Product Description

Once thought to be a symptom of illness, stress is now best defined as a disconnection from our divine source. Times of stress may bring feelings of panic and mayhem, but when we call upon our inner resources, stress also provides the opportunity for spiritual growth. Ageless wisdom suggests that achieving spiritual growth requires balance; to stand secure and grounded like a mountain, but to flow like water. This book reveals how we can achieve balance and peace in our lives.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #666031 in Books
• Published on: 1997-03-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 211 pages

Ingram
Redefining stress as a disconnection from our divine source, an expert on stress management demonstrates how to utilize stress to promote spiritual growth, explaining how to develop inner resources of faith, compassion, courage, humor, patience, humility, and humor. Original. 50,000 first printing.

About the Author
Luke Seaward is a contributor for the following Health Communications, Inc. Title: Stand Like Mountain Flow Like Water(Refer to ISBN0757305474)

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Stress with A Human Face I'm an old man who has known a great many problems, most of which never happened. on the other hand these issues are so obvious, I wondered why they were not included. It became clear that these students were addressing matters of the heart and issues of the soul. Detaching from my own problems and concerns, I could clearly see that stress and spirituality were not opposite ends of a continuum, but partners in the dance of life. I was delighted; one doesn't learn this in academia, especially not in graduate school. In fact, I think it's fair to say that in the mid-1980s, one didn't mention the word spirituality in the same breath as science. There was an unspoken assumption that they were mutually exclusive. What I pieced together then, and what is coming to be better understood now, is that the spiritual dimension is not only present in the human equation; it is an integral, if not essential, part of it. In order to really understand the human journey, we must acknowledge and nurture these matters of the soul on a daily basis. Thus began my exploration into the dynamics of mind-body-spirit integration, human consciousness and a synthesis of reflections on stress and human spirituality. This has been the focus of my own journey, both professionally and personally; I know I am not alone in this quest. Stress with a Human Face When we hear on the news about a crisis in a distant city or remote corner of the world, we can easily detach ourselves from it. But when stress and tension are in our own environment one that must be practiced regularly and mindful of our spiritual essence. In other words, there are no quick fixes to stress. We must look deep into the soul to answer these concerns. This can be a long, arduous process with no speedy solutions. Unfortunately, people are looking for quick answers to monumental problems. Some of my best teachers in college were my students. One day while discussing the concept of balance in my stress management class, one student raised his hand and shared an ancient proverb from his t'ai chi course. He explained that balance is a fundamental skill in t'ai chi, as well as a principle of the Taoist philosophy. The saying is: "Stand like mountain, move like water." Now that's a sound byte. The message is colorful, poetic, profound or spiritual (assessing relationships, values and one's purpose in life). Yet the body reacts to these threats, regardless of their nature, in the same fashion it is closely linked with depression. Do anger and fear differ? Some insist that fear and anger are the same. They say that anger is merely an expression of fear. While there may be an element of truth to this notion, in terms of the stress response there are clear lines drawn between the two. Fight is not the same thing as fright. Perhaps it is best said that anger and fear are two sides of the same stress coin. (5) Like love and joy, anger and fear are a critical

Customer Reviews

No very practical, very academic
Desipte the title, this book does NOT teach you how to stand like mountain or to flow like water.

It is not a practical book on how to cope with stress.

However, if you want an academic account of human spiritualaity, it is not a bad book, but this is not I am looking for so just 2 stars.

Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water
Psychophysiologist Brian Luke Seaward advocates finding balance in life as a way of overcoming stress. The title of his book, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water: Reflections on Stress and Human Spirituality, is based on a t'ai chi saying. Seaward says "to stand like a mountain suggests a sense of stability, resistant to the winds of change. To move like water implies the ability to go with the flow, rather than trying to change things we have no control over."
He says that balance can be learned, but doing so requires becoming aware of, and using, our inner resources. Inner resources include humor, creativity, courage, intuition, and faith, among others. Inner resources "can and should be employed every day," not just during times of crisis.
Study after study has documented the harmful effects of stress on the human body. Seward says many people feel stress because they have betrayed their spiritual nature by not living the lives they know they should be living. He compares life to climbing up a mountain, with each of us picking out the one path that is best for us. He says "not only are there numerous paths, but we each move at a pace conducive to our soul's growth process." He adds that "it is impossible to get lost on the spiritual path. We can only be immobilized by our own fears." Confronting stressors overcomes those fears and brings balance to our lives.
Seward drew from many disciplines, including psychology, theology, quantum physics, philosophy, sociology, and mythology, as well as from his experience as a therapist, to write Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water. He says that "it is my sole wish that the collective wisdom found among these pages serve as a reminder of what we already know, because the guidance we seek is really within us."

TIMELESS WISDOM SYNTHESIZED by BRIAN LUKE SEAWARD
After the September 11th tragedy, I found myself rereading from the wisdom of Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water to try to find some meaning in all the sadness. His synthesis of the "Ageless wisdom" was very comforting in this time of spiritual hunger. I also found many passages which took on a greater meaning than when I first read it many years ago. I have given the book as a gift to many friends. I HIGHY recommend this book to anyone looking for meaning in their lives at this time. This book is a classic!