5 comments about The Blackberry Tea Club: Women in Their Glory Years.

1. I ordered this book on the recommendation of a friend. I could not put it down and raced through it in two days! I then began to read it again. This time I made myself read it slowly and reflectively and savored the poetry and wisdom of each story.
   
   I now keep the book within reach on my desk. When I feel overwhelmed with work and the mundane details of life, I look at the cover and smile. The joyous abandon of the women on the cover reminds me to take a break and play with friends. When I feel unappreciated and tense, I randomly read a highlighted section. I always take away a bit of lyric wisdom that never fails to brighten my spirits.
   
   Thank you, Barbara, for sharing your hard-earned wisdom and the secrets of the Blackberry Tea Club!
   
   Namaste'



2. I bought this book and read it in one weekend. I have re-read it a few times now. The stories are inspiring, sweet, tender and beautiful. I loved the poems. It's a good book for women "of a certain age". Focus is on the joy in life.
   
   Highly reccomend it



3. Beautifully expressed profound observations are itermingled with poorly expressed mundane thoughts. Uneven writing style. Humor and pathos co-exist. Probably would not buy another selection by same author.



4. This book is poorly organized and suffers from a lack of proper editing. It's a ra-ra book for women in their 50's, but the friendship adventures are fairly boring. Throughout the book, there are poetry passages....actually some of the best writing. Otherwise, it's a badly written composition of disconnected stream-of-conscienceness experiences. It contains many, very lengthy boring descriptions that should have been replaced by more interesting dialog. Only at the end do you find out that the author had a difficult life and survived through family love and friendship.....Two very important messages for which you only had to read one or two chapters, not the entire confusing, boring book! It's hard to believe that anyone would have spent any money to publish this book! It needs so much work!!!!!



5. Received this as a gift from my wish list (thanks, best friend of mine!), and have been working my way through it. I truly love a lot of the thoughts, musings and stories shared. The poetry is also beautiful; I find the book thusfar to be particularly empowering at this stage of my life.

5 comments about Heart Thoughts: A Treasure of Inner Wisdom.

1. It *is* possible to change your negative perspectives into a positive lifestyle. Simple affirmations, simple solutions, and possible positive energy. Open the book to any page and reflect on a new discovery, or look something up by subject. Once I started the book, I couldn't put it down. A great gift idea for yourself or someone you care about.



2. I believe the best book I've ever read is "Heart Thoughts (A Treasury of Inner Wisedome)". This book, written by Louise L. Hay really has a way of opening up the minds of the readers to new ways of thinking and viewing the world around you. She introduces you to a universe of positive, personal affirmations and sets you on the path to total acceptance and love for everyone and everything. Hay shows readers that there's SO MUCH more to life than one may think. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in metaphysics and personal growth.



3. I LOVE this book. It sits on a shelf that I pass by often. I will grab it, whip it open and read the brief thought (not more than two pages). It inspires me. It helps me stop when I am running down a road of negative, fearful thinking. It is a perfect gift for valentine's, birthdays, mother day..... anything to offer another person a little soothing attention. Most especially yourself.



4. An inspirational balm, this book helps get your mind headed back in the same direction as your heart. I keep mine by my bed. I should probably get one for my purse, too. I love to open to random pages and see how what it says always seems apt. It's a little like having an amazing friend who always answers on the first ring. Buy two or ten and give them to everyone you know! Just a thought.



5. I bought this book back in the early 1990's when I started doing meditation. It has been very inspirational and uplifting. Occasionally, I come back to this book and read the positive affirmations and reflect on my personal situations. Strongly recommended for those seeking peace, clarification, a deeper understanding of Life's small & big lessons, and for those looking for thoughts to meditate on. it makes a nice gift for someone you care for and who may be struggling...enjoy.

5 comments about Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness.

1. This is a very practical, straight forward technique for letting go of what you are holding on to emotionally. It takes doing it, not just reading about it. Since I really needed it and was motivated, it worked spectacularly and helped me turn a major corner. For my friends to whom I recommended it, there were no such miracles: they were not in enough distress to bother doing the exercises. Save it for when you need it, it works.



2. I am finally recovering from a difficult breakup from a long term relationship. Two big things helped me: One was doing a final "spring cleaning" of all the things my ex gave me, items that were subconscious reminders that it didn't work out, and that my ex was now with someone else.
   
   The other was this book, "Forgive for Good." It's an evidenced-based approach that will help your "planes to land" -- all those thoughts swirling in your head about what happened, why it hurt then, and how it still hurts. The examples in the book are about people who have moved on from some of the most hurtful, sad, and difficult situations imaginable.
   
   This is not about absolving wrongdoing; it IS about helping you to stop spending so much brainpower on it. I can tell you that after spending a weekend reading the book, taking notes, and doing the exercises, I looked outside, and the world looked like a different, better place.
   
   My one complaint about the book is that it was hard for me to see the sequence of steps that would, in the end, help me to move beyond the place where I was stuck. At times the book was repetitive and the connections between steps in the process were a little unclear -- it could have used some graphics, bulleted lists, and editing to make it more user-friendly. I am sharing my own distillation here. But do get the book, as it will flesh this out, and the examples will help you to feel that you are not alone in this journey.
   
   The book points out that a big reason why we feel hurt is because we all have "unenforceable rules" that we expect others to uphold. They may be basic rules, such as, if you're my partner, you should be honest and open with me. Regardless, it's not in our power to make other people behave the way we want to.
   
   When people break our unenforceable rules, we "write tickets," that is, we get mad, frustrated, and hurt. Even though the events happened in the past, we can hurt in the here and now.
   
   If you want that hurting to stop, and land the planes, the book tells you what do. This is *my* adaptation, which may not be the precise steps the author had in mind, but it worked beautifully for me:
   
   AT THE HURT POINT - the moment you realize you're remembering a hurt and going down that familiar path--
   
   1) STOP and ASK: What was the unenforceable rule that I was trying to enforce, and that I am still holding on to? (Ex: My partner should have ....)
   
   2) CHANGE your thinking about what was a *demand* to a *desire*: Change "he/she should have ..." to "I wished or hoped that he/she would have ..." All we can do is hope -- we can't demand that people behave or feel a certain way. When you change your demand to a desire, it is a reminder that we are not in charge of others' behavior. This is liberating.
   
   3) Take two deep belly breaths, and on the third, summon a tranquil scene or a peaceful feeling of gratitude. Hold that thought for a little while continuing to breathe deeply. (The book gives you guidance on how to practice this ahead of time. It makes a difference. You can choose to focus more on the things that ARE working in your life.)
   
   4) Repeat the "HEAL" process - Although the book suggests this is an "advanced" activity, I found it helpful right from the beginning. Tell yourself the following:
   
   H - state what you HOPED for -- the specific, small goal (Ex: I wished the relationship w/ X would have worked out)
   
   E - EDUCATE yourself about the limits in life and the impersonal aspects of the hurt (Ex: (a) Things don't always work out in life; (b) it's common that people get hurt; (c) people don't always *intend* to hurt you; and (d) sometimes people are incapable of behaving the way we want because of their own limitations)
   
   A - AFFIRM the bigger goal. (With a relationship breakup, for example, the bigger goal would to have a loving, lasting relationship built on openness and trust - with *someone.* This specific past relationship was a flat tire along the way. These techniques help you fix the flat, and when you're ready, you can continue to drive down the road toward the bigger goal.)
   
   L - LONG term commitment -- tell yourself you will repeat this process each and every time you have a thought about a past hurt, for as long as it takes.
   
   I found this technique to be very helpful in countering all the negative thoughts that can come up after a breakup. For me, within a few days, the hurts didn't have the power they used to. After a couple of weeks, I felt that the past was finally behind me, instead of dogging my present. Give it a try -- and help your planes to land, too!



3. If you are furious with someone and the anger is eating you, this is an excellent book to read. It talks about individuals who have faced betrayals, divorces, abuse and deaths, with crippling mental anguish and anger, who learn to move forward with their lives. The chapter with Irish mothers who lost a child is particularly moving. It examines the damage anger at someone does to you and how to move on--it is not a book about condoning any behavior, it is about letting go and moving forward. I found it extremely helpful!



4. I do like the fact that the book says that reconciliation and forgiveness aren't the same thing. I also think renting space to grievances is not a good idea.
   
   However, the book does miss a few things. For example, often a step to forgiving others is the ability to forgive yourself in the first place. I do believe that forgiveness often starts at home, rather with the other person. People blame others when they often can't forgive themselves.
   
   The other problem is setting up realistic rules and expectations for yourself and others--I don't mean unenforceable rules, I mean if you are with an alcoholic, then what is a realistic expectation for yourself and others in the current time and situation.
   
   He doesn't really talk about when the hurt is on-going in the present, he often talks about when the hurt has finished or is past. "It happened 10 years ago..." "It happened last month" But what about the instances where the person keeps hurting them in the present? What are reasonable expectations?
   
   He also uses stories of reconciliation to argue for forgiveness which is odd. Reconciliation and forgiveness are not the same thing. One should not argue for forgiveness using reconciliation.
   
   He also had a logic flaw on the story about "Linda" and how her husband shouldn't be a liar. To me, people shout things at other people, but it's not the same as what they are feeling, but that's a nitpick. Definitely her rule was to get more affection from her husband, not that he should not lie.
   
   He also doesn't do much about the process of denial...
   
   So overall, this book is good for those whose hurts have ended. They are not good for hurts that are currently on-going--as in the person keeps hurting you as you interact with them. It does not tell how to set yourself up so there is a more positive outcome in the future--most of his stories say that his clients did this, however, he doesn't go into the process of it, just marking that forgiveness gave them the ability, but not seeing how to learn from those mistakes.
   
   He doesn't really go into how to set a reasonable limitation versus an unenforceable rule.
   
   For these faults, the book is fine for most things, but it does not really urge me to really want to suggest it or not suggest it to anyone. What do you do about a person who is not aware that they constantly hurt you in the here and now and you make it apparent to them, but they do nothing or can do nothing about it and don't make efforts towards it? This book isn't good for that sort of thing. If you want that, then look elsewhere.



5. This book contains a lot of commonsense advice on management of ordinary emotions. Most people probably knew how to do this by age 5 but for those who did not learn or have good role models the methods described might be useful. What's annoying about the book is that the author presents "his" work as an original, unprecedented, and inspirational work of genius which should evoke awe in the reader when in fact it's a rehash of ideas and methods which have been around for decades. For instance his "unenforceable rules" are nothing but new nomenclature for Albert Ellis' "irrational beliefs" from Ellis' pioneering cognitive behavioral work some fifty years ago. Similarly the use of deep, relaxed breathing for calming and relaxation goes back thousands of years. Now there is nothing wrong with putting old ideas to good use but to do so without so much as a mention of the giants on whose shoulders one's tiny contribution rests is a blatantly misleading form of self aggrandizement that I find highly offensive. Read it if you must but be prepared to hold your nose. In the end perhaps the greatest reward of having read the book was that it made it easier for me to forgive the author for having written it in the first place.

5 comments about Life Magic: The Reknowned Psychic Healer Shares the 7 Keys to Finding Your Power and Living Your Purpose.

1. Clairvoyant Bushnell has spent many years perfecting her craft, and always she has lived by the words of the magical realist director, Fellini, who advises us never to give up on the childlish gift of enthusiasm we are all born with. Bushnell provides a heady reading list, with everybody on it from Dan Brown (THE DA VINCI CODE) to ultra healer Shakti Gawain to Dr. Wayne Dyer. Thus, she's not married to any one approach, rather she plunges in with both arms up to the elbow in a wide variety of healing practices and wisdom, though never forgetting her basic gift, psychic ability. She can see into you, see your wishes, whether you're a Hollywood star or just a nobody like me.
   
   Though, as she teaches, none of us are nobodies and all of us are like shining stars. Everyone who reads her book is a magus. If you don't know what a "magus" is, this book will teach you, or you could crack THE MAGUS by John Fowles. But perhaps the simplest explanation is the three Wise Men who went to visit Jesus in the manger, were called, the MAGI (Latin plural for more than one "Magus.") So it's the time of the season for LIFE MAGIC, even if you're not a religious person, or even if you don't believe in Christ, you might still pick up a copy of this book and gain some profit for your eternal soul. As Laura recalls, one time the Holy Mother spoke to her in a vision and ordered her to give away everything she owned that wouldn't fit into a single suitcase . . .
   
   Ask yourself, what would your own response be if a figure in a vision appeared to you and commanded you to do that?
   
   I'd freak out, but Bushnell, who has been there and done that, advises us to be calm no matter how extreme our visions become. Usually the psychic self is crying out to be allowed to heal some hurt within. Whether it is anger release, or sitting at the bedside of a six year old leukemia victim, Laura Bushnell has been there, and she's not judgmental about response. You can go to her with nearly any old problem and she will heal, with the help of common herbs such as honey, water, frankincense, musk, cinnamon and most of all, the precious gift of time.
   
   Buy this for your troubled friends, and you will be casting bread upon the waters.



2. Pleasant, upbeat and positive, I found Life Magic to be an oasis of sanity in a sometimes-insane world. Author Laura Bushnell's writing is calming and encouraging.
   The cover blurb of the book promises Bushnell will share her 7 keys to finding power and living your purpose. She fulfills this promise.
   Her first key is to Expect Magic. How long has it been since you've looked forward to something wonderful and uplifting happening to you unexpectedly? Were you able to accept the pleasant surprise with grace and joy? If not, it's time you did. "As adults," Bushnell explains, "we often forget what it is to follow our hearts. The mind tries to assert control through expectations, fears, and doubt." Does that sound familiar?
   "Your Thoughts Are Your Prayers," Bushnell reminds us in chapter 2. "If you watch closely enough, you will begin to notice that your thoughts are actually creating your life," she says.
   Chapter (Key) 3 tells us our hearts are our lanterns. She quotes mythology expert Joseph Campbell, "We must be willing to get rid of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us," Campbell said. This means we have to let trust into our lives and learn to step into the unknown. If we are feeling unsure of ourselves, this can be a daunting expectation. "When your spiritual heart is open," Bushnell tells us, "it sparkles with a warm golden glow." Just like a lantern.
   Key four tells us our will is our wand. Key five reminds us that our words are our invocations; key six tells us we must ask in order to receive and key 7 asks us to, "Share the Magic." Bushnell doesn't leave readers to find their Life Magic on their own, however. At the beginning of each chapter she tells as a short story about someone who was has been helped by her suggestions or a common sense explanation of why her suggestions work.
   She then lists the steps that need bring the magic into our lives. For instance Key 5 tells us, "Your Words Are Your Invocations." Under Key 5 is listed this simple exercise:
   
   Exercise Your Spirit: Make it So
   What you will need: You
   Time: A moment
   
   Detailed steps are listed so you can execute the exercise correctly. She then continues to explain, "The Beauty of Words," which reinforces the exercise. Several exercises are given in each chapter.
   In Life Magic Bushnell encourages readers, "to trust their instincts let go of the past; create enlightened relationships; and connect to their spirit." I feel she has accomplished this in her book. It is 262 pages of encouragement, helping readers live life as it is meant to be - to the fullest. Bushnell's words also tell us to find success in our lives and live with happiness. This book is an enjoyable and satisfying reprieve from the world's stresses and problems.



3. I'm one of the lucky few who can say that they've had the opportunity to see Laura Bushnell as a client. So I know the power and purpose which she helped me to actualize firsthand. I've also seen the results in friends who have seen her. In reading the book, I was reminded of the steps it took us to get us where we wanted to go and that some of us are still implementing in order to get there. The book is a wonderful tool that anyone can use and a wonderful reminder that we all can control our lives or effect change. And the best part is, it doesn't have to be hard work all the time. Sometimes, it can be fun. And sometimes, even magical. Still the book manages to be practical, honest and real. It stands apart from other books that attempt to guide us to getting what we want and where we want because it's not about blame, it's not about what's wrong with us. It's about seeing ourselves for who we are and what we can be. And if that's not magic, I don't know what is.



4. This book IS full of Magic! My Mother read it in March 2006, and wonderful, amazing things have happened to her. She's in escrow to buy her dream property, she's come into a huge amount of money, she has taken some chances she never would have before reading the book, and because of this has wind under he wings as she's jumped off the cliff into the unknown (so to speak), she has the courage and the trust in the universe and feels like she can do no wrong. After reading Laura's book, my mother met with Laura Bushnell, and has become fast friends and developed an eternal connection and bond with her. She's a wonderful women with tons of compassion and humility, yet strength and she's very human!
   
   My step-mother has also read this book recently, and has put an offer in on some property which she's been looking at for the past 20 years. This property wasn't even for sale, but she decided to drop a note in their mail box which said she loved this property and has been admiring it for some time, and if they'd ever want to sell it, to please let her know...Well, they responded. She also has a better relationshi with her husband (my dad) and has connected within and shed a lot of stress and "luggage" which was holding her back. She too has wind under her wings and is content and happy. Now, I haven't read this book as of yet, but will soon.
   
   Read this book and see what Magic it brings into your life.



5. I highly recommend this special & unique book. This author offers such sacred guidance & a special approach to becoming spiritually aware. I treasure this book & regard it as a mystical bible to all I regard as sacred. I deeply feel the truth in the words & guidance in this book that is really magical & wonderful! This book changed my life & still is. It is also empowering me to in-tune myself to the sacred knowledge & truths within me.

3 comments about Take Your Time: How to Find Patience, Peace, and Meaning.

1. Take Your Time: How To Find Patience, Peace & Meaning is the second edition of a classic self-help text by spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran (1910-1999), originally published in 1994. Written for readers of all religious and spiritual traditions, as well as those of no religious affiliation, Take Your Time is not about any form of dogma, but rather a blend of insights drawn from Eastern and Western spirituality, to apply to the problems of modern life. Chapters mull the importance of focusing on one thing at a time, balancing work, play, relationships, duties, and spirituality, setting aside time for meaningful relationships, and discovering our own real nature within - "We are not imperfect physical creatures. Our essence is spiritual, and our greatest need is simply to discover our real nature." Easwaran's eight fold path of Meditation, Mantram, Slowing Down, One-Pointed Attention, Training the Senses, Putting Others First, Spiritual Companionship, and Reading the Mystics (the writings of great spiritual figures and the scriptures of all religions) is an uplifting and enlightening guide to higher spiritual awareness and the pursuit of contentment in daily life.



2. I have not read this author in the past. I found the book to be an easy read. His suggestions were very simple and easy to understand. The best part was his ability to explain how to work those suggestions into anyone's lifestyle.



3. I read Easwaran's Mantram Handbook before, and really liked it, so I had high expectations for this book. I must say I liked the Mantram handbook better and the parts I liked from this book were also in the Mantram handbook (which is about lots more than mantrams).
   The message is good, and if you are totally new to the idea of mindfulness and slowing down, I guess this is a good book. For me, I quickly grew a bit irritated with the authors examples of people who weren't mindful (all those other people are soo wrong for being busy, but look at me, I am always patient). He tells us about a shopping afternoon with his nieces and tells how patient he was with them. Yeah, sure, I am patient with my nieces and nephews as well. It is easy to be patient around children when you only have to care for them every once in a while. It is much harder to be patient and have patience every day with your own children.
   
   He tells how he stopped eating spicy food because it is not good for you, but that's just way too blank and black and white a statement. Many spices are great for you. I did not find these extremes (his hatred of television is another one) helpful. His concrete suggestions were sometimes difficult. For example, he says that we should overcome or likes and dislikes (a very important concept!) and just watch a movie with our partner, even if we do not think it is particularly interesting. OK, I get that. But then he does say that we should not watch movies that are upsetting. Unfortunately, I think often when a partner does not want to see a movie it is not just because she does not like it, but because the movie is upsetting to her. Easwaran does not discuss this. On the same subject: he says to always be mindful and interested in everything you do. Then he says how he used to watch a certain television series with young people and he asked them "why are they showing the same movie every night"? because to them they all looked the same. How is that for being mindful and interested in the things your friends are interested in?

3 comments about Your Spiritual Personality: Using the Strengths of Your Personality to Deepen Your Relationship with God.

1. By understanding my personality's strengths and weakness, I have come to realize my personality affects more than just how I approach housework, friendships, marriage or parenting - my personality affects all areas of my life including my spiritual growth. In this book I was able to identify how each different personality approaches God, daily devotions and spiritual maturity. It is so important to understanding that it is "OK" to be different from one another. God made us all different so the world wouldn't be monotone - imagine a one-note symphony! This information gives me the freedom to accept God's love for me according to my own personality and in return helped me learn how to give that grace and love to others. Because, life is all about the LOVE.



2. This book was such a gift to read. It gave me such freedom in my spiritual journey. I always thought that I wasen't spiritual because I couldn't concentrate when I was reading the bible or I didn't have a special "time" when I read the bible. Understanding my personality and how God has made me helped me to realize that I'm fine just the way I am and God loves me no matter what!!! Thank you Marita for writing such an incredible book.



3. This book provides helpful insight as to why we are the way we are. I used this for a book club book and the conversation it generated was not only worthwhile, but especially entertaining.

3 comments about Strength in the Storm: Creating Calm in Difficult Times.

1. Strength In The Storm by Eknath Easwaran is an unusually insightful collection of philosophical perception and societal interpretation of the everyday tedium encountered in the course of ordinary daily life. Introducing readers to an uncompromisingly conceptual and helpful system of ideals and coping techniques, Strength In The Storm astutely guides its readers through life's universal issues as they present themselves. Strength In The Storm is especially recommended reading for those who are searching for an instructive and "user friendly" guide for seeking happiness and obtaining contentment, as well as those who find themselves chronically unhappy with their daily struggle with situational stresses, relationships, or the seeming indifference of the world around them.



2. I purchased this book as a requirement for a class. After reading it I recommended it to several friends. Easwaran presents challanges to a person in changing there life by learning to slow down. There is something for everyone in this book whether you're looking for ways to better your life or just want an awakening to what's going on in your life, because it definitely has you take a good look at yourself. I highly recommend it to anyone.



3. it was not what I thought. too breezy, not enough depth, too repetitive. text chopped up into little sections on every page, no development of thought. also, the book was in slightly worse shape than reported.

1 comments about A Cherokee Feast of Days: Many Moons (Cherokee Feast of Days).

1. Daily inspirations that can inspire anyone to keep going when in doubt of what it means to stay positive or to understand the negative impacts of life.

2 comments about Conquering An Enemy Called Average.

1. John Mason has really outdone himself this time. His books just keep getting better and better. I definitely recommend this book as well as the others he has written. I have them all and am anticipating the arrival every new one in the future!



2. Each of 52 nuggets is really just a collection of sayings that are not particularly tied together well. However, there are some great quotes in here - the kind you wish you could remember and easily spout at the perfect moment. After reading the book through in a matter of days, I think I will reread one chapter a week, as the book recommends. I could see this being something I reread year after year.

4 comments about Close to the Bone: Life-Threatening Illness As a Soul Journey.

1. Essential book for all whose lives are currently touched by serious illness. As a health care provider and one who has been personally affected by personal catastrophic health changes, I highly recommend CLOSE TO THE BONE.
   
   Patricia anne Dennison, Pharmacist and author of STOP THE VOICES



2. "In noisy wards crowded waiting rooms of country hospitals and clinics, in quiet private rooms in medical center pavilions or in well-appointed waiting rooms, examining rooms, or offices, wherever there are patients, there are long moments of silence, pauses, sometimes preceded by a sigh, a transient stillness when the air feels heavier."
   
   So starts this book--and if you have "been there" for yourself or with a loved one, you know about the silence pauses, the sighs, the anticipation.
   
   Written 10 years ago, and just updated, most of the information will never go out of date because of the perspective we all have: the reality of hearing you have a major illness.
   
   Most people don't give much thought to the meaning of life--how long will they live? This big question brings up the connection between what ails the body, and their soul's need for authenticity, love and purpose.
   
   Most medical doctors work with statistics, based on what you have: "You have about X years/months to live," and usually are not interested in stories about recovery. At those times, WE must take charge of our life and our attitude.
   
   The author says: Once we take the soul seriously--and this is one of the innate beliefs that human beings do have--then we are spiritual beings on a human path rather than human beings who may well be on a spiritual path.
   
   The author is a psychiatrist who understands how one person's diagnosis affects many around them--a decent into another world. Here is where that line between health and wellness is crossed and we enter the realm of the soul.
   
   Before "the discovery" that something is wrong, we live in innocence or denial--and then comes the change--the "after."
   
   The author made so many thought-provoking points about being sick, being hospitalized. How we are supposed to act--for the medical professionals, for our family, for ourself.
   
   She discusses the importance of keeping a journal if we have a life-threatening disease, noting both the small and big things of every-day life.
   
   I had a friend who after a long and valiant struggle died of cancer. She called the cancer "a gift" because of an outpouring of love from her friends, family and supportive community that she had never felt before. Today I still think of her life/her attitude as a "gift" to me.
   
   No one gets of life alive--we are all mortal. The author reminds us that the Chinese pictograph for "crisis" contains the ideograms for both "danger" and "opportunity."
   
   Armchair Interviews says: If illness is threatening how you live, this book will give you strength.



3. This, unfortunately, would be a book that may only be purchased by a person who was knowledgeable about Jean Bolen or open-minded about life-threatening illnesses or crises. Care takers would benefit from this book as it would enable them to come out of themselves and understand the person with whom they are dealing. There is so much more to death and the leading up to it than people realize or are willing to acknowledge. It's not complicated. It's a beautiful journey that we all should understand better. Jean Bolen guides us there gently, but clearly.



4. This is, by far, the best book I've read ( reading) addressing the "whole" person & how illness can affect them..this is an equally great book for the caregivers who want to help, however often in a controlling way, thus not always seeming "to get it." One can open communication with others with this book versus hiding or lying about their feelings & concerns..When I startedto read this book I felt like I "came home" & someone finally understood the real stuff going on..I have gotten this book for others both who are ill & those caring about them ..I am still buying a few more..Excellent book for all