No comments about Who Would You Be Without Your Story?: Dialogues with Byron Katie.

5 comments about Secrets of Your Family Tree: Healing for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families.

1. Secrets of Your Family Tree was worth every dime and more. A person could not possibly put a price on the invaluable information that this book provides its readers. Some especially good points in the book are: "Time does NOT 'heal all wounds' when it comes to family issues; If we have only experienced a family that keeps everything secret, that is how we will naturally conduct our own family." My favorite chapters are the first three since they go through the roots of dsyfunctional families and provide an in-your-face look at how they operate under different circumstances. Included are "questions for reflection" throughout the book and a helpful appendix of resources on "Where ACDFs Can Find Help." Lastly, one thing to keep in mind is that this book is Christian-based, and every page has a biblical reference. I highly recommend it for anyone who has a strong and serious desire to educate themselves and start or greatly influence the healing process.



2. There is little doubt that most people will recognize their own families in this book since no family is perfect and most are truly dysfunctional to some degree. This book has a good spiritual approach to looking at family life.
   
   I use it as a part-time minister to give me insights on famlies and their issues. I think everyone can get something of great value out of reading this book. I highly recommend it along with the whole series of books offered as a part of the Minirth-Meier Healing series.



3. I found this book very helpful, explaining how things went wrong within the family, and
   steps to take to heal and move forward.



4. Everyone will benefit from this book, but especially those involved in helping professions. Not only can you use it in your work, but it will help you see why YOU tick like you do! Written from a Christian perspective with Biblical examples.



5. I sat by one of the authors, Alice Brawand, on a plane, and she was such a facinating lady that I looked her up when I got home. She had worked in Guatamala as a linguist with the Rabinal-Achi' people for about 12 years translating the Bible into their language, along with her husband John. She is the daughter and wife of a minister, as well as a veteran of the mission field. She also has a Master's in Social Work and Counseling, I believe. The book was very eye-opening and helpful.

5 comments about The Secret Diary: A Personal Workbook for Achieving Health, Wealth and Happiness.

1. This is a lovely journal to keep track of thoughts but its not a workbook like Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook. I use 'Living The Secret Everyday' as a daily workbook to remind me and keep me on track to live The Secret. Great recipes, exercises and tools to practically live The Secret each and everyday.It really keeps you living in the present; practically living the secret. Pair this with a journal like this one.



2. When this item says Diary it means it, its offers you lots of room to put your own thoughts down. I am really excited to see this book after one year of writing. I really enjoy the layout and messages on each page. The messages provide you with ideas to focus on each day. This Diary is a positive and wonderful place to practice the Secret every day.



3. This is a beautiful diary in which to write all your thoughts, experiences and emotions. This is a great adjunct to The Secret and even works fantastically with Living The Secret Everyday, an interactive workbook that gives all the exercises to live The Secret daily. I recommend using the Secret Diary, The Secret Calendar and Living the Secret Everyday which will fulfill all your needs.Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook The Secret: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar (Day to Day Calender)



4. The Secret is an international best-seller for a reason, it rapidly teaches you the timeless principles of lasting success. If you are ready to open your eyes to explore the potential and possibilities around you, then this book will take you there. If you are a skeptic about believing in things bigger than yourself, then take a chance to see if this book will open your eyes to a world of opportunities that are waiting to be explored.



5. If you are looking for a diary, this is it! Beautiful layout and plenty of room and great idea to record living The Secret deliberately on a day to day basis. The book, Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook also has a journal at the end of the book to keep your thoughts and emotions and exercises to keep you focused on a daily basis which I love.

5 comments about Reiki: The Healing Touch.

1. We love this book! Lots of History, tons of Pictures and easy to follow text. The Reiki Energy Healing Center follows William Rand's style of Usui Reiki and Karuna Reiki. He lives the Reiki Way of Life. He continually is exploring Reiki and expanding it. The research he has done to get to know Mikao Usui is extraordinary. He is an inspiration!



2. I teach Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki and ONLY recommend books written by Willam Rand and Frank Arjava Petter...do not trust any other authors for traditional Reiki methods



3. I read this book cover to cover. Well written and very informative. A must have for anyone interested in becoming a reiki healer.



4. This book is excellent for use in conjunction with taking Reiki 1 and 2 course lessons. The spiral bound version is perfect for referring to when giving Reiki healing as it opens out flat (and stays flat!!).



5. This is a hand book that is a must have for all Reiki students.
   Very fast shipment and delivery.

5 comments about The Emotional Incest Syndrome: What to do When a Parent's Love Rules Your Life.

1. Everyone should read this book. There is so much information in it about how healthy families behave that it would be useful even for those who have not been subject to an extremely close relationship with a parent.
   
   Don't be put off by the title. "Emotional Incest" sounds strong and you might be tempted to believe that it doesn't apply to you. Read the back cover and decide for yourself.



2. I purchased this book because of another family member (not immediate) experiencing serious issues with her parents, as well as a close friend of mine trying to break free from a very emotionally dependent parent. The book clearly spells out the kinds of problems children endure because of emotionally dependent parents and gives great advice on how to break and stay free. It is very insighful reading because it is written by someone who has been there and lived that. I highly reccomend it.



3. It was a hard read because of how much this book made sense to my H and I. It's well written and easy to understand. This was most definitely life changing for us and set us on a much better road. I recommend this book all the way. (And have!)



4. This book addresses a common family dynamic that happens when parents try to rely on their children for emotional support. Gives a good description of the problem along with strategies to work past it.



5. I am writing this review after reading through the book once. I plan to read it again and again if necessary until it all sinks in. The review about "trash your family save yourself" needs to be looked at where it is probably coming from, a victim of everything described in this book. An absolute MUST for uncovering, identifying and working to resolve issues on covert incest. Also as I read in a review, it goes into how covert incest by the mother can affect the child severely also. Something too taboo for most to bring up. This book likely pulled me out of the pits of depression and saved my life - if not literally, figuratively. It is so relieving to have shown and explained, the hideousness and consequences of covert incest. Oh, by the way, my brother didn't like the "name" of this book. Said he would not read it because he "rejected" the title using the word "incest." DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER!!!!!! This book can help you identify whatever you would like to call bizarrely and hurtfully close relationships amongst the family.

5 comments about This Is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down.

1. This book is excellent.....better than I anticipated. I only wish it had been written 20 years earlier.



2. This book is truly inspirational.... I discovered that I haven't put this book away after I read it. When I get overwhelmed, I pick it up and read random pages and there is always something there that helps put my life back in perspective. I have had this book for a year and I ordered it for my sister.



3. Although this was not quite the book I ordered, it does have some inspiring stories, perspectives, and quotes on doing that thing called life. The trick is trying not to get too distracted with the all of the quotes, cartoons, and name-dropping sprinkled within each of the fifty short narratives. With a take-what-fits-and-leave-the-rest-behind attitude, this book is worth the read.



4. Everybody has challenges at some time or another in life. What's hard is that a lot of people who seem so successful don't usually talk about the hard times and how to get through them. This is a book that does just that.
   
   It's a comforting blend of stories and ideas. It's a kind of "workshop-in-a-book". You could bring this book to some friends and start a support group. Or you could snuggle up in your favorite reading spot for some nurturing words by a team of women who have been through it and not only survived, but thrived. It's a book of comfort, and inspiration. It's "girlfriend time" on paper that goes to the heart and soul of the matter. The only critical thing I can say is that there were more quotes than I wanted...they interrupted the flow of the authors who say so much so well. (And this from someone who loves good quotes myself!) Reading this book is a great gift to give yourself or a friend to help you through challenging times.
   
   To Deborah, Jackie, Michealene, and Jan: Thank you! <3
   
   Laya Saul, author of the self-help book for teens "You Don't Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way"



5. One of the most remarkable things about THIS IS NOT THE LIFE I ORDERED is how it absolutely validates women who have noticed that it is just about impossible to achieve perfect balance in their lives. No matter how we may strive to "have it all", we discover time and time again that such a lofty goal seldom happens in real life... but all manner of unexpected problems occur instead. THIS IS NOT THE LIFE I ORDERED suggests how we can savor what we have when we have it, noting that most peoples lives go through passages of romantic, financial, career, and family happiness... and how we can find ways to navigate the times of tremendous challenge that can rock us to our very core. I especially love the way the four authors have truly experienced some of life"s biggest ups and downs, and how open and honest they are at sharing what it felt like to be shot and left for dead in a foreign land... or being the star of a highly popular TV show, which was abruptly cancelled. The advice these women share is truly food for the soul, as it comes across just as warmly as if it were being told to us across the kitchen table from one of our dearest friends. Indeed, one of the top tips this book provides is that rather than holing up alone in a cave when things get tough, women are most resilient when we make time and space for a group of other women friends in our lives who are also in transition. The notion that difficult times present us with opportunities is an old one, but it is presented in delicious clarity in this excellent guide to successfully navigating the unexpected eddies, currents, rapids and waterfalls in the river of life. I highly recommend this book to all women everywhere... as no matter how well we might plan how things are going to go, we can be fairly certain that some things will surprise us along the way, and we could use a little help from women who have made it through all the turbulence a little wiser by reinventing themselves along the way.

5 comments about Twelve Step Sponsorship: How It Works.

1. Unfortunately, there will always be people who attempt to dissect and dispute the success of Alcoholics Anonymous, of which sponsorship plays a vital part. Alcoholism is a deadly disease. Because of the anonymity of the twelve step programs, no "success rates" can be researched or documented with any validity or reliability and cannot be taken seriously. However, members of AA are not particularly interested in proving anything to anyone, except to be a living example of the program.
   
   This book explains clearly and succinctly how sponsorship works in leading sponsees through the twelve steps. The benefit of being a sponsor enhances one's spirituality even more than actually doing the twelve steps. I can honestly say that the twelve steps have saved my life and being a sponsor helps me keep which has been so generously and freely given to me.
   
   I do not believe that Mike McF has any personal experience with the twelve steps, other than perhaps observing meetings. Recovery does not lie in attending meetings and attempting to dissect the steps intellectually. No wonder his understanding of the steps is so skewed and hateful!! The steps must be experienced. Being powerless ends the battle that is so self-defeating and it opens the door to finding where we truly have power. Seeing others with years of successful recovery (stopping drinking is not successful recovery because as Bill Wilson says "our alcohol is but a symptom.....we must get down to causes and conditions") is inspiring. I believe that a casual observers unfortunate distorted explanation of what a higher power really is in one's life indicates the desperate need to find a higher power. And really working the program, not just attending meetings and analyzing why it could not possibly work, shows an incredible change of lives that is inspiring to me, always.
   
   Having a higher power is part of the human condition throughout the centuries, and those who have found it have greatly enhanced and rewarding lives. A major part of sponsorship is leading a sponsee through the steps so that they may find a higher power for themselves. This book does an excellent job of explaining when to move to the next step and overcoming roadblocks. Please do not take a reviewer seriously who is determined to "prove" that Alcoholics Anonymous does not work. It is annoying for us who have seen the miracles for ourselves and I pity those who waste energy attempting to prove this wonderful program wrong.



2. Your interpretation of the 12 Steps is sad. Good luck on your dry drunk.



3. First let me say - I have read this book and think it is excellent. It is helpful to me as a sponsor and as a sponsee. The first part talks about what sponsorship is about and also what it isn't. The first half of the book is for someone looking for a sponsor and what they should look for. The second half of the book is for Sponsors and has some good guidelines for being a sponsor culled from the experience and wisdom of numerous people besides just the author. I was a little skeptical at first because it is not AA literature, but it is a Hazledon book which is acceptable. Being a sponsor in AA is not a professional role, so having a book like this can be helpful because what most people know about being a sponsor they learned from their sponsor. As AA as a community continues to evolve and grow, and old timers die, it's good to have additional wisdom for guidance. This is just my opinion, I do not speak for AA.



4. If you honestly want to be set free from the addiction of alcohol this book is an excellent resource. It simply teaches both the sponsor and the sponsee how to apply the proven 12 step process as a way to enter into recovery. With God's help and this book you are free!



5. This is an excellent resource for sponsors. Even someone with a number of years of sobriety can learn a lot about how to best work with a new sponsee. It also helps in working the steps yourself!alcoholi

5 comments about The Cosmo Kama Sutra: 77 Mind-Blowing Sex Positions (Cosmopolitan).

1. I didn't feel the book had anything in it that the average person hadn't already tried before in their own experimenting. After like the first five positions, the book started repeating itself by switching the man with the woman, the left side with the right, or leaning forward or more backward. I don't really recommend buying this book, there wasn't anything in it that I didn't already know.



2. Unless you spent your entire life doing acrobatics in a circus this is not helpful at all. I returned it because it was in no way realistic and seemed it would be quite painful for those of us who are not from the circus.



3. UNCOMFORTABLE! Most of these positions were created out of desperation for "NEWNESS" opposed to created for pleasure and good sex! It is as though the point were not to create sexual satisfaction, but to test the couples physical flexibility and endurance for discomfort.



4. because the pictures aren't of real people but are like bathroom figures. i'm not a big fan of the kama sutra books that have naked people all up in them...i feel like i'm looking at porn. if you're like me this is the book for you.



5. Some of the positions look just the same as others with slight differences, but if you read the descriptions, they really are different enough to be very significant. Also recommended: Sex and the perfect lover by M. Iam: is it the Kama Sutra Sex and the Perfect Lover: Tao, Tantra, and the Kama Sutra

4 comments about Healing Your Emotional Self: A Powerful Program to Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem, Quiet Your Inner Critic, and Overcome Your Shame.

1. This is geared toward abuse survivors of varying kinds. But I think it is a must read for all women...for women who have lost themselves in motherhood, in their job, in their spouses. Her writing style is easy to follow and not condescending. The exercises in the book are thought -provoking and insightful.



2. Beverly Engel is quickly becoming one of my favorite self-help book writers. This is her newest book, and a must read for anyone who was abused or who had a difficult childhood. Beverly Engel describes the various negative parental mirrors and how they effect children, and how these negative thoughts and beliefs about the self are carried into adulthood. She also provides are powerful step by step program (including journal writing) to help you move through your feelings, coming out the other side with a renewed sense of hope and with new tools to use for the furture. This may also be good for anyone who is harsh and critical of his/herself and would like some tools to be kinder to him/herself. Very validating and empowering book.



3. Fantastic and very, very helpful! She has a way of helping the abused and the abuser understand from where it started and how to get out of it. It is paractical, easy to read and understand. It is very thoughtful and I highly recommend it to anyone trying to escape abuse and prevent reabuse.



4. A simply amazing book. I have learned so much about myself and I am only half way thorugh. The book has already helped me to pinpoint the negative images I have and where they came from. This is my second Beverly Engel book and this one hit the nail on the head for me, whereas the other book was good, but not as appropriate for my needs.
   
   I am not only learning to heal myself, but learning how to interact positively with my own children so they will not have the same problems I have. This book definately helps break the cycle.
   
   I read the reviews before I purchased and they helped.

5 comments about Love, Freedom, Aloneness: The Koan of Relationships.

1. OSHO's insightful writing will quench the thirsty and open-minded. His words resonate deep truths that leave me laughing outloud. Love & highly recommend this priceless book. His take on football - Thank God finally - someone puts in writing my exact sentiments and brings it home beautifully. Great Job OSHO!



2. Great insights about Love (Unconditional Love better said) that makes you recondition the meaning of love as that it has been opposed on all of us by the society. Love without attachments.



3. This book is a must have for any human being that wants to learn what it is to have an authentic relationship with oneself and others.



4. Simply put, this book is a "must read" for anyone who meditates with the hope of achieving enlightenment. It contains wisdom about your spiritual energy that you will not find anywhere else (except in Sex Matters, also by OSHO). If you have ever felt an insatiable craving inside, a void that cannot be filled, a deep yearning for love, then this book will help you make sense of that feeling and find the way "to the other shore," to joy and fulfillment. Read it, cherish it.



5. I loved this book and passed it on to my younger brother plus an ex-boyfriend and recommended it to my sister because it is such an amazing book. It is indeed true that you cannot truly love another human being until you are free and are comfortable and confident in your aloneness. All I can say is that this book just confirmed what I already believed.