2 comments about Rebirthing: Freedom from Your Past.

1. This book has helped me to find out this therapy, that is in fact a way of life. This incredible therapy can heal disease, can help you to feel better, teach you to be yourself and it's very useful to heal traumas. The autor explains it perfectly and enthusiastically, telling the most relevant cases that she has lived, including hers one. The book is just an introduction to the rebirthing but is very useful and easy to read. I really recommend it to everyone.



2. This is a short book describing the benefits of Rebirthing. It presents numerous cases (i.e., sessions that the author conducted with her clients), of what people experienced during their Rebirthing sessions. Very interesting and fascinating. After reading this book, you'll really want to do a Rebirthing session! (It is a very positive, enthusiastic and well written book.)
   
   However, if you are a beginner and just wanted to find out how to do Rebirthing on your own, then this is definitely not the right book for you (just like all the other Rebirthing books). Of the 180 pages there are only a few pages that will tell you how to breathe during Rebirthing. She also says that you should only try this technique on your own for about 20 connected-breaths, then go and see a Rebirthing Professional. That's it! And she never explains the difference (and consequences) between short, long, slow, fast, mouth, nasal, etc., circular (i.e., non-stop, connected) breaths. So, if you have no access to a Rebirthing Professional, then you are out of luck. (And some Rebirthing Professionals, if you can find them here in Canada, can be ridiculously expensive, especially if you follow their recommendations and take between 10 and 20 sessions from them; or if you decide to take a Rebirthing course from them.)
   
   As the title says, the last third of the book is all about past lives experienced during Rebirthing by her clients and contacting the "white light".
   
   A better book on Rebirthing is "VIVATION: The Science of Enjoying All of Your Life" by Jim Leonard and Phil Laut (Paperback, 1991). (Note, in my opinion, Vivation is synonymous with Rebirthing.).
   
   I still highly recommend this book to all beginners because it is very interesting and gives a great promise that you can accomplish tremendous self-improvement/liberation, in a short period of time, with Rebirthing.

2 comments about Build a Better Buddha: The Guide to Remaking Yourself Exactly as You Are.

1. Insightful, thought provoking and funny, this book is unique. Robbins makes compelling connections between spiritual traditions and writes in an entertaining manner. Definitely a help to those on a spiritual path..



2. This book is written in a caring, humorous, and educated voice that is easy to follow, while exploring the deepest issues of existence. . . all while helping you see that it's not that deep afterall. I HIGHLY suggest reading this book for self-discovery, healing, meditation, enlightenment, or any other journey you may find yourself on. This book is comparable to Ram Dass' Journey of Awakening, any of Alan Watts' books, as well as Ken Wilber's texts. Don't miss out on this one.

5 comments about Taming Your Inner Brat: A Guide for Transforming Self-Defeating Behavior.

1. There is a point in this book where the author states that this is not about criminal thinking; but as someone who works in a men's prison as a counselor, I can tell you this is SPECIFICALLY the kind of criminal thinking we try to address in cognitive thinking therapy groups.
   
   There are different levels of criminality. And some very serious criminals are never caught and arrested. If someone's inner brat is out of control, trust me, they are engaged in criminal behavior.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone working with criminal thinking on any level.



2. This book was great. If you have problems with self-discipline, in any area of your life, this book is for you. Not only is it helpful, it is interesting. The world, in general, seems to be getting "brattier". This book offers great insight to explain how and why this is happening.



3. My own personal inner brat didn't like this book at first. "Baby Sally" didn't like being told that she might not be entitled to whatever she wants whenever she wants it. But the book makes a whole lot of sense. The first thing it suggests is to listen to your inner brat and take those needs into consideration. Then it shows how to make an adult decision, based on reality. I find its sensible suggestions coming back to me when I'm tempted to react like a brat. That's helped me cope much better with frustrations and feel good about myself. This is a sane, simple, and very readable book.



4. The Truth: I'm a Girl, I'm Smart and I Know EverythingOh, no, my inner brat is not happy I've read this book. She thought she had one up on me. Even though I've been a grown-up forever, she had control of me at certain times when she would emerge and make me in a bad mood, or made me fuss and fume and tried to have me give up on a project. Seriously, as a positive psychologist in private practice, I have to agree with the premise of this book. We all struggle with moods and reactions left over from childhood. And the more successfully we can get them under control, rather than them controlling us, the better our adult lives will be. Dr. Wallin gives excellent suggestions to begin to get on top of lots of our old reaction patterns. She gives insights, suggestions and helpful advice on where and how to start on taming our inner brat. She leaves the reader with confidence that although "The inner brat part of your mind has the potential to sabotage your best efforts...your rational mind is well equipped to maintain a healthy balance."
   
   This book is an excellent read for us therapist, clients and the rest of us grown-ups walking around with an innter brat. I guess that is most of us!



5. Dr. Pauline,
   I've been reading your book and can't put it down! It is a work of art; amazingly engaging and easy to read. When time allows, I read a short section and gain enough valuable information to adjust my life for the better immediately. You are truly in touch with what the reader needs and simple ways to accomplish amazing personal growth. I applaud you for the positive impact you will make in every reader's life!
   Sowpan

No comments about Style on a Shoestring: Develop Your Cents of Style and Look Like a Million without Spending a Fortune.

5 comments about Monster Lies: A Woman's Guide to Controlling Her Destiny.

1. Collaboratively Franz and Jennifer Webb, Monster Lies: A Woman's Guide To Controlling Her Destiny is a "reader friendly" self-help book that teaches the women to identify the deceptions that society and their own minds tend to play on them. From the "doomsday" lie that nothing will ever change or get better, to the "sandman" lie that it's better to just pretend everything is OK and sleepwalk through life rather than wake up, pay attention, or take action, Monster Lies is a guide to psychologically energizing women and pushing them to live their lives to the fullest. Highly recommended for both individual study and women's group discussions, sample fill-in-the-blank exercises throughout help prepare the reader to face new challenges with a clear head and an open heart.



2. This book is simply amazing and a "must read" for anyone who has ever been crippled by the fear of failure. I had the privilege of personally meeting Jennifer Webb while attending a business management seminar, which she instructed. She is real; having personally walked the walk, her triumph and success are among her credentials, and the reason I read her book.

   I asked her what clicked in her life to propel her from where she was to where she is now (which I am sure is only somewhere on the way to where she plans on ending up)? Jennifer mentioned that she had read some enlightened books. I was hoping she'd say something like that so that I could go out and buy it! But, recently it came to me that she already had it! And, as soon as she stopped believing what other people said she couldn't do, she did it!

   Now I have an enlightened book, yours! This a great book, great story. The techniques can be used by both women and men; personally or professionally. It's like magic, the moment the light comes on. Thanks for the inspiration.




3. The authors have promising ideas about self-help for women. Based on the advertising and reviews, maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe its just me, but something about the tone, style, pitch, attitude or whatever you call it, struck me as pushy or arrogant or over-hyped. Perhaps in a superficial way. Other cognitive therapy workbooks seem a bit more realistically helpful to me. The aggressive advertising left me disappointed with the actual book. I find overly optimistic, simplistic hype to be a general problem in psychology today. More time and energy seem to be spent marketing a book than writing it. The result can be de-motivating. Monster Lies is an OK book, just not great in the way the promo proclaims.



4. "Monster Lies: A Woman's Guide to Controlling Her Destiny" is an excellent guide to finding the "Lies" that control our destiny as well as uncovering ways to regain control. It begins by identifying the twelve most common "lies" that people often come to accept as truth. Each chapter then takes one of those lies and examines it in detail from how to identify it to determining how it affects your life to a pathway to freedom and choice.

   Have you come to accept any of the following lies as truth? The Doomesday Lie says that if nothing ever changes then what is the point of trying? The Stressor Lie says that you have no control over what happens to you. The Perfecto Lie says that you have to do things perfectly the first time so don't try anything new. The Scarcity Lie says that you should hoard what you have and never enjoy them because they may not be there tomorrow. The Satisfaction Lie says that you shouldn't ask others for anything but settle for what you can do yourself. The Experteaser Lie says that you should not trust yourself or your opinion but rely on other experts. The Yardstick Lie says that you have to measure up to how other people measure you. The Stuck-in-the-mud Lie says that you should be so busy helping others that you are unable to live your own life. The Clairvoyant Lie says that people should know how you feel and respond appropriately without your telling them. The Assumption Lie says that you can make assumptions about other people even if you don't know them. The Sandman Lie says that you should just relax and accept everything and give up trying to change anything. The Worrywart Lie says that you should worry about every little detail of what might possibly happen no matter how remote the possibility.

   If any of those descriptions sound familiar to you, if any of them describe you, then you owe it to yourself to read this book. The authors provide a clear, workable path to free yourself from the power of these lies and put yourself back in control of your life. The format is not only designed for the individual reader but is also excellent for small discussion groups. It is a highly recommended read.




5. I originally borrowed this book from the library, I LOVE this book! I liked the way they explained the 'mosters' in life. I have a much better understanding on what's holding me back and how to fix it. This book is great! I am buying it for myself and friends and family. I would recommend it to anyone, man or woman, it's a great read!!!!

5 comments about Finding Contentment: When Momentary Happiness Just Isn't Enough.

1. As a hospital chaplain and caregiver, Neil Clark Warren spoke to me in clear terms. I also felt he was a fellow traveler/struggler in the journey of life.



2. This book helped me so much in my life and showed me how to deal with everyay life situations. I have read it front to back, and then gone back to it as a reference book. I have recommended it to many of my friends and family members.



3. Neil Clark Warren makes visible the importance of being truthful, not only to ourselves about ourselves, but to be truthful about ourselves to others; only then can we obtain the inner peace and contentment we so desperately seek. Within the pages of this book, you will examine your life and learn how to change the patterns that keep you from the happiness you diserve. Others authors I have read that speak of living an authentic life are Rev. Wayne Muller "How, Then, Shall We Live? and Neale Donald Walsh "Conversations with God Book II".



4. I am surprised by the high ratings of the previous reports, for I found the book to be very superficial. The main point of the book is that authenticity means to take control of your decisions, but it does not provide any real help about how to achieve this goal. The discussion is very naive and useless if you really have a problem. It may be of some use if you a strong believer, since the author builds a lot on christian values.



5. Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. The author gently helps you pin-point your problem areas and sensitively points you in the right direction (to God). I loved the idea of imagining your mind as a control center and identifying who was really at the controls, then working to put God and you back into the control seat.

4 comments about The Confidence Factor: The Key to Developing the Winning Edge for Life.

1. We were given this book as a gift by a member of the author's church, and although we found some good points in the text, we were surprised by how often Mr. Mullins uses non-believers as examples of 'winners'. God's Word is clear that no one is a true winner apart from Jesus Christ. Yes, we can be successful in a worldly way, but since this book was written by a pastor, we expected the teaching to be biblically centered. One blatant error, which we are hoping will be corrected if a revised issue is produced, is in chapter 15 on page 96. While discussing King David, Mr. Mullins gets two very well known biblical stories out of order! When discussing the story of David cutting the corner of Saul's robe (I Samuel 24) and the story of God's amazing forgiveness when David fell with Bathsheba (II Samuel 11) Mr. Mullins says, "Perhaps this experience with God's great and undeserved mercy (the forgiveness he received after being with Bathsheba) is what taught David the discernment to handle the situation with Saul honorably." The situation with Bathsheba actually happened YEARS AFTER the incident with Saul! This is clear in Scripture. It would not have been possible for David to learn from an incident that had not even occured yet! We hope and pray that Mr. Mullins will spend more time studying God's Word and less time reading about the latest "successful" athlete before he writes another book.



2. Tom Mullins uses life stories to communicate how to build confidence. Tom has a pastor's heart and a coach's mind. The two blend well for a book that will challenge and inspire readers.



3. If you are looking at yourself for courage and confidence you are looking in the wrong place. Where should you look? Tom Mullins explains how to go through all the ups and downs of life with courage and confidence. Read and apply what you learned from this book and you will be amazed at how your life will change for the better.



4. Great book! "Pastor" Mullins has always called himself a football coach. His ability to communicate the non-tangibles, inspire others to do more than they thought they could and lead a group of people made him a good football coach, a great pastor - and an excellent author. I highly recommend this book.

1 comments about An Altar of Words: Wisdom to Comfort and Inspire African-American Women.

1. Ms. Avery summarizes her life of social activism and advocacy through an emotional journey of words. What drives this work is a spiritual joining of her heart and lively intellect. She lights the way for others to sort out our own experiences in a world that does not honor feelings of truth. May she burn bright for many years to come.

5 comments about Women and Desire: Beyond Wanting to Be Wanted.

1. Young-Eisendrath brilliantly opens the reader's eyes to the female's struggle for an identity in a patriarchal society. Fables, intertwined magnificently throughout each core concept, act as examples of the concocted lives women cling to and men (and women) perpetuate. I identified strongly with the author's comparison of being the "subject of one's own desire" versus being the "object of another's desire." Reading this book, I realized how both women and men are forced to act in a stereotypical drama. Men - aggressors, emotional corpses, breadwinners, dominators. Women - weaklings, dependents, passivists, bitches. Neither role is healthy, nor genuine. Young-Eisendrath has tackled one side of the problem. Who will take on the other?



2. In the first 23 pages, this book changed my life. She hit the nail on the head, so to speak about the crux of my biggest subconscious issue, being the object of desire. This book is a must for all women and definitely for men who want to know and understand women more fully. This book opened me up to the knowledge that I am not irreparably broken, and that coming into my own power is still well within my reach. Thank you! Thank you!



3. The title of this book spoke volumes to me before I even cracked the cover. Reading about her perspective that women want to be wanted rather than fully know was right on target for me and because of the new found perspective, I felt released from the need of "wanting to be wanted." I resist some of her claims as to WHY women do this - from my point of view, she spends a little too much time blaming society, culture, men. I think the WHY is important to know, but I wanted to see the book focus a bit more on what women can DO about it. In general, the book more than serves its purpose to raise the issue and bring awareness to it. Overall, excellent, thought-provoking book.



4. The information in this book is very academic in nature, but still provides some insight into the paradox many women feel about desire, "wanting to be wanted," and wanting to be successful. I wouldn't call it "eye-opening," but a focused work.



5. I assign this book to students in my psychology seminar. These students at a women's college tell me that they find Women and Desire to be thought provoking, interesting, even helpful. I noticed a column in Newsweek by Anna Quindlen in October. She argued that women today still need the F word feminism because society hasn't changed as much as we like to tell ourselves. It appears that the need for books such as this one by Polly Young-Eisendrath continues to be valid.

3 comments about I Believe.

1. A book a person can't put down. One must read it in one sitting. A great gift book. Each page offers a gem of an opinion on...which berry is the best...what rock band is the best...what a father means to a son, or what a daughter means to a dad. Stark strings these paragraph-long insights into a reality strewn page turner and in the end challenges the reader to mail in his or her own "I Believe" submissions. Funny & thought provoking!



2. A good focused journal, but it does have a very specific purpose and doesn't really allow much room for straying off the subject. "I Believe" offers a page for different things (your beliefs on family, history, movies, people, wisdom, etc), then at the end leaves you several pages to write about your other beliefs that they didn't cover.

   Each page offers a quote at the bottom to suggest a way you might answer the "I believe" for that page, but they're easy to ignore if you have no problems coming up with beliefs for that subject. The quotes can be helpful if you're not sure what they had in mind when they made the page, though some of them are not quite as deep as perhaps a serious writer might want. ("Choices" has a quote about the type of orange juice a person prefers, for example. Also, the quotes can seem sort of one sided. On the "girl thing" page the quote refers to a serious issue such as abortion, while the "boy thing" which is right next to it, talks about movies.)

   Overall a good idea. I would have given it four or five stars if it hadn't been for the quotes, but they are easy to ignore, as they reside at the bottom of the page.




3. This book appeared in my library and I honestly have no idea where or why I acquired it. My wife pulled it off the shelf and used it as a little light reading. She then passed it to me and I read it. I realized that I had read it before but at the time, it didn't make much of an impact. Now that I was at a different stage in my life, this book hit home! There is nothing complicated or involved in this book. Mr. Stark was struck by a simple statement of beliefs in the movie Bull Durham and decided to put some of his own beliefs down on paper. Once this is done, he challenges the reader to come up with their own list. This book could be used as starter ideas for essays, discussion topics, or to make a serious change in your life. No matter how superficially or deeply this book is taken, it serves its purpose and deserves the highest rating. Thoroughly enjoyable.