Reviews written by Sarah-Beth

This is a fascinating book that helps you identify your creative personality type. Although everyone is creative, knowing your personality type will help unleash your creative potential and build your creative skills to succeed in an increasingly competitive world, say the authors. Whether your passion is for the sciences, the arts, the trades or technology, this book will reveal how to use your creative style to develop an environment of innovation at home and at work that is best suited for you.

A simple quiz at the beginning of the book based largely on the Myers-Briggs Personality type categories helps you build your creative profile. Are you an organizer, a facilitator, a visionary? Are you extraverted or introverted, a thinking or feeling person, a judging or perceiving person, or a sensing or intuitive person? These and other preferences combined reveal creative temperaments, and from this we can ascertain our creative type. This book guides you through the 16 creative types, describing the pros and cons of each.

The authors have made this an easy-to-read-and-follow guide to discovering your creative self. Both are experts in psychological typing and assessment. As well as helping you to find your creative type, the book has a final section on using your creative talents to maximum effect and cultivating courageous creativity in your life: decision-making, creative solutions, your best learning style, communication, and collaboration. A must-read for anyone who wants to use their creativity to fulfill their potential.

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.

It's About You! is the first book of a trilogy. This first book is about Knowing your Self and it aims to take you on a journey of self-discovery. Encompassing teachings from science, psychology, philosophy, metaphysics and spirituality, Johnson has written a comprehensive book to help readers clarify their purpose in life.

Part one of It's About You!: Knowing Your Self looks at consciousness and the non-physical you including chapters on reawakening to intent, formation of the non-physical you, and your natural powers. Part two takes us into the realm of consciousness and the physical you from your subconscious to your ego and your personality. Part three looks at the creational keys to your physical experience including your truths, your beliefs and your thought processes.

Packed with information and advice on how to manage the key areas of your life, Johnson has written an astounding book that will really sing to your soul and help you to live a more joyful life. He draws on the teachings of 'channeled guides' including Seth, Abraham and Elias which makes for extremely interesting reading. Johnson himself works as a transpersonal teacher and has explored in depth the information contained within various metaphysical sources including The Seth Material.

If you like this book, you can read further titles to aid you on your personal journey. Look out for the second book in the trilogy, Free Your Self, and the third, Live Your Purpose.

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.

Making your Creative Mark: Nine Keys to Achieving your Artistic Goals is another great book on creativity from Eric Maisel, America's foremost creativity coach. Following on from other titles such as Coaching the Artist Within and Mastering Creative Anxiety, Maisel shares more of his knowledge and wisdom gained from 30 years of experience coaching creative individuals.

Written with great insight and perception, Maisel reaches into the souls of creative people and inspires them to get past any blocks or issues to fulfil their true creative potential. Throughout the book, Maisel uses stories from his own practice to illuminate how challenges to the creative life can be met head on.

Maisel identifies nine keys to success, including passion, confidence, freedom, identity, and stress. Each key contains food for thought, and practical tips and suggestions to help you achieve your creative goals. For instance, the chapter about passion will help artists to regain their sense of purpose and motivate them on to create great works of art despite the challenges that they face.

Whether you are a writer, painter, sculptor, actor, or singer, this book will speak to you and aid your quest for creativity. This is a highly recommended book and something that will stay on for my shelf for a very long time.

This is an absolutely brilliant little book for anyone who wants to delve into their future and find their purpose using Chaldean numerology.

You Were Born to Succeed starts with an introduction to numerology and where it fits in relation to science, spirit and the occult. It then explores the mystery of numbers and the spiritual principles that drive us. The second part of the book, entitled “The Technology,” tells you all you need to know to compile your own Chaldean Soul Chart.

Fairbrother guides you step-by-step through your own numerology chart and how to determine the numbers that reveal your purpose, direction, inner desire, outer life. From there, the author guides you through another layer of numerology by figuring your pinnacles and challenges, as well as your personal years and months. An easy to follow chart is provided to record your findings or jot down your calculations for family and friends.

The author, a psychotherapist who uses Chaldean numerology as an assessment tool in her own practice enthuses, “It’s the easiest and most accurate tool an individual can use to gain knowledge of who they are, what they are doing here, and where they are going.”

If you are interested in finding out your purpose and interpreting the cycles that occur in your life, then read this book with a notepad and pen at hand. And maybe a calculator too! Highly recommended.

Thunk! is a brilliant little book for anyone who can’t stop thinking and is prone to constant thoughts whirring around in their mind. The author, Sandy C Newbigging, says if this sounds like you, you are being thunk! It’s time to use your mind rather than letting your mind use you.

Sandy is a meditation teacher and creator of the Mind Detox Method. In this book, he demonstrates how excessive thinking is harmful to the body and how we can channel the endless thoughts that bombard us every day. We have around 100,000 thoughts on a daily basis and not all of them are positive. Sandy has developed Mind Mastery which he explains in this book: a way to manage your thoughts so you can find peace.

Each chapter contains practical tips and easy exercises for you to try out. Sandy writes with such humor and inspiration that you can easily follow his instructions to find peace of mind. He explains how to focus on the context rather than the content of your thoughts as well as de-mystifying meditation for people who believe they can’t do it.

This book shows you ways to change how you relate to your emotions, your thoughts and how to keep calm and carry on! And you can do this right now with the help of Sandy’s wisdom and practical advice. Read Thunk! for a new journey to inner peace.

A Guide to Zen is a delightful bite-sized book that introduces you to the writings of the Zen Master, Katsuiki Sekida. Sekida began his practice in 1915 and trained at several monasteries in Japan as well as teaching in the Honolulu Zendo and Maui Zendo. His works were published as Zen Training in 1975 in a book containing over 100,000 words.

Marc Allen who has edited Sekida's teachings into this shorter, more accessible format spent six months living and studying with Sekida at the Maui Zendo in Hawaii. It was his job to type up Sekida's writings and he has been deeply influenced by this great master ever since.

The book summarises the essence of Zen practice and continues with a complete course in Zen meditation. It looks at specific Zen practices such as the 'One-Minute Zazen' and comments on a Zen classic, In Search of Missing Ox.

It has been edited to make Zen practices easily understandable and to pass on the teachings of Sekida to a new generation. As Marc Allen says "I pray that this book helps you in your understanding of Zen. I pray that it touches you and affects the quality of your life in countless miraculous ways."

Highly recommended for anyone interested in finding out more about Zen or for students, new and old, who wish to be inspired by Sekida's insight and wisdom.

A Unified Theory of Happiness is an in-depth look at how true happiness is a unification of Eastern and Western thought. Zen psychologist, Andrea Polard, has researched a wealth of information on happiness over 20 years and shares her theories with us in this book.

She begins by asking us how we view happiness. What does being happy really mean? There are as many answers to this as there are people. We all uniquely define happiness but Andrea arrives at a definition that balances our active participation in life, what she terms the Basic Mode and our non-active participation in life, the Supreme Mode. These both marry Eastern and Western thought to create a balance in our lives from which happiness stems.

There is a happiness questionnaire in chapter two that helps you to see where your balance lies. The Basic Mode is scored on answers to questions concerning ambition, competence, connection, and confidence. The Supreme Mode asks you to score yourself in the areas of receptivity, tranquillity, reliance, and lightheartedness. Each area has its own chapter and you are encouraged to assess where you have low scores and to read the appropriate section of the book.

Each chapter contains exercises and things to do so that you can work on increasing your scores and achieving happiness. Andrea ends her book by explaining the Theory of Elastic Consciousness - the balance we can find that is in accordance with the whole of life and a synthesis of Western and Eastern thought.

A truly comprehensive book filled with practical ways in which to achieve happiness. It contains many thought-provoking passages which will have you thinking long after you have put this book down.

The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women is a truly inspirational book that will motivate its readers to set their creativity free. Now in its 10th anniversary edition, Gail McMeekin shares the stories of 45 successful authors, artists, and businesswomen in this portable mentoring guide. The ups and downs of a creative life are examined with wisdom and clarity providing inspiration to women who know they can be truly creative.

Being a career coach herself, Gail has defined three areas or 'Gateways' through which every creative woman travels. The first gateway, Engaging your Creativity, asks us to acknowledge our creative selves and to honor our inspirations and fascinations. The second gateway, Mastering your Challenges as a Creative Woman, helps us by looking at the ways in which we can conquer our saboteurs, transcend rejections and build empowering alliances. Moving on to the third gateway, Actualising Creative Results: The Power of Positive Priorities, Gail shares stories that will help you to achieve your creative goals.

Gail writes from the heart when she explores how women are vulnerable to internal voices. In her chapter on Conquering Saboteurs, she says "Self-doubt looms ominously for women. Creative people often work outside a supportive structure, so maintaining confidence in our selves and our work requires vigilance". This book helps to boost your confidence and unleash your creative potential.

Packed full of tips and advice from a world of creative women, this book also includes inspirational quotes that will make you think, laugh and nod your head in agreement. Any woman who wishes to be more creative or is struggling with their creativity should read this book.

Living Nonviolent Communication is a great book that helps us to understand where communication can go wrong and what we can do to improve it. Its author, Marshall Rosenberg, is the founder of the Center for Nonviolent Communication and his work has taken him across the globe to initiate peace programs in war-torn countries. He uses the skills that he has gained to share with readers ways in which they can improve their lives with nonviolent communication.

Rosenberg's book looks at five key areas of communication; conflict resolution, healing and reconciliation, anger, loving relationships, raising children, and spiritual practice. He uses dialogue, role plays, and scenarios to give examples of communication and where it can be improved. Each chapter gives the reader simple tools and effective techniques to benefit their own relationships and interactions.

One core belief in Rosenberg's book is that we need to communicate our needs and listen to the needs of others rather than making judgements or refusing to really listen. Too often we don't hear what someone is trying to tell us or find it difficult to see what needs they are trying to defend. This book illuminates the process of communication, where it can go wrong and what you can do about it.

Written with an informal style and easy-to-follow techniques, Rosenberg has produced a book that can really make a difference to the way in which people communicate. As he says, "I hope it strengthens your awareness of the precious flow of communication that allows conflicts to be resolved so that everyone's needs are fulfilled."

Impossible Realities is a brilliant book that explains the science behind psychokinesis, remote viewing, reincarnation, and other 'Black Swan' phenomena. Maureen Caudhill uses the analogy of Brunhilda and the white swans to disprove the theory that all swans are white. There are black swans too as much as there are paranormal phenomena and scientific explanations for why they occur.

Cauldhill spent many years as a computer scientist before she discovered that psychic skills are available to everyone, and this changed her perspective on what we know about science. Using empirical evidence and anecdotal stories, she illuminates the existence and power of psychic and paranormal activity throughout her book. She concentrates on eight 'Black Swan' phenomena; psychokinesis, remote viewing, energy healing, telepathy, animal telepathy, precognition, survival after death, and reincarnation. Each chapter contains evidence collected through years of research and proof that these phenomena do exist.

Cauldhill has been as surprised by the results of her research as many skeptics will be. For example, her recounting of her own remote viewing experiences are extraordinary. As she says, "Remote viewing is one of the most commonly discussed, and perhaps most poorly understood, of the psychic phenomena. A lot of misinformation about remote viewing is out in the popular press..." This chapter looks at the process and experiments that have been conducted that inform our opinions of remote viewing.

It is one of many chapters that will leave you with much food for thought. Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, there is something in this book for everyone and it is a highly recommended read.

Master Creative Anxiety is a great book by Eric Maisel that will help writers, painters, musicians and actors to cope with any anxiety their creative life brings them. He looks at the key issues that stop creative people from doing, completing, and sharing their work with others and suggests ways in which to combat the stresses and strains of a creative life.

Each chapter looks at where anxiety might spring from, such as working, thinking, failing, and choosing (or not choosing) the creative life. Maisel deals with each in turn and suggests one of twenty-two anxiety management techniques he has identified that will help creatives deal with that particular stumbling block. The techniques he uses include cognitive work, incanting, deep breathing, and physical relaxation techniques. As Maisel says "Experiment with the twenty-two anxiety-reduction strategies, learn which ones work for you, and begin to use those that work best."

The chapters are well laid out with each containing a story that illuminates how anxiety can affect your life and what you can do to avoid it. There is also a vow that you can use as a mantra and a 'to do' section to prompt you into dealing with your anxiety in a positive way.

Maisel writes clearly and succinctly, drawing on his experience as a creativity coach, to offer support and encouragement to anyone with creative leanings. This is a highly recommended book for writers, actors, painters and musicians everywhere.

Mystic Journey by Robert Atkinson is a fantastic book about journeying to the soul and getting in touch with our deeper selves from a multi-faith perspective. It is a journey that we do not take alone as there are universal motifs, archetypes, and patterns from our sacred traditions that can help us to discover who we truly are.

Atkinson shows great insight in helping readers to understand that soul-making is an eternal journey. We can shift our current perspective to allow us to remember who we are at our innermost depth, letting universal motifs and patterns be our guide and comfort, and cultivating the qualities and values at the heart of our common spiritual heritage. Written with clarity and inspiration, this book shines a light on one of the most meaningful journeys we can take.

The book is structured in three parts to help us along our soul-making spiritual path. The structure is easy to follow and deals with each of the developmental steps in turn. Part one is about remembering who we are. Part two details how we can re-vision our lives within a timeless pattern and part three leads us onto to considering how to reclaim our common spiritual heritage. Each part contains insightful practices and reflections in order for us to tune into our inner thoughts.

Robert Atkinson, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized authority in helping people tell their life stories and he is also professor of human development and religious studies at the University of Southern Maine. Drawing on his years of experience, Atkinson states "Life is tough, but the existence of (a) timeless pattern ensures that we will persist in the developmental way we are designed to, despite difficulties, in order to continue to grow". This book is all about growth at our deepest, most meaningful level and is a recommended read for all those wanting to take their spiritual journey a step further.

The ADD Myth is a fascinating book that shines new light on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Written by Martha Burge, an ADHD coach and mother of two ADHD sons, this book proposes that ADHD is actually based on five intense personality traits.

Burge believes that people with ADHD have intense personalities that should be seen as a gift rather than a psychosis. She explains each of the five intense personality traits; sensual, psychomotor, intellectual, creative, and emotional, and how these personalities exist along a neurodiversity spectrum.

Her chapters are full of insight as she shares her own story of raising her two children and how she sought alternatives when traditional drug treatment failed. Packed with practical advice and practice steps, she writes of concrete ways in which individuals with ADHD can help themselves. From creating a safe and hospitable world to valuing development and growth, this book is full of advice and inspiration.

The ADD Myth will really challenge your assumptions about ADHD and help people who have been diagnosed and wish to live more fulfilling lives. Burge uses the analogy of the story about the ugly duckling. She says, "Intense people are like the swan, and finding that out can change everything." An inspiring book that is highly recommended.

Expand This Moment is a great book that teaches a fast, easy, and effective way to meditate. Based on twelve focus phrases, it can be used to regain a sense of well-being and alleviate stressful thoughts in as little as three minutes.

The book is split into twelve chapters; each one concentrating on one of the focus phrases and how to integrate them into your life. As you learn each phrase, they will build up to a holistic meditation that will promote spiritual development and emotional healing.

The first set of phrases are geared to helping you by focusing on being in the here and now. They enable you to quiet your mind and heighten a peaceful state. The next set of phrases are for emotional healing and assistance in achieving a deeper meditative state. The third and final set of phrases help you to tune into yourself and be open to the insights that await you before leading you out of meditation and back to the present.

The author of this book, John Selby, writes with insight and clarity. He brings over thirty decades of working in therapy, cognitive research and mindfulness coaching to his writing. He understands that not everyone has the time to practice meditation and this had led to his development of this shorter form which he hopes everyone will be able to integrate into their busy, daily lives.

Peppered with life stories and the teachings of his spiritual mentors, Expand This Moment is an invaluable guide that will quiet your mind and brighten your mood. Highly recommended.

The Monks and Me is an extremely enjoyable tale of one woman's stay in a French monastery. Mary Paterson, the Founder and Director of Toronto's Lotus Yoga Centre, opens her soul to us as she relates her story of a 40-day stay in Plum Village in the countryside of Bordeaux. Packed full of Mary's revelations and humour, this is an entertaining and thought-provoking read.

Mary uses each day of her stay at Thich Nhat Hanh's retreat to tell us of her experiences and what she learns about herself and the world around her. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Nobel Prize-nominated Buddhist monk, and his teachings come alive in this book through Mary's insightfulness. She tells us of how, as she listens to him for the first time, she becomes "suffused with a warm, buzzing sensation."

You begin to feel the power of Thich Nhat Hanh's philosophy as Mary recounts his teachings and shares with us her stay in his monastery. Forty short chapters such as “How Not to Become Superwoman,” “The Day the Monk Lit up my Spine,” and “How a Fat Suitcase Taught me to Surrender,” contain both wisdom and enlightenment.

We follow Mary as she befriends other guests and finds out more about the monks she is staying with. From the “Cat Killer” to the “Woman Who Made Her Soup,” we are swept up in Mary's journey as if we were there with her. A truly well-written and enjoyable read.

Forks in the Dishwasher is an inspiring little book that will really get you thinking. Written by Vilate Bolanos, a registered nurse, it shares her refreshing wisdom and philosophies for life. Vilate began writing after her children were born, to encourage them to consider thought-provoking questions on a variety of subjects. This led her on a spiritual journey that she shares with us here.

Each chapter is written from the heart, and contains Vilate's life stories and what she learned from her experiences. We follow along with Vilate as she contemplates ideas such as free will, making decisions, getting what you give, and balance. At the end of each chapter she asks several thought-provoking questions and there is a notes section for writing down what comes to mind. Try considering new notions, like whether your body's energy is stronger than a television’s, or how the world would change if we met people's basic needs.

In the final chapter is a selection of exercises to expand your own way of thinking that are easy to do and won't require a huge amount of effort. Vilate has structured the book so that you can read her own reflections after you have considered your own: there are no right or wrong answers, just self-learning.

This is an amazing book packed full of spiritual philosophy that is easy to understand. As Vilate says, "think big, investigate, question, examine, and see what feels true to you in your heart." This book will really open your mind.

The Five Keys to Mindful Communication is a significant book aimed at strengthening relationships, healing conflicts, and accomplishing your goals through effective communication. Chapman explains how we can use key tools such as silence, mirroring, and encouragement to improve our relationships with others. With chapters on the keys to mindful presence, listening, speech, relationships, and responses, Chapman shares engaging stories and practical tools for developing your own communication skills.

Using the analogy of the three colors of a stoplight (red, orange and green), Chapman shows us how to be more aware of how we are communicating, and to recognise what style of communication we are using. For example, we learn how to recognise—to be mindful—when we are in an 'orange light' situation, and how to manage our feelings before they escalate to the red light zone. As Chapman says, mindfulness “strengthens our emotional immune system...so that we are less affected by the small, everyday problems in our relationships."

Chapman helps us to understand what it looks like and means to have a “we-first” attitude rather than a “me-first” mindset. Being “we-first” can strengthen our relationships and support us in maintaining mindfulness in our daily lives. Having an awake body, tender heart, and open mind connects us to our own healthiness and green light emotions.

Written with insight and clarity, this book is an essential aid to communication with every person we encounter in our lives. Anyone with a keen interest in improving their relationships and effective communication will find some valuable information when reading this book.

A Little Book of Love is a special book of Buddhist teachings for awakening the heart. Written by Moh Hardin, a senior teacher in the Shambala Buddhist lineage, it draws on his years of teaching to bring us advice on how to bring happiness to ourselves and the world around us.

This book is introduced with an explanation of the way of love and is then divided into two parts: “Starting at Home” and “Thinking Bigger.” One of the most important teachings in Starting at Home is how to be your own best friend. Moh explains that in order to cultivate our loving relationships, we first have to love ourselves. He offers profound knowledge, and advice, to help us follow a path to greater enlightenment.

Part one continues by looking at how we can love our partners and our children. Moh describes how to use the bodhichitta practice of “flashing generosity” to open our understanding beyond our preconceived ideas and to reflect upon a person, a new and fresh sense of friendship and warmth in the current moment.

Part two focuses on happiness for all beings and how our wishes can be a motivating force for goodness. The path of the “bodhisattva warrior”—one who is open to themselves, others, and the world is not easy. Moh discusses how a person can commit to living with an open heart and sharing their love to ease the world of its suffering, ultimately finding true fulfilment in their lives.

Written in a warm and friendly style, these teachings are presented in a way that is truly inspiring. A Little Book of Love is recommended for anyone wanting to awaken their heart.

Get What You Want: the Art of Making and Manifesting your Intentions is a great little book to dip into again and again. Written by Tony Burroughs, a co-founder of Intender's Circles, it is a compilation of key teachings from “The Information” that was introduced to him by a philosopher-sage—a body of deep teachings and lessons on how to live a life of love, peace, and abundance. As a “go-to” book, Tony invites readers to use this book by stating a quick intention and then opening the book randomly to any page to find words of wisdom that are relevant, rather than reading it from cover to cover.

Get What You Want contains teachings that encompass many aspects of our lives. Fourteen chapters cover relationships, nature, freedom, healing, letting go, and much, much more. Within each chapter, there are a selection of teachings including renewing, expanding, shining light, the essence of beauty, and staying positive. Each is a valuable read, and each only takes five minutes! The teachings start with a quote, expand on the topic, and then finish with an intention for the day.

Tony also fully explains the intention process and how we can start each day anew by making fresh intentions. Easy-to-read and include in your life, this book is highly recommended for all those who want to make and manifest the best of intentions.

Earth is your Sweet Spot is a little book of feminine wisdom. Written by Ellae Elinwood and Mary Lanier, this book combines the knowledge of both authors, to help women to live beautiful lives.

Packed with practical and supportive information, it reminds us of the importance of our Earth and women's connection to it. With chapters on vitality, female power, reciprocity, instinctive wisdom, and much more, Earth is your Sweet Spot, guides us into reconnecting with the world around us.

Each chapter contains tips and suggestions on subjects such as connecting your body to your space, manifesting through your body, and remembering your femininity. We are reminded to nurture ourselves and to align with Earth's energies as we go about our daily lives. Simple advice like going for a walk but changing your route can help us to refresh the way we look at the world.

The authors tell us that our connection to the Earth can guide, renew, balance and inspire us to live our lives more holistically and that the very gift of being female connects us to Mother Earth. It can even enrich our relationships with men and help us to hold on to our feminine power.

This book is a powerful reminder of what it means to be a woman and to tap into your deepest feminine self. A pleasure to read and all the practical suggestions are easy to follow and accept into your life. An essential book for becoming in tune with Earth's energies and remembering who we are - no woman should be without it.

Emergence is an outstanding book that delivers the concept of what it means to be a Universal Human. As the world around us shifts and changes, it suggests that a new type of human being is beginning to emerge.

This book is a guide to the emergence process, and the steps we can take on our evolutionary path. Starting at infancy, and growing into childhood, and youth, we can follow stages that will help us evolve into Universal Humans.

The author, Barbara Marx Hubbard, is an evolutionary educator and co-founder of the Foundation for Conscious Evolution. She has written this book after experiencing these steps during her own life journey. Written in an easy to follow style, she makes a clear case for a need for humans to evolve into a better species, one that is connected through their heart to the whole of life.

Each chapter in this book begins with a story to illuminate the process and is followed with guidance. You are encouraged to keep a journal as you work through the ten stages, and each chapter gives you ideas for what to include in your journal. From entering your inner sanctuary to fulfilling the promise, each step is explained and expanded upon so that your own path becomes clearer.

If you wish to take a step toward the future and your own evolution, then this is a book for you.

Rethinking Depression is an interesting and provocative book that examines how we think about mental health, and how we can create a life packed with personal meaning. Maisel writes that "the word depression has virtually replaced unhappiness in our internal vocabularies." Unhappiness is a natural response to life's trials but that doesn't mean that it should be medicated.

He suggests that depression is a pharmaceutical response to unhappiness. If we realize that depression has been created by doctors, mental health professionals, and drugs companies then we can learn to shed such mental health labels and begin to work on what makes us unhappy.

Part One of this book looks at how mental disorders are created, and what 'treatments' really do. Part Two looks at putting together an existential plan to give your life meaning. The key element of coping with unhappiness, and freeing yourself from the label of 'depression', is to give your life personal meaning.

Maisel explores subjects such as deciding to matter, honoring your wants and needs, creating a life purpose vision, and engaging in self-care. Having worked with individuals seeking help with mood and motivation, Maisel has produced a book that is packed with sound advice and informative direction.

For a different perspective on mental health, and help with creating a more healthy life plan, read Rethinking Depression. As Maisel says, "Reject the very idea of depression and make meaning instead."

Instructions for Happiness and Success is a manual for creating the life you choose. Presented as a ringbound workbook , it's packed full of information about how to think about your life, and exercises for you to complete and fill in.

Part A introduces you to the principles of mind activity, and how to unlock the power of your subconscious. With chapters including attract, imagine, affirm, vibrate, ask, and align, you are asked to consider the universal laws, and to incorporate them into your life. Some of the sections are accompanied by audios to help you tune into the deeper areas of your mind, and to visualise all that you want from life.

Part B is about the manifesting process, and how to create any life experience that you choose. There are exercises to help you reorganise your beliefs, counter things that hold you back, free your mind, and manifest your own abundance.

Part C completes the manual by providing you with a toolkit of 25 techniques that can help you to bring what you desire into your life: including laughing your socks off, reviewing your life so far, and creating your own avatar. The book ends with a great abundance checklist so you can track from month to month how abundant you are in each area of your life.

This is a really positive book that gets you to work through each area of your life in easy step-by-step exercises. Written with insight and knowledge, Susie Pearl has created a manual that will really change the way you think, and open up your life to a new you. For anyone seeking practical guidance and application toward change, this manual is highly recommended.

The Big E is a brilliant book that introduces the concepts of energy in a humorous way. Using colloquialisms that we hear every day like 'ignorance is bliss', 'out of the frying pan and into the fryer', and 'if at first you don't succeed...try, try again', we learn to see how simple sayings can reinforce negative feelings and how to turn them around.

This book aims to help you create anything you want by showing you how to unleash the power of your own energy, by noticing when you give your power away, and how you can change your thought processes to achieve a more positive state. 'Everything is energy,' the authors say and this is shown through gems of everyday wisdom.

Organised by colloquialisms, each section of The Big E is never more than two pages. This makes this book great for dipping into, to give yourself a boost, or to have something to mull over. It could be used as a daily read with over 100 sayings to choose from.

Jarrad Hewett and Dee Wallace write with conviction, humour and joy. Easy to read and scattered with jokes that will make you laugh out loud, this is a pleasurable read that is highly recommended.

Gikandi has written a great book to help us change how we feel about wealth, money, and happiness. He believes that money is an illusion, and one which we use up too much of our energy on. True wealth is not just about having enough money in the bank but about having abundance and joy in our lives he tells us. The secret to true wealth is found inside and in our connection to the world around us.

Gikandi makes his case by looking at quantum physics, how we relate to time, and how the images that we create can work for us, positively or negatively. Imagination creates physical reality and Gikandi urges us to imagine our lives as we want them to be. He stresses that certainty is the most powerful force for achieving life’s goals.

Other chapters look at giving, success, purpose, gratitude, and consciousness. One of the most important concepts that shines through in this book is that we need to find ourselves in the Here and Now, rather than worrying about the past and the future. Wealth, abundance and joy find us as we are today.

Throughout this book, Gikandi’s enthusiasm and belief are apparent and infectious. Although this book is primarily about being wealth conscious and having infinite abundance in the here and now, it is also jam-packed with inspirational quotes and comments that will affect many parts of your life—a book to dip into time and time again.

‘Goodbye, Friend’ is a beautiful book that offers advice and comfort to anyone who has lost a beloved pet. Packed full of heart-warming stories and compassionate tales, it helps us to accept such loss and begin the healing process.

Kowalski, a Unitarian Universalist minister, has years of experience helping his parishioners to deal with their grief when they lose their closest companions. He suggests that the death of a pet may represent the greatest loss some people have ever encountered, yet it is one that often goes unacknowledged. In his words, “It hurts and we need to say so.”

This book can help assuage a pet owner’s grief by offering practical advice for creating rituals to honor a pet’s death and helping children recover from their loss. A special selection of readings and poems also offer comfort and can be used for personal leave-taking ceremonies.

Kowalski reminds us that during a time of grief we must look after ourselves as we have looked after our pet companions. We still need to eat, exercise, sleep, have fun and seek companionship as our animals would have done. His words are caring and compassionate, leading us to a sense of peace and harmony at such an emotional time.

This book is essential reading for anyone who has recently lost a pet or fears the death of their aging companion.

Druid and ecologist, John Michael Greer, introduces spiritual ecology in this illuminating book. He presents seven laws that are the foundation of “mystery traditions ”— ancient knowledge and truth concerning the rebirth of humans into higher consciousness. From the first law of wholeness to the seventh law of evolution, the core tenets of the mystery teachings are revealed in this powerful book.

Greer disagrees that we create our own realities, and offers another perspective for understanding this concept, one that shows how we are connected to nature and the ecological laws that govern our world. He readily admits that his book challenges many of the popular teachings of our times. He asks us to put aside what we think we know and to view the seven fundamental laws as a way of understanding that the universe around us is also the universe within us.

This book has been written as an everyday guide to bring the mystery teachings into your own life and aid you on your spiritual path. With passion and deep understanding of the natural world and the gifts it can bring us, Greer provides meditations, affirmations, and themes for reflection on each law so that we too can cultivate a deeper relationship with the world around us.

Deborah King's book explores how suppressing the truth can lead to illness and emotional blockages. Through her own experience of childhood abuse, Deborah illuminates how holding on to negative past experiences can be physically damaging. Her own journey took her through an abusive childhood, through a personal battle with cancer, and into becoming a health and wellness expert.

This book shares her insights and expertise whilst asking readers to open themselves up to the truths their bodies may be hiding. King uses cases studies and her own story to show how each chakra can become blocked or affected by emotions, leading to illness. Our bodies can suppress our feelings to a point where we never speak of the reality of our lives. King urges us to live with our truths and set them free, healing ourselves in the process.

Each chapter contains a checklist that helps readers to decide whether their chakras are balanced. King then gives tips and advice on how to redress any imbalances and lead a more truthful life. Going forward, King asks us to imagine a world in which truth is all important. Not only for us but our families, our children and the people that surround us.

The author tells her story with an honesty about her abuse that is sometimes hard to read. However, her strength and courage shine through. Any reader will be inspired to follow her lead in their own journey to the truth. This book is highly recommended for people who are seeking their truths and to anyone who wishes to move further on their path to self-discovery.