5 comments about 10 Simple Solutions to Worry: How to Calm Your Mind, Relax Your Body & Reclaim Your Life (10 Simple Solutions).

1. I found the book to be very informative and full of practical, easy-to-learn strategies to handle a very serious problem. The authors teach you how to deal with anxiety and worry in everyday situations. It is an excellent guide that would be helpful for anyone struggling with chronic worry. I highly recommend this book!



2. I found this book vey useful in helping control worry. It is very well written with interesting & effective exercises.



3. I would reccommend this book to everyone I know. It takes the 'worry' out of worry by describing our innermost fears, showing us that others share them, and then outlining practical ways to deal with them.



4. This is a really good book for those experiencing anxiety or as a book for bibliotherapy for clients with anxiety.



5. This is a beautifully written book that could be used by many authors as an effective blueprint for how to write a book. Unlike so many books that seem to drone on and on, this book is short and to the point and provides the reader all the information they need, but no more, making it a pleasure to read.
   
   The book is not just for people who worry. It is a must read for anyone that suffers from excessive stress or anxiety. This is not your typical useless "self-help" book that promises that reading it will reveal secrets that will give you an easy fix. Rather, it empowers the reader with useful knowledge and concrete examples and tools for how to learn to think and behave in ways which can result in a life free of excessive worry and stress. And as the book will teach you, this can very much be learned.
   
   The book uses a two pronged approach:
   
   1. Each chapter explains a concept regarding how we think or behave and how that thinking or behaving impacts worry and anxiety. Each is beautifully explained and as soon as I would have a question it was as if the authors anticipated it and answered it. I never found their handling of a subject to be less than crystal clear.
   
   2. Each chapter than concludes with real world exercises and tools to help successfully understand the type of thinking and behaving addressed in the chapter, and gives insight into how to change them in a way that results in a happier life.
   
   I'm normally a skeptic when it comes to most self-help books, but I can't recommend this book highly enough. It's a rare little gem.

5 comments about 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management.

1. When he wrote this book, Hyrum Smith was CEO of Franklin Quest, which has since merged with Stephen Covey, Ph.D. to form Franklin Covey. This company conducts time management seminars for corporations, organizations, and government agencies. Franklin Covey also sells a wide variety of day-planners, scheduling books, calenders, and other time management tools.
   
   Smith contends, and rightly so, that there is more to managing time than getting things done. By understanding one's own value system, he says, one can decide what matters most, set priorities, and accomplish goals. The marketing strength of the company keeps the book alive.



2. This title is an excellent supplement to the time management/prioritization system of Steven Covey. The author's thoughts and principles fall into line with the very effective and popular approach of Steven Covey. If you would like some background on the Franklin/Covey time management system, this book by the founder of the Franklin Quest Planner is a must-read.



3. Down to ground language, easy reading, understandable and most important easy and practical to implement.



4. Have been waiting 1month to receive this excellent book. It is in great condition and protective packaging. Looks like new.



5. I thought a day planner was a waste until I read this book. Now I don't laugh when I see someone carrying one.
   
   Hyrum Smith is the inventor of the (Franklin) Day Planner, so naturally he is able to sell it. He developed it is an outgrowth of time management training seminars that he has taught all over the world. In the first few chapters he details how to use your day planner to take notes, set reminders in the future, and keep it all connected.
   
   Time management turns out to be a small part of this book. Hyrum's thesis is you will never be happy with managing your time unless your use of time is in sync with your personal values. Ergo, the title, Time and LIFE management. He elaborates a model of our behavior to show this. Have you ever discovered a belief or prejudice that you had to unlearn the hard way? And once you did, relationships with your significant other, coworkers, and/or friends got better? Hyrum's model attempts to explain these "aha"s and epiphanies.
   
   I found my reading of this book very timely for myself; others who are not so introspective may find it profound, while I would expect some to find it boring.

5 comments about Stress-Free.

1. I haven't found a Louise Hay CD that I haven't liked. I especially like the subliminal component to this CD. It is nice to listen to the ocean and calming sounds - which alone help to relieve stress. Her tapes always work well for me and the clients I recommend them to. I would recommend listening to a CD consistently for 30 days then only as needed. It is amazing how you no longer struggle with the same Stresses after you listen to the CD for a while. I listened to it when I was driving from work. Now I have it on (subliminal side)in my office when clients come in. It creates a stress free office. She tells us that Stress is just a form of fear and if we fear something - we just attract it into our lives. This reason alone should make you want to de-stress. We really can't afford to focus on our fears...we need to spend our time focussing our what we want to create in our lives.



2. In my opinion, everything that Louise Hay has written has been wonderful. Her very simplistic and down to earth writing really works for me. Since 1988, I have read Louise's books and listened to her tapes and CD's. I first bought this on tape in 1990 and wore out the tape! So I ordered the CD in 2005. When I first listened to this CD, I was amazed because it has both Louise's soothing words and also beautiful music with a subliminal message that will go to your sub-conscious mind. This CD gives you practical help in everyday living and letting go of negative and stressful thoughts and old beliefs. And because I feel that Louise Hays teachings, CD's and books really work for me, I own 14 of them! And This CD really works for me and I have it to use when needed. Thanks Louise!



3. I listened to a tape of Louise Hay's about fear from the library and it was so great so I ordered this. But this one is annoying to listen to because instead of the affirmations saying "I am safe" etc, it says "I am safe. You are safe." because Louise Hay says the affirmation that you are supposed to hear and then she also says the subliminal message that you usually don't hear. The other track just has music with the subliminal message under it. But there isn't any track that has just the affirmations (I am safe) with the subliminal part (you are safe) hidden. It is distracting to hear "I am safe. You are safe." I don't know why they did it this way.



4. Great to receive product at a great price.
   
   Thank You! Lynn



5. This CD provides you the opportunity to release anger and resentment stored in your mind and heart. You bring peace and joy to your life once you allow yourself to release old memories and hurts.

5 comments about Self-Nurture: Learning to Care for Yourself As Effectively As You Care for Everyone Else.

1. I am really enjoying this book. I chose to read it because I find myself giving too much to others and leaving nothing for myself. The book has a short introduction section and is divided up into seasons so you don't read it all at once, but is a journey to be taken over a course of a year. I found that to be a comfort because I wasn't sure how a book was going to teach me to change myself overnight. It also encourages you to read only relative topics, which is great to really personalize and focus in on your own needs.



2. This is one of the best books - if not THE best "self-help" type book I have ever read (and I've read a lot of them)! I bought the book and the audio tapes and fear I may wear them out from listening to them so often. Dr Domar provides the tools for learning how to overcome the stress so many women endure due to the many roles they must function in as mom, sister, daughter, wife... I found her suggested methods of writing and relaxation helped me identify and change the way I interact with many of the people in my life - mostly family members. She teaches women how to relate to others without taking on all the responsibility for making each relationship work whether that be a mother-daughter relationship or a relationship with coworkers. This book should be recommended reading for all women regardless of their age or marital status!



3. This book is accessible and helpful. Domar's insights are wonderful to me.



4. A friend lent me this book and I liked it so much, I had to buy my own copy so I could go through it and highlight information. My favorite thing about this book is the way she presents the information...by season. We are all cyclical and our cycles are in tune nature, so why not our emotions or the things we focus on?
   
   I also appreciate the way she presents certain aspects of life and how to work with them in a nurturing way. A great read, even if you already think you nurture yourself.



5. The safety instructions given on every airline flight advise you to put on your own oxygen mask before attempting to help others with theirs. Similarly, the overriding message of Alice Domar's book is that you can only be of help to others once you have nurtured yourself. With real-life examples, cognitive restructuring techniques, mind/body exercises, writing assignments, and poignant insight, Alice provides inspiration and instruction for essential self care. Encompassing the realms of relationships, work, and play, Alice's book serves as a metaphorical oxygen mask for helping women breathe mindfully in all areas of their lives.

5 comments about Living Everyday Zen.

1. I read "Everyday Zen" 6 months ago, and loved every insight it provided. Full of practical, intelligent ideas that i immediately used in my everyday life.
   I was hoping for the same practical, clear discussions on this CD. But i didn't get that. Instead, Joko presents a series of talks to her students, that stress the importance of "constant sitting". Over and over again she stresses the need to 'keep sitting', and 'you may feel you have made some progress, but you have barely begun.' Then, she gets into a mystical discussion of the 'nemonal' and 'phenomenal' world. Ugh. That metaphysics is so abstract as to be beyond proof. The listener is forced to either believe or not believe, rather than to hear, consider, and then accept or refute.
   
   I have deep respect for Joko Beck, based on her earlier texts. But this one did not help me in any way.



2. The compassion and clear message found in Nothing Special & Everyday Zen comes through in these CDs. There are differences. The books are organized into themes. The CDs are a set of talks with some Q&A, so you can hear her think and how she interacts with her students without editing. The books have more metaphors, like ice cubes and containers. The talks are more direct.
   
   There are three and a half-hours of talks and Q&A. The questions were hard to hear in a car, but she is always easy to hear. Section titles:
   
   CD 1. Concentration, Reactive emotion-thought, Core beliefs, False emotion and true emotion, Being zero, Elegance is refusal, Radiance, Our changing perception of radiance
   
   CD 2. The simplicity of practice, The necessity of persistence, Life as beautiful and fierce, The no-self, Living in stillness, The important questions, The absolute and relative, True practice never stops, The importance of the vow, Patience
   
   CD 3. Being in the box, Getting out of the box, Rapidly moving out of the box, Life as it is, Embracing failure, Developing steadiness, Being in practice for a lifetime, The three easy steps of practice, The key to freedom.



3. If you have a practice or are trying to start one, don't pass this up.
   The first 10 minutes of the first talk provides all the instruction you need for at least your first few years of practice.
   Thank you Joko, you're a gift!



4. This is another insightful gem by one of the most poetically frank teachers America has to offer. If you are looking for a "feel good" alternative to your life's problems, this is not for you. If you are looking to "fix" your life, this is not for you.
   
   If you are open to understanding your daily struggles, facing them with brutal honesty moment by moment and willing to sit with them, not run from them, this might be a good start. One reviewer below mentioned she read a book by her six months ago and wanted more of that here. This is exactly what you should NOT expect when approaching Joko Beck and this CD. In fact, it's that "expectation" that contradicts her entire teachings! The idea here is to open yourself to insight. Insight into life as we struggle upstream.
   
   After reading and listening to Joko's work we slowly unfold (if also sitting) and we discover that we no longer need to "struggle" against the stream. We can open up to it now, as it washes over us and experience what lessons it has to offer. That is what you will get a glimpse of with this CD and her other books. But, only a glimpse. As Joko explains in all of her work, you must practice every day in order to truly experience what life has to offer us, moment by moment.
   
   Joko's work is a beautiful reminder and invitation to open yourself to life. I for one have humbly accepted her offer and owe her my deepest gratitude. Give this CD a whirl and do not forget to pick up her two quintessential books on practice, Nothing Special & Everyday Zen.



5. Ms. Beck is simply the most practical and helpful Zen author for the average reader seeking to find pragmatic help in their life from the study and application of Zen teachings. You don't have to go to Zen meetings or wear a robe to get a wealth of help in your life from either of Ms. Beck's two books or this audio book. I have read many of the Zen texts and sampled dozens of Zen writers over the past forty years. She is the most readable, the best.

4 comments about The Caregiver's Survival Handbook: How to Care for Your Aging Parent Without Losing Yourself.

1. The Caregiver's Survival Handbook is a great resource for me in caring for an aging father. The book has given me great ideas on how to plan for his healthcare and his general well being while allowing me to care for my own family. This is the first book I have found that addresses these issues in such a positive way.



2. This book in superb. Having an ailing parent, I turned to this book for the helpful tips discussed on the jacket cover. But it was so much more than that....it made me feel understood. The plain-speak and thoughtfulness in the text made the goal of caregiving seem much more attainable....and less overwhelming. The stories and examples of others in a caregiving capacity helped me to feel not alone. I strongly recommend this book, whether you yourself are a caregiver or not, it is a must read book of the year.



3. This book gave great advise and possible problem areas. I really enjoyed the detail and the clarity of advise and it was well written and easy to follow the flow .I really support this book for a Senior's family.



4. Good book for caregivers to aging parents. I used this book to give as a door prize at a presentation on caregiving for caregivers. Price is right.

4 comments about You Are What You Say: The Proven Program that Uses the Power of Language to Combat Stress, Anger, and Depression.

1. A lot of psycho-babble in a rather boring book. Dr. Budd summarizes work from others that he is impressed with. If you must read it, find a copy in your local library....it's not worth the money.



2. This book will show you how your language reveals the way you see the world and how this either opens or closes possibilities for you to be successful, to love and to be loved. This book can change your life, if you read it, do the practices and watch your language.



3. I wish I had read Dr. Budd's book earlier in my life. I came very close to dying once, lost a kidney, because I trusted the professional opinion of the doctor before I learned to trust my own feelings. Dr. Budd shows us how to have greater awareness and to take greater responsibility in our own healing process. The exercises in the book are important to move you from just reading to experiencing and beginning to change your life. This book should be mandatory reading at every medical school.



4. If you have found Understanding Computers and Cognition by Dr Fernando Flores or the Tree of knowledge from Dr Humberto Maturana difficult to understand, this book is for you. Dr Budd does an excellent job of articulating some of the world's greatest thinkers of our time in an easy to read format. I have been studying this work for 15 years and think that this is an excellent primer. The fact that he relates it to solving health problems such as headaches, jaw and neck pain, insomnia, stomach and bowel problems, lack of energy, high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression is a bonus. Our language is inherently related to our health.

5 comments about Past Life Regression With the Angels.

1. I had tossed the idea of getting this cd around in my head for about two months. I finally received it just the other day and now I am very upset. I should have bought this cd months ago! I love meditation cd's and this one is my most favorite.
   
   Just the beginning itself can be used for a wonderful relaxation. She very slowly and peacefully takes you into a relaxation that I have never felt before. My entire body started tingling. She takes her time going through each body part.... none of the "quick, hurry up and relax" stuff like some authors make you do. This cd is great for the person always on the go and needs help relaxing at night.
   
   I'm not going to spoil the past life regression part, all I can say is "WOW!". This cd will be worn out soon because I can see myself using every single night. Well done Doreen!
   
   If you are a fan or even slightly interested in this topic, buy this cd... move it to the number one spot on your wish list!!!



2. I just purchased this and listened to it last night for the first time. What a journey I had.
   
   I've been to a hypnotherapist before. It never really worked too well for me because it's hard for me to "turn my mind off". With this CD, however, I was able to get into a deep hypnotic state in a very gradual and relaxing manner.
   
   When I began the journey, I really didn't know what to expect. What transpired was amazing. I was able to uncover issues I didn't even know I had. It showed me very clearly why I am the person I am today and why I feel the way I do about certain things and relationships in my life. This morning I woke up very much at ease and with a sense of acceptance that I have never felt before. I feel much more connected today to humanity.
   
   My journey first took me to a Tibetan monastery in the late 1800's. I began to cry because my parents (at the time) took me to live with the monks as a young boy. Next, I was off to Saxony in the 1500's where I was an abusive drunken grain miller and was killed by my own son (at the time). The clarity and the detail was amazing. I knew my name, the year, and could see the surroundings and those of whom I had relationships with.
   
   Thank you Dr Virtue. Plane travel will never be the same.



3. I did not like the woman's voice or theory with Angels. I think this could have been better written and the CD's with someone elses voice. She didn't make me relax during the meditation tape because all I could think about was her annoying voice.



4. Part 1 (19:09 minutes) (Explanation)
   Doreen provides introductory comments, explaining her initial experiences with Past Life Regression (PLR) and how she was initially a skeptic of reincarnation, until she had her own PLR experience. This PLR experience was conducted by a hypnotherapist friend who helped her to "see" past experiences. In turn, she was able to understand fears and concerns in her current life, and she overcame fears stemming from past lives and learned her current life's mission.
   
   Doreen notes that reincarnation was and is embraced by several religions and WAS embraced by Christian churches until 533 AD. She also mentions studies on thousands of young children which indicate remembrances of past lives. Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, many people who have experienced PLR have healed from the experience, some from just one session. As Doreen said, does it really matter if they believe, as long as they healed from the experience? (But there sure seems to be an awful lot of "coincidences" out there if there were no past lives. I believe. Didn't use to believe, but have seen too much to NOT believe.)
   
   Doreen suggests you RELEASE UNFORGIVENESS. (EVERYTHING I am reading emphasizes the need to forgive and release. There are several reasons, but the biggest is that you cannot sustain a higher vibration unless you get rid of negative feelings. That higher vibration makes it easier to do spiritual/metaphysical "things".) Doreen also suggests that when you do this CD, you ask for help with forgiveness from the angels and that you do NOT focus on past lives or their identity. (Realistically, that's why these past lives are dormant in your subconscious. You need to concentrate on THIS life and its challenges.) She suggests you use this CD to identify (understand) your past life happenings and use them as a healing tool, to release (emotional & energy) blocks from prior lives.
   
   In this CD, you use the meditation to access the Akashic Records to access prior life information. (Many of you probably know what the Akashic Records are, but in case you don't, they are the storage facility for everyone's' entire past life information--like a mega library in the sky, so to speak. Some people access this information through meditation. Edgar Cayce was a famous psychic who often accessed the Akashic Records to get information for people, so they could understand why (e.g. they had a phobia about going in the water--or whatever their problems were. The problems often manifested into illness or disease. Once they understood, they could release these feelings that were making them ill.) Prior to meditation, you set (think) your intention (what you want to get out of the session) and mentally ask questions that you seek answers to. Then you go into a guided meditation. Doreen says you will only consciously remember what you are prepared to handle, so you may have to do this meditation several times, to prepare yourself to be able to handle you PLR information.
   
   Part 2 (45:06 minutes) (Meditation)
   You think about what issues you want to heal or release and mentally ask the angels (3 times) for help remembering your other lifetimes. She then takes you into a meditative state through about 13 minutes of focused relaxation techniques. You begin to open your mind to look into the Akashic Records. Your mind becomes a time tunnel of colors and you travel back in time, through each color, with your angel holding your hand. The colors parody the chakras red, to orange, yellow, green, light blue, cobalt/royal blue, to deep purple. I assume Doreen takes you through the chakras to better connect you to Source (God), through the Kundalini (kind of -- up the spine) energy.
   
   My experiences:
   Without telling you all my secrets, I will tell you that I have previously received other guidance about my one past life, which was different that many other people's alleged experiences. I seem to have only had one past life. What I got in meditation with this CD seemed to verify and enhance my understanding of that prior guidance. This enhancement was unexpected information and it fills in a gap. I also "received" an explanation of a concern I still have. You also need to know that as a Reiki Master (Eastern Energy and Spiritual Discipline), I have previously worked through almost all of my "issues," or else I would probably have more stuff surface during the meditation.
   
   I believe this CD can be very helpful to those who want to progress forward. You just have to be willing to: 1) take the time, 2) identify the issues "haunting" you, 3) FACE THOSE ISSUES, and then 4) work to correct them. Need ALL 4 of those steps or don't bother.
   
   If you don't believe in reincarnation, is this CD still worth your time???
   
   Emotional and physical healing? - PRICELESS!!!



5. An amazing audiobook! Although is a little bit long(so make sure you have enough time for this meditation, and that none is around!) the results are magnificent. I couldn't stop crying and in the end I felt empty of burdens!The angel's part is comforting, and slowly bring you to reality.The great thing is that it is safe, and Dr. Virtue's voice is so soft that you will esaily relax. She gives us enough time to relaxand prepare for the journey, by using colours together with angelic assistance. When you finally go back in time, the images are so clear, that you re-live the moments. The emotions released are so strong, as you keep forgiving all people who mistreated you at that point, and of course you forgive yourself. Recommended definitely!!

5 comments about Plain Living: A Quaker Path to Simplicity.

1. This book is a welcome gift for anyone looking for spiritual and moral renewal. It is a library of wise quotes from the Quaker tradition that lead the reader to find peace and inner cleansing. I have read it three times, in short, quiet doses, and will return again for more. More substantial than shelves of self-help books, less strident than relentlessly positive cheerleading, it quietly takes you to places where you can have rewarding "aha!" moments and grow within.



2. As one who grew up in the Quaker tradition, it was wonderful to reconnect with my roots in such an accessible way. While packed with food for thought, this book on simplicity exemplifies its subject by paring down the text into short, representative quotations to get your own thinking started. It reminds me of poetry.
   
   As a book that can be read/used over and over, I bought a copy for my daughter and my siblings as well, and I hope it will be a source of inspiration (as well as understanding of our upbringing) for them as well.
   
   Next time I read it, I'll try to take time to ponder some of the "queries" at the end of each chapter. This is also in the manner of "Friends," in terms of truthfully asessing where we stand and where we have room for growth.



3. Whitmire has assembled thoughtful quotes from generations of Quakers whose vision has helped shape the community of Friends. I found this book extremely informative for those who might be attempting to simplify a busy, stressed-filled life, and find a different way. It could be used effectively as a personal devotion resource or for group conversation. Very helpful in helping discern the difference between needs and wants, between things that you choose and things that have chosen you. A great place to start to rid your life of the stuff that weighs you down, both physically, mentally and spiritually. - Rev. Susan Langhauser



4. Plain Living is a book of quotes by Quakers from the far past to the more recent past. The quotes are divided up under headings to assist a person looking for quotes by subject area, such as death, time, suffering, etc. There are also questions at the end of the chapter to help a person think about what was read. I like quotes, and many of the quotes were not only useful but well written. A person does not have to be a Quaker to like this book.



5. I use readings from this book for the High School First Day School class that I teach. It provides many excellent jumping off points for thoughtful discussions.

5 comments about 30 Days to a Simpler Life.

1. This book did not change my life, but it contained clear cut ways of simplifying. If you are already a hard core simplifier then this book is probably mostly a review. It is best for beginners or for those of us that need to be reminded that less is more. I got a lot out of it and I think you will too.



2. Of the hundreds of this type book I have read (and almost 100 I still own) this is my favorite, the most marked, the most dog-eared. It looks like the old friend that it is.



3. The book has some fairly interesting tips, but I am glad I purchased it at a garage sale.
   Shortly after starting it, I googled both Cris and Connie. Unfortunately, this skewed the
   way I viewed the book, as I kept taking everything Cris said/wrote with a huge grain of salt.
   Connie's advice was really helpful and cheerful. Sorry, Cris seems bitter and a bit of a hag.
   Therefore, the point of this lousy review is to warn anyone else to just READ the book, and
   don't do what I did, and become predisposed to disliking one of the authors. It definitely
   had a negative impact on what's actually a pretty decent book. It's quite outdated in some
   respects, being written in the 80's, but still - interesting.



4. I thought this was a good book with many specific suggestions on how to simplify your life. One of the tips I used from the book was to put all of our carryout menus in plastic sheets in one master notebook. That one tip alone was worth the price of the book and has probably saved me hours of searching for misplaced menus over the last year.



5. I suppose this book may work well for type-A personalities who don't have husbands, children, dogs, roomates, etc. I tried a lot of these techniques and it really just caused a lot of tension in my house and got me pinned as a control freak. If you live with others, you cannot force them to change. Period. It's hard enough to force yourself to change and usually you don't succede anyway.
   
   On top that I found the book to be very waste-oriented. There was a lot of "get rid of stuff and then go buy new stuff just like it." For anyone working overtime and trying to make ends meet (you know the people who are really short on time and really need some simplicity in their lives), this is not simplifying, it is frustrating. So I knock off three stars for all the classist bull and not taking into account how some people really live.
   
   I let it keep 2 stars because this book made me realize that this kind of 'simplicity' does not improve my life. There is beauty in having some chaos, and learning to go with the flow is much more about simplicity than being an anal-retentive witch. My life is better when my fride is covered in finger paint masterpieces, my husband cant stop laughing at the sock that got stuck to the butt of the baby's jammies and my dog is passionately cuddling an old shoe like it was her first born baby. Now THAT is a good life.