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Category: Self Help

Review: 12 Magic Wands by Gregory G. Bolich

[ 3 ] May 25, 2011

Reviewed by Joanne Lakomski

12 Magic Wands is not going to teach you the magic of Hogwarts and Harry Potter. I was a bit disappointed. I found the idea of meeting life’s challenges with a white-ash wand and rhymes very appealing. The wands that G. G. Bolich offers are wands that cultivate a deeper awareness of self in order to better meet life’s challenges.

Gregory G. Bolich is a professor and psychologist, and writes in the fields of psychology, religion, and spirituality. 12 Magic Wands falls into the self-help genre, and brings to bear the author’s experiences as a professor and therapist supporting people by tapping into magic. “Magic is just one path,” Bolich writes, “that offers aid along the challenging journey of life.”

After opening the book with a discussion to differentiate magic, science, and religion, Bolich proposes that we engage in some ‘as if’ thinking. That means that we read the book ‘as if’ magic is real even while suspecting it is just a metaphor for an imaginative psychological perspective. That worked for me.

Bolich divides the realm of magic into four arenas: Physical, Instrumental, Imaginative, and Sympathetic. Within each arena are three ‘Wands’. Within each Wand’s chapter, Bolich provides vignettes from his experience where waving the Wand worked magic for the situation, and then he offers practical suggestions for enabling yourself to the use the Wand.

For example, in Physical Magic is the Wand of Breath. The author relates the story of a student hyper-ventilating from stress. The shallow breathing led to feelings of panic. The magic of breath brought attention to the breathing patterns of the student allowing her to slow her breathing. Cupping her hands over her mouth and nose then allowed the blood chemistry to return to normal. The exercises offered by the author under the Wand of Breath included activities around posture, body awareness, and breathing patterns; and help solidify the magic of Breath into the practitioner’s life.

This book worked for me and I am applying the concepts here and there. I have been playing with the Wand of Sanctuary; valuing quiet places that offer a sense of being set apart to help me quiet my very busy mind. This morning I walked to Lake Erie and out to the end of a stone jetty. It was just me and the lake. My brain rested. I slowed. I left feeling more centered, at peace yet energized, and ready to face the day. It felt like magic.

I found the concepts of 12 Magic Wands to be a unique and creative frame to shift behaviors and increase awareness. And, though familiar with some of the concepts, Bolich’s use of them as magic freed me to ‘play’ instead of ‘try’. I say, go for it and wave some magic wands!

Rating: 3/5

Joanne is an organization development and human resources professional with a business background living in Ohio. She has lived in Europe, Africa (including her Peace Corps service in South Africa), and arround the United States. She loves to plays volleyball, read, write, and has a cat named Ender.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Square One Publishers. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Blog Tour: Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

[ 6 ] March 30, 2011

Please join Joshua Foer, author of Moonwalking with Einstein, as he tours the blogosphere with TLC Book Tours!

Reviewed by Erin McKibbin

What do the Greek poet Simonides of Ceos, the psychologists Hermann Ebbinghaus and George Miller, and Dom DeLuise hula-hooping have in common? They are all various chapters in the centuries long journey and research into the realm of mnemonics. Dictionary.com defines mnemonic as “something intended to assist the memory, as a verse or formula.” Joshua Foer, a freelance journalist, defines it as a path to a vital truth: “In every way that matters, we are the sum of our memories.”

In the fine tradition of other Gonzo Journalists, Foer doesn’t just tell the story of the history of memory through to the current world wide memory championships, he lives it. His voyage begins in a Manhattan auditorium where he observed the 2005 US Memory Championship and met Ed Cooke, a memory savant from Britain and regular participant in the arts memorativa (art of memory). Instead of just writing an article for a magazine about memory, Foer allows Cooke to take him under his wing and train him for the 2006 US Memory Championship. With the help of mnemonics experts throughout the ages, Foer not only discovers the rich cultural history involved in remembering, he arrives in the Con Edison headquarters one year later to give memory experts such as Maurice Stoll a run for their money.

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything is a fascinating study about remembering. Man has been attempting to increase his ability to remember since ancient Greece and despite the advances in “external memory” (paper, books, the internet), the human race still finds it needs the ability to fill their minds, and lives, with memories. Joshua Foer does a fantastic job in proving that with largely forgotten methods, we can all improve our memories.

Rating: 4.5/5

Erin fell in love with the written word as a small child and subsequently spent most of her life happily devouring literature. She works as a freelance news, marketing, and technical writer as well as a full-time researcher/investigator in the sign industry. Erin lives just outside of Cleveland, Ohio enjoying the beauty of life with her children and grandchildren.

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Penguin Press HC. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Inspirations: Selections from Classic Literature by Paulo Coelho

[ 4 ] February 19, 2011

Reviewed by Joanne L.

In Inspirations: Selections from Classic Literature, Paulo Coelho has compiled selections of the works of a marvelous array of writers including Nelson Mandela, George Orwell, Kahlil Gibran, Mary Shelley, Hans Christian Andersen, and Machiavelli.

Coelho showed brilliance in formatting the selections into the “four different substances, uncreated and imperishable: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire…” The writing selections and their connections to the elements are subtle and inspired. Coehlo also provided notes about the connections he makes between the selection and their ‘substance’.

During my reading, I found myself assessing the writings for my own assignment into fire, water, earth, or air. I am framing the world with the concept now, too….news, movies, television shows. The framing and reframing using the elements deepens my appreciation for and understanding of this complex world.

Coelho’s opening section was Water associated psychologically and in more esoteric practices with emotions, relationships, creativity, and imagination. One of his selections came from the prologue of Tales from the Thousand and One Nights. Shahrazad uses imaginitive inventions to prolong her life while spinning an on-going story for the king. I recognized in the story her use of creativity, invention, and emotions, concepts common in metaphors associated with water and with the flowing river of life.

In the Fire section of the book, Coehlo taps into a breadth of writings stretching from the Rig Veda (ancient Sanskrit hymns) to an excerpt from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Here he focuses upon fire energy as a destroyer, as heat, as passion with or passion towards. In a selection from Kahil Gibran’s The Prophet; “…He threshes you to make you naked. He sifts you to free you from your husks. He grinds you to whiteness. He kneads you until you are pliant; And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God’s sacred feast.” The language itself generates heat!

There is so much fine writing in the world; writing from today and yesterday, and writing from long ago and far away from me and my experiences. Coelho’s selections reminded me of some writings and introduced me to others. I found Inspirations both rich and evocative. So much so that I tapped into the synchronicity of reading this book near the year-end holidays, and bought four copies to give as gifts.

Rating: 5/5

Joanne is an organization development and human resources professional with a business background living in Ohio. She has lived in Europe, Africa (including her Peace Corps service in South Africa), and arround the United States. She loves to plays volleyball, read, write, and has a cat named Ender.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Penguin Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Iron Butterflies: Women Transforming Themselves and the World by Birute Regine

[ 3 ] October 29, 2010

Reviewed by Claudia R.

“Like the mountains the collective power of women stands alone and, at the same time, is connected to and is part of something bigger than itself. I knew then, as I stood at the river’s edge gazing at the distant purple summit, that as we press forward for social transformation, Iron Butterflies are always alone and never alone; we are paradoxically one.”

Iron Butterflies, by Birute Regine, is a conglomeration of female role model experiences gleaned by the author over a period of time and a span of eight countries. Broken down in to 13 chapters, Iron Butterflies encourages female readers to stand strong against gender discrimination, using detailed examples and real life situations to demonstrate the positives of gender difference in leadership roles.

Using both practical and holistic methods, the women, a motley crew, including a congresswoman, governor, winemaker, CEO, artist & more, share their stories with Birute, who seamlessly weaves their respective experiences in to a book that belongs on every female’s (and their beloveds, if they are sensitive enough to want to learn more about their partner) bookshelf. Through the various personal examples of change and transformation, readers will learn how they too, can grow ‘wings’, fly, and in turn spread change, despite the deeply male-heavy society they live in.

Iron Butterflies is a stepping stone towards evolution, female evolution, power and change that comes from numbers. Step by step, Birute, along with the advice of the strong, dynamic women she interviewed, shows women how to break free, grow and become Iron Butterflies themselves; all without sacrificing their femininity, the very root of their power. Detailed, smart, provocative and enlightening, Iron Butterflies promises, in one way or another, to alter your perception of women and what they are capable of doing with a lot of work and a little encouragement.

See an interview with Birute here.

Claudia lives on Cape Cod with her husband and two children. She entertains her passion for reading in between being a full-time Mom, aspiring writer, avid photographer & volunteer for Missie’s Closet, an emergency food & necessities pantry for the low-income in her area.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Harvest Writers. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul by Deepak Chopra

[ 5 ] October 6, 2010

Reviewed by Poppy J.

Deepak Chopra’s book (now in paperback), Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul, is a guide for people interested in changing their lives and broadening their horizons. It is a book that is best read slowly and carefully.

The book is divided into sections that detail how to reinvent your body and your soul, while offering ten steps to wholeness. Explaining the process as described in the book is difficult, so I won’t try to go into it here. Suffice it to say, that the instructions center on improving awareness of self and others, emphasizing love of self and others and offers strategies for finding, understanding and revealing the true nature of your soul.

Most people go their entire lives without thinking about their soul. This is because the soul is seen as separate from our daily lives, coming into action only at death.

Dr. Chopra’s book reveals that the soul is part of your every day life, and has always been there – a person just has to develop an awareness of the soul in order to learn how to nurture it, allowing each of us to live to our fullest potential.

My favorite section of Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul relates to “letting go.” In this section the soul and the ego are at first incompatible, until they are reconciled by describing why we constantly react the way we do to being judged, or not being accepted by others. Each section of the book comes with real life examples and stories from other people’s lives. The stories are always on point, illustrating a facet of life that we will all find familiar.

Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul is interesting, insightful, potentially life changing and important to read now. I would also add that anyone who is struggling with personal issues can benefit immensely from this book. The insights gained will allow anyone to reframe his or her perspective – which is usually when the real answers to our problems magically come to us.

After a decade of working in several NYC law departments and teaching, Poppy decided she enjoyed writing full-time. She currently works as a freelance writing consultant, and lives with her husband and sons on the East Coast.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Three Rivers Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Skinny on Success: Why Not You? by Jim Randel

[ 6 ] September 16, 2010

Reviewed by Leigh A.

Everyone should have at least one good inspirational book on their bookshelf. It will get you through tough times by reminding you of the courage of your convictions. It will force you to re-examine the choices you’ve made – not as mistakes but as corrections you might want to make. And, like any good book, it will grab your attention no matter when you decide to pick it up.

And if you’re still searching for that one good book, The Skinny on Success should be your next read. Using a stick-figure couple who want to make their dreams come true, author Jim Randall talks about what it truly means to be successful. And as he quotes studies, research, and real-life examples of success, it becomes clear that the turning point for whether a person is successful is not an innate genius or talent. It’s recognizing the things you love, and are good at, and making the decision to take the time to master those skills.

Even if you aren’t a fan of animation, The Skinny on Success will draw you in. The simple stick figure drawings quickly lock you into the story and keep the reading pace brisk. The Cliffs Notes style not only gets you excited to do more research on your own, but gives suggestions about where to start. My all-time favorite inspirational book What Color is Your Parachute does it for the workings of the job market. The Skinny on Success does it equally well for the workings of the spirit.

The book is admittedly, not perfect. The name-dropping can start to stagger the pace of things. (How does the fact that the author knows actors like Chevy Chase give weight to anecdotes about them?) A revealing personal story about how the author dealt with a seemingly inescapable financial situation will make you [amazonify]0981893597[/amazonify]sympathize with him. Then it will make you wonder why he’s in the business of real estate without a better understanding of small-town politics and the backlash against globalization.

But if these imperfections weren’t there, the book would feel more like a manual and less a friendly chat with a successful business contact. And it’s the connection to real life that hooks the reader.

This book is a message of hope to anyone who has dreamed an impossible dream, or anyone in the process of trying to make their dreams a reality. The Skinny on Success will remain on bookshelves as a source of inspiration for years to come.

Leigh is a fearless writer who never met a genre, subject, or format she didn’t like. She has written professionally for the past six years and enjoys biking, exploring odd corners of Northeast Ohio, and discovering those good books she hasn’t read yet.

This book was provided free of any obligation by RAND Publishing. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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