Books by Steven Harrison

Steven Harrison''s international dialogs invite people to discuss questions such as Can we have an experience that is truly new, truly unknown? Is experience shaped by what we know? This is not an idle philosophical pursuit, since the state of the world seems to hinge on our ability to step out of our belief systems and see others in a fresh way. In this book we can join in Harrison''s explorations into the nature of our existence.

Steven Harrison''s first book remains his bestselling one. Originally published by Crossroad and then by Tarcher/Penguin (in both cloth and trade paper), it sold over 30,000 copies in those three editions. Sentient is reissuing it in this tenth anniversary edition, with a new cover. "Doing Nothing" presents Harrison''s radical understanding of the nature of life as dynamic and energetic. His transforming words have helped many spiritual seekers clearly comprehend the false nature of the search.

In his thought-provoking new book, the author ventures far outside the box of traditional thinking about education. His radical proposal? Children naturally want to learn, so let them direct their own education in democratic learning communities where they can interact seamlessly with their neighbourhoods, their towns, and the world at large. Most learning systems apply external motivation through grades, rankings, teacher direction, and approval. ''The Happy Child'' suggests that a self-motivated child who is interdependent within a community can develop the full human potential to live a creative and fulfilling life. Harrison focuses on the integration of the whole child, the learning environment, and the non-coercive spirit of curiosity-driven education. With practical suggestions, Harrison details how to provide a living and responsive environment that can meet the expanding mind of a child--an environment that is non-coercive, democratic, and relationship-based. A child can thrive in a model where all participants view the child as an interdependent individual in the community--an individual who is both expressive and fully responsible. A happy child will flourish with an education that recognises that the child is already fully expressive and relating to life. And a happy child, the author, asserts, is at the core of a truly functional and creative society.