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This paper explores the utility of a debriefing method resulting in individual, unit, and organizational transcendence toward increased effectiveness in the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF). The conceptual framework is centered on the transformational and complexity theories of leadership science. The study offers for consideration a debriefing methodology termed “holistic” as a structure for achieving both individualistic and unit inner growth and efficiency. The problem examined is the lack of proper leadership tools in the RNoAF’s operational units to understand and cope with the effects of increased stress. Based on theory and examples from operational practice, holistic debriefing is presented as a possible means for leaders to increase mission effectiveness through improved stress coping mechanisms. The secondary effects from people engaging with themselves and each other through holistic debriefing are increased self-knowledge, interpersonal trust, group confidence, and an improved working environment....

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This study seeks to answer the question, “If a joint force air commander finds it useful or necessary to operate at the theater level and one level below with mission-type orders or requests, what are the preconditions that must exist in order to make such a partially decentralized command system work?” To answer this question, the study examines theoretical perspectives on command and control,including those of Napoléon, the Germans, the Israelis, and former fighter pilot John R. Boyd. Following this theoretical survey, the study analyzes two historical case studies that exhibited both the use and non use of mission-type orders and requests in order to draw conclusions regarding the necessary preconditions in the categories of leadership, organization, communications technology, and procedure. These studies are Gen George C. Kenney’s air campaign in the Southwest Pacific during World War II and Operation Desert Storm....

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1 INTRODUCTION . . . . 1 Notes . . . . . . 5 2 THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON COMMAND AND CONTROL . . . . . 7 Notes . . . . . . 14 3 MISSION ORDER COMMAND IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC . . . . . . 17 Notes . . . . . . 30 4 MISSION ORDER COMMAND IN OPERATION DESERT STORM: ITS PRESENCE AND ABSENCE . . . . . 33 Notes . . . . . . 45 5 CONCLUSIONS . . . . . 49 Notes . . . . . . 53 6 IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY’S AIR FORCE . . . . 55 Notes . . . . . . 63...

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Over centuries, The Bhagavad Gita has been considered an important spiritual guidebook and has influenced many thought leaders in human history. The Gita is conversational poetry set in an epic battlefield where a family of cousins are engaged in a war for control of a kingdom. The Lord Almighty assumes the role of a charioteer for prince Arjuna who is about to fight his cousins led by Duryodhana. The fact that this is a war between cousins and involves people related to each other immerses Arjuna in a deep remorse at the prospect of fighting his cousins, uncles, friends, teachers etc, which leads him to a decision to abdicate the war and leave the kingdom to his cousins. At this point, the Lord teaches Arjuna the need for one to confront difficult tasks in life and not run away from responsibilities as in this case, it was Arjuna's responsibility to wrest the kingdom away from his cousins who had usurped the same with dubious means. Arjuna indeed had an obligation to run a just and rightful administration. The Lord answers a series of questions that Arjuna has on the overall concept of rightful action, how to conduct them and the a...

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For us to live in a world suitable to us all, we first have to know what such a world should look like, so we can together strive for it!

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The valid competition would be to improve on the ideal (vision/model), and to find better ways of achieving this ideal, instead of competing for advantage over others to the detriment of the whole, as has the prevalent practice been till now. There would, eventually, cease any need for "leaders" and "followers"-- everyone would have the potential to take a part in embodying their own ideas (in concert with the wishes for an ideal existence of all others) in the continuously being shaped collective vision/model. The resulting collective vision/model would not be static--an ideal could not remain an ideal without the possibility of improving on it perpetually. It would be a space to resolve any differences, controversies, conflicts, and any complaints that there ever might arise among us; it would become a superior way of a collective self-rule....

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• Universal Platform for Developing Sustainable Earth Vision/Model Cooperatively • Ecologically and Socially Sustainable Education: Creating a Sustainable World • The Need for Designing the Future Collaboratively: To Whom the Future of the Earth Might Concern. • Donella Meadows' "Visioning": Global Citizens Designing a Sustainable World Together • Mahayana: Philosophy for Sustainability • Designing a Lasting Peace Together • Home: The Very "Leverage Point" • Defining "Sustainability" by Illustrating the Concept Using Modeling • Preventing a Ton of Cure: Disaster Preparedness...

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They conquered the universe and proclaimed themselves gods. The endless span of worlds was theirs to command. At the height of their power they realized they had but one foe left - death. They saw it as a limit to their power, a gap they could not cross. They named it the Void and in their arrogance they even believed they could defeat it - though in order to do so they had to become one with it. And so the Plague was born. The universe conquered anew. But there were other gods - those who accepted death and the natural order of things. They believed in evolution. For them, immortality was in the life of a child. It was the true path, paved by a power higher than even they; to perpetually evolve for the better. An infinite universe with endless evolutionary possibilities. The immortality of the Dead Gods faced off against the evolution of the Elders. With His birth, the end begins....

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CHAPTER 1 -- THE BLACK DOOR OPENS In centuries there had been none like him. A Black Mage, a true Gatekeeper. Possibly even a god. Was there no limit to his power and potential? He certainly thought not, and meant to test that belief. What better way to do so than a journey through the Black Door? He had already confirmed his ability to control the Rift, and now with fifty of his most loyal soldiers he would enter it – to the dead with the Keeper and his archaic laws. If the Plague was real, he would send it running back through the Black Door and return home a hero. The Keeper himself would have no choice but to bow before him. Until then, secrecy was a must. The Council would condemn him to death for the mere ability to open the Rift. But for daring to enter it, the entire Seventh World would rise against him. His troops gathered in formation near the stairway of stacked circular stones leading up to the Rift – a haze of blue flames muffled the crunch of steel boots on dry bones, and clattering plate mail. The cover of night and the shadow of Lock Core did the rest, hiding them from prying eyes. Though typical...

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Chapter 1 The Black Door Opens Chapter 2 The Midnight Sun Chapter 3 The Destroyer Chapter 4 Awakenings Chapter 5 The Council Chapter 6 The Drunk and The Dreamer Chapter 7 The One Elf Chapter 8 The Elven Death Chapter 9 A Dark Seed Grows Chapter 10 The Archenon Chapter 11 The Dwarves Chapter 12 A Feast Chapter 13 The Halfling Chapter 14 Days at the Timber Wall Tavern Chapter 15 A Lesson Learned Chapter 16 Beyond Limits ...

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Since the first edition of Inquiries about Shia Islam was published in the summer of 1999, four-thousand English copies have been distributed and sold to Muslims and non-Muslims in the United States of America and abroad. The book was also published in various languages. The need still exists for a better understanding about the traditions and followers of the Ahlul Bayt, and thus a revised second edition of the book was made. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sister Fatma Saleh for her generous contributions in editing and revising this edition. Special thanks are also due to the Khaki family of Seattle, Washington for making this book come to print. May Allah, the most Merciful, the most Compassionate reward all those who work sincerely to serve His cause....

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I ask all who read this book to read it objectively, with openmindedness and without sectarian biases, and I welcome any suggestions, criticisms, or inquiries. We ask Allah for guidance and enlightenment in our search for the truth. May Allah open our hearts and minds to it, and may He guide and extend His mercy upon us, for He is the one who grants all things. “Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You; truly, You are the Bestower.”Noble Quran, 3:8 We ask Allah for His mercy, grace, and blessings in this endeavor, and I ask the readers for their prayers that we all continue to be humble servants of the religion of Allah on the Earth....

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Table of Contents Introduction Introduction to Second Edition Who are the Shi‘a? The Five Schools of Islamic Thought Ja‘fari Hanafi Maliki Shafi;i Hanbali Imamah Quranic Evidence for the Divine Ordination of the Imam Seven Categories of Verses of Allah’s Government in Quran (1) The Verses of Kingdom: (2) The Verses of Government: (3) The Verses of Command: (4) The Verses of Guardianship: (5) The Verses of Following: (6) The Verse of Choosing: (7) The Verse of Judgment: Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Ghadir Khum The Verse of Warning (Indhar) The Verse of Bowing (Ruku) The Verse of Guardianship Prophetic Narrations Appointing Imam Ali as Successor Twelve Leaders to Succeed the Prophet. Who are the Twelve Leaders? The Ahlul Bayt The Verse of Purity (Taharah) The Verse of Affection (Muwaddah) The Verse of Malediction (Mubahilah) The Verse of Prayer (Salat) The Verse of Feeding The Verse of Guardianship The Hadith of the Two Weighty Things (Thaqalayn) Similar Narrations from the Prophet Muhammad about his Ahlul Bayt Infallibility Intercession (Shafa‘ah) Calling Upon the Prophet and ...

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It is with great humility and pride that I take pen in hand to submit the newest issue of Hulili to you. Even in this day and age of sophisticated technology and rapid pace, one of the most amazing and inspiring things about being human is the power of the spirit and the depth of connections that it brings, binding us to each other, to animate and inanimate life forms, to the past of our ancestors, and yet so vigorously to the future. From these connections come our values, and this fourth volume of Hulili speaks strongly about Hawaiian values. The writings carry clear messages about kuleana (responsibility), imi naauao (seeking knowledge), and the importance of olelo (language) and ohana (family). Our contributors voice the tremendous kuleana to revitalize the knowledge of our ancestors, using it to create a vision for our future as conveyed in the powerful moolelo (story) about the rebirth of voyaging in Hawaii, about the undeniable responsibility to care for our kupuna (elders), our iwi (bones), our wahi pana (sacred places), and about building the strength of our communities through the power of culture-based ed...

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Every journey begins with a dream, a vision that can unite others. When people come together around a set of shared values, they can achieve extraordinary things. It is true that every voyage has its share of hardships. Sometimes the challenges come from outside the community, and other times they come from within. Most often they come from inside ourselves, stemming from feelings of fear and inadequacy. We rely on our teachers and leaders to guide us through times of crisis, to inspire hope, and to point us toward new horizons. This essay pays tribute to the visionaries, teachers, and leaders of the Hawaiian voyaging movement. For me, these powerful teachers are Mau Piailug, Herb Kane, Eddie Aikau, and my greatest teacher, my father, Myron Thompson....

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Like a good psychotherapy session, WHO ARE YOU? poses essential questions - about the psychology of human behavior, politics, science, metaphysics, and the mysteries of God - without imposing dogmatic answers. It can be used as a meditation companion, a catalyst for group discussion, a personal mirror for honest glimpses at the soul and tool for self-growth....

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In Zen circles it is often said that a teacher’s finger, pointing at the moon, should not be confused with the moon itself. The implication is that no lesson on Truth, no matter how profound, could ever be a suitable substitute for Truth itself. Zen is a tradition that prioritizes personal experience above all else – hence, the emphasis on meditation as a teacher par excellence. As such, students are cautioned to be wary of lessons taught by another, regardless of how wise or respected the teacher. This does not mean that didactic lessons have little value in the Zen tradition. Rather, it means that the best a teacher’s lesson can provide is a fingertip’s point in the direction of an educational experience for which a student is ripe. It is from this perspective that I deliver this book, in hope that the passages within can point you in the direction of introspective experiences for which you may be ripe. The passages of this book are the residuals of a particular type of recurring, sublime experience that I have had many times in my life. These experiences would usually occur at random moments – sometimes during a meditat...

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Preface..4 Chapter 1: Ethics, Leadership & Governance..14 Chapter 2: Religion & The Scriptures..26 Chapter 3: Science & Nature..38 Chapter 4: Psychology..44 Chapter 5: Metaphysics, Meditation & Spirituality.. 74 Chapter 6: God..108 Chapter 7: Truth..116 Appendix A: The Lost Sayings of Guru Sakshat..118 Appendix B: Song List..120 Appendix C: Notable Reflections of Others..122 Appendix D: Rides for Hitchhikers..135...

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The July-August-September, 2011 edition of Hinduism's flagship spiritual magazine, Hinduism Today, has been released in digital form and is now available for free on your desktop. This issue takes you on a wondrous adventure through time as well as culture showcasing nine historic sites of ancient India. Get ready for an awe inspiring and thought provoking journey! We start with true our feature article with a magnificence recognizable by all of humanity. These nine ancient Hindu related sites demonstrate craftsmanship and artwork so awe-inspiring that the United Nations’s body for education, science and culture, (UNESCO) has deemed them as worthy of protection and care for the benefit of all of humanity. Our writers and photographers explore these temples and caves, dating back as early as 200 bce, introducing us to a depth and breadth of the rich Hindu landscape. You will be charmed by the historical accounts from western explorers. On a heart warming note, the middle section of this issue introduces our newly published "Hindu Children's Modern Stories, Books One and Two." These books bring the wisdom of the traditional yama...