Living the Life That You Are
Finding Wholeness When You Feel Lost, Isolated, and Afraid
by Nic Higham
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Pub Date Jul 01 2018 | Archive Date Jul 10 2019
New Harbinger Publications, Inc. | New Harbinger
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Description
"Living the Life That You Are weaves together psychology, ancient wisdom, and honest personal reflections into a coherent and inspiring whole. If loneliness is the great disease of the modern age, then Nic's heartfelt plea for self-love is much-needed medicine."-Jeff Foster, author of Falling in Love with Where You Are
When you feel isolated and alone, the world can seem like an enormously unfamiliar, confusing, and scary place. You may get caught up in your own thoughts and feelings, and even avoid connecting with others out of fear of being criticized, misunderstood, or uncomfortable-which only leads to more isolation and loneliness. This cycle can be hard to break, but you are not doomed to endure this painful condition of feeling lost and alone. This book can help you find authentic peace, confidence, and connection with all that is, right here and now.
Living the Life That You Are examines the modern-day dilemma of loneliness, revealing that its root cause is the belief that we're all separate individuals bound by personal limitations. We feel disconnected and incomplete, assuming that life's fullness exists somewhere out there, and that we must be, do, or have more for lasting fulfillment. But the truth is, despite our limited appearance, we are actually boundless. There is no divide between our internal and external worlds. This is the ancient philosophy of non-duality-we are the wholeness we are seeking.
The life that you are is all that is right now: every texture, flavor, fragrance, sight, and sound in their abundance. Using radical mindfulness-a combination of mindfulness and non-dual self-inquiry-this book will guide you toward awakening to the transformative truth and love that is your foundational being. By learning to observe, acknowledge, and question your experience without censorship or prejudice, your sense of being lost and alone will give way to an enriching and comforting state of communion with all.
Advance Praise
“A deep and compassionate
book that brings the wisdom of non-duality to our sense of loneliness and
separation … taking us through these doorways to wholeness and freedom.”
—Tim Freke, author of Deep Awake
“I’ve worked closely with Nic Higham for several years and have read his
website posts about awakening with great interest and resonance. Working with
Nic so closely over the years, I can assure you that his experience is direct.
You can feel it for yourself as you read this book. It is my honor to introduce
you to Nic if you aren’t aware of his writings yet.”
—Scott Kiloby, CEO of The Kiloby Center
for Recovery
“When we dive into the ocean of our aloneness, our loneliness can come to
an end. What a beautiful paradox to meditate upon. In Living the Life That You Are, Nic Higham challenges us to stop
running away from our present experience—however uncomfortable or intense it
is—and plunge into the ocean of present-moment awareness. This is not about
‘letting go of’ or ‘releasing’ our anxiety, fears, and sorrows. This is not
about destroying the ego or becoming a spiritually enlightened, superhuman
being, immune to the pains of being human. This is about being exactly as we
are, human vulnerabilities and all. This is about letting go of our assumptions
about reality and becoming deeply curious about ourselves, allowing our
feelings instead of resisting them, watching our thoughts instead of trying to
control them, questioning our beliefs instead of holding to them. This is about
discovering the beauty in our ordinariness, the divine essence in our flaws,
and coming to see that loneliness is not an enemy, or a mistake, or a sign of
our failure, but a great signpost to non-dual awareness, a call to remember
this constant, brilliant light that illuminates our lives from deep within. Living the Life That You Are weaves
together psychology, ancient wisdom, and honest personal reflections into a
coherent and inspiring whole. If loneliness is the great disease of the modern
age, then Nic’s heartfelt plea for self-love is much-needed medicine. Even if
your mind cannot comprehend all the ideas contained within this book, your
heart will know the truth of them.”
—Jeff Foster, author of The Wonder of Being and Falling
in Love with Where You Are
“Nic Higham’s book is not
only wise, but also deeply human, honest, and compassionate. Nic’s own
existential struggles with loneliness, isolation, forlornness, and angst were
the portals to a more authentic Self that he has discovered and now shares in
this book with great humility. Drawing on a wide range of wisdom teachings,
including Nisargadatta’s ‘natural yoga’ and what Nic calls ‘radical mindfulness,’
Nic examines separateness in a way that is spiritually, psychologically, and
philosophically astute. Throughout this process of Self-remembrance, Nic
skillfully reveals the essential Aliveness that is always at the heart of
experience, and that is the source of greater harmony, wholeness, and
connection.”
—Michael A. Rodriguez, author of Boundless Awareness
“I’ve known Nic since 2011, when he first started working for the UK-based
social justice charity of which I am a trustee. I have been deeply and
consistently struck by his commitment, compassion, and creativity since day
one. Nic’s day job involves working to improve the lives and autonomy of the
most marginalized social groups, with a specialist focus on mental health
inpatient care. Having worked for many years in acute psychiatric wards and
therapeutic groups, he is very mindful of the needs of those people who are
particularly lacking in power, validation, and/or culturally reflective
experiences. In the innovative projects he leads and contributes to, his
approach is always to be palpably appreciative of professionals and their
clients, and to write service development publications which are appealing,
validating, practical, and easy to use. Although it is a different format and
is intended for a different audience, Living
the Life That You Are is informed by Nic’s egalitarianism and his unique
experience. The book has a simple but profound message: live meditatively and
inquiringly through cultivating the bespoke selection of mindfulness principles
offered. Start your inner revolution with radical mindfulness: when you feel
separate from life, become your own best friend by shifting your focus of
attention to your sense of being, a most loyal quality we all share. Nic shows
readers how to locate and tap into this place to help them feel more connected
with themselves and others. I cannot recommend enough the opportunity to bring
his passion and experience to a wider audience.”
—Jonathan Jenkins, chief executive of London Air Ambulance
“At the heart of Nic
Higham’s meditative reflections on non-duality lies an invitation to deep
self-inquiry. As any earnest seeker eventually realizes, life’s deepest
truths cannot be known or attained by the mind; rather, the truth gradually
reveals itself to those willing to look behind the veil. Higham shows us that
loneliness and anxiety—rather than being states we should attempt to
overcome—can be portals into profound Self-intimacy. With kindness and
clarity, he elucidates the qualities necessary for us to experience for
ourselves what the phrase non-dual
really means. As an experienced mental health professional, he has combined a
deep understanding of both psychology and non-duality to create a work—both
words and music—by which to guide us into the knowing we are all ultimately
seeking.”
—Fiona Robertson, senior facilitator and trainer of Scott Kiloby’s
Living Inquiries, and author of The Art of Finding Yourself
“Nic writes well and has understood the teachings of
Advaita. The book should work well as a guide and self-help (as opposed to
Self, which needs no help!).”
—Maria Jory, editor of Beyond
Freedom
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781684030859 |
PRICE | $16.95 (USD) |
PAGES | 176 |
Links
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