1 comments about More Than Makeup.

1. I am so proud Pat decided to share her thoughts, experience and knowledge with everyone. She is a treasure trove of motivation and information. This is a wonderful book.

3 comments about It's How You Play the Game: The Powerful Sports Moments That Taught Lasting Values to America's Finest.

1. I was a little worried when I first saw this book displayed on a TV show, and that is was supposedly written by the dark-haired guy who is not Steve Doocy, but it turned out to be a pleasurable read!
   
   The book itself is quite long for a sports book, which is helped by the fact that it is broken up into easily manageable stories. Another nice thing about it is that it is from a wide variety of individuals that the dark-haired guy who is not Steve Doocy interviewed. I had really expected it to be nothing but sports heroes spouting "You have to give it 110%" or "My sport good!". Fortunately, the dark-haired guy who is not Steve Doocy did an excellent job of compiling interesting lessons, with just a general theme of sports, and how they shape you as you mature.
   
   My complements to the dark-haired guy who is not Steve Doocy for writing an easy to read, morally relevant, enjoyable book!



2. I bought this as a gift, but I read it before I wrapped it. I enjoyed the book. Nice "light" reading



3. I ordered the book ("It's How You Play the Game") for my 12 yr. old son. He is a sports junkie and enjoys reading about sports icons. This book tells of many of his sports heroes and tells of their fight to become successful. It encourages the reader that no matter your background, what you get out of life is what you put into it. This is a great message, especially for the younger generation. The work ethic is something to be desired in this "welfare" society we live in today.

5 comments about Making Peace with Your Past: The Six Essential Steps to Enjoying a Great Future.

1. MAKING PEACE WITH YOUR PAST is the best book I've yet read of the "self-help" variety. Reading the book has helped me move into a calmer, more open and happy place in my life, and I continue to reread it whenever ancient, and not-so ancient history, in the form of regret, grief or hurt, visits me. The exercises in the book make sense and WORK. The writing style is welcoming, nonjudgemental, and understanding. Whatever negative experiences you've gone through in your life, from childhood through the recent past or present, there is help for you here. Bloomfield and co-author Philip Goldberg have given a great gift to anyone seeking the calm and happiness which may have been, until now, elusive. I never write reviews on Amazon, but I am too impressed by the results of this book to keep quiet. Simply put: the book works.



2. What an awesome book! I have read all of Dr. Bloomfield's books, however, I felt change taking place deep within 'as I read' this one. The third chapter on 'Breaking the Shackles of Shame' is worth buying and reading the whole book. It gave me a direct plan to dealing with the deep seated issues of shame in my psyche. It also uncovered things in me that I have repressed for many years. It taught me the language of knowing what was really going on inside of me. Helped me to specifically identify hurts and obstacles that were holding me back from living the quintessential life. Read this book if you want to experience healing for your past. Dr. Bloomfield not only identifies your past issues, he gives you remedies for dealing with them successfully.
   
   Michael Murphy
   
   Powerful Attitudes



3. www.signonsandiego.com
   Psychiatrist pleads guilty, may avoid jail
   By Onell R. Soto
   UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
   January 24, 2002
   VISTA - A Del Mar psychiatrist and best-selling author admitted yesterday he illegally drugged women in his home and office, but he probably will not be sent to jail as punishment, lawyers said.

   Harold Bloomfield, 57, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of illegally furnishing drugs yesterday, defense attorney Bob Grimes said.

   "This is the first time he's been to court since his release on bail," Grimes said in an interview. "He wanted to admit what he did and help with the healing process with the victims. He didn't want the victims to go to court and be cross-examined."

   Prosecutor Richard Madruga said the two women whose drinks Bloomfield admitted drugging said they don't oppose a sentence without jail time.

   "They want to see that the community is protected, that he not practice medicine, that he not be able to prescribe medications and that he get help for drug dependency, and counseling," Madruga said.

   Such conditions are likely when Superior Court Judge Frederick Maguire sentences Bloomfield at a hearing scheduled for March 22, Madruga said.

   As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dropped three drug-related felony charges and a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery.

   In court papers, detectives said a glass of lemonade Bloomfield gave a woman in July contained Ecstasy and methamphetamine.

   The woman said Bloomfield met her in his Del Mar home for a therapy session wearing only a pair of blue boxer shorts printed with martini glasses, according to court records.

   She felt strange after drinking the lemonade, and Bloomfield offered to examine her breasts after she complained of pain from recent surgery, according to the documents.

   When asked about that, Bloomfield blamed his daughter for the drugs in the drink, detectives said. The daughter denied any involvement.

   Then, in December, a woman who visited Bloomfield's home said he undressed her and fondled her after giving her a funny-tasting green smoothie.

   At the time of Bloomfield's arrest Dec. 19, prosecutors said they were investigating reports from other women who said he drugged and then sexually assaulted them.

   Madruga said yesterday that additional charges are not supported by evidence in the case.

   Bloomfield was released the week following his arrest after posting $500,000 bail.

   He and his wife, with whom he wrote several books, are divorcing.

   He was once a frequent guest on television talk shows, including "The Oprah Winfrey Show," on which he last appeared in 1993.

   Defense attorney Grimes said Bloomfield descended into drug use during a bout of depression about four years ago. It worsened after he emerged from plastic surgery with chronic pain, for which he took larger and larger quantities of painkillers.

   "Ultimately he started on his own, medicating himself by smoking marijuana and ultimately using Ecstasy," Grimes said.

   As a condition of his release from jail, Bloomfield agreed not to practice medicine.




4. I just completed the audio version of this book. It was hard to restrain myself from posting a review because there there is great good and even greater danger in this book! Red flags are waving! You may be drinking poison when you're looking for nutrition!

   First the danger, then the good...

   DANGER:
   The author and his wife are unapologetic new age pantheists. Throughout the book the "virtues" of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and buying herbal remedies from a Hindu based organization are touted. Sadly, the "science" behind these practices and their application to "Making Peace With Your Past" are glossed over. Is there a connection? A clear explicit correlation is never REALLY made (it's implied) AND, frankly, I felt that this was one of the major flaws with this work.

   Next danger, the author encourages you to "question" any resistance that you may have to the suggested therapies in this book. While is true that resistance to change can be an obstacle in therapy does this mean that discernment and moral judgment should be jettisoned as well? Apparently the author's answer is, "Yes". The author and his co-author wife trapple all over time honored and proven Western European values and sensibilities. Visualization - a controversial practice in some religious, medical, and cultural contexts is used and discussed as if there is no controversy at all and there is universal consensus on it's effectiveness and use.

   Frankly, I DID feel uncomfortable at many points during this book. However, I can assure the reader that it had NOTHING to do with resistance to change and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that my value system and moral code was being directly challenged by the pan theistic (or more accurately "pan-everythingistic") approach of these authors.

   Because I knew that this "if you feel uncomfortable..." tactic is used by cult leaders and unethical therapists to cause their followers to "snap" and allow an unreasonable level of control over their followers, I kept my value/moral boundaries in place while I waded through the author's thin veiled belief systems (Hinduism and New Age practices) and world view (Existential, Post Modern Relativism).

   I feel that authors would be advised in future works to state up front: "We are practicing Hindus, New Agers, and moral relativists" THAT would at least be honest!

   If you are a practicing Christian, Moslem, or conservative Jew, you will find MUCH to hate in this book!

   THE GOOD:
   Despite this work's obvious flaws there is *some* value here. Ironically, the author is at his best when he sticks to go old Western European style psycho-therapy. He is obviously well educated, experienced, and very intelligent. His explanations of the inner mechanics of unforgiveness, resentment, bitterness, painful memories are excellant and liberating.

   Even the visualizations would have great value IF a greater emphasis on keep the patient in their cognitize mind via maintaining a very LIGHT, constant Alpha state rather than the deep Alpha state that the co-author employs. However since the authors are TM practitioners it should surprise no one that they advocate a very deep alpha state mode that makes the patient vulnerable to unwanted suggestion. Again, keep that "moral judgment" and "value system" switch set to "off"!

   However, her word pictures are indeed very powerful and I have used them - while maintaining a cognitive mode alpha state - since finishing the book.

   In the end, I can not recommend this book. The underlying world view and dishonesty of the authors is just too pronounced! I would encourage to explore the OTHER authors on this web-site. Personally, I don't think that you can go too wrong with the work of either Norm Wright or John Bradshaw (although Bradshaw's moral relativism does tend to "leak" at times). I especially Bradshaw's "Healing the Shame that Binds You" and his books on family.

   Finally, I would add that the clipping from the San Diego Union regarding this author is not surprising to me having read his book. The TM/Hindu guru that he mentions in the book as his spiritual leader and guide has accused (and I believe indicted) of similar moral lapses. In the words of Adam Smith...

   Emptor Caveat!

   Or, in the words of Jesus Christ concerning false prophets: "By their fruit you will know them".




5. (I wasn't aware of the charges against the author until preparing my review. How disappointing.)
   
   I found this book useful in that it offered suggestions on how to heal the past when you are aware that you need to "get over it." Whether you decide to actually "go deep" and follow his six steps is a matter of choice. The book was helpful to me in that it simply named the problems (shame, guilt, remorse, etc.) and more or less pointed out how "normal" (or, "common") these problems are for many people.
   
   As for the TM/Hindu connection- I didn't find it to be too much of a bother, as I skipped over parts of the book I wasn't interested in. I think the $2,500.00 fee to learn TM with a qualified instructor in my area is a bit much for me, so I more or less dismissed the TM completely, but any form of meditation can be very useful in dispelling anxiety and stress. Bloomfield's Six Essential Steps are only ONE man's program- this and similar books are nowhere near the only or final word on self-help.
   
   If you're looking for information, or maybe a way to start addressing your feelings, most of what's in this book is good to know. Putting it to use is up to you.

No comments about The 7 Habits Journal for Teens.

5 comments about Today Matters: 12 Daily Practices to Guarantee Tomorrow's Success.

1. The key concepts in this book for me were the following:
   Settle critical issues once and for all - Then you will not have to revisit them daily. John Maxwell talks about how the earlier you settle the critical issues in your life the greater the potential for your success. Thus by avoiding procrastination on these key choices, you will no longer feel the guilty feelings associated with them.
   
   The concept that the "pain" of discipline is
   "momentary" but the benefit of it is long lasting (lasting the ENTIRE day - 16 hours of the day)was a revelation for me.
   
   The funniest part was the morning prayer he included:
   "Dear Lord - So far today I am doing alright,
   I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or self indulgent.
   I have not whined, cursed or eaten any chocolate - however,
   I am going to get out of bed in a few minutes and I will need a lot more help after that."
   
   I highly recommend this CD. I find myself listening to it again and again, stopping it and jotting notes down.
   
   Finally, I really found the values section in the 12th daily dozen to be unique and original. I haven't found anything like it in ANY other book of it's kind
   This CD is a BUY



2. Wonderful book that really helps you focus on what is important. A must read for everyone.



3. This audio book is really great! Every one needs to read books of this kind time to time but this one is realistic and very empowering.



4. While the content is excellent, the audio CD's are identical to the "Make Today Count" audio book by the same author. It is, in my opinion, deceptive to market the same product with two different titles.



5. Wow with the busieness of life and all we tend to do this really makes you REALLY put your prioities in order and start working on JUST today and what really matters. I have recommended this to a few of my friends.... Loved it

5 comments about A 5th Portion of Chicken Soup for the Soul : 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit.

1. Although I _LOVED_ the stories in the other books of this series (and highly recommend the other books), I was very disappointed with this one. Perilously few "reached" or "touched" me as they had in the earlier books.



2. I think that this book was terrific, even though there were other Chicken Soup books that I thought were better. Almost all of the stories had a moral in them and the ones in the end especially made me cry. I think that the Chicken Soup books will be great just like they are now in the years to come.



3. Sequels are supposed to be worse than the original copy, but this book must be the exception that makes the rule. Awesome book! Please-more stories with surprise endings. This book had some very predictable stories.



4. A 5th Portion of Chicken Soup for the soul is an extremely excellent book because it teaches unique lessons.



5. I've read other Chicken Soup for the Soul books before, but this one isn't as good in my opinion. I can see how other people might enjoy the book, but I didn't. Some of the stories seemed lengthy and without a point, but while reading other stories I wanted to beg for more details because the story was so short. The topics of the stories were good choices and would bring inspiration to some of the people who read them. Some stories didn't seem to fit their topic though and didn't have quite enough detail.
   
   I especially liked the sections "A Matter of Perspective" and Overcoming Obstacles." The stories in these two sections made you look (if only for a few seconds) at life in a little different way. The stories showed how attitude and strong beliefs could help you through some of the most difficult times in your life.
   
   One part of the books I really didn't like was the fact that several of the stories were about death. When suffering a loss stories like those can be inspirational but too many stories in that topic gets depressing in my opinion.
   
   I think this book is a good Chicken Soup for the Soul book. I also think that the other Chicken Soup for the Soul books were better.

4 comments about Attitude Is Everything for Success.

1. Thirty day challenges help us form new habits since it takes 21-30 days to form a habit, depending on who you read. Additionally, Harrell challenges you to read your affirmations outloud ... you'll be using multiple senses and modes when you do so: your eyes will input the words to your brain, and your speech will bring the words and meaning to your brain a second time via your ears.

   On each of your 30 days you master a new area. Improve your attitudes for success by affirming achievement, action, belief, challenge, change, choice, commitment, communication, completion, confidence, desire, destiny, enthusiasm, excellence, faith, goals, gratitude, humility, integrity, love, persistence, possibility, purpose, risk, sacrifice, self-esteem, success, and wisdom. Each day has affirmations ("Say It"), motivational story or definitions ("Believe It"), suggested actions ("Receive It"), and related inspirational quotes.

   I recommend this book to every salesperson or Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant .. include this as part of your daily "Mental B.A.T.H." and aim for the top!




2. I refer to this quote in "Attitude is Everything for Success" by Keith Harell.

   "Achievement starts when you know that your present place in life does not determine how far you will go.It's purpose is to only remind you where you got Started"

   It's Attitude that Makes a Big Difference. It is the attitude towards failures or successes which determines the future, says the author. A human mind is like a parachute - works best when open, hence being an optimist makes one feel a lighter situation at all times. A positive flow with right attitude towards work and play, time management, excellence, persistence and boosting the potentialities and seek for the creative pursuits. A pessimist always sees the darker side of things.It's Attitude that determines Altitude. The book has great motivational quips and quotations to ponder. The book itself says 'Say It, believe it and Recieve it' which is clear message to pick the book and scale for Achievement with the right Attitude. Each day is an affirmation to encourage and boost self determination and lift up the spirits. A good pick and positive thinking.




3. This book re-emphasizes things you already know, but is written in such a fashion that it is easy to pick it up and very quickly read one section for instant positive motivation.



4. I am only about 1/3 through this book, but I am really enjoying it and the lessons it shares. Very easy to read, and it can be read on a daily basis for just 5-10 minutes a day. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to change their attitude and let go of some common inhibitions and fears.

5 comments about Alcoholics Anonymous - Big Book - Original Edition.

1. I am a member of A.A. and wanted to purchase a copy of the Big Book. I always shop at Amazon.com due to the great pricing and service. I just wish that Amazon would have shown me the actual product. A.A. publishes multiple sizes and covers of the Big Book and this was the only one I saw on Amazon. Unfortunately, I noticed at my next meeting that the one I was getting from Amazon was the smallest and cheapest made big book and I paid 3 times what it was worth. I kept it, but was rather annoyed with the outcome. The book is a MUST for any suffering alcoholic, or anyone who knows\lives with one. It is informative, well-written, and full of knowledge and hope. I recommend it for almost anyone.



2. Every recovering Alcoholic should have a copy of this book in your home. It will be your backbone and needed structure while you take one day at a time.
   
   You can learn from others who have walked this path before you!
   
   Merna
   
   Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!



3. What can be added to a book that has been around since 1939 and is still read after a quadrillion people have read it? By following the stories of the various people who have recovered from alcoholism, the "main idea" will certainly hit you. What idea? When it dawns, you'll know.
   
   If the dawn has come already, you will find strength and hope in all of your relationships.



4. Hi there,
   
   I strongly recommend the Audio mp3 version of the Big book: Alcoholics Anonymous: Big Book, Original Edition



5. This book tells exactly how hundreds of thousands of real alcoholics have been saved from alcoholism. How can anyone be critical of that if it works? Only the stupid, or ignorant can criticize a book which has literally saved so many people from certain death (not to mention the thousands more they could have victimized).
   It is truly a miracle, by virtue of all of the people it has saved.
   True, there are thousands more who have failed the program of recovery this book details, but in that is the reason. They failed to do exactly what this book directs them to do. The book didn't fail them.
   
   I personally know a few real alcoholics who were on their last legs when this book came into their lives. All who followed and embraced it's teachings are sober. The one who failed at it would not do what it directed him to do. He died eventually with wet brain (the non technical term for Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome).
   I implore anyone with drinking problems to get this book and seek out AA.

5 comments about Secrets and Mysteries: The Glory and Pleasure of Being a Woman.

1. Every once in awhile I come across a book that fits my current questions and circumstances like a synchronistic glove. Secrets and Mysteries - The Glory and Pleasure of Being a Woman is one such book.
   
   Secrets and Mysteries will give you a profound understanding of what it means to be a woman. Full of passion, mysticism, and practical information, it will tap the source of your power at the depths of your soul. Through her own extraordinary life experience and her knowledge of native cultures around the world, the author reveals how you can activate ancient wisdom to become the magnificent embodiment of strength and grace. In other words, how you can become a Glorious Woman!
   
   In the first chapter, the author shares her personal story, including the realization that she was a people pleaser. This negative pattern hounded her for decades, much like it does for many women. Rather than listening to her own needs, she discovered that the major decisions she made were based on what others wanted from her. She began to ask herself difficult questions such as Am I willing to stop putting other people's needs ahead of mine? Am I ready to let go of the need to please everyone? Can I stop taking care of everyone else, and start caring for myself? These questions came on the heel of being told that she had breast cancer. Because it's a popular belief in the New Age movement that you "create your own reality", Linn longed for compassion, understanding and support but feared accusations such as "You created this. What's eating at you?" or "I knew you had to slow down, you were working too hard." She was so judgmental of herself that she couldn't bear being judged by others. So she didn't reach out for help.
   
   She took a month of for some deep soul searching, and the cancer disappeared.
   
   The stories and struggles that Linn shares in this book parallel those of many women I've talked to, including my own. It's encouraging to read a book from someone who's been there, and how she navigated through self-doubt and trying times. It's also refreshing to read such honesty about her own personal journey, rather than an author pontificating on what others "should" be doing or how we need to buck up and "get over it".
   
   Chapter 2 talks about the historical roots of the Goddess and how to embrace Her. Linn writes: "Goddess worship can be traced from the Paleolithic period, as early as 2,000,000 B.C., until less than 5,000 years ago when God became a man. In other words, God has been a male for one quarter of one percent of human history, and God has been female for 99.75 percent of the rest of the time. A male God is a relative newcomer on the divine scene. Yet, in modern culture, there is an ingrained belief that God is, and always has been, male." She explains that the distortion of female history and the Divine feminine has left many women feeling dispossessed of their spiritual identity as women, and that they have not been taught to explore their strengths. Linn also lists the names and attributes of Goddesses from various traditions and how to integrate their strengths into everyday life.
   
   Chapter 3 talks about the allies of women, including angels, ancestors, animal spirits, plant and mineral allies, as well as herbs, flowers, and tree allies. She also shares how to discover your own allies, and provides several lists for the meanings of personal totems from these realms.
   
   Chapter 4 covers the secrets of the shamaness, which includes honoring divine feminine cycles, discovering your spirit name, shape-shifting, exploring the lower, middle, and upper worlds, and shamanic power objects and symbols. Chapter 5 instructs women on how to access their inner warrior or the "holy bitch". Linn writes: "You can tell when you have truly awakened your inner Warrior Woman, because you will rarely need her."
   
   Chapter 6 gives incredible practical wisdom on the shadow, including where it came from and how to face it. Chapter 7 is about cherishing your body, and explains the function of the 7 chakras, the importance of self-nurturing, movement, and eating healthfully.
   
   Chapter 8 conveys the secrets of feminine radiance, including re-connecting with our senses--which is what promotes sensuality. The author shares an interesting Pleasure Quotient test that you can use any time you want to take a quick assessment of how much pleasure you're really experiencing in a day--and how to increase the pleasure quotient of even the most mundane activities!
   
   Chapter 9 addresses sacred sexuality, the healing of sexual wounds, and how woman can honor their breasts and their womb. Chapter 10 is about the art of adornment, including how putting on a make-up, clothes, and jewelry can become a ritual and a physical symbol of our intentions.
   
   The fascinating qualities of water and its connection to the feminine is explored in Chapter 11. Linn talks about the amazing research of Masaru Emoto and his experiments with water, and how water is a source of purification, rejuvenation, and healing.
   
   Chapter 12 is about manifestation and gratitude, and Chapter 13 extols the virtues and importance of creativity in a woman's life. She shares several methods of creativity, as well as wisdom on releasing the inner critic, finding your creative voice, and tapping into muses. Dance, writing, painting, and music are among the ways women can cultivate and express their creativity. The last chapters speak of how to reinvent, rejuvenate, and rebirth ourselves as women.
   
   The author's encouragement, enthusiasm and personal stories are infectious, and left me wondering how I ended up "forgetting" the feminine parts of my psyche! I found this book incredibly nurturing, insightful, and practical. Linn's words sparked a deep longing in my being that I'm sure many women also share.
   
   So why bother re-discovering the Divine feminine and embracing the pleasures of being a woman? I believe Linn says it best:
   
   "Like a great tide rising, this ancestral cellular memory is beginning to resound in our soul. Many women desire to return to the spirit of the divine feminine. In the deepest place within the female soul, we yearn to reclaim not only the part of our history that has been vanquished and the womanly traditions that have been expunged, but also the corresponding missing parts of our psyches...and until this reclamation is complete, we are not whole. Thus, it is immensely valuable that we begin to awaken the mysteries of the Great Goddess that dwells within us."



2. I found this book so relaxing and easy to read, whilst also taking a journey through my femaleness. Covers the Goddess within each of us, all feminine aspects, our warrior women, how to take care of ourselves, what we have come here to do, our inner magic and secrets to share. A wonderful mix of spiritual truths and practical exercises to bring out the women in you. A must for the bedside table.



3. I have read other books by Denise Linn and enjoyed them all BUT this one really release a part of me that has been wanting to come out. It tells of many things that we as women have brought into that are not trues but ways to hold us back. I love the rituals and the easy ways to work empowerment back into our lives.



4. Yes, I admit, I absolutely adore Denise Linn's common sense, her writing style and her down-to-earth sensibility...all rolled up in a fabulous spiritual package.
   
   
   This book answers a lot of questions and opens a lot of doors for today's woman. I cannot really add much to such complete reviews as Janet Boyer's (smiling here). I just wanted to give a resounding THUMBS UP to this beautiful book. I wish I had this book when I was in my late teens to help through all that heinous angst...



5. I'm really enjoying reading this book and have been digesting it chapter at a time. I love the way the author starts each chapter with a little story about herself and then dives into the topic she is discussing. This is a book that any woman can use to help define themseves. I have two of Denis Linn books and I would definitely buy more. She has a lot to offer other woman. I highly recommend this book.

1 comments about Chicken Soup for the Soul: Celebrates Cats and the people who love them (Canfield, Jack).

1. Great stories, the only complaint is that the book is too short.