5 comments about Body Drama: Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues, Real Answers.

1. Very interesting and full of informative facts. Could have been a little bit more extreme for me example the cellulite picture. I would've really liked to see more emphisis on that issue being someone who suffers from it. Everything else was very reasurring and good to know. I really liked the medical views also. Thanks for writing such a real and honest book!!



2. I bought this book for my daughter to try to negate the negative images the media portrays of young women. We need more books like this.



3. I saw the book at my local library and wanted to purchase it. It is a very truthful book about women's bodies. I recommend it to young women who are having problems with body image, etc. It talks about loving your body despite your flaws, because face it we all have flaws with our bodies.



4. This is a book the female world has been waiting for. As a girl, growing up, did you ever wish there was a book that would just "get real" about girl's body issues? This is a book you would have liked to turn to in those difficult moments. Of course, it's ideal for girls to be able to talk to mothers, other family members, or trusted female mentors about these issues. But where does that leave teen girls that don't have one of the aforementioned in their lives? Nancy Redd, a former Miss America swimsuit winner has written the quintessential book on female adolescent sexuality. Gone are those cheesy pencil drawings with the female anatomy. Redd gets up front and personal with photographs about all parts of the female anatomy. This book has every question you have never read before that a girl might ask.
   
   Problems such as embarrassing smells, zits, breast sizes, and pubic hair are all covered. No issue is too off-limits. This is a book for women only. Yes, I imagine a few horny teenage guys will find it at the library or bookstore and have a thrill, but this book is intended for women.
   
   Just a sample of topics: My vagina smells, I hate the way I look down there, My breasts are too heavy, It hurts to pee, I go poo too much, I have a mustache, I feel fat, I'm addicted to tanning, and the list goes on. There are handy things like how to make a pad with toilet paper. Redd even makes some confessions about some of the topics that readers will appreciate.
   
   And then there is the thing that will really knock your socks off: an entire two page spread of photos of vulvas. When I first saw this, I must admit, I was shocked. But after reading the book, I can see the genius of it. It's not meant to be porn, it's just a safe way for girls to see that not every vagina looks the same. Redd complains that the porn and fashion industries are showing glossy, airbrushed "hairless slits" and that teen girls are thinking that their "package" needs to look similar. She also shares scary stories about surgeries girls are having to make their anatomy look better. It is for this reason that she made the infamous spread.
   
   I am glad this book was written. I am a little sad that the collection development people at my library chose to place this book in adult non-fiction instead of teen non-fiction. Teen girls need this book, and now they will have to walk to a different section to find it. Highly recommended for all libraries.



5. I love this book! Girls 14 and older everywhere will find the answer to the number one question of adolescents everywhere - "Am I normal?"
   
   Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues - Right On. What more can I say?
   
   Read it yourself first, so you know what your daughter will be learning - and let her brother check it out too. With all that pornography out there, boys don't have a clue what a "real" woman's body looks like. This will open their eyes in ways they couldn't imagine.
   
   Nancy's practical advice will hit home and having this great book in your sex talks tool bag will only do you and your kids good.

5 comments about Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationship with Food Through Myths, Metaphors, and Storytelling.

1. Reading this book has been wonderful for me. It provides survival tools in the form of stories and metaphors so they are easy to remember and call on when in distress. It separates weight from the issue, and suggests a more holistic and psychological approach toward resolution.
   
   I recommend this for anyone who suffers from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder or compulsive eating disorder.



2. I will be keeping this book next to my beside for years to come! Dr. Johnston's writing is not only eloquent and engaging, but her themes are bright and strong. This book is a must-read for any woman feeling lost in her own skin and in society. My relationship with myself and my food will never be the same again!



3. I knew I had an eating disorder for a few years and it made me feel CRAZY. I read so many books, in a failed effort to help myself- but THIS book is it. What Anita has to say just rings true. Her method for healing digs down deep and also promotes an entirely new way of looking at things. I highly recommend it for ANY woman struggling with disordered eating.



4. I'm amazed and delighted when reading this book... one "ahah" moment after another. Recommended by friends in DBT group and forever greatful.



5. I purchased this book based on the high reviews it was given, because the description is not what I typically seek when looking for help with eating. However, I am so glad I did. This book is truly nurturing and helps us remember to honor ourselves and being feminine. I was also dealing with other insecurities that this book helped with such as body image and relationships. Very interesting and entertaining as well! I wish there were more books written by Anita Johnston!

5 comments about Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion.

1. This book is quite enlightening. I can forsee reading many more of Chodron's books.



2. Once in a great while a book like this comes along. It's so honest and plain and challenging at the same time. The short chapters and conciseness furthermore make it all the more accessible.



3. It's a best of some of her writings, and it's really good. It's a nice concise set of one and two page sections from her other books. Something that I found myself reading a second time.



4. Pema is accessible... Her writings are very helpful and exemplify the very compassion she teaches for herself and for ourselves and others...Her writing is grounded while pointing to the "ineffable". She makes Buddhism and meditation more ... well, meaningful for those in the trenches...all of us...very healing...simply good advice that she makes even clearer!!!Thank you Pema Chodron for your life and sharing so much of it. Another great book!!!



5. A couple years back my dad got demoted and was potentially going to lose his job. He was facing a lot of uncertainty and was not sure how to deal with it. I first read The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times in a high school philosophy class when I was dealing with a lot of my own personal problems and found it incredibly helpful and selected this book as an introduction to Chodron. Since reading this book my dad has started reading several other books about buddhist spirituality and has pursued meditation, all of which have helped him immensely both then and now. This book serves as a great tool for maintaining spiritual health and a comprehensive introduction to Buddhist spirituality and Pema Chodron.

5 comments about Secrets of Success: The Science and Spirit of Real Prosperity.

1. Easy reading and easy to follow her approach on changing your thoughts and emotions and thereby changing your life....the Law of Attraction. Very well done and also would recommend Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook because this book too has a different approach (workbook to reinforce) and you should read both.



2. When my brother recommended this book, I was skeptical about reading it as I've read many other books on the subject and felt I knew pretty much all there was to know on the subject. I visited Amazon and read the reviews and based on the reviews and my brothers insistence, I went ahead and purchased this book. Let me just say that this was the best purchase I've made in quite some time. This book is unlike any other book that I've read on the subject. Secrets of Success is life changing and discusses the law of attraction in a way that is easy to apply from the moment you start reading. I have recommended this book to everyone I love and care about and everyone has had the same kinds of aha moments that I experienced. This title is highly recommended.



3. love the book so far. it is very well written and there is a lot of useful information.



4. The author gives very specific, relevant ideas and information that is easily usable. Excellent!



5. I have read all her books and they are all 5 stars, but this is my favorite. This is so jam packed with good information I would love to listen to it over and over while walking or driving.

5 comments about Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation in Everyday Life (IONS/ New Harbinger).

1. This book speaks to the deep need of our times to turn within, wake-up to that inner wisdom, and most importantly, live from that place of Truth we discover through whatever authentic means connects us with that Truth.
   
   In my work as a spiritual counselor in hospice, I have seen that so many people have left organized religion, but have thrown the baby out with the bathwater so to speak - in terms of not recognizing that one can still have a deeply spiritual life even if one chooses to not attend formal religious services. This book addresses the need many people have to find their own authentic, lived-spirituality.
   
   A great hope for our times is that more and more people will join this inner revolution of transformation and that we will in turn become a kinder, more loving, respectful people - who live and act from that reverence for the sacred in everyone and everything.
   
   Living Deeply is an inspiring book for those interested in the process of transformation and for anyone interested in living a deeply meaningful life.



2. An Awesome Study & Timely Book by
   Marilyn Mandala Schlitz, Ph.D. and associates
   
   Reviewed by: M. Joyce McMenamin,
   
   THIS IS A STUDY VERY WELL DONE AND PRESENTED IN A MANNER THAT IS EASILY READ AND ABSORBED.
   
   WHILE READING THIS BOOK, I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE AUTHORS AND PUBLISHER HAD FAILED TO INCLUDE AN INDEX. THEN I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT A CROSS-REFERENCED INDEX, TO A BOOK OF THIS SCOPE, WOULD POTENTIALLY BE AS LARGE (OR LARGER) THAN THE SUM OF THE TEXT ITSELF. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MOMENT. THAT STATEMENT, IN AND OF ITSELF, PROPOSES THAT THIS BOOK IS A CULMINATION OF PERSPECTIVES ON A MASSIVE SCALE. YES, IT IS.
   
   THE MAJOR THEME THAT BRINGS IT TOGETHER IS THE PRACTICE OF SELF TRANSFORMATION AND THE WISDOM OF THOSE, FROM VARIOUS CULTURES, TRADITIONS AND RELIGIONS, WHO HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY RECOGNIZED FOR, OR WHO FEEL THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THEIR OWN TRANSFORMATION A VERY DEEP LEVEL. THOSE WHO ONE MIGHT SAY: LIVE DEEPLY.
   
   IN A WORLD THAT HAS COME TO FOCUS MERELY ON THE "INTENTION" SIDE OF LIFE, THE AUTHORS HAVE REMINDED US THAT THE KEY ELEMENTS TO ANY TRANSFORMATIVE PROCESS ARE AS FOLLOWS: INTENTION, ATTENTION, REPITITION & GUIDANCE. NOW, LET ME TELL YOU THAT I HAVE NEVER READ A BOOK THAT DIDN'T COME TO ME AT THE RIGHT TIME BEARING THE SEED OF PERSPECTIVE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT, OF COURSE - BUT THAT IS, SIMPLY: MY TRUTH. SHORTLY BEFORE THIS BOOK WAS DELIVERED TO ME, I HAD BEEN DEVELOPING A NEW PROGRAM FOR CONSULTANTS, COACHES, MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS & CORPORATE FACILITATORS, THROUGH MY SENSITIVE PIE PRODUCTIONS DIVISION AND I HAD SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF ANY TRANSFORMATIVE PROCESS IN A SIMILAR LIGHT, BUT IN A DIFFERENT "ORDER". TRUE TO MY OWN VERY DEEP, VERY PERSONAL & CONSTANTLY EVOLVING TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES, THIS BOOK CAME TO ME AT THE RIGHT TIME - TO HELP (PERHAPS) VALIDATE MY OWN INSTINCTIVE DIRECTION. THAT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT MY LIFE. I SHARE THIS ONLY TO HELP MY READER UNDERSTAND THAT MY ROLE, IN REVIEWING THIS BOOK, IS JUST A SMALL PART OF WHAT LIVING DEEPLY IS ALL ABOUT.
   
   THE INSTITUTE OF NOETIC SCIENCES PERFORMED A DECADE LONG STUDY TO BRING THIS INFORMATION TO THE MASSES. I CAN ONLY SENSE THAT, IN DOING THIS, WE HAVE COME TO A PLACE WHERE, IN ONE BOOK, ONE NOW HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO A MAJORITY OF THE DOCUMENTED HISTORICAL PRACTICES OF THE PAST. PERHAPS THIS WILL HELP FREE INDIVIDUALS TO DEVELOP, OR VALIDATE, THEIR OWN UNIQUE & HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSFORMATIVE PROCESSES. TRUE SELF-TRANSFORMATION, NEEDN'T RELY MERELY ON HISTORICAL PRACTICES - IN DOING SO, ONE WOULD BE CONSTRICTED TO HISTORY AND WOULD NEVER FIND THE FREEDOM TO ACTUALLY TRANSFORM AT A LEVEL THAT IS NEEDED FOR THE FUTURE.
   
   WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE FEW PEOPLE HAVE AWOKEN FROM AN EGO-BASED OR SURVIVAL-BASED DREAM. TO THIS END, I WOULD INVITE THE `WORLD AT LARGE' TO A CRAM COURSE IN SELF-TRANSFORMATION, WHICH CAN CERTAINLY BE OBTAINED IN A LITTLE MORE THAN THE TWO HUNDRED PAGES THAT ENCOMPASS THIS REMARKABLE AND COHESIVE STUDY OF EXISTING TRANSFORMATIVE PROCESSES. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS WORK EVENTUALLY FELT, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE, SOMETHING YET UNDISCOVERED ON THE TRANSFORMATIVE SCALE. PERHAPS THIS BOOK WILL SERVE AS A CATALYST IN UNCOVERING THE NEXT LEVEL OF TRANSFORMATION. AT A MINIMUM, THIS BOOK IS AN EXCELLENT PRIMER FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.
   
   AT NO OTHER TIME IN HISTORY HAVE WE BEEN AT PLACE THAT IS SO FREE AND YET SO VOLATILE. THE PROCESS OF SELF TRANSFORMATION, IN FACT, AS THIS BOOK REMINDS US - HAS LESS TO DO WITH EGO AND MUCH MORE TO DO WITH A GREATER GOOD. YET, TRANSFORMATION, ONE MIGHT SAY, BEGINS `AT HOME' -- AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME FOR INDIVIDUALS TO USE THE POWER OF TRANSFORMATION AS A CATALYST FOR SELF-GROWTH ON THE EDGE OF WHAT, FOR SOME, MIGHT APPEAR TO BE AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE AND FOR OTHERS WILL CERTAINLY APPEAR AS A MORE TRAUMATIC TIME.
   
   ONE MIGHT ALSO SAY THAT TRUE TRANSFORMATION IS IN THE HEART OF THE ONE EXPERIENCING IT & NOT NECESSARILY BOUND TO A SPECIFIC PRACTICE. AFTER ALL, PRACTICES THAT STILL SOME, MOTIVATE OTHERS. IN THE WORLD OF TRANSFORMATION, I BELIEVE THAT THIS BOOK LAYS THE GROUNDWORK, JUST IN TIME, FOR INDIVIDUALS TO SEE THAT THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE TODAY ARE, INDEED, THE SEED OF THEIR OWN TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESS, WHICH COLLECTIVELY WILL DETERMINE THE UNIVERSAL OUTCOME FOR HUMANITY & THE PLANET WE CALL HOME.
   
   Reviewed by: M. Joyce McMenamin
   Publisher & Producer and author of The Integrity Channel[m.j.m. estrada]
   Network Abundance sponsored by Sensitive Pie Productions
   March 2008 Edition of ER.U.DI.TION(TM)



3. How does one make oneself change for the better? "Living Deeply: The Art & Science of Transformation in Everyday Life" is a complete and comprehensive guide to how to change one's self, drawing from science, and countless philosophies and religions such as Christianity, modern day spirituality, others such as Native American cosmology and so much more. "Living Deeply: The Art & Science of Transformation in Everyday Life" is highly recommended for community library self-help collections.



4. In 'The Heart of the World', Thomas Keating writes: "...it is not enough to have transcendent experiences. We have to translate those experiences into daily life and into our humdrum routine." The skillful authors of 'Living Deeply, The Art & Science of Transformation in Everyday Life' offer readers thoughtful teachings and practical tools for doing just this.
   While emphasizing the value of making one's practice one's own, the authors draw on the wisdom of respected consciousness practitioners, a wide range of additional research participants, and their own noetic insights to arrive at the conclusions they share. "The essence of living deeply is bringing awareness to the simple ways you can make your life and practice a more seamless and graceful partnership," the book states. The beauty of 'Living Deeply' is its clear and expert guidance towards this end.



5. A good overview of many practices designed to help one wake up
   to another level of awareness and how to put that to work in
   daily life as an ongoing commitment and practice.

5 comments about Life and Teaching of the Masters of the Far East (6 Volume Set).

1. This set of books reveals Truth.. The world would be so much better off if they were Masters as described. The fine teachings are hard to find. These books describe the true abilities of all Men and Women. Enjoy the journey through them



2. These volumes offer great guidance and teachings for these difficult
   times. We all have divinity within us and do not need permission of a church or organized religion to create our best life. These books are highly recommended to anyone starting their quest or already on the path to higher consciousness.



3. These books lay the foundation for taking up the Great Work yourself. The accounts of the journeys within contain the guidelines to a priceless knowledge of self. The wisdom and awakening that can be felt is truly unlimited. May be the only books you will ever need...



4. Okay folks, it's time to wake up. First, it's been written on good authority that Spalding wrote the first three volumes of this "fantasy" before he ever left the United States, later admitting having visited these "masters" while in his astro-body. And then there is the overall racist tone to his writing. I am amazed no one has yet to mention this in a review (at least none that I've read). Spirituality based on racism is not true spirituality. If I could give it less than a single star, I would. Wake up America!



5. The Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East was just given to me by a Buddhist friend. I had never heard of Beard T. Spalding. What struck me the most is the similarity of these teachings - even in the phrases and words used - to Christian Science. It almost strikes me as plagiarism. Or is that a huge coincident?
   
   Nonetheless, these books are fascinating and great food for thought and inspiration. Christian Science on steroids. It also reminded me of The Autobiography of a Yogi - a book I plan to re-read, after I re-read Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy.

5 comments about Your Erroneous Zones.

1. This is the book you've been looking for.
   
   I'm not gonna yammer on and on about why you should get this book, but I will tell you that this has helped me drastically or more so than any other self-help book out there when it comes to not needing or seeking the approval of others. It also helped me prioritize my life, the way I want it.
   
   So easy to read, I loved it. I can control my anxiety much better now.



2. I'd heard Your Erroneous Zones, one of Wayne Dyer's earliest books (published in 1976), mentioned many times. Yet despite this, despite the fact that it is a book that has sold over 30 million copies and is considered one of the best-selling books of all time, and despite loving other newer books of Wayne's, I only very recently picked up a copy of Your Erroneous Zones to read.
   
   I like to read authors' books in the order in which they were written, if I can (not always possible, especially with someone like Wayne, who is a prolific writer!). I do this where possible though as I like seeing the development of an author's thoughts around a topic. In this case, however, it was interesting to go back, especially so far back (pretty much to the beginning of Wayne's writing career!). While Wayne's later books are much more focused on spirituality, Your Erroneous Zones is much more of a standard personal development book. It is also written in a more formal tone that dates it to the 1970s ;). Neither of these detracts from the power of the book - it is clear and inspiring in its message to stop worrying, stop feeling guilty and replace these "erroneous zones" with a more empowered way of living.
   
   The book covers a range of topics, diverse yet connected in that growth in one area has a spill-over effect into other areas. Topics addressed include self-acceptance, approval seeking behaviour, guilt, worry, procrastination, anger, and becoming independent. Sprinkled throughout the book are also exhortations to live in the present moment, predating Eckhart Tolle's work on the topic, although not giving much as much information on this specifically. Each chapter discusses one of the "erroneous zones" in detail, giving examples of how each zone manifests itself in daily life to make it easy to recognise when you are displaying ineffective behaviour, as well as providing strategies for overcoming and eliminating the ineffective behaviour and replacing it with a much more effective way of being and doing. Because of the interconnectedness of all the topics discussed, there is a fair amount of repetition of strategies for eliminating the erroneous zones, only slightly different for each behaviour. Rather than this being annoying, I found it quite comforting to know that the strategies could be distilled into a few basic principles, although I would have liked to see the book itself pull this together (I guess I have to do some work though, right?!).
   
   The final chapter of Your Erroneous Zones is a portrait of a person who has eliminated all erroneous zones and is living an emotionally, mentally and spiritually healthy life. It was interesting to read through this chapter to see how I'm doing compared to Wayne's ideal. Luckily, for myself, I found that I displayed many effective behaviours already! I was also able to identify those that I'm still personally working with - rather than beating oneself up over not meeting the ideal, this is an excellent opportunity to see what effective behaviour would look like, and hence to identify areas of further growth.
   
   Would I recommend that you read this book, given that it was written over 30 years ago? Yes, I would. It is a classic in the personal development genre, and it still feels relevant today. If you're looking for a fairly no-nonsense approach to development, then this book is for you!



3. I originally read this book back in the late 80s. I'm not quite sure the exact year, but it was some time toward the middle of high-school. It was passed on to me by a friend who was desperate to help me out of a downward spiral. I have to admit, the first time I read "Your Erroneous Zones", I dismissed it as psychobabble. Looking back on it today, 20 years later, I can clearly see that I was not ready to accept the concepts that Dr. Dyer was presenting.
   
   Over the next few years, I would find myself coming back to this book. There was something about it that kept creeping back into my mind. Perhaps a subconscious draw to some scrap of truth my brain had held on to from earlier readings. Nonetheless, I've probably read this book 10 times over the last 20 years. Each time, I inched closer and closer to making the choice to apply the principles within it's pages.
   
   Finally, after all that time, and a lot of life experience, I've found Dr. Dyer's methods work for me. The concepts contained in this book helped me make the choice to live a happy life that I am in control of. I am happier now than I have ever been, and the only way that will change is if I choose to change it.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone with the forewarning that if you don't go into it with an open mind, or at least the willingness to accept that there are other ways to approach life than the ones you are used to, you won't gain anything from the material presented.



4. I read this book as a teenager over 25 years ago as a required text in a college class called psychology of human relations. I grew up being afraid of my own shadow, I was "so shy." This book helped me to realize the errors in my thinking that were holding me back from being the person I knew I could be. It also helped me to realize that I was responsible for my own happiness and that others could not control my thoughts and emotions, only I could. I also realized it is not fair to other people for me to depend on them to make me happy. Next to the holy scriptures, I think this book has helped me more than any other book to realize happiness and joy in life. Recently 25 years later, I found the book in a box and decided to read it again. I have bought several copies and given them to friends that I thought could benefit from reading it. It truly is good advice!



5. This book has truly helped me identify what Dyer refers to as "erroneous zones" in my life. He discusses anger, dependency on others, success and failure, guilt, worry, blame and procrastination. Ways to identify behaviors that encompass these constructs, and suggestions on dealing with them are very helpful.
   
   Much of the book encourages introspection, and identifying our own behaviors that contribute to unhappiness or perceived failures in life. I really like how he states that you (the reader) are responsible for your own emotions and actions. What others do should not have the power to control or negatively effect our lives.
   
   It's tough reading at times, especially when I've come across an area that I know I need to address. This will be a book I'll read again and again, as the breadth of knowledge and suggestions Dyer has compiled cannot be completely absorbed through one reading.

5 comments about Indigo Dreams: Adult Relaxation-Guided Meditation/Relaxation Techniques decrease anxiety, stress, anger (Indigo Dreams).

1. Usually I don't write negative reviews but this tape is just the WORST. I bought it mainly because I was looking for a good relaxation tape to help me get to sleep and it got so many wonderful reviews that I picked it out of about 5 I was considering Every segment of this tape got on my nerves but the worst was the relaxation segment. He repeated the same four idiotic phrases for every part of the body that was supposed to be relaxing. For instance "you will relax your feet, you feet will relax, your feet are relaxing, your feet are relaxed" This phrase was repeated each and every time you were supposed to be relaxing different parts of your body. This tape got me more aggravated than relax me. The affirmations were also a joke. He repeated the same thing several times. Last but not least the visualization was ridiculous. I had a hard time trying to picture a rainbow entering my body and then changing colors from red to orange to yellow, etc. which was supposed to touch your inner organs and do I don't know what. I guess I've made my point...save your money, don't buy this tape.



2. I bought this CD because I have sleep apnea and must use a CPap machine to sleep. It was difficult for me to get used to the machine and to fall asleep and stay asleep. This CD puts me in such a state of relaxation, that I now fall asleep as soon as I hear his voice! I also sleep more soundly - and have become accustomed to the CPap. (something I thought would be impossible) I now listen to the CD during the day so that I can actively listen to the affirmations. This CD is wonderful on so many levels. I couldn't be without it now.



3. Very good. If you learning to meditate this one is good. I like the breathing excercises,the "belly breathing" as he calls it. I fall asleep to it alot as it is relaxing. Its a guys voice but very soothing. Very little music on it though. I gave it five stars because it does what I believe meditations CD's should do, destress, teach you how to destress, and relax you enough to fall asleep. Period.



4. While I was listening to this CD and the breathing technique, I was wondering, "Oh for heaven's sake, how's this really gonna work?" At some point during the 2nd technique I was in a state of deep relaxation and then fast asleep. So, whether you complain or question or not, if you just do the techniques they work.



5. I bought this tape because I was told by my doctor that I needed to learn how to relax. I have a back problem that gets severe at times and the relaxation methods on this CD are just great. I told my doctor about it and how it has helped me and he took the name of the CD and said he would recommend it to his other patients that were also having problems with relaxing. The affirmations also helped me like myself again. I am so glad I got this CD.

5 comments about The 4-Hour work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich.

1. Every entrepreneur, business owner or any professional of any kind should read this book. As a companion to my own book, "The Expert's Edge," it will put the whole picture together.... success that is both professional and personal!



2. If you're a doctor or lawyer, forget it.
   If you're a nurse or a bus driver, this isn't for you.
   If you do manual labor, don't even bother picking up this book.
   Manager at a retail store? HAHAHA think again.
   Elected official? Well, they don't really do much work anyway, LOL
   
   As you may have gleaned from the title (and read in the other reviews) the author advocates, what would be for most Americans, a complete and utter lifestyle change - Shrink your work hours down as far as possible and enjoy the rest of the time you have left doing other things that you like or want. As you can imagine someone whose main job is say, driving a city bus for a living, won't be able to pull this off at all unless they own their own business or quit their current job to find another one (which may be impractical.)
   
   Next thing you need to ask yourself is if you can do your job from home or if your job offers telecommuting as an option. So if you're an accountant at a major accounting firm, you may as well stop reading here as well. If it does offer telecommuting and you can also do your work in less time at home than you would at the office, then great, you're in business.
   
   Are you an entrepreneur or other aspiring millionaire? If you've read The Millionaire Next Door which is a study of actual millionaires, you know that the average millionaire works 40-50 hours a week over the course of 20 years to accumulate that million, which is defined as what you own subtract what you owe. So hard research lets you know that there is a small possibility that you, the entrepreneur, can pull off getting down to 4 hours a week. However, there is something to be said for being as efficient as possible in your work and cutting your hours as much as possible through whatever means are available to you.
   
   So, how many people can actually take advantage of the information in this book and attempt to bring their hours all the way down? Sad to say that it's not too many. The reason I say this is that a great many people don't have the discipline to stick with a savings plan (putting 10% of their income aside for their retirement) and setting up your life so that you don't have to work is an extreme amount of work for the few people who can do it and be successful at it.
   
   So, if so few people can actually use this book, why am I giving it four stars?
   
   1: I just used 6 and only 6 vacation days to end up with 2 four day weekends followed by a five day weekend (I read this on the way home) followed by a six day weekend. This also included two 5 day trips (one to DC and one to LA, both from NYC) for which I only paid $800 in total. I'm a HUGE fan of creative vacationing, though I will admit that I contacted the Smithsonian this evening to find out if they really let people visit their islands. That's interesting.
   
   2: I had a professor in college who had 330 days off each year. He taught ONE class twice a week and is being paid full-time for it. He does have a PhD and years of experience though. . .
   
   3: Teachers work until 3PM and have entire summers off.
   
   4: In Spain, siesta is two hours every day. Work still gets done.
   
   5: France is known for taking the summer off. Work still gets done.
   
   So, if you are among the very few people (this of course requires you to take a hard look at your situation) who have both the ability and the inclination to work less hours or you can set yourself up to do so and still like what you do for work (after all, some people just like to work) then by all means take the time out to do it and have fun. I'd just skip the actions suggested in this book that cause you to alienate yourself from other people.
   
   If not, I think you should check out First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently and go to Assessment.com and focus on making your life and your job as fulfilling as possible.
   
   In either case, have fun! :)



3. Love the way its written, straight to the point, no messing around.
   
   Great information.
   
   Ive recommended it to my friends who are stuck in 9 to 5
   
   Pete



4. I like the ideas in this book alot. There are lots of thoughtful suggestions especially in time management. I don't know if anyone can duplicate the author's success though as most of his accomplishments are due to his tenacious approach to living which is admirable.



5. There are great books are there on self-help - this is not one of them. It is shallow and provided me with no new knowledge - in short, waste of time

5 comments about Everything You Need to Know to Feel Go(o)d.

1. I see from some of the other reviews here that people resented her intruding her own life and experiences into the narrative, along with her ideas on a new scientific paradigm about consciousness. She uses her own ongoing life as a framing device here. There is none of the separation one feels in most scientific writing of the self from the science. What a refreshing idea! I felt that what made this book work is that she is honest about her own flaws and frailties and she gives a very complete picture of herself. After reading this book, I would recognize her if I sat next to her in an airplane. Being honest about oneself (and finding the tools to accomplish this feat) is the first and most important step into a different view of life, one that connects us to our potential and makes the idea that the universe is infinite possibility more than just words.



2. Dr. Candace Pert's book, Molecules of Emotion: The Science Behind Bodymind Medicine, was a best-seller but it was her appearance in the film, "What the Bleep Do We Know?", that really boosted her popularity as a seminar-circuit science diva. "Mind over matter" is an expression we sometimes use; Dr. Pert has come to believe that "mind becomes matter." As a psycho-pharmacologist who has done her own leading-edge research, Dr. Pert understands the mind-body connection "as a widely distributed psychosomatic network of communicating molecules."
   
   With the assistance of friend Nancy Marriot, who helps her stay still for a few moments at a time, Dr. Pert has written a book that is accessible and full of helpful, healthy advice. Included are her laboratory discoveries and notes from the road, which add lightness, background and humanness to the scientific details. Those scientific details, though, are reassuring. Thoughts and emotions can make us sick or heal us. As an "expert on the biochemistry of how we feel," Dr. Pert believes emotions link us "as physical entities to the divine, making it possible for us to both feel good and feel God at the same time."
   
   In a chapter section called "Receptor-ology 101", Dr. Pert describes the biochemistry that makes up the new-paradigm physiology. The receptor and the ligand (hormones, neurotransmitters and peptides) are the two components that make up the bodymind communication system and are what Dr. Pert calls the "molecules of emotion".
   
   As a writer who engages in various forms of bodywork, including network chiropractic recommended by Dr. Pert, I can relate to and very much agree with what she writes under the heading of "Emotion and Memory." She refers to "core emotional trauma," a term used by some psychologists and healers for buried and painful emotions from the past. "The point of therapy--including bodywork, some kinds of chiropractic, and energy medicine--is to gently bring that wound to gradual awareness, so it can be reexperienced and understood. Only then is choice possible, a faculty of your frontal cortex, allowing you to reintegrate any disowned parts of yourself; let go of old traumatic patterns; and become healed, or whole."
   
   In a chapter entitled, "Toxicity, Mood, and Food," Dr. Pert points out the ramifications of the artificial sweetener aspartame. Her own review of the literature supports "a policy of zero tolerance." The chapter also includes information about inflammation, which shows up in many diseases, most commonly arthritis. While she includes mention of supplements such as bromelain, she also reminds readers that the language we use about our ailments affects the condition. If you say you have a "bad knee," you are "dooming your mind to produce the painful symptoms over and over again." Forgiveness, studies have shown, is helpful for reducing inflammation. Most importantly, a forgiveness of oneself.
   
   Dr. Pert also espouses the healing benefits of music as it can interact directly with your molecules of emotion "to charge you with energy, get your juices flowing, and make you feel good." Throughout the book, she refers to the ongoing work she and her husband, Dr. Michael Ruff, are doing to place their invention, Peptide T, "a nontoxic, highly potent drug for use in the treatment of AIDS," in the marketplace.
   
   The book ends with some questions for book club discussions. It's fascinating stuff, and it's all so affirming. Many of us know of the healing that comes about as a result of positive thoughts and getting in touch with and releasing emotions. Now with the scientific backing, hopefully more people will join the "new-paradigm medicine" movement to aid their health and well-being.
   
   Dr. Candace Pert is an internationally recognized psycho-pharmacologist who is a former Research Professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine and Section Chief at the National Institute of Mental Health. She has published more than 250 scientific articles and lectures worldwide on pharmacology, neuroanatomy, and her own research on emotions and the bodymind connection. You can learn more about her work at www.candacepert.com.
   
   by Mary Ann Moore
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   www.storycirclebookreviewsorg
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



3. This was an interesting book to read, but it sure didn't give the reader everything you need to know to feel good or God. It was more of a daily journal with experiences that Candace had, such as massage or guided imagery. If you're looking for a book that gives specific direction, this is not it. This is the meanderings of one person (granted, very smart) and what she's tried as far as different modalities of self realization. And God? He's mentioned a few times, but this book is really 'All you need to know about Candace Pert'. Interesting, but not real helpful.



4. Like many of the reviewers before me have stated, I would have to agree that this book is really about Candace and her personal journey to feel good. While I did find that interesting, I found little in the book to actually help me feel good, which was the reason I purchased the book in the first place. I did get tired of the name dropping, patting herself on the back, mentioning how popular she is, and the constant mention of Peptide T. If this had been advertised as a personal journey I would have been less disappointed in the content.



5. This book ought to have been titled "Everything Candace Pert Needed to Know to Feel Good." I am impressed by Pert's body of work, have enjoyed some of her audio lectures and admired Molecules of Emotion, but if you're familiar with her other work and with glib New Age philosophy in general, there's nothing new here.
   
   Someone who undertakes writing a book should organize the ideas she wants to present, rather than embedding them in a stream of consciousness narrative about her own adventures, insights and personal life intercut with snippets of her professional work. I am afraid that Pert's status as a scientific Rock Star has gone to her head, at least when she sets out to write. As a bodywork professional, I've been condemned to sit through a lot of workshops that were just as air-puffed and focused on the amazing insightfulness of the instructor (as presented by him or her). I hate to realize I just paid money for a similar experience.