities and to bring about dramatic "mind-shifts," Image Guidance provides a process for doing so. Applications include, but are not limited to: -Helping clients identify and describe emotions such as fear, frustration, excitement, enthusiasm; -Assisting clients to identify "blocks" to their success, thereby reducing their negative energy, and allowing them to become unstuck; -Assisting clients to imagine new possibilities and outcomes and to work towards these goals; -Helping clients to prioritize, take action and evaluate; -Affirming clients' hopes and dreams while re-enforcing their belief in self; -Encouraging clients to accept new positions of leadership or areas of professional or personal responsibility etc. Mind-Shifting Imagery: Image Guidance for Life Coaches demonstrates that imagery has a place in coaching with clients who are ready to imagine new possibilities, explore options, diffuse negative situations and clarify complexities. In this journey, the guide serves as a companion and facilitator, helping make sense of all that the imagery reveals. By asking powerful questions and using Image Guidance as a brief intervention, the coach assists the client to go deeper, feel more intensely, understand more clearly and be more authentic. Again, Image Guidance is not a method of coaching but a tool to be used selectively and carefully so that clients can experience a "mind shift" and cross the great divide that separates them from where they are today and where they hope to be tomorrow.

Coaching often leads to a mind shift, a change in perspective. It’s not about maintaining the status quo but about diving deeper, gaining clarity, understanding oneself, becoming more authentic, and encountering truth. This mind shift is an epiphany moment - a moment of discovery, good or bad - that shatters old ways of thinking and sets the future in motion. Though typically associated with religious experience or literature, epiphanies are foundational to coaching, ensuring that the coach and client enter a shared transformational process.Unlocking Epiphany Moments: A Primer for Life Coaches and Other Inner Guides represents an unexplored field relevant to anyone who provides inner guidance. Dr. Stewart claims that epiphanies offer a framework for generating meaning, providing a 'GPS' for the maze of life and allowing clients to deepen their exploration into their motivations and options and the forces that block them. This book defines various epiphanies while exploring the skills and strategies that coaches can cultivate to facilitate such powerful moments.