Transforming Your Dragons: How to Turn Fear Patterns Into Personal Power

by José Luis Stevens

Book Overview

Dr. Stevens describes the core source of human fear--inner dragons that consume power through greed, self-deprecation, arrogance, impatience, martyrdom, self-destruction, and just plain stubbornness.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1879181177
• ISBN13: 9781879181175
• Release Date: August 1994
• Publisher: Bear & Company
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Pleasantly surprised

I was expecting the usual self-help book, with idealistic but generalized and useless exercises, flowery language that doesn't really say anything, and thinly-veiled advertisements for other books or products. Thankfully, this book has none of these. The writing is clear and direct, and the exercises are real and empowering. This book has helped me learn more about myself in a few days than I learned over the course of many years prior. Often, I felt the book was directed specifically at me, so accurate were the descriptions of the ways in which the "dragons" manifest themselves. My one complaint (very minor) is that the section on maturity was almost overtly political, and in general not very useful or relevant to the core of the book. Happily, you can skip this section without hindering the usefulness of the rest of the book. All in all, I recommend this book without any serious reservations.

I recommend this book !

I have read quite a lot of self help books, but this one was different. All other books that I have read gave same methods for everyone. Jose Stevens helps you to identify your dragons (problem areas), then describes your problems and gives recommendations to deal with them. So you can get faster results because you concentrate on problems specific to you.For me, it was a shock to know truth about dragons that ruled my life. It takes some courage to accept the truth, but when I do and started to work on my problems, results came immediately.Now I am 200% happier person than I have ever been and that's only beginning !Other thing I gained is better understanding of people. Earlier I can really understand only people that are like me. Now I can see what dragons other people have and how they manipulates them.

really interesting, easy-to-digest approach

I was required to read this book for a class, so my outlook on it was more skeptical than normal. It went on to surprise and please me with its practical accessibility and good sense.In brief, the premise is that our weaknesses--the ways in which we defeat ourselves--can be broadly categorized. In so doing, we can work to defeat these 'dragons'' grip on our personalities. It includes an exam to help identify your dragon(s) and stage of maturity, an in-depth discussion of each dragon, a section on how they work together, and a generous list of ideas for self-guided therapy to regain the particular dragon's virtue without suffering its failings.Easy to read, well organized, makes intuitive sense, practical: a refreshing list of qualities. Recommended whether one simply seeks to better understand oneself and others, or is seriously intending to undertake personal transformation.

An excellent resources filled with practical help.

Psychotherapist Jose Stevens, Ph.D. has more than twenty years experience helping people overcome the fears that can cripple them. He maintains an active private practice as well as lecturing nationally and internationally. Transforming Your Dragons: How To Turn Fear Patterns Into Personal Power is his seventh book. Dr. Stevens says "you as an individual cannot transform yourself unless you personally face your own fears. Facing fear often means looking at the dark, shadowy side of yourself--not to feel guilty or shameful or to punish yourself, but to release the potential vitality locked up therein." He describes the major fears as "dragons" and his book is a guide to confronting those dragons and transforming their power into personal energy. He names the dragons "arrogance, self-deprecation, impatience, martyrdom, self-destruction, greed, and stubbornness." These dragons are "the cause of all human-created suffering." The dragons, and the harm they cause, are first discussed in general terms. Dr. Stevens explains the interrelationships between them and how they function. Each dragon has a positive, as well as negative, aspect. For example, the worst of the impatience dragon is intolerance, while the best of it leads to daring. Each dragon is then given a section of its own. Dr. Stevens describes how each dragon can manifest itself, including the differences between outer and inner manifestations. He explains how the dragons develop and gain their power (almost always in childhood), and how they impact adults. He then provides detailed instructions on how to "slay" each dragon. Numerous case studies reinforce his concepts. Readers wanting to regain their energy and know the power that comes from inner peace will find Transforming Your Dragons an excellent resource that's full of practical help.Sandra I. Smith, Reviewer

Excellent! Imaginative approach - great insights!

The book outlines a unique, imaginative approach that helps you recognize personal traits, understand root causes (your dragons), and work towards overcoming them. Your specific dragons (and their counter-intuitive combinations) may indeed surprise you. For once, you cannot retort - "Tell me something I don't know!" And it's definitely for EVERYONE - don't let the title suggest that it is for those with a definite "fear pattern" - if you desire more "Personal Power", go for it NOW! The approach also makes it hard to be ambiguous about one's self-assessment - in fact it's quite straight-forward and swift - leading to an insightful assessment that is a critical starting point for any self-improvement endeavor. Good job, Jose! and Good luck, fellow readers!