The Life We Are Given: A Long-term Program for Realizing the Potential of Body, Mind, Heart, and Soul

244 Pages·1995·24.851 MB·English

by  George Leonard, Michael Murphy

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DearMember ofthe Institute ofNoetic Sciences,
This edition of The Life We Are Given was printed by special arrange-
ment with Tarcher/Putnam solely for the Institute ofNoetic Sciences.
It is a great pleasure and honor for us to participate in this publishing
project.
When the Institute of Noetic Sciences was founded, we were
excited by its vision and promise, and through the years since we have
admired and frequently been involved in its work. We have, for exam-
ple, joined with it through Esalen Institute to sponsor nine annual
meetings in Big Sur on the implications of contemporary meditation
research, as well as several conferences to explore new directions in
parapsychology and the study ofconsciousness.
No other organization has done more than the Institute ofNoetic
Sciences to promote research into the mind-body-spirit connection or
to encourage new thinking about the interconnectedness of the indi-
vidual, culture, and the environment. The Institute is a natural ally for
us as we develop the theories and practices described in the book. We
hope to work with this pioneering organization for many years as we
develop a permanent center in the San Francisco BayArea for Integral
Transformative Practice.
With warm regards,
Michael Murphy George Leonard

Other books by George Leonard:
The Decline oftheAmericanMale
(with WilliamAttwoodandJ. RobertMoskin)
Shoulderthe Sky (anovel)
Education andEcstasy
TheMan & Woman Thing, andOtherProvocations
The Transfomnation
The UltimateAthlete
The Silent Pulse
AdventureshiMonogamy
Walkingon theEdge ofthe World
Mastery
Other books by Michael Murphy:
Golfin theKingdom
JacobAtabet
An Endto OrdinaryHistory
TheFuture ofthe Body
In the Zone (with Rhea White)

The
Life
We
Are Given
A
Long-Term Program for
Realizing the Potential ofBody,
Mind, Heart, and Soul
George Leonard
and
Michael Murphy
AJeremy P.Tarcher/Putnam Book
publishedby G. P. Putnam's Sons
New York
Excerptsoffive-linepoembyYamaokaTesshutranslatedbyJohnStevens,
page 159ofTheSwordofSoSwordbyJohnStevens© 1984.
AJeremyP.Tarcher/PutnamBook
PublishedbyG. P.Putnam'sSons
PublishersSince1838
:ooMadisonAvenue
NewYork,NT10016
Copyright© 1995byGeorgeLeonardandMichaelMurphy
Allrightsreserved.Thisbook,orpartsthereof,maynotbereproducedinany
formwithoutpermission.
Publishedsimultaneously-inCanada
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Leonard,GeorgeBurr,date.
Thelifewearegiven:along-termprogramforrealizingthepotentialof
body,mind,heart,andsoul/GeorgeLeonardandMichaelMurphy,
p. cm.
"AJeremyP.Tarcher/PutnamBook."
Includesbibliographicalreferences.
ISBN0-87477-853-0
1. Humanpotentialmovement. 2. Leonard,GeorgeBurr,date.
3. Murphy,Michael,date. I. Murphy,Michael,date.
n. Title.
BF637.H85L46 1995 95-8623CIP
158.1—dc2o
BookdesignbyLeeFukui
IllustrationsbySergioGiovine
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
98765432
10
Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper.©
We dedicate thisbook to ourfellow teachers in the experimental
Integral Transformative Practice classesof1992 and 1993:
Annie Styron Leonard
& Erik Van Riswold
andto theparticipantsin theclasswho, through theirdevotion,
creativity, andperseverance, gave life to these ideasandpractices:
SanfordAnderson Donald Kerson Tyrone Polastri
JaniAshmore Kathie Kertesz Hollis Polk
Pamela Carrara Leslie Lauf Karen Preuss
Dan Carte Ruth Kissane Katherine Randolph
WalterCole David Lombardi Andrea Rossman
Scot Combs BethMcCarthy Hubert Schmidt
Niki Cronin ChrisMcCluney Robert Sperber
Alan Epstein Linda iMenicucci Dan Svagerko
Anna Ernstthal Richard Moran SylviaTimbers
RobertErnstthal PhillipMoffitt Janice Uchida
LaceyFosburgh RoyNakashima NealVahle
Irwin Friman Bruce Nelson DebraViall
Charlotte Hatch John Nicholas KarenWilson
James Hatch Linda Novy Patrice Winchester
Joan Herz Bruce Orcutt Lari Wolf
LindaJue Jim Patrick Mira Zussman
Elizabeth Kelly Stephen Perelson