June 17, 2014

Examining the Digital Age in These Free Video Talks

How has the rapid development of digital technology reshaped our world? LearnOutLoud tackles this question in a hand-selected series of video talks dedicated to examining the Digital Age. Included here you’ll find lectures on how the internet has affected human culture and join a discussion on the hidden influence of social networking. Thinkers such as Echkart Tolle take on the digital revolution from a spiritual perspective, while Tim Ferriss argues for the virtues of accelerated learning in an accelerated era. With technological progress affecting all aspects of our life, this list is a great introduction to where it all might be leading:

1. Online Personas: Defining the Self in a Virtual World

In this round table discussion at the Commonwealth Club of California Wired editor David Ewing Duncan moderates a panel featuring Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg, former head of marketing for MySpace Shawn Gold, VP of Community Development for Second Life Robin Harper, and the founding CEO of LinkedIn Reid Hoffman. Delivered in 2006 when social networking and online personas were hitting the mainstream, this discussion covers a wide range of topics surrounding the implications of social media. All the panelists insist that these platforms are great ways to meet new people and reconnect with old friends. While Zuckerberg and Hoffman claim that their sites provide more efficient ways for relationship maintenance, the issue of addiction to these social sites and the possibility that they reduce productivity is also addressed. This discussion is an interesting starting point for considering what social networking actual means for humanity. It’s available on streaming video from FORA.tv.

2. What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains

Nicholas Carr authored The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains and he argues that the internet is basically a medium of distraction and interruption that gives us bite size pieces of information that are sometimes important and often trivial. While the stimulation of being interrupted by the wide variety of information and entertainment the internet has to offer can be very pleasurable, Carr posits that it is leading away from the in-depth contemplation and reflection that the world of books has to offer.

3. William Powers: Hamlet’s Blackberry

William Powers argues many of the same points as he discusses his book Hamlet’s BlackBerry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age. Powers looks at philosophers such as Seneca and Thoreau who sought to escape the busyness of everyday life and he applies their thinking to our digital age. He talks about his family’s experiments with disconnecting from the internet on weekends and how stepping away from being wired has been a revelatory experience.

4. An Army of Davids: How Markets and Technology Empower Ordinary People to Beat Big Media, Big Government, and Other Goliaths

In this book forum from the Cato Institute, Instapundit.com blogger Glenn Reynolds discusses his book An Army of Davids. He argues that the internet and blogs are creating ways for the common man to strike back at the media and the government. Henry Farrell disagrees with Reynolds, suggesting that the blogosphere is only representational of nerdy, upper middle class, educated, white males. It’s an interesting discussion and is available on MP3 download.

5. Seminars About Long Term Thinking Podcast

From The Long Now Foundation comes this fascinating series of Seminars About Long Term Thinking. Podcasts on the feed include CEO Philip Rosedale talking about the game Second Life, Chris Anderson talking about The Long Tail, founder and president of Wikipedia Jimmy Wales speaking on vision, author Jared Diamond discussing his book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, writer Bruce Sterling speaking about The Singularity, musician Brian Eno chatting with Will Wright (creator of the video game “The Sims” and forthcoming “Spore”), and dozens of other interesting podcasts on topics like climate change, human life extension, etc. Have a listen.

6. Changing the Media Landscape

Check out this compelling panel discussion on the changing frontiers of the new media landscape featuring MySpace creator Chris DeWolfe, former head of Google special initiatives Chris Sacca, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, and the Motion Picture Association of America’s current Chairman and CEO Dan Glickman. Hosted at the Aspen Ideas Festival, this talk covers a wide range of ideas including user generated content, copyright, advertising, monetizing content, online politics, and many other areas of change in media. This discussion is available on streaming video from FORA.tv.

7. Nicholas Christakis: The Hidden Influence of Social Networks

Nicholas Christakis speaks at TED on his studies of social networks and how things spread amongst these networks. He looks at a study of obesity and the ways in which obese people connect to other obese people over time. After those findings he looked at the spread of certain emotions within social networks. At the end of the talk he encourages more social connections as being ultimately beneficial. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 audio download from TED.com.

8. WikiLeaks: Why It Matters. Why It Doesn’t?

With this roundtable hosted by the Churchill Club, the Wikileaks scandal serves as a jumping off point for a discussion on how we access government secrets. Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, internet law commentator Jonathan Zittrain, and other notable pundits within the tech sector survey how Julian Assange’s work to make classified documents available on a broader scale has redefined journalism and put pressure on 4th amendment rights. They also explore new tools governments are utilizing to supress information, keep tabs on citizenry, and control behavior in a rapidly changing global exchange of information.

9. Eckhart Tolle on Living with Meaning, Purpose, and Wisdom in the Digital Age

Spiritual teacher and Power of Now author Eckhart Tolle visited Google headquarters last week to give a talk entitled “Living with Meaning, Purpose and Wisdom in the Digital Age”. In this 90-minute conversation with Google’s Bradley Horowitz, Tolle talks about technology and the Internet. While he feels no technology is good or evil in itself, Tolle is concerned that our digital age is ramping up the “doing” and “thinking” mind at the expense of paying attention to “being” in the present moment. He provides many helpful suggestions to take time out for “being” for anyone that spends a lot of time at the computer and on the internet. At the end of the talk he fields questions from Google employees. This talk is available on streaming video through YouTube.

10. Tim Ferriss: Accelerated Learning in Accelerated Times

Watch this recent talk from Tim Ferriss, who is the bestselling author of The 4-Hour Work Week and The 4-Hour Body. Through his ongoing learning experiments, Ferriss has developed a method for learning things quickly. He encourages people to disregard conventional knowledge when it comes to learning just about anything as most conventional learning strategies are slow and ineffective. He describes the rapid methods he used to learn languages and to accomplish some of the physical feats he accomplished in his book The 4-Hour Body. He closes the talk with giving people the best behavioral techniques for carrying out his methods until your goals are accomplished. It’s great condensed knowledge from accelerated learner Tim Ferriss. This talk was delivered at the Long Now Foundation and is available on streaming video from FORA.tv.

11. Will College Learning be Transformed by Technology?

Watch this exciting talk about the future of technology and college learning that will motivate you to learn with all of the forthcoming possibilities for online education. Stanford professor Andrew Ng provides a lot of the new ideas in the talk as he discusses the online education platform he co-founded called Coursera. Through this platform of massive open online courses (MOOCS), Coursera has provided free courses from leading universities to over 1 million people from 196 countries. In this talk U.S. Department of Education Chief of Staff Joanne Weiss provides some unfortunate statistics about the lack of young adults pursuing and completing post-secondary education, and also about the rising costs of tuition which make the traditional college experience increasingly hard to afford. She expresses the need for a more accessible and affordable form of post-secondary education. Ng addresses many of the challenges facing online education and how companies like Coursera are trying to tackle these issues. He discusses accreditation, certification, and the ability of these courses to influence potential employment. He also talks about the interaction between teachers and students and how questions and discussions can be fostered online. And he addresses the importance of grading and how students can be effectively evaluated in a massive online learning environment. While online education is still in its early stages, this talk provides us with a glimpse of what college can be in the digital age. This one hour talk is available from FORA.tv on streaming video.

12. Social Networking on the Brain

Listen to a lively panel discussion on “Social Networking on the Brain”. The panelists include neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley, documentary filmmaker Tiffany Shlain, who made a new film called Connected: An Autobiography about Love, Death and Technology, and Josh McHugh, CEO of Attention Span Media. And the moderator is David Ewing Duncan, author of the book Experimental Man. They discuss Facebook, Twitter, Google, and the rest of new media, and how these technologies are affecting our brains and our way of life. Topics include managing the information glut, breaking the filter bubble, the limits of multitasking, and the importance of face-to-face social interaction. The panelists and audience might bring up more interesting questions than answers, but they will certainly get the wheels in your head turning when it comes to your interactions with the Internet, computers, smartphones, and social networks. This talk is available on streaming video through YouTube.

13. A Few Things Learned from Craigslist

Craiglist founder Craig Newmark provides a history of his groundbreaking website in this streaming video presented by MIT World. Staying humble despite his immense success (he’s still on call for personal customer service when needed!), Newmark details how an experiment in bringing together local markets in the San Francisco Bay Area via the internet blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon that has helped urban dwellers trade all kinds of different commodities and services. At present, he describes himself as a large-scale community organizer, and Newmark’s efforts outside of the company reflect an abiding interest in social advocacy. As a result, he feels Craiglist can serve as a model for how ordinary citizens can work together to bring about cooperative change that goes beyond the scope of commerce and into the wider realms of political and social reform.

June 17, 2014

Best Self Help Books Available on Free Audio Download

In recent years we’ve seen an uptick of renewed interest in older self-help classics. Take advantage of what’s available with LearnOutLoud’s list of the best self help books available on free audio download. Key titles in this list include Wallace D. Wattles Science of Getting Rich, Russell Conwell’s Acres of Diamonds, and one of our most downloaded audio books ever, Self Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson. With this one-stop treasure trove of wisdom at your fingertips, we’re confident you’ll be you on your way to becoming the best person you can be:

1. The Science of Getting Rich

A volunteer narrator at Librivox.org has recorded The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles. The book is a cornerstone of personal growth and wealth building. This 2-hour audio book is narrated by Diana Majlinger. About this audio book: This book is a practical manual. It is intended for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward. It is for those who have, so far, found neither the time, the means, nor the opportunity to study this matter deeply, but who want results and who are willing to take the conclusions of science as a basis for action, without going into all the processes by which those conclusions were reached.

2. The Strangest Secret

Today’s free audio book is a short but powerful message from the “Dean of Personal Development” Earl Nightingale. This recording is actually one of the recordings that helped to launch the spoken word industry. Produced in 1956, the spoken word record The Strangest Secret sold over a million copies, making it the first spoken-word recording to achieve Gold Record status. In only 30 minutes, Earl Nightingale lays out the secret for achieving success in life. Speaking against conformity and aimlessness in one’s career, Nightingale encourages us to set goals and put all our thoughts and creativity upon these goals. He quotes from many of greatest thinkers of all time who have pointed to this formula for success. He closes the record with 5 steps for achieving success, along with ways to overcome doubt, negativity, and fear. We’ve linked to the original recording on YouTube, along with a free recording available on streaming audio and MP3 download on markvictorhansen.com. In this free version you’ll also get an introduction and commentary at points in the audio program by personal growth author Mark Victor Hansen who provides examples of how he used ideas from The Strangest Secret to achieve his own success. Also on markvictorhansen.com you’ll see a free download of Mark Victor Hansen’s eBook, “Chronic Profitability – How to Make Money All the Time”. If you scroll down you’ll see the audio version of The Strangest Secret. Nightingale was a true believer in the power of audio learning! In fact he cofounded the audio & video learning company Nightingale-Conant with Lloyd Conant in 1960. Enjoy this classic recording from Earl Nightingale!

3. The Master Key System: Lessons 1-8

Download this free abridged audio version of Lessons 1 through 8 of The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel. This covers about one-quarter of Haanel’s classic personal development course. This book, along with The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles, was the source of Rhonda Byrne’s inspiration for the book and the film The Secret and is now known to have inspired the writing of the world’s most famous success book Think And Grow Rich (which you can also download for FREE directly on LearnOutLoud.com this month!). We’re trying our best to get you the top free personal growth audio to jump start your year! Download this free abridged version of The Master Key System on Archive.org.

4. The Game of Life and How to Play It

This free audio book download from Librivox is a self help classic. Florence Scovel Shinn was a New Thought spiritual teacher and in this book she teaches of the game of giving and receiving. With chapters on prosperity, love, karma, intuition, and more, she teaches how to apply the game of life to these areas. Throughout the book she gives real life examples of these principles in action. This 3-hour audio book is available on MP3 download from Librivox!

5. Above Life’s Turmoil

From the author of the self-help classic As a Man Thinketh comes this audio book on overcoming the turmoils of the mind through the power of positive qualities of thought. In this work author James Allen gives advice on how to achieve immortality of character by maintaining a balanced mind through the ups and downs of life. This 2 Hrs. 30 Min. unabridged audio book is well narrated by Andrea Fiore. It is available on MP3 download through Librivox.org. Start your week with the uplifting words of author James Allen!

6. The Science Of Being Great

From the author of The Science of Getting Rich, we’re pleased to offer this free version of Wallace D. Wattles’ The Science of Being Great available on MP3 download from LearnOutLoud.com. This success classic explores how all individuals can be great through the use of their thoughts and actions. This special edition of the audio book is read by motivational author & musician Michele Blood. After each chapter she provides commentary and a snippet of her motivational music. We sincerely thank Michele Blood for offering this title for FREE on LearnOutLoud.com and we highly encourage you to download it!

7. The Go-Getter: A Story That Tells You How to be One

We are offering The Go-Getter: A Story That Tells You How To Be One by Peter B. Kyne. This motivational story follows the persistent efforts of a hardworking salesman named Peck who seeks to impress the executives by carrying out his slogan: “It shall be done.” This hour-long audio book is an entertaining way to get motivated, whether it be for your job, your education, or any other goals you have set for yourself in the coming year. The Go-Getter is well read by Scott Dahlem and available on MP3 Download through Librivox.org.

8. Acres of Diamonds

Download Russell H. Conwell’s Acres of Diamonds. Originating from a speech that Conwell delivered thousands of times throughout the United States, this book provides wisdom on finding opportunity and fortune within one’s own community. Russell Conwell was a Baptist minister and an outstanding orator, and his words are well-narrated here by Scott Dahlem at Librivox. Listen to this classic work on how to find wealth and prosperity no matter where you are.

9. The Greatest Thing in the World and Other Addresses

Listen to this free audio book about The Greatest Thing in the World by Henry Drummond. This classic book on love is our free audio book for February. Written in 1880 by Scottish evangelist Henry Drummond, The Greatest Thing in the World draws its message from the Apostle Paul’s argument that love is man’s true path to God. Using a key text from 1st Corinthians, Drummond argues that while there are many virtuous emotions we all must practice cultivating in order to live a fuller life, none is more paramount than a loving outlook. With an urgent passion that bespeaks the era in which he lived, Drummond testifies that if we only take a little more time each day to operate from a basis of loving kindness, others will notice and be attracted to our living example.

10. The Science of Being Well

Download The Science of Being Well by Wallace D. Wattles, the second book in this classic self improvement series. The Science of Being Well details the many habits one must develop for continued well-being, including how to sleep, eat, and, most importantly, think your way into a life free from disease. This audio book has a running time of 2 Hrs. and is available for free on MP3 through Librivox.org. It is narrated by Jill Preston at Librivox.

11. Self Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Self Reliance is perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson’s most famous essay. This version, narrated by Brian Johnson from Zaadz, is both thought-provoking and inspirational. Ralph Waldo Emerson pushes the listener to break free of the dependence on society and the masses of man and to rely solely upon oneself. Always pushing us to follow our own nature & intuition, Emerson denounces those who allow themselves to be victims of society or history. He wants great men to rise from the limitations of cultural institutions and stand as giants casting shadows over the ages. Throughout the essay there is wisdom loaded in every sentence and it can be listened to again and again. Download this free classic audio book on MP3 directly from LearnOutLoud.com.

12. The Majesty of Calmness

Start your week with the wise words of William George Jordan and his most popular work The Majesty of Calmness. Written in 1900, Jordan’s advice on the virtues of calmness and the vices of hurriedness is almost more relevant today than in his own day. Through analogies to the calmness of nature, Jordan teaches us how to maintain our own self-controlled calmness in this self help classic. The audio book is well read by Andrea Fiore at Librivox and runs 1 hour and 20 minutes long.

Andrea Fiore at Librivox has narrated a bunch of self help classics and interesting titles and we’ll list them below:

Above Life’s Turmoil by James Allen

Initiative Psychic Energy by Warren Hilton

The Mastery of Destiny by James Allen

The Path of Prosperity by James Allen

The Power of Concentration by Theron Q. Dumont

A Practical Guide to Self-Hypnosis by Melvin Powers

The Secret of Dreams by Yacki Raizizun

Supreme Personality by Delmer Eugene Croft

Vegetarianism and Occultism by C.W. Leadbeater

The Way of Peace by James Allen

Thanks Andrea!

June 16, 2014

Free Videos Explaining How the Brain Works

The human mind is one of the last great mysteries that science has yet to fully understand. Learn the latest science with this list of free videos explaining how the brain works. Here LearnOutLoud.com has collected lectures from experts on the cutting edge of neuroscience research, including John Searle on freedom and neurobiology, the latest developments in our understanding of consciousness, and what scientists are doing to battle various addictions and mental disorders. Find out more on what makes the brain tick and where neuroscience is leading us in this up to the minute dispatch from the field of the mind:

1. The Origin of the Human Mind

In this streaming video Lecture from UCTV, cognitive scientist Martin Sereno gives us a survey of the brain’s evolution. With thorough visual aids, Sereno examines the difference between the human brain and that of other species, showcasing experiments he has conducted that have helped broaden our understanding of the physical mechanics behind human thought. The biggest question he poses is why our minds are so special, when organically the human brain is 99% similar to that of the primates. Learn why size doesn’t matter when it comes to brain power!

2. John Searle on Freedom and Neurobiology

In a thought-provoking lecture provided by Authors@Google on streaming video, philosopher John Searle discusses the perennial problem of human free will. Starting with the historical arguments associated with free will, Searle then points viewers to how quantum mechanical theories of a chaotic and ultimately indeterminate universe may provide some solution to the problem. Delivered with a sense of fun and respect for the novice, Searle’s lecture is a must for anyone that wonders about the full nature of human choice and whether or not any of our decisions can truly be considered our own. It is available on streaming video through YouTube.

3. The Neuroscience of Consciousness, Perception, and Self

While covering the Iraq war in 2006, TV news Journalist Bob Woodruff suffered a traumatic brain injury after nearly losing his life to a roadside bomb. In this fascinating discussion from the Aspen Institute, Woodruff traces how he rebuilt his ability to comprehend the world step by step; showing the viewers video of his first few days of rehabilitation through to his still ongoing attempts to recover lost brain functions. Woodruff offers a prime case study for scientists that are attempting to uncover the many mysteries of human consciousness. This talk is available on streaming video through FORA.tv.

4. Neuroethics

This MIT World lecture on streaming audio & video is a sort of debate over whether today’s approach to neuroscience is ethical. MIT Professor of Psychology Stephan Chorover derides the notion that all human experience can be reduced to neuroscience and speaks of the dangerous consequences that result from this dogma. Professor of Neuroscience Mriganka Sur agrees with him that there are complexities in human behavior, but still sees great importance in the attempt to determine the scientific ways our brains work. Check it out.

5. Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke of Insight

In this moving talk delivered at the TED conference, brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor provides a first-person account of her own stroke and the experience of losing control of her bodily functions as well the functions of the left side of her brain. Instead of it being a painful or frightening experience, she said the stroke put her in a intense state of bliss and nirvana. Sharing this experience became her motivation for recovery. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

6. Neuroscience and the Emerging Mind

His Holiness the Dalai Lama recently visited UC-San Diego and gave a series of talks. In one of the talks he sits down with neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran, philosopher Larry Hinman, and brain researcher Jennifer Thomas to talk about the connections between brain science and human consciousness. V.S. Ramachandran asks the Dalai Lama about the importance of mirror neurons which seem interact with the empathy and compassion which the Dalai Lama frequently addresses. Philosopher Larry Hinman asks about emotions like anger and also our increasing ability to control our memories and how this relates to our new knowledge of the brain and mindfulness. The Dalai Lama stresses education and further research above all for the future of relating the science of the brain to powers of human consciousness. This talk is available on streaming video from YouTube and MP3 audio download from the UCTV website.

7. Here we’re featuring two talks from Dr. Louann Brizendine covering her books The Female Brain and The Male Brain:

Louann Brizendine: The Female Brain

Dr. Louann Brizendine authored the book The Female Brain back in 2006. She gave this talk at Book Passage which covered some of her findings from that book. Brizendine focuses primarily on hormones and the role that they play in the brain during various stages of a woman’s life. She clarifies some of the differences between male and female brains and answers a number of questions. Definitely a good listen for parents, couples, and individuals of both sexes.

Louann Brizendine: The Male Brain

Dr. Louann Brizendine also authored the book The Male Brain in 2010. In this talk which she delivered at Dominican University of California, Dr. Brizendine shows some of the differences in the male brain covering the important hormone testosterone. She discusses puberty in males and the changes that take place at that time. In the Q&A she addresses the important nature vs. nuture question when it comes to the differences in the sexes.

8. Music and the Brain Video Series on YouTube
Music and the Brain Audio Podcast

Watch or listen to this great series from the Library of Congress on streaming video or audio podcast. Project chair Kay Redfield Jamison convenes scientists and scholars, composers, performers, theorists, physicians, psychologists, and other experts to talk about cognitive neuroscience and music. Here are some of the lectures in the series:

“The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature”: In this short talk, author Daniel Levitin suggests that in human history music came before language, and that throughout history music has almost always been accompanied by movement.

“Depression and Creativity Symposium”: Kay Redfield Jamison, Dr. Terence Ketter, and Dr. Peter Whybrow take a look at depression and bipolar disorder and their possible connection to creativity. They specifically discuss artists like Vincent van Gogh, Robert Schumann, and Felix Mendelssohn.

“The Mind of an Artist”: Cognitive psychologist Michael Kubovy and composer Judith Shatin suggest that language and music are very closely related in the brain, and Kubovy shows findings on the brain’s reaction to different types of music in comparison to the cognition of language.

“Music, Criminal Behavior, and Crime Prevention”: Norman Middleton of the Library of Congress Music Division starts the lecture with providing examples of how music has been used in regards to preventing crime and treating criminals. Then Dr. Jacqueline Helfgott talks about ways of discouraging criminal activity and anti-social behavior through the use of music in different environments.

“Wellness and Growth: Acoustic Medicine and Music Therapy”: Jayne Standley, director of the Music Therapy Program at Florida State University, introduces music therapy and the many ways it has been applied in the medical profession while showing video examples of successful music therapy.

Enjoy these and many more lectures on “Music and the Brain” in this series of talks from the Library of Congress.

9. Drugs, Addiction, & Mental Disorder: PSYC 179 – UCSD Course
Impulse Control Disorders: PSYC 188 – UCSD Course

UC San Diego is offering two podcasted courses on addiction with Professor George Koob. Koob is Chair of the Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders at The Scripps Research Institute and has been doing research on addictions for over 40 years. He is also the author of the book Neurobiology of Addiction with his colleague Michel Le Moal. In his course “Drugs, Addiction, & Mental Disorder”, Koob covers legal and illegal drugs as well as prescription and non-prescription drugs and the addiction potential of various drugs. He looks at the ways certain drugs affect the brain including lectures on opiods, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, caffeine, LSD, steroids, and many drugs used for the treatment of mental illness. In the course he also provides info on the treatments available for addictions to these drugs. In his course “Impulse Control Disorders”, Koob turns his focus to other addictions including pathological gambling, alcohol abuse, nicotine dependence, compulsive sex, compulsive eating & bulimia, computer addiction, and other addictions and impulse control disorders that can hijack one’s self control. After covering these addictions, Koob looks at the best treatments now available. These two courses provide a great introduction to understanding the various types of addiction and the brain mechanisms involved in addiction, with lectures delivered by one of the leading researchers in the field of addiction and neurobiology.

10. Vilayanur Ramachandran: A Journey to the Center of Your Mind

In this TED talk, neurologist Vilayanur Ramachandran provides some neuroscientific explanations for puzzling psychological and physiological phenomena. He covers why after certain brain injuries patients cannot visually recognize their mother, how to amputated patients can overcome the pain of phantom limbs for only $3, and why certain people see colors when they look at numbers and letters. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

11. Human Behavioral Biology

Certainly one of the best courses we’ve added into our new Free Courses Collection is Stanford University Professor Robert Sapolsky’s course on “Human Behavioral Biology”. Sapolsky is an award-winning professor, superstar lecturer, and author of numerous books including Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: A Guide To Stress, Stress Related Diseases, and Coping. His course on “Human Behavioral Biology” is so good that The Great Courses (formerly The Teaching Company) invited him to teach the course for their customers in an audio & video course entitled Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality. We’ve purchased and listened to that course in its entirety and it’s incredible! Now the course is being offered for free on video from Stanford University and it seems like basically the same course except more! The Teaching Company course runs 12 Hrs. and the free video edition at Stanford runs 36 Hrs. The course comprehensively covers human behavior from the perspective of biology from an in-depth look at the nervous system, limbic system, and hormones to the latest discoveries in neuroscience, genetics, and human evolution. Sapolsky attempts to give you a well rounded picture of the biology of human behavior today. And after that, he then takes a look at certain human behaviors which can be examined from this perspective including lectures on human sexual behavior, aggression, language, schizophrenia, and what makes up for the individual differences in humans. This 25-lecture course is available on video on YouTube.

June 16, 2014

How to Change Your Life with Audio & Video from the Experts

Feeling like you need to chart a new course? Learn how to change your life with these audio & video titles delivered by the experts. In this collection of free audio and video resources, you’ll find advice from popular life coaches, such as Mark Victor Hansen, Cheryl Richardson, Steve Pavlina, and many more. You’ll also get access to regular tips from the Daily Boost Podcast, learn how to readjust your routine with the Life Habits Podcast, and gain insight from Oprah’s Spirit Channel. Contemplating a major life change starts with small steps. Start the next phase of your journey by clicking any of the links below:

1. Joseph Grenny on Change Anything

Joseph Grenny is the co-author of the book Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success. In this talk delivered at Google, Grenny discusses many of the findings of their research on change and presents a new way of thinking about how to change habits in one’s life. While many people assume that the inability to change is due to lack of willpower and that most people have to hit rock bottom with their bad habits before they can change, Grenny gives us a different perspective. He posits that we don’t have to work harder at change but that we have to be smarter at learning about all of the factors contributing to our bad habits. By recognizing six different factors that contribute the most to one’s habits, we can then come to a better understanding of our habits and come up with creative ways to change our environment or our state or mind in order to enable lasting change. He gives many great examples and shows video clips of people who successfully changed their personal and professional life for the better. If you’re making some New Year’s resolutions this year, then this talk can help you with coming up with new ideas on how to accomplish those goals. This 50-minute talk is available on streaming video from YouTube.

2. The Best of Steve Pavlina’s Blog

Steve Pavlina’s popular blog “Personal Growth for Smart People” gets over 2 million visitors per month. Writing on topics as diverse as sleep optimization, natural food diets, relationships, and time management, Pavlina has displayed a fascinating willingness to adjust his lifestyle for the better. We’ve been avid readers of his blog for years and are excited to present his ideas on audio for the first time! Our free audio book for May features six of his most popular blog posts of all time. Download this free 1-hour audio book as an introduction to his unique take on personal growth. Included in this free sampler program are audio renditions of these classic Pavlina blog postings:
How to Discover Your Life Purpose, 30 Days to Success, How to Become an Early Riser, Ten Reasons Not to Get a Job, How to Decide When to End a Long-Term Relationship, and The Law of Attraction. Be sure to download this great audio book!

3. Richard Thaler on Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness

In this Authors@Google talk, notable behavioral economist Richard Thaler talks about his book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness . He explains behavioral economics and how behavioral economists often have different ideas about the way humans act than other economists. He then goes into the basics of Nudge by demonstrating that through little changes in the environment individuals and organizations can create dramatically different outcomes through what he calls “paternal libertarianism”. He gives many examples of ways that this works in everyday life and it will certainly get you thinking of little changes you can make in your own life or in your workplace for influencing behavior. This program is available on streaming video through YouTube.

4. Dan Ariely: The Upside of Irrationality

Use irrationality to help you overcome bad habits and achieve your goals. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely’s bestselling book Predictably Irrational showed how people frequently make irrational decisions regarding their health, their spending habits, and much more. In this lecture Ariely talks about his latest book The Upside of Irrationality where he shows the negative and positive effects of irrationality and how we can use irrational means towards our own rational objectives. He tells of experiments and examples where irrational incentives were used to help fight global warming, to motivate people to take care of their health, and to prevent people from texting while they’re driving. It’s one of the most fun lectures we’ve listened to all year. This lecture is available on streaming video from the Forum Network through YouTube.

5. Change Nation Podcast

The Change Nation Podcast features interviews with leading experts and inspirational speakers about ways individuals can make positive changes in their personal and professional lives. Host Ariane De Bonvoisin talks with authors and speakers such as Les Brown, Gay Hendricks, Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Tim Ferriss, Jack Canfield, Mike Dooley, David Bach, and dozens of other great teachers of change. Topics covered include getting orgranized, starting a business, finding a job, nurturing a relationship, getting fit, eating right, and much, much more. Ariane is an excellent host and many recent interviews are available as both audio & video podcasts. Definitely check out this podcast and you might also want to check out Ariane De Bonvoisin’s site: www.first30days.com.

6. Oprah.com’s Spiritual Channel Podcast

In 2008 Oprah Winfrey launched a series of podcasts. Her first and most popular podcast featured Eckhart Tolle teaching a 10-part course on his book A New Earth. That podcast has since become Oprah.com’s Spiritual Channel Podcast and she continues to update it with interviews she conducted on her Soul Series on Oprah Radio and other spiritual audio programs from Oprah.com. Now on the podcast you’ll find hour-long Oprah interviews with spiritual teachers such as Wayne Dyer, Elizabeth Lesser, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Larry Dossey, Byron Katie, and many other teachers and bestselling authors in the field of spiritual growth. And of course the Eckhart Tolle 10-part course is still on the podcast. These podcasts are available on MPEG-4 audio & video and can be played through Quicktime or iTunes.

7. Alain de Botton: A Kinder, Gentler Philosophy of Success

In this talk at TEDGlobal philosopher Alain de Botton looks at the contemporary notion of success and why he feels it is such a source of anxiety for so many people. He finds that in today’s world the appearance of equality, such as Bill Gates dressing just like everybody else, makes most people feel they too can be rich & successful. He also relates contemporary success to the meritocracy that exists today when people are made to feel that they own their successes and failures. And he looks at how failure is treated today by referencing the tabloids that often portray failures without any empathy, whereas in past societies tragedy was often used to encourage empathy of people that might’ve failed at something. Ultimately Alain de Botton encourages you to try to not live according to the models of success around you, but to instead make success your own! An excellent TED talk available on streaming video and MP3 download.

8. Change Your Life with Cheryl Richardson Podcast

Listen to these podcasts hosted by inspiring author and life skills coach Cheryl Richardson as she talks with other personal growth experts on ways to change your life for the better. In more recent podcasts (which are on the bottom of the podcast feed on our page) she talks with Iyanla Vanzant about her remarkable life, Julia Cameron about the challenge of creativity and writing, and Geneen Roth about the new outlook on food which she conveys in her bestselling book Women Food and God. In past episodes you can listen to, she interviews Dr. Joan Borysenko, Gregg Braden, Dr. Bruce Lipton, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Louise Hay, Debbie Ford, Natalie Goldberg, Harville Hendrix, and many others. Listen to some of these great interviews on how to change your life.

9. Personal Development for Smart People Podcast

One of our favorite personal development bloggers is Steve Pavlina. His popular blog at www.stevepavlina.com attracts over two million monthly readers. He also has a podcast featuring over 20 episodes which address many different areas of personal growth. Pavlina does not believe in any quick solutions to personal growth and knows that it takes a lot of time and hard work to improve in any area of your life. In his first podcast he presents his own story of personal growth which began over 15 years ago in a jail cell when he was 19 years old. These early podcasts can be played at www.stevepavlina.com/audio. In recent podcasts that are on the podcast feed he talks about finding your purpose, achieving your goals, nurturing loving relationships, and more. Enjoy these free podcasts from www.stevepavlina.com.

10. Mark Victor Hansen at the Spirit of Service Awards

Mark Victor Hansen is the founder and co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series, along with his business partner, Jack Canfield. To date they’ve sold over 140 million copies of the book series. He has also shared his business leadership and wealth building ideas in books like The One Minute Millionaire and Cracking the Millionaire Code which he has co-authored with Robert G. Allen. In this video from C-SPAN, Hansen delivers a rapid fire speech of motivation on giving and serving others at the Spirit of Service Awards. He starts with a few stories from the “Chicken Soup” series and then provides the crowd with gems of wisdom on volunteering, service, and being charitable. He provides examples from his own life of how he made millions of dollars, and then how he donated millions to charitable causes. Enjoy this motivational speech from one of the leading voices in personal and professional growth. Note: The speech starts at about the 30-minute point in the video so you can skip to that point if you just want to hear Mark.

11. The Daily Boost Podcast

Scott Smith from MotivationtoMove.com has been podcasting motivational messages daily since back in 2006 when podcasting first started! He now offers three daily motivational podcasts that are available as a subscription through his website: “The Daily Boost”, “The Business Boost”, and “The Fitness Boost”. Each Monday he offers his 9-minute “Daily Boost” podcast for free. Scott is professionally trained for radio and his voice carries an enthusiasm that is contagious. In the podcast he provides quick tips for self help, exercising, eating, and more. He’s always high on energy and he certainly sounds like he’s practicing what he preaches. Listen to a half dozen episodes of “The Daily Boost” for free to get the week started right!

12. Life Habits Podcast

Listen to one of the most highly rated and popular personal development podcasts in iTunes, as host Karel Vredenburg delivers the Life Habits Podcast. Karel has been podcasting since back in 2008, and he now has over 80 podcasts episodes you can choose from covering a vast amount of topics related to good and bad habits in all aspects of our lives. Drawing ideas from some of the best personal growth teachers, Karel delivers knowledge on life habits in a brief amount of time. Browse this podcast and find some topics that interest you.

June 15, 2014

Free Videos on the Benefits of Positive Thinking

For years LearnOutLoud.com has placed huge importance on showcasing audio & video titles that foster positive living. With this list of free videos on the benefits of positive thinking, we’ve collected our lectures and programs from our favorite self-help thinkers dedicated to keeping a positive mental attitude. Below you’ll find titles from Martin Seligman on positive psychology, Brian Johnson on learned optimism, and Matt Ridley on being a rational optimist. Escape self-absorption and change your negative train of thought starting with any of the links below:

1. Martin Seligman on Positive Psychology

In this TED talk Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology and the author Authentic Happiness and Learned Optimism, looks at ways healthy people can lead happier, more engaged, and more meaningful lives. While Seligman acknowledges that psychology has done a pretty good job over the past 50 years of making miserable people feel less miserable, he shows that there is a whole other realm of positive psychology which he and a group of other psychologists are only beginning to study. Seligman tells some of his findings on what contributes to healthy states of mind and what fosters genius. Going beyond the conventional, pleasure-seeking form of happiness, Seligman points to practices that truly give life meaning. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 audio download from TED.com.

2. Escape Self-Absorption through Positive Emotions

Barbara Fredrickson is a social psychologist and researcher on positive emotions. Her recent book Positivity details her research in the area of positive emotions and in this talk Fredrickson defines and describes the positive emotions which she studies and the greater impact they have on health and social relations. Moving past the fight or flight psychology of negative emotions such as anxiety, she discusses her broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions which broaden one’s awareness and encourage novel, varied, and exploratory thoughts and actions. This talk is available on streaming video Boston University’s BUniverse website and if you like it there are a number of other videos on the site with Professor Fredrickson.

3. Tony Robbins Asks Why We Do What We Do

Self development expert Anthony Robbins speaks at the TED Conference on what motivates people. Robbins insists that he isn’t a motivator, but instead he is out to find what motivates people and what it is that makes the difference in the quality of people’s lives. He discusses briefly the core human needs that drive people. This talk is available on streaming video from TED.com.

4. Shawn Achor on The Happiness Advantage

In this rapid fire talk from TEDxBloomington, Shawn Achor pushes for more focus on research into positive psychology and what makes a person better than average. He looks at the disease model of psychology which sets out to get people feeling normal or average, and pushes us to shift our focus to a positive psychology model which sets out to change the mind and the brain to be better than average. He provides some quick tips on ways to alter your psychology in a positive manner.

5. Matt Ridley on The Rational Optimist

Put yourself in an optimistic mindset about the future of our species and the world, with the facts presented by author Matt Ridley from his book The Rational Optimist. Matt Ridley applies ideas about evolution to the sort of sharing of ideas and technologies that occur in contemporary society, and feels that this trading of information and goods has led to a cumulative benefit for almost everyone. He then goes down the list of predicted catastrophes like population growth and climate change, and he attempts to debunk the evidence that these issues spell doom for humanity. Learn to think rationally positive about our future with author Matt Ridley.

6. Zaadz Notes: Learned Optimism

In this piece of motivation, Brian Johnson (CEO of Zaadz.com) looks at Dr. Martin Seligman’s book Learned Optimism. We find that optimism is much more than repeating positive mantras. It’s about how we inwardly interpret the external events that we continually face. Does our internal dialogue react to negative outcomes as permanent conditions or temporary setbacks? It’s an interesting concept and worth learning about. This talk is available from LearnOutLoud.com on MP3 Download.

7. The Maslow Podcast

Listen to this podcast featuring samples of lectures by the founder of humanistic psychology Abraham Maslow. Maslow developed the hierarchy of human needs and he has since been influential among the leaders of the positive psychology movement such as Martin Seligman. In these talks delivered at the Esalen Institute in the 1960s Maslow covers “The Farther Reaches of Human Nature”, “Eupsychian Ethic”, and more. These podcasts aren’t the full lectures but rather samples from the lectures which provide a smattering of ideas from Maslow. For audio downloads of the full lectures visit our Abraham Maslow Author Page. Enjoy these brief bits of wisdom from this highly influential American psychologist.

June 15, 2014

What is Creativity?: 9 Talks on Creativity

Is creativity something you are born with, or something you can learn through practices? With this list of free audio & video resources, we ask “What is Creativity?” and present 9 talks from speakers dedicated to creative cultivation. Here you listen to Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert on how she fostered her own creative talent, and learn from Joy Luck Club author Amy Tan on her creative ups and downs. We also include titles exploring how people like Albert Einstein tended to their genius, and what Malcolm Gladwell found when he explored creative leadership. Find much more by clicking any of the links below:

1. Elizabeth Gilbert: A Different Way to Think About Creative Genius

Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert examines the way society looks at artists and the way artists look at themselves in this TED talk. She feels that the creative people should view their work as channeling God’s creative gift to them rather than as their own personal creative genius. And she hopes such a shift might prevent some of the madness and self-destruction that occurs in so many of our modern artists. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

2. The Art of Original Thinking

Author Jan Phillips is currently offering her audio book The Art of Original Thinking: The Making of a Thought Leader for free on MP3 audio download directly through LearnOutLoud.com. This unabridged 6-hour audio book sets out to inspire new thought leaders for the new global paradigm we are entering. She provides many insights from her own life and quotes other unique thought leaders to aid us in creatively thinking outside of the box. She also explores the new thinking that is emerging in the areas of business, politics, religion, the environment, and more. Download this free audio book generously offered by author Jan Phillips and feel free to check out her website: www.janphillips.com.

3. Beyond Genre: Making Space for Greatness

Rick Rubin has produced an unbelievable number of hit records with talented artists ranging from LL Cool J and The Beastie Boys to Johnny Cash and Tom Petty. What’s his secret? Ken Wilber tries to get to the bottom of it in this interview from Integral Naked. Rubin provides some great insights into creativity that can be applied to artists in any medium. This title is being offered for free on MP3 download through our partnership with Integral Naked.

4. Malcolm Gladwell on Outliers

With the his bestselling book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell offers a compelling argument for why success happens to certain people and why more times than not, it isn’t due to talent. In this short series of interviews conducted through City Arts & Lectures in San Francisco, Gladwell discusses why people like the Beatles or Mozart have mythologized the idea that great talent arrives suddenly and fully formed. Using these examples of prodigious ability as a template, he illustrates that apart from talent, there is usually a period of many years where luck, training, discipline and timeliness all play a part in making one person stand out from the crowd. This talk is available on streaming video through FORA.tv.

5. Amy Tan on Creativity

In this TED Talk author Amy Tan probes into the roots of creativity or how “out of nothing comes something”. She examines her own life and the many influences that have fed into her novels. She also tells of the many fascinating coincidences that have happened to her over the years at key moments of creativity. It’s an intriguing and often humorous talk from a beloved author. This talk is available on streaming video and audio & video download.

6. Creativity, Leadership, and Divine Compensation

Marianne Williamson speaks with a purpose in this talk she recently delivered at Google headquarters. She talks about the need for the folks at Google and technologically-advanced people everywhere to shift their consciousness into a service-minded role when using technology. In our wealthy country of the United States, Marianne reminds us that there are more African Americans imprisoned today than there were slaves in 1850 and that one in every five children in the U.S. struggles with hunger. She speaks with urgency for the fortunate employees at Google (and the rest of us who are living comfortably) to take massive action towards alleviating suffering in our country and around the World. At the end of the talk she fields a number of good questions from Google employees. This talk is available on streaming video on YouTube.

7. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on Flow

Check out this TED talk from psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who authored the book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Csikszentmihalyi talks about how he became interested in psychology after World War II when he heard a lecture by Carl Jung. Csikszentmihalyi eventually began his psychological study of how average people become extraordinary which he attributes to the idea of “flow” when one become completely involved in an activity for its own sake. Csikszentmihalyi provides many examples of individuals who have tapped into this “flow” state. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

8. Tom and David Kelley on Creative Confidence

Authors Tom and David Kelley discuss their recent book Creative Confidence in this talk which they gave at Google. They describe ways to bring out creativity in organizations and individuals. Both Tom and David tell their own creative journeys and give suggestions as to how parents can foster creativity in their kids. They also talk about blocks to creativity and ways individuals can overcome their own fears of failure. Watch this enlightening talk about fostering creative confidence.

9. Einstein’s Creativity

Author Walter Isaacson summarizes the life of Albert Einstein in this 1-hour talk from the Aspen Ideas Festival. Isaacson’s book Einstein: His Life and Universe focuses on the creativity of Einstein which went far beyond the dry experiments we often associate with scientific practice. Isaacson attempts to present Einstein’s life and ideas in a way that is accessible to the layperson, and in this talk he comes very close to doing just that. It’s a great intro to Einstein. This talk is available on streaming video from FORA.tv.

June 14, 2014

Learn How to Increase Brain Power from Free Audio & Videos

Do you sometimes wonder if you are using your mind to its fullest capacity? Learn how to increase your brain power with this list of 8 free audio and video titles. Here you’ll find “Flow” author Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explain how to fully immerse yourself in a task, hear Daniel Goleman on how to keep focus, and find a Sounds True program chock full of helpful intuitive development exercises. In addition to these lectures, this collection offers training tips to help you retain memory, a guide for self-hypnosis, and other strategies to help you optimize mental efficiency. Boost your brain by clicking below:

1. Boosting the Brain’s Power Into Old Age

In this lecture delivered at the Chautauqua Institution, author Dharma Singh Khalsa talks about “Boosting the Brain’s Power Into Old Age”. He provides methods for preventing Alzheimer’s disease and other brain related illnesses, and how to boost your memory and to become more mentally energetic. Dr. Dharma provides some nutrition and supplement suggestions. He claims that the days of declining mental activity during old age are over with, if people will make a conscious effort to maintain their healthy brain. This title is available on streaming video and MP3 download from FORA.tv.

2. Mental Efficiency

Listen to this audio book on how to exercise one’s mind for maximum efficiency. English novelist Arnold Bennett uses his wit to convey how we work hard at the up keep of our physical bodies, while we often do little to workout our minds. He gives examples of ways to give the mind a workout. He also features essays that explore the presentation of self, breaking free from the past, relationships and marriage, and how to achieve success. This audio book is well narrated by Ruth Golding at Librivox who has a lovely British accent. It has a running time of 3 Hrs. and is available on MP3 download.

3. 23 Intuitive Development Exercises from Sounds True

Listen to 23 Intuitive Development Exercises from Sounds True. In these exercises you’ll hear teachers such as Judith Orloff, Caroline Myss, Cyndi Dale, Laura Alden Kamm, and many more. These teachers cover what intuition is and how you can further develop it. Here are the 23 exercises:

Healing and Intuition

* 1. What Is Intuition?
* 2. Becoming an Intuitive Healer
* 3. Three Levels of Intuition
* 4. Awakening Second Sight
* 5. Matrix Energetics
* 6. Intuition and the Body
* 7. Your Natural Intuition
* 8. Color Intuition

Chakras, Dreams, and Intuition

* 9. The Sixth Chakra
* 10. Intuition, Chakras, and Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts
* 11. Lucid Dreaming
* 12. Conscious Dreaming
* 13. Tibetan Dream Yoga
* 14. Discovering Your Archetypes
* 15. Purify and Balance
* 16. Chakras and the Planes of Light

Divination, Past Lives, and Shamanism

* 17. Becoming an Oracle
* 18. Remote Viewing
* 19. Healing Your Past Lives
* 20. Determine Your Soul Type
* 21. Shamanic Journeying
* 22. Shamanic Shapeshifting
* 23. Read the Akashic Records

4. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on Flow

Check out this TED talk from psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who authored the book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Csikszentmihalyi talks about how he became interested in psychology after World War II when he heard a lecture by Carl Jung. Csikszentmihalyi eventually began his psychological study of how average people become extraordinary which he attributes to the idea of “flow” when one become completely involved in an activity for its own sake. Csikszentmihalyi provides many examples of individuals who have tapped into this “flow” state.

5. A Practical Guide to Self-Hypnosis

If you’ve ever been interested in hypnotizing yourself, this audio book might be a good place to start. This book by Melvin Powers covers the history and applications of self-hypnosis. The book purports to explain how self-hypnosis can alleviate distressing symptoms, substitute strong responses for weak responses, help overcome bad habits, create good habits, and help one’s power of concentration. Find out for yourself how effective self-hypnosis is. This book is adequately narrated by Andrea Fiore and is available on MP3 download from LibriVox.org.

6. The Compassionate Brain: Activating the Neural Circuits of Kindness, Caring, and Love – Practical Neuroscience for Transformation

Starting today Monday, October 8, 2012, from 8-9 pm Eastern Time (GMT -4), the publisher Sounds True is offering a free live streaming video event series entitled “The Compassionate Brain”. The 7-part series is conducted by Dr. Rick Hanson, as he talks with world-class scholars and teachers, including Richie Davidson, Dan Siegel, Tara Brach, Dacher Keltner, Kelly McGonigal, Kristin Neff, and Jean Houston. The series looks at different ways to use the power of neuroplasticity to open the heart, build courage, find compassion, forgive oneself and others, and heal the world. The first session features Dr. Richard J. Davidson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison as he joins Dr. Hanson to discuss “How the Mind Changes the Brain”. Richie Davidson is a pioneering researcher on the plasticity of the brain and the ability of the mind to rewire the brain for happiness and compassion.

7. Daniel Goleman on Focus: The Secret to High Performance and Fulfillment

Daniel Goleman is the author of the bestselling books Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence, and he now has a new book out: Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence. He recently gave a talk on this book at Intelligence Squared in London. In this talk Goleman speaks about our digital age and the ability of technology to continually distract us and steal our attention. He goes into the psychology of paying attention to ourselves and others, and how the ability to focus and pay attention is essential to success in our personal and professional lives. He speaks briefly on mindfulness and the importance of practicing paying attention, particularly among the technologically-obsessed youth. After his talk Goleman fields tough questions from the British audience. This talk is available on the Intelligence Squared YouTube channel.

8. Memory: How to Develop, Train, and Use It

From the author of Thought Vibration: Or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World comes another great book called Memory: How to Develop, Train, and Use It. This book by William Walker Atkinson examines what memory is and how you can use it to your benefit. There are specific chapters on how to remember names, faces, places, numbers, words, and much more. This unabridged 4-hour audio book is well narrated by Roger Melin at Librivox.

June 14, 2014

Get Health and Fitness Tips with 11 Free Audio & Video Resources

Get health and fitness tips with this list of 11 free audio & video resources. Optimize your health plan with a talk from Tim Ferriss on the 4-Hour Body, recharge your exercise goals with ultra-marathoner Dean Karnazes, or get regular health advice from the Jillian Michaels Show. We also include lectures designed to help educate you on your road to wellness, including an Intro to Human Anatomy, Mini Medical school of lectures from UC-San Francisco, excerpts from Oprah’s Health Channel, and commentary from the author of You: the Owner’s Manual. Sometimes it’s hard to start a new health exercise routine. Let this list be your gateway to a new, healthier, happier lifestyle:

1. Nutrition and Physical Activity for a Lifetime

Start your week off with some sound health advice from professor Christina Economos of Tufts University as she delivers this hour-long lecture at the Chautauqua Institution. First she addresses some of the health issues facing the United States focusing primarily on obesity and the improper balance of bone, muscle, and fat as people age. She then talks about actions individuals can take in regards to their nutrition and physical activity that can lead to dramatic improvements in all areas of one’s health. Professor Economos references many studies and provides specific recommendations for the human body’s need of exercise and nutrition. She recommends strength training, fruits & vegetables, and many other natural ways for people to live healthy into old age. This lecture is available on streaming video and MP3 download from FORA.tv.

2. The Jillian Michaels Show Podcast

Personal trainer Jillian Michaels is best known for being a trainer on the TV show The Biggest Loser where she pushes obese people to lose a significant amount of weight. This is a podcast of Jillian’s radio show where she talks about a number of topics related to diet & nutrition along with health & fitness. She also provides some personal growth and motivational advice. In these 45-minute shows she talks off the cuff with another host named Janice and the shows are entertaining and informative. The last 15 minutes of the show she answers questions from callers. Enjoy these podcasts from this popular personal trainer.

3. Tim Ferriss: The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Workweek

Tim Ferriss presents some of the findings in his latest book The 4-Hour Body in which he used himself as a guinea pig to find out the fastest way to the best results when it comes to the human body. He talks about his diet & nutrition as well as his fitness best practices. He also covers how he dealt with insomnia and the impact of cell phone use on male sperm count (which generates a lot of questions in the Q&A). Ferriss also addresses some of the skeptics when it came to his first bestselling book The 4-Hour Workweek. This talk is available on streaming video from FORA.tv.

4. Oprah.com’s Health and Wellness Channel Podcast

Oprah has always been a tireless champion of personal growth and in this audio & video podcast she talks to some of her most trusted health experts as they field questions from viewers of the webcast. She has a 90-minute talk with one of her personal trainers Bob Greene with whom Oprah co-authored the book Make the Connection. Greene provides weight loss advice and healthy meal plans. In the next podcast Oprah has a 90-minute talk with Dr. Mehmet Oz who lays out a health checklist covering everything from vitamins to probiotics to soy milk. And the last podcast on the feed is an hour long Q&A for women on hormones and menopause with Dr. Christiane Northrup, author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom. All the podcasts are available on audio and video.

5. Authors@Google: Dean Karnazes on Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days

In this inspirational talk ultramarathon man Dean Karnazes speaks about his book 50/50 in which he writes about his experience of running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days. Karnazes tells motivational stories from his experience and the ups and downs that he faced. In the Q&A he gives info about his weekly running and workout routine, what he eats on a daily basis, and many other fascinating tidbits about his mega endurance. Asked what he does while he’s running for so long, he responds that he listens to music, dictates his writings into a voice recorder, and listens to audio books! For anyone pursuing goals, this is a great motivational talk that will help you to seek to defy your limitations. The 45-minute talk was delivered at Google and is available on streaming video from YouTube.

6. Introduction to Human Anatomy

Learn about your body with this lecture delivered by Professor John K. Young on the axial skeleton of the human. Professor Young starts the lecture with some definitions of basic human anatomy terms. He then proceeds to cover the axial skeleton of a human starting with the cranium and proceeding down the spinal cord with many interesting tidbits along the way. Professor Young proves that studying human anatomy doesn’t require diagrams as we have our own human anatomical specimen right at our fingertips. He points out many of the bones along the way which you can touch while listening (just keep one hand on the wheel if you’re driving!).

7. Dr. John Ratey on Spark

We all know exercise is great for the body, but in this lecture Dr. John Ratey talks about the many ways neuroscience is discovering how great exercise is for the brain. His book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain lays out the research and amazing case studies that show how exercise can improve brain function. In this 50-minute talk at Google Dr. Ratey summarizes his findings showing how exercise improves performance in schools and the workplace and its effectiveness at overcoming disorders like ADHD, depression, Alzheimer’s, and more. Learn the latest findings on exercise and the brain with bestselling author and renowned psychiatrist John J. Ratey.

8. Fitness Workout – Twin Peaks

Jump start your week with this free 20-minute workout from iDownloads2go.com. This workout features short bursts of exercises, including power walking, jogging, shuttle runs and star jumps. A motivational personal trainer guides you through the exercises with nice Latin music in the background. This excellent free MP3 download was published through our TeachOutLoud service.

9. UCSF Mini Medical School Audio Podcast
UCSF Mini Medical School Video Podcast

In this series from the University of California, San Francisco, faculty members and other nationally-recognized experts give the latest findings on a variety of health and medical related topics. Topics include “Fad Diets: Do They Really Work?”, “Nutrition in a Bottle: A Scientific Review of Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements”, “The Biology of Depression: How Stress Affects the Brain and the Body”, “Staying in the Now: Maintaining Mental Health Through Mindfulness”, “The Science of Healthy Aging: Living Better Not Just Longer”, “Back Pain and its Management: Myths and Misconceptions”, and many more interesting lectures. Learn the latest in medical research from the University of California, San Francisco with these audio & video podcasts.

10. You: The Owner’s Manual with Dr. Michael Roizen Podcast

Start your week off with health advice from Dr. Michael Roizen, co-author with Dr. Mehmet C. Oz of YOU: The Owner’s Manual. These 40-minute podcasts are radio shows featuring Dr. Michael Roizen along with a few other doctors, discussing a variety of health issues. They also call doctors from around the country to discuss topics ranging from diet to disease to weight loss, and much more. The weekly podcast is a 2-hour radio show that they’ve split up into each hour for the podcast. They’ve cut out the commercials and usually announce at the top of the hour what topics they’ll be discussing and when they are going to be discussing each topic. Scroll down their list of over 150 podcasts from 2009 to 2012. They haven’t posted podcasts since a year ago but the information is still very up-to-date. Find a topic that interests you and learn from this bestselling author and health expert. Note: It might take a moment to load the page as the podcast feed is very long.

11. Healthy Living Radio Podcast

Browse over 400 podcasts covering just about every imaginable aspect of health! This podcast from the Cooper Aerobics Center and Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas features over 400 healthy living podcasts going to back to 2005. Many of them feature Dr. Ken Cooper, also known as the “father of aerobics”, who introduced the world to the concept of aerobics with his 1968 book Aerobics. Since that time he’s authored dozens of books and created the Cooper Aerobics Center and Cooper Institute for health and wellness research. This podcast features numerous members of the Cooper Institute including Dr. Cooper, Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Dr. Abram Eisenstein, and Dr. Nina Radford talking about a wide variety of topics including cancer prevention, vitamins, exercise, weight loss, heart disease, depression, and many, many more health topics. They also interview a lot of experts on health. For example on Oct. 8, 2007 they interviewed Dr. John J. Ratey, author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. And on Feb. 27, 2006 they interviewed Dr. Daniel G. Amen on brain health. Dr. Amen authored the bestselling book Making a Good Brain Great.

June 14, 2014

Help with Depression on Free Audio & Video

Depression is disease that millions suffer with on a daily basis. This list of audio and video resources is designed to help those living with depression find helpful coping strategies and for those that want to learn how to help a loved one. In this selection, you’ll find lectures tackling the “Rise of Mental Illness in America” and how modern psychology has shifted its treatment of depression. You’ll also find resources to help you combat the disease, such as guided meditations to help relieve anxiety, and therapeutic lifestyle suggestions that can help alter your mood. Whether you are dealing with depression yourself, or want to be there for someone in your life, this list is here to give you fresh hope:

1. The New Psychology of Depression

From Oxford University comes this 3-hour series covering “The New Psychology of Depression”. Dr. Danny Penman and Professor Mark Williams (co-authors of the book Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World) discuss the global health problem of depression and the current methods for treating it including medication and therapy. They then discuss Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) which Professor Williams co-developed. They describe what MBCT is and the success that it has had in preventing relapse of depression in the many studies that have been conducted throughout the world. Anyone who has experienced depression or knows someone who has should listen to this great series on the latest information about treating depression. Note: To play the podcasts click the Download File links.

2. The Soul in Depression

Listen to this podcast from American Public Media’s Speaking of Faith program covering the topic of depression. Nearly ten million Americans are diagnosed with clinical depression, and if you have experienced depression or know someone who has then this audio program is a helpful resource covering the spiritual side of depression. In this podcast host Krista Tippett interviews author of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression Andrew Solomon, Quaker author & activist Parker Palmer, and poet Anita Barrows about their experiences with depression. Each author discusses some of the life-affirming, spiritual qualities that can come from someone who has survived a bout of depression. This podcast is available on MP3 download and streaming audio from the Speaking of Faith website.

3. Dr. Aaron Beck on Cognitive Behavior Therapy

In the mid-1960s, Dr. Aaron Beck developed Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) as a way to treat psychopathological conditions such as depression and anxiety. Since then cognitive therapy has become the most popular and commonly used form of psychotherapy for depression treatment. Dr. Beck is now 90 years old and he recently did a 2-hour interview with his daughter Dr. Judith S. Beck about his life and career, and how he went from having no interest in psychiatry to creating Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Along with explaining his discoveries with cognitive therapy and telling many interesting stories along the way, Dr. Beck also looks to the future of CBT and ways that it has been shown to be effective with treating anxiety, phobias, eating disorders, suicidal thinking, and schizophrenia. Watch this in-depth interview with one of the giants of psychotherapy, Dr. Aaron Beck.

4. Relieve Anxiety and Depression: Seven Guided Meditations

Sounds True is offering Seven Free Guided Meditations to help with Relieving Anxiety and Depression. The different meditations are given by leading mindfulness teachers such as James Gordon, MD, Erin Olivo, PhD, MPH, Mark Hyman, MD, Daniel J. Siegel, MD, Rick Hanson, PhD, Tara Brach, PhD, and Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD. James Gordon leads a “Soft Belly Meditation”, Erin Olivo guides you on a full “Body Scan”, Mark Hyman introduces you to “Guided Relaxation Visualization”, along with four other quality meditations. Each meditation is split up into a separate MP3 file and all the meditations put together last about an hour.

5. Stephen Ilardi: Therapeutic Lifestyle Change for Depression

Dr. Stephen Ilardi is the author of The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression without Drugs. In this entertaining talk from Kansas University, Professor Ilardi lays out his 6-Step Program for Therapeutic Lifestyle Change. Drawing from research that modern day hunter-gatherer groups have almost no incidence of depression, Dr. Ilardi compared their lifestyle to our modern day lifestyle and came up with some major differences that have led to today’s epidemic of depression. He guides us through his program that involves goal-oriented exercise, fish oil supplementation, plenty of natural sunlight, ample sleep, social connections, and participation in meaningful tasks that leave little time for negative thoughts. Along the way Dr. Ilardi answers many questions regarding his program. It’s a great watch for anyone interested in beating depression and anxiety, preventing depression, or just wanting to live a healthier emotional lifestyle. This 1 Hr. 45 Min. talk is available on streaming video through YouTube.

6. Robert Whitaker: Rise of Mental Illness in America

Journalist and author Robert Whitaker takes time to talk about his book Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America in this talk delivered at the Harvard Book Store. Whitaker shows how mental illness has been rising in America in the past 50 years despite the development of numerous psychiatric drugs to treat various mental illnesses. While Whitaker acknowledges that using these drugs selectively can be effective in the short term, he presents studies that suggest that many of these psychiatric drugs are not effective in curing mental illness in the long term. Going against the status quo of what psychiatry practices today, Whitaker shakes up many commonly held assumptions about treating mental illness and suggests ways of treatment that are more selective in regards to prescribing drugs and that have also proven to be more effective. His talk is available on streaming video from the Forum Network through YouTube.

7. Sherwin B. Nuland on Electroshock Therapy

In this TED talk American surgeon, author, and Yale professor Sherwin B. Nuland talks about the history of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for treatment of severe major depression and other mental illnesses. He then proceeds to tell about his own recovery from major depression through electroshock therapy back in the 1970s. After his first marriage failed he fell into a deep depression until he could no longer function. When no other treatments worked the doctors attempted electroshock therapy which led to a remarkable recovery.

June 13, 2014

Gain Classical Music Appreciation from these Free Talks and Courses

For all you music lovers out there, we’ve collected this list of classical music and opera appreciation audio & video titles. We’ve included a course from Yale on how to understand Western music, introductions to many opera with San Diego’s show Opera Talk, and a debate that pits Verdi vs. Wagner hosted by Stephen Fry. This selection also includes Robert Greenberg on his definition of music, Oliver Sacks on music’s relationship to the brain, and more titles with musical examples to help you listen as you learn. Get a rounded introduction to classical music, key composers, and different musical styles by clicking any of the links below:

1. Listening to Music

Probably the best free course online for learning how to gain appreciation classical music is this free course from Yale entitled simply “Listening to Music”. Professor Craig Wright, who is the author of the textbook Listening to Music, teaches the class starting with the basics of appreciating music from the understanding of pitch, rhythm, instruments, melody and harmony. He then dives into the various classical forms such as sonata, rondo, fugue, and so forth, expanding into works by Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and much more. It’s an amazing free course available on audio and video.

2. San Diego Opera Talk

Watch great introductions to operas with San Diego Opera Talk from UCTV. Host Nick Reveles covers over 30 of the greatest operas of all time in these 30 minute programs. The format of the show examines the composer and how the opera came to be, and then goes into the plot of the opera. Reveles then interviews an expert on each opera to provide further insight. He also sits down and the piano and breaks down musically some of the opera’s highlights, along with pointing out some of the greatest recordings of each opera. It’s an excellent free introduction to specific operas.

3. Music: Heart, Soul and Dollar – Robert Greenberg

Listen to this thrilling lecture delivered by charismatic professor Robert Greenberg and offered by the Chautauqua Institution. Dr. Greenberg has recorded more than 500 lectures on a range of composers and classical music genres for The Great Courses. In this lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, Dr. Greenberg provides his definition of music and gives examples of what constitutes as music that deserves our attention. He also talks about three performances that were forthcoming at the Chautauqua Institution, covering pieces by Dmitri Shostakovich and Johannes Brahms. This lecture is available through FORA.tv on streaming video. You should also check out the amazing courses that Robert Greenberg has done for The Great Courses: Robert Greenberg Courses from The Great Courses.

4. Benjamin Zander on Music and Passion

Lift your spirits with the power of classical music! Conductor Benjamin Zander shares his passion for classical music in this TED talk. While the statistics say 3% of the population are classical music lovers, Zander attempts to prove that we are all lovers of classical music. He takes listeners on a journey of what he calls one-buttock playing where the pianist is moved with the music and in turn moves the audience. He then plays a Chopin prelude and proves that nobody is tone deaf. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

5. Verdi vs Wagner: the 200th birthday debate with Stephen Fry

Watch this debate over the two giants of 19th century opera. Hosted by Stephen Fry and complete with a full orchestra playing some of each composer’s finest works, this debate serves as a nice introduction to the life and music of Verdi and Wagner. Norman Lebrecht argues that Verdi is ultimately the more popular composer and not without good reason. Philip Hensher argues that Wagner is the more complex composer who is able to bring to his stories the emotional characters that a novelist can. Great selections of music from each composer are inserted throughout the debate.

6. And these aren’t directly about classical music but they’re just fascinating:

Music and the Brain Video Series on YouTube

Music and the Brain Audio Podcast

Watch or listen to this great series from the Library of Congress on streaming video or audio podcast. Project chair Kay Redfield Jamison convenes scientists and scholars, composers, performers, theorists, physicians, psychologists, and other experts to talk about cognitive neuroscience and music. Here are some of the lectures in the series:

“The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature”: In this short talk, author Daniel Levitin suggests that in human history music came before language, and that throughout history music has almost always been accompanied by movement.

“Depression and Creativity Symposium”: Kay Redfield Jamison, Dr. Terence Ketter, and Dr. Peter Whybrow take a look at depression and bipolar disorder and their possible connection to creativity. They specifically discuss artists like Vincent van Gogh, Robert Schumann, and Felix Mendelssohn.

“The Mind of an Artist”: Cognitive psychologist Michael Kubovy and composer Judith Shatin suggest that language and music are very closely related in the brain, and Kubovy shows findings on the brain’s reaction to different types of music in comparison to the cognition of language.

“Music, Criminal Behavior, and Crime Prevention”: Norman Middleton of the Library of Congress Music Division starts the lecture with providing examples of how music has been used in regards to preventing crime and treating criminals. Then Dr. Jacqueline Helfgott talks about ways of discouraging criminal activity and anti-social behavior through the use of music in different environments.

“Wellness and Growth: Acoustic Medicine and Music Therapy”: Jayne Standley, director of the Music Therapy Program at Florida State University, introduces music therapy and the many ways it has been applied in the medical profession while showing video examples of successful music therapy.

Enjoy these and many more lectures on “Music and the Brain” in this series of talks from the Library of Congress.

And a bonus talk by Oliver Sacks on music and the brain:

7. Oliver Sacks: Musicophilia

In this lecture from FORA.tv, neurologist and author Oliver Sacks (who authored the popular book Awakenings) discusses his latest book Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain. He tells stories about his many patients over the years and their experiences with music both as an affliction and a treatment for the brain. Sacks purports that human responsiveness to music is intrinsic to the human brain. This lecture is offered on streaming video through FORA.tv.