Acclaim for Mind Like Water "From What’s the Rush? to Whale Done! Jim Ballard is mentor to millions. Now, in Mind Like Water, Ballard, as always, doesn’t just show where his powerful and perceptive intellect has been, he takes you along and gives you the tools to revisit and explore on your own. Mind Like Water is a journey to places and spaces you realize you are visiting again for the first time. It’s an easy, charming read that shows you how to be exactly where you need to be: calmly in control, regardless of the situation."

–Sheldon Bowles, coauthor of Raving Fans "Reading Mind Like Water feels like handing the keys to my car to a very wise man and letting him drive for a while while I just enjoy the ride–and his words. Not only does this book make me think deeply about my work and life, it offers wonderful exercises for assessing and adjusting aspects that have not been working effectively. A must read for anyone struggling with work-home balance and how to find and bring your true self to your daily life."

–Jayne Pearl, author of Kids and Money "Jim Ballard puts his finger on the true cause of the anxiety that grips us all in this age of information overload–change. And then he gives us the antidote, a Mind Like Water. Many books inspire and motivate; this one provides a blueprint for actions that can be truly transforming. It is brilliant in its simplicity. Not since Alan Watts has an American author made Eastern knowledge so accessible, relevant, and practical–even for a Type A, stressed-out, left-brain thinking, typical American such as myself."

–Ken Miller, President of Teacher Education Institute "Mind Like Water invites the reader to participate in a variety of practical, accessible methods that support us in staying present in the moment, help us see things as they are, and live with equanimity amidst the unpredictability of our lives. Capturing the wisdom of great spiritual teachers, authors, and poets, Mind Like Water offers a respite from the hectic pace of our lives."

–Tara Healey, Senior Organizational Consultant, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care "Jim Ballard is one of the most compassionate people I know, and in his new book Mind Like Water he shares some of his warmth and love with readers. If you want a feeling like snuggling into a warm coat on a blustery, wintery day, try opening this book to any page and reading. If you don’t absorb some of the wisdom in Mind Like Water then you're just not paying attention."

–Noel Burch, coauthor of Teacher Effectiveness Training

From the Inside Flap

The stresses associated with life in our hurry-up world can seriously undermine our focus, productivity, and balance. In our efforts to master rapid-fire change and to be good providers, productive workers, and loving and supportive companions, it’s easy to lose our ability to enjoy the act of living. In this practical and inspiring guide, Jim Ballard arms you with a set of powerful tools for achieving calm and centeredness in the midst of a whirlwind of change. The trick, according to Ballard, is to stop trying so hard to exert control over a chaotic universe, to become less dependent on the powers of the intellect, and to learn to have faith in your ability to spontaneously make the correct decision in any given situation–in short, to have a mind like water. Ballard provides action steps to help you attain the mental equivalent of some of the vital properties of water: Fluidity Level-Seeking Reflection Absorption Form-Changing Motivelessness Each of the techniques Ballard describes in this fascinating and fun book–including simple instructions on how to meditate–will help you question your constraining assumptions and dissolve the thought patterns that impede your natural flow. By practicing the twenty-four steps Ballard includes, you can achieve the mental grace and suppleness needed to maintain intellectual and emotional balance in a turbulent sea of change. Filled with exercises, practical prescriptions, and enlightening stories, Mind Like Water will allow you to access the inner state of happiness that already lies within you–an integration of mind and body that will free you from stress, worry, and self-limiting thoughts.