Life-changing books and ideas...
 

GREAT BOOKS TO TOUCH YOUR SOUL AND AWAKEN YOU... I AM SEARCHING FOR BOOKS TO READ to nurture my Spirit.

Could you please post some fabulous reads here that you recommend? I happen to be prone to books about Life, Spirituality, facing adversity with courage and strength.

Life-altering books for me include: Gary Zucav's Seat of the Soul, Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth, most anything by Wayne Dyer -- You'll See It When You Believe It comes to mind, along with Your Sacred Self.

LET'S ALL SHARE, PLEASE...

With love, as always,

A book I recently read that I absolutely loved is called "The Shack" by William P. Young. It is fiction BUT it was awesome. Spritual and very thought provoking. It's almost as if I could feel God - almost like I was in His presence as I read. It gave me a lot to think about I'd highly recommend it. I even read it twice and have NEVER read a work of fiction more than once. (with about 6 months in between)

Just thought I'd chime in and share....

Mary Jo

Nothing like a stirring read
 

Thanks Mare. A friend of mine, who is a psychotherapist just mentioned The Shack to me. Said she hadn't read it yet, but it was highly recommended to her.

Appreciate your input. Will definitely check it out.

I also just read Rachel Naomi Remen's KITCHEN TABLE WISDOM and Andy Andrews THE TRAVELER'S GIFT. I often reread books I love, including these two.

I cannot read except with a pen in hand. I underline. Make notations in the margins. Can't help myself. I devour books word by word. When I reread, I just read my highlighted areas and it all returns to me. Just love being moved by words; when they touch my heart and reawaken things I never even knew I knew. When they are full of new Lessons to glean and rekindle ancient Knowings deeo inside me...

Andi

I also loved The Shack and Kitchen Table Wisdom! One book I can recommend is "Close to the Bone: Life-Threatening Illness as a Soul Journey" by Jean Bolen.

I liked the Shack, too. Also, I read a few books awhile ago by Og Mandino. One was something like, "The world's greatest salesman" or something like that. They were all good.

I'm reading 2 right now...
When everything changes, change everything
and
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken
ma

I was going to mention Gary Zukav...we love his stuff!!! Also Pema Chodron...she is a Buddist nun. This is a great thread. It would be fun to compile a booklist...!!!

I just read Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton and thought it was the most beautifully written book and spiritual, but not in a conventional way

One of my all-time favorites is The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter. A Native American tale, LOL funny, touching and spiritual. There author is somewhat controversial, but the book itself is wonderful IMO.

Happy summer reading :) I have a few books on my nightstand, but will check this thread again when I am finished with them.

I found Awakening Intuition by Mona Lisa Schulz, MD, Ph.D. to be interesting and useful.

Eat, Pray, Love

Anything by Wayne Dyer

Words can help us heal
 

I recently began reading HEALING WORDS by Caren Goldman. It was recommended to me by the rescue lady who brought Paul and me together with our two Maltese brothers 6 yrs ago. She is the sister of the author and was taken by my bc story and my belief in the mindbody connection. She was delighted to turn these two 3 mnth old pups who were so very sick and abused over to someone like me. She knew they would require special care and devoted healing techniques, beyond costly vet bills. Well, I finally got the book!

In it Caren refers to another book CLOSE TO THE BONE by Jean Sinoda Bolen in which that author explains how illness can initiate us into the Soul Realm. It is a threshold, forcing us to live on the edge, she is quoted as writing. I have personally found this to be true and am working on incorporating it into the book I have been working on writing for what seems like forever.

Through my bc experience I found new ways of knowing the world and myself. As we seek shelter from our anxiety, angst and anguish -- we seek significant connections. Hence this wonderful site full of others so much like us. Those who can uniquely understood what we are going through.

Bolen speaks of recovery occurring in and to the body and yet how it so profoundly affects the Soul. For me, bc has deepened my appreciation for Life's littlest of wonders. Sight and sound, the ability to feed oneself and bathe oneself, to walk and talk... True gifts not to be taken for granted.

Upon dx and throughout tx we face a maze of confusing information (which we gather from various sources, oncs, nurses, chemo mates and those we love and trust most in the world, even strangers). We have a cacophony of thoughts, fears and questions whirring about our heads all day.

What I discovered that is grand is that WE CAN CONTROL OUR THOUGHTS. We can therefore become the Master of Our Fate, by becoming the Captain of our Soul. When I consciously stop identifying myself as my mind (which can be wise and even brilliant but can also torment me to no end), when I align myself with my Truest Self, my Essence or Spirit -- I am connecting with a part of my divine Source. That is electrifying. Edifying. Enlightening!

We are never alone! And that is glorious.

My cousin just told me about an author she really enjoys reading who writes Life-Changing Fiction. Her name is Karen Kingsbury and she has written several series books. My cousin suggested reading some of the "Red Glove" series first, but she said every thing she has read by Kingsbury has been excellent.

Your cousin is right, Karen Kingsbury writes awesome fiction. I've read many of them and I, too, highly recommend them.

Mary Jo

Changing tragedy into triumph
 

I love good days. And on the bad days I always say, TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER.

Thanks all for your input. I now have the start of one great BOOK LIST.

Anyone ever read MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Victor E. Frankl?

He's a renowned psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. Victor speaks of surviving horrifying circumstances yet continuing to grow in the process. "We must never forget that we may also find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation, when facing a fate that cannot be changed".

He speaks of our uniquely human potential to transform tragedy into a triumph.

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

Andi,

I had to read Victor Frankl in my graduate studies. He is my hero. The book Man's Search for Meaning had a big impact on my life.

Amelia

Andi
 

I read Man's Search for Meaning about 20 years ago. When someone asks me what was the most profound book I have ever read this is the first book out of my mouth. We can't always control this situation, but we can control how we respond. True in every aspect of our lives.

I just finished reading "Get Well Again" by Carl Simonton. It's not a new book, but having just finished my year of Herceptin, I found it comforting to read just how normal our range of emotions are. It gives a lot of common self-help advice.
I was also recommended to read 'Love, Medicine, and Miracles".

the last speech was good. can't remeber the author's name. he was the professor who died from cancer, randy pausch maybe.

That's right Juanita....Randy Pausch....His book is called "The Last Lecture." It was good...I read it too.

Mary Jo

I recently read "Peace begins with me" by Ted Kuntz an excellent book about dealing with fear and anxiety no matter what the circumstances. I can't say enough good about this book..The depth yet simplicity was great.