Wayfinding Non-Fiction Books

Wayfinding is the ancient seafaring art of navigating according to the natural signs. As a self-help philosophy, Wayfinding means being aware of our environment and our responses to outside stimuli. It also means learning about the environment for which we evolved, and how it differs from the environment in which we live. Wayfinding is not a destination. It is a neverending journey. It doesn't have to be yours; it is simply a description of the path that I am on, with all my bumbling and lack of expertise on full display.

In part one of this series, we looked at a series of experiments that called into question the concept of free will. Here, we confront that idea more directly, and the exploration reveals a path whereby we might gain more control over our lives. At the same time, the adventure with Billy continues as the boat breaks down and Douglas and I find ourselves marooned on a strange island in the middle of nowhere.

I've blogged about my fitness routine, and readers have asked for me to go into more detail about how I have gotten in shape and how I maintain that shape. This work is the result of those requests. It is full of controversial claims, so be warned. I truly believe that if people follow the handful of principles in this short read, they will improve their health and change their lives.

Much of our thinking happens in what is colloquially referred to as our "Lizard Brain." But what does this mean? How do lizards see the world? How do they think? Answering these questions is a crucial step toward understanding how we think, making better decisions, and Wayfinding toward happiness and emotional growth. Join me as we continue this story of self-exploration, and as I take you back to the first sailboat I ever climbed aboard, and how it nearly killed me.

Part 4 of the Wayfinding Series. In this part, we discuss the most important concept in all of self-help, which is that our brains and bodies expect a much different world than the one in which they find themselves. This mismatch is the source of much confusion and unhappiness. Understanding what our bodies expect to find, and what they encounter instead, is the first step in resolving this inner turmoil. I also introduce the first sailboat I ever owned, and begin the tale of its maiden voyage from Baltimore to Charleston, South Carolina, one of the most harrowing sailing trips of my life.

In part five of this series, we take a step back from examples of the struggles we face and solutions for conquering those struggles and delve deeper into the two levels of thought that are often in conflict. We look at the consciousness and subconsciousness and how the two are in dialog with one another. More importantly, we examine how the consciousness likely formed, and how its adaptation may have been for a different purpose entirely. In the Wayfinder portion of the work, I conclude the delivery of my first sailboat from Baltimore to Charleston, a trip that very nearly ended in ruin.

In part 6 of this series, I tackle depression, its origins, and techniques for dealing with both it and anxiety.

In part 7 of this series, we look at the potentially dangerous effects of in-grouping and out-grouping, with a new theory of why this tendency might have formed.