http://www.ncreview.com/ 3206-1305 http://www.ncreview.com/spirituality/buddhist-boot-camp Former Buddhist monk Timber Hawkeye shares simple Buddhist teachings in Buddhist Boot Camp—a compilation of short inspiring insights, quotes, and teachings that offers readers gentle guidance to a more peaceful life. Each of the seven chapters focuses on a specific quality to cultivate, such as Mindfulness, Success, and Understanding. The title may seem like a bit of a misnomer, but it conveys the idea of retraining the mind by implementing the wise advice within each chapter. And while many of the principles presented are not new, they do remind us to be more compassionate, understanding, and loving on a daily basis, and to live in gratitude as much as possible. Buddhist Boot Camp is a quick read, written in accessibe language that offers timeless advice for living a more peaceful life. It is ideally suited for readers wanting a simple introduction to Buddhist teachings, or a concise reminder of them. ]]> Tue, 14 May 2013 13:32:23 -0700 3258-1303 http://www.ncreview.com/self-help/i-dont-want-to-i-dont-feel-like-it-how-resistance-controls-your-life-and-what-to-do-about-it I wanted to allow plenty of time to read this book and write my review, but…well…I was in resistance. My "Ego-I" was evaluating the review before I even wrote it. The voices inside me were insisting that there wasn't enough time, that I waited too long to start, that I couldn't, or didn't want to write the review and therefore I was a failure. I was spending time not writing the review rather than writing it. How, and why does this happen? That's what this book will explain. The authors reveal the various forms resistance takes and how it operates, and offer methods to get us past the stuck places. If you're fed up with failing to relax more or eat better or start that exercise program or begin a meditation practice, this book will help you discover another way of being: choosing awareness, instead of resistance. Cheri Huber is the author of 21 books on Awareness Practice, including There is Nothing Wrong With You. ]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 02:53:02 -0700 3092-1302 http://www.ncreview.com/self-help/stop-yelling-start-listening-understanding-your-middle-school-child This a great little book for all parents out there who have middle school children and need help understanding the changes their child is going through. Written by King and Sollerh, it combines their wisdom gained from years of working with children, their parents, and their families. This book contains heartfelt advice given in an easy-to-read style that any parent can dip into time and time again. Addressing challenges such as bullying, going on holiday, homework, risky behaviors, punishment, and how to cope when your child lies, this book uses real life anecdotes and practical examples that guide and support you through this challenging time. King and Sollerh share a knowledge that will help parents and their children to move forward in their relationship with mutual respect and deeper understanding of each other. For all parents and family members who are wondering where their little angel went and what they can now do to communicate with the middle schooler that has taken their place, this is an invaluable resource. ]]> Sat, 11 May 2013 18:27:54 -0700 3229-1297 http://www.ncreview.com/self-help/the-honeymoon-effect-the-science-of-creating-heaven-on-earth I’ve just had the rare experience of reading a book and finishing it cover-to-cover, in the middle of my work day! The book, The Honeymoon Effect, is the latest offering from my dear friend and spiritual brother Dr. Bruce Lipton, and once I started reading I couldn’t stop until I reached the last page. While I love all of Bruce’s books, I especially love this one for two reasons: it’s quick, to the point, and easy to read it gives our minds the keys to apply what our heart already accepts: the fact that sustained love is the secret to a thriving life, true happiness, and our sense of vitality and well being While the experience of love itself is almost universal, we all experience it a little differently. The Honeymoon Effect is a roadmap of stories and experiences that lead us to discover where our unique and personal experience of love meets the reality of the real world. In this book, Bruce has absolutely nailed the path to this most powerful place. I love this book and I know that you will too! ]]> Thu, 02 May 2013 15:12:22 -0700 3108-1295 http://www.ncreview.com/self-help/do-not-go-quietly-a-guide-to-living-consciously-and-aging-wisely-for-people-who-werent-born-yesterday If George and Sedena Cappannelli are an example of what social and spiritual awakening among the over-50 set can look like, there's hope for this old world yet. Rather than seeing the years after 50 as a time of decline, they argue that these years can be embraced as a time of harvest of accumulated wisdom and an opportunity for redesigning and replanting one’s garden for the second half of life. The suggestions they give are not a one-size-fits-all, and I think were intended to be more indicative than prescriptive. I suppose for those of us who missed out on the psychedelic scene, suggesting drugs today as a way to loosen up one's spirituality can be a bit off-putting, but it is a small annoyance and doesn't detract from the importance of their main message, which is calling on pre- and post-boomers to wake up to their power and responsibility to demand and embody change. Their book is part inspirational workbook, part sociopolitical education, and part revolutionary manifesto. Let's hope for all our sakes, that it is also a harbinger of a real awakening to action by a demographic that has the time, resources and guts to lobby for change, and the wisdom to envision solutions that work for all. ]]> Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:55:34 -0700 3213-1293 http://www.ncreview.com/spirituality/finding-the-on-ramp-to-your-spiritual-path-a-roadmap-to-joy-and-rejuvenation “What is the spiritual path, who else is on it, and where does it lead?” With a clarity and succinctness rarely provided by other authors, Jan Phillips answers these and other questions to define the contemporary spiritual path. The spiritual path is “simply a journey of awareness through the landscape of our lives,” she tells us plainly, “a pilgrimage inward where the destination is awareness.” Her language is straightforward yet elegant, and she uses familiar road sign analogies to frame the core concepts of the path, such as: “stop”—taking time for balance; “yield”—the surrender that gives rise to bearing fruit; or “curves ahead”—the spiritual path is never a straight road. For those who have broken free of traditional religion and are searching for their spiritual groundings she points out that “we are the sacrament-makers of these times,” and that “people on a spiritual path are just like everyone else, minus the illusions.” And seasoned seekers will recognize these and other markers of the journey: the daily commitment to peace, embracing mystical paradox, self-forgiveness, compassion, harmonious relationships, and “moments of enlightenment strewn like jewels along the spiritual path.” Although the pathway may not be new, this upbeat book is an innovative road map marking the terrain of spiritual consciousness in the 21st century. ]]> Sat, 27 Apr 2013 02:42:29 -0700 3064-1292 http://www.ncreview.com/self-help/your-hidden-symmetry-how-your-birth-date-reveals-the-plan-for-your-life Animals live according to their innate patterns, doing what they do without question. But we humans try to find our way through trial and error. What if we had a map of our unique purpose and plan to act as a guide for living each day as we were designed to do, one that drew on our strengths, recognized our challenges, and uncovered the patterns that limit us? Your Hidden Symmetry reveals that map. Based on the ancient Chinese principles of balance and health, this book helps you: discover who you are, understand why you are attracting certain experiences, and navigate the waters so you're riding the waves instead of fighting the current. Affirmations by Louise Hay help you to align your energy to your current cycle of time. Jean Haner is also the author of The Wisdom of Your Face. ]]> Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:00:58 -0700 3197-1291 http://www.ncreview.com/spirituality/reveal-a-sacred-manual-for-getting-spiritually-naked This is a fascinating book about one woman’s personal journey in her bid to uncover the presence of the Divine Feminine. From the time Watterson walked out of her Sunday school class, she began searching for the spiritual voices of women so that she could find meaning and the source of love within herself. She knew that something was missing from traditional religion - these voices of women - and so began her personal quest. Watterson brings her quest alive with tales of the Tara Tantra, the Hindu Goddess, Kali, and Mary Magdalene. She reveals her own stories of revelation such as when she visited the Black Madonna in Europe and shares her experiences of how this journey enabled her to embrace the sacred connection between body and soul. The author, Meggan Watterson, is a scholar and devotee of the Divine Feminine. She has spent more than two decades studying holy texts from around the world and is a Harvard trained theologian. Her journey has led her to seven major shifts in her beliefs that she describes as “lifting the veils”. Each of these seven veils are explored in closer detail within the book. Chapters include how to reveal your soul story, your sacred body, your divine worth and more. This is a book for women that will help them to reconnect to love within themselves and provide interesting and thought-provoking ways of looking at religion and how it has portrayed women. It is recommended for all those that also have felt something is missing and wish to embrace the Divine Feminine and themselves. ]]> Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:27:41 -0700 3050-1290 http://www.ncreview.com/self-help/nurturing-the-soul-of-your-family-10-ways-to-reconnect-and-find-peace-in-everyday-life Life is busy, but life with kids can feel like an overwhelming cyclone of activity that never seems to end, often leaving parents feeling drained, disconnected, and just plain unhappy. Life balance coach and author Renée Peterson Trudeau has written a guidebook for parents that will help tame the chaos and create a family life full of balance, harmony, and joy. In her book, Nurturing the Soul of Your Family, Trudeau offers a new way of living through 10 intentional principles that include parental self-care and healing, reconnecting in nature, spiritual renewal, and many more that if implemented, promise to foster more connection, peace, and flow in family life. She also includes insightful questions, journal exercises, and personal experiences that help readers identify what is working in their lives and what changes are needed to create a more nourished life. In a world that stresses gadgets and packed schedules as a precursor to happiness, Trudeau suggests unscheduled and “unplugged” time as a way to bond and reconnect with one another. Nurturing the Soul of Your Family is not just a book about how to create balance in your life. It also serves as a reminder that when we slow down and become mindful of the moment while loosening our grip on the technology, responsibilities, and other “stuff” that clutters our lives, only then are we able to truly enjoy and embrace time together as a family. This is a beautifully written and inspiring book that reminds us to set a good example for our children by slowing down and enjoying the wonderful journey of parenting. ]]> Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:47:35 -0700 3101-1288 http://www.ncreview.com/self-help/bouncing-back-rewiring-your-brain-for-maximum-resilience-and-well-being The dishwasher breaks, the dog goes missing, a child become ill, we're stuck in traffic, a loved one dies. Stuff happens, and our early conditioning determines how we react. Do we fall apart or bounce back? Our ability to be resilient when faced with everyday challenges is a powerful coping strategy, and psychotherapist Linda Graham offers the tools and techniques to react in healthy ways when stressors hit. You'll learn to remain calm, see clearly, ask for help, call on your competencies, and find the courage to persevere. She leads you through a series of exercises to help you reclaim your balance in the short term when disaster strikes, and overwrite old patterns of reacting for the long term, based on the practices of mindfulness and psychology. An informative and highly readable book, Graham offers a nice balance between the scientific explanation of what's happening in our brains, and stories of actual clients who have learned to rewire theirs for the better. ]]> Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:02:08 -0700