Personal Books

Cynthia Sue Larsen, publisher of the REALITY SHIFTERS e-zine, is not your ordinary metaphysical writer. She has a degree in quantum physics and knows the scientific underpinnings of her theories.

It is scientific fact that everyone's body is surrounded by an electromagnetic field. Larsen shows how we can use this energetic field to increase our awareness, increase our energy, find true healing, and attain what we most need in life.

The exercises, visualizations, and meditations in this book are clearly written and easy to follow. If you are seeking to be healthier in body, mind, and spirit, this book can help you achieve those goals. It is highly recommended.

Refreshing to read a well written, info packed book on the aura. For too long we have been subjected to abstruce explanations and theories about the aura. Here at last is a readable, informative and practical book that you can use immediately to effect changes in your life.
Most important of all, the exercises work. You can create the inner landscape that produces impressive changes in your life.
Duncan Sequeira
[...]

This book is great for those who may be new to auras and/or new age thought, and also for those who have a bit of knowledge as well. It gives fantastic excercises about clearing the "stuff" out of your aura and attracting the good to you. It's also written in plain English so that those who may not be familiar with the concept of an aura can pick it up quickly. I rarely write reviews, so this book HAD to be good to inspire me to tell others to get it.

I have read Cynthia Sue Larson's AURA ADVANTAGE more than once. The first time I breezed through it, and the other times, I took my time to really get into the power behind her writings. This "power" is not a magical incantation that conjures up demons from the deep. No, it is the power that is in everyone of us. However, as Ms. Larson points out in her book Aura Advantage, we have to allow ourselves the freedom to recognize our own abilities and to utilize them. I've learned by developing the power of my own aura we can achieve practically anything that we desire. As she so brilliantly explains we can use our aura to maintain good health, achieve personal wealth, protect us when in harms way, and even create a parking space "in front of the door" when the lot is full.


As Ms. Larson points out we are only limited by the limits we place upon ourselves. All I know, I can never keep my copy on the coffee table very long, before I have to use my detective powers that I learned from reading Aura Advantage to track down the culprit that "borrowed" my book.

I look forward to reading any other writings of Cynthia Sue Larson...pardon me, I have to again, go track down my copy of Aura Advantage.




John Zarr: Lecture/writer of the ETBEINGS series, an autobiographical story about his wife Margie battle with diabetes: ANGEL BULBSY, and award winning screenplay writer. All proceeds for ANGEL BULBSY goes to the JDRF www.outoftimeradio.org

I enjoyed reading Aura Advantage very much! This is a great tool for all of us. We learn how to really explore our auras in ways we haven't done before and see all the gifts and great powers our auras have. The exercises throughout this book are easy to follow and designed to produce immediate results.

I have read all of Mary's books and have enjoyed them all. I loved when Mary gave the advise to say I LOVE YOU to seven people each day. I started saying it to people I wouldn't normally say it to, but felt love for, and it felt so good to say it out loud. Mary gives her love and advice so freely and easily she is a good example to follow for so many. I know I am a better person from taking her advice. Enjoy and spread the LOVE!

This is the best book to help you realize your potential and gain direction in life. You don't even have to have any problems to gain insight from Mary's direct, common sense approach to enhancing your life. This is a guide that you will want to read over again a couple of times a year if you want help reconnecting with your purpose. It will help you realize all of the great things about yourself that we tend to forget about with our busy lives. If you have been saying that you need to read more and play on the computer less, then this book will inspire you to start reading again!

This book is awesome!!!! This very imformative. Take the keys and open up your life!!!!
I listen to her on the sirrius 102 starz radio.
from
Cindy in Va

This book is very inlighting and educational. If everyone carried this book around and followed it, we would all get along alot more cordigally and feel great about how we feel as individuals and couples (our relationships with others). There would be less disaggrements and couples divorcing and more communication going on. The chihuahua chapter is one to read over and over. Mary has figured it out for us and you will too by reading this book. You won't leave home without it!
Great Job Mary Thank You -
Wendy + William NH

Awakened Instincts is a staple book that everyone should have as part of their personal library. Simply put, this book is an easy read that will have you turning the pages in anticipation of how you can elevate your senses on every single level. It's enlightening; it's simply Mary O!

Mary O is the real deal all around. She has a unique style that sets her apart from all the rest. Tune into her radio show on Sirius 102 and hear for yourself. I can guarantee you that, after listening once, you will be hooked! Mary O is a truly talented and gifted woman and I can honestly say that I feel blessed that she is here and sharing her gift with the world.

the book was great son and husband read it fast shipping and in good shape

this is a must read for the bill elliot fan and nascar fans

i am reading the book and so for i have enjoyed it very much and i am finding out what a hard time bill had in his racing career

It was very interesting to read Bill's own story on NASCAR racing and his career. He has not ordinarily been to loose with his words in the past, so it was refreshing to get his views and opinions first hand. He was generally very complimentary towards his fellow competitiors, but was quite critical of NASCAR concerning the safety issue and the death of Earnhardt. A good read from one of racings finest and classiest drivers.

All I can say is...AWESOME BOOK. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's a 15.

I stumbled across a copy of Becoming Human; Being Human at a friends house. I began to perusal this book musing that it was or would be a third rate written release of Muslim propaganda. Saying I was wrong is a mild understatement. I read the first twenty pages standing, another dozen or so more leaning against the door way. An hour later I was aborbed in the moment of the compassionate heroes in this book. I read it in one sitting. I am ready to accept my own responsibility in changing the world by changing how I live my life. This book is more relevant today, then when it was written. Five stars is not enough.

This book is a book that will, without a dout make you think.

If there were seven stars, I would have give this book seven or more...reading this book deeply moved me and caused me to reflect on my life and what I contribute to the world as a citizen. This book brought me tears and smiles, but most of all I am a better person for the experience. I had the privilede to hear Mr. Ali-Salaam speak before tens of thousands while visitng Seattle recently...His sincere conviction and vision for humanity is readily apparent. He was as dynamic in person as his words are on the printed page. A must read!*******

A refreshing and insightful look at the meaning of life through the challenges of others. I found hope and a profound message through Ali-Salaam's provocative essays. The combination of true stories, his prose and voices of reknown from the past culiminate in an essential lesson on the meaning of life. I am recommending this book to all my friends and family. I hope to hear more from this truly inspired person.

"Becoming Human; Being Human" by Ali-Salaam is an American Muslim perspective on today's issues. The book is a compilation of quotes and stories that examines the worlds' problems and crises through the eyes of the humans living through them. These disasters range from the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, and the civil wars and hunger that plague Africa, to the Palestinian /Israeli conflict. This book although non-fiction reads like a collection of well-told tales, some filled with the horror of war and conquest, others vibrating with the courage of the human spirit.

The first story "Sylvia" details the struggle of one woman against cancer and her prayer for a little more time to get to know the man her son has become. This is a story of a mother and son reconnecting and learning to appreciate each other once more.

In "Trapped In Iraq", we meet a young American Muslim woman living in daily terror in war torn Baghdad. As that ancient city is reduced to ruins around her by missiles and bombs, Sarah Iman fears for her life and the lives of her children. Her one hope is to somehow convince Saddam Hussein to let her take her children to visit their grandparents in the United States. We experience her fear as after many disappointments, she finally sits before Saddam and begins to plead her case.

In the story "a 9/11 hero", we witness the fear of a Pakistani Muslim American family as the authorities question them about the whereabouts of their son Mohammed. While the family struggles to defend their son's loyalty to America he lies dead among the ruins of the World Trade Center, another victim of terrorism like those he tried to rescue.

Other stories like "Children of The Prophets" and "Ta'ayush" paint a picture of Palestine before and after the establishment of modern Israel. The first is a story of a woman remembering a land without borders when Muslim and Jewish friends could travel from Jordan to Palestine to visit each other. The second is the story of a band of Jews, Muslims and Christians working together to restore peace in their homeland.

Other stories such as "Two Prayers", "Rebuilding The Lion Mountain", and "From Sea To Shining Sea" take us into the heart of the civil wars and hunger that plague Africa and the hopes that rebuild it. We also hear the author's admiring thoughts about his Moorish paternal ancestors and experience his anguish at the sufferings of his maternal West African ancestors at the hands of slave dealers.

Throughout the work Interspersed with these stories are the authors many thoughts on what it is to be human or to become human. He fills the pages between stories with observations both mundane and profound

I thought this book inspiring in parts and very well written. However, I did find the perspective sometimes too one sided. It is an American Muslim view, so it should show one dimension to the world's struggles. However, Ali-Salaam attempts to transcend this with many of his fine examples of what it means to be human or to become one. Therefore, I was disappointed to see the author present a more narrow view of certain situations. In "Ta'ayush" he spoke of the harshness, suffering and death the Israeli military assaults inflict on refugee camps. But he did not mention that the Israelis too are a people acting out of fear, the fear that suicide bombers instill in the ordinary people of Israel. They are also struggling to become human in the face of terror and death. The author speaks of himself as a Moorish prince and lists with pride the civilizing of Spain and other parts of Europe by the Moors. I also admire Moorish art, architecture and literature. However, I realize that it was forced upon Spain and other parts of Europe through invasion, conquest and death. We should never romanticize any conquest of other humans whether it took place in the 7th century or the 21st.

However, despite the above comments, I did find this book to be not just a wonderful collection of tales but also a marvelous philosophy of life. It did deserve The Rising Star Award from The Literary Guild.

I normally consider myself a non-reader, but I was at a point in my life that things were changing very quickly and I need to know about the journey I was on. When I began the book, I asked myself "How will I know when I am reading about myself?" It happened in chapter five when my eyes welled up. I knew then as it described who I used to be and validated to me that my journey was on the path of maturity. I read two thirds of the book on the first day, a major event for a non-reader. The book captured me and enlightened me.

This is one of five books ever written that everyone in the universe needs to read; This book tackles the question of what it means to be a mature adult, no "ifs ands or buts". In this book, Beecher and Beecher answer the question that every adult has asked himself, "What is wrong with ____ (fill in the blank with someone you can't stand)?!", and the question that every adult should ask himself, "What kind of person do I need to be and how do I get there?". This book was required reading in one of my undergraduate psychology classes and I recommend it to anyone who wants to become a better person--really. I also recommend it to therapists doing insight-oriented group or individual therapy (either as a whole or taken in chapters).
Overall, the book is filled with memorable witty-isms (the potentate who carpeted his entire kingdom because he couldn't stand walking on rough ground--why not just wear shoes on your own feet?) that you will find yourself recounting long after you have read the last page.

Well, the answer depends on who you are and what you're bringing to the reading of this book.

Having gone to Oberlin College in the late 80's (the heyday of "political correctness" and ground zero for that movement, in fact) I am well-acquainted with "liberal" views on life, society and personal responsibility. Lots of noble notions, not much pragmatism or self-evaluation. If you're a die-hard student of the P.C. movement, this book will offend you, even freak you out. Kryptonite! Why? Because it reminds you that YOU are primarily (nay, entirely) responsible for your sense of happiness and direction in life. Which you'd think would be self-evident enough, but somehow isn't to people who are used to blaming others for their woes instead of examining their own premises first. Check your premises!

Political Correctness plays strip poker with this book and loses, ends up buck naked, an emperor with no clothes. BSAF is a superb antidote to P.C. because in a matter of a few short chapters, it very effectively strips away common illusions about what makes us miserable in life and who's responsible for this phenomenon, based on its roots (no finger-pointing allowed anymore). It's a challenging read! But if you're ready to move beyond demanding that others help you realize your best self, and ready to start demanding that growth of YOURSELF, you'll find this book is pure gold, a very effective tool for shifting your consciousness towards enhanced self-reliance.

I don't say that lightly, because I've read dozens of "self-help" books, been in therapy, even been prescribed anti-depressants. I wish I'd found this book first! It's a page-turner, a quick read, but very potent. It really truly did change my life. I read it again six months later and it had improved with age. If you suffer from bona fide clinical depression (for example) or some other truly severe challenge, keep your therapist around. If however you are among what the profession calls "the worried well," then wrap up your sessions, get off the Zoloft (or Prozac or whatever) and READ THIS BOOK. With a cheap paperback version in print, you have nothing to lose.

FYI...
1) The current edition graciously omits the somewhat noxious and outdated chapter on homosexuality that existed in the original version. Otherwise, though, the book has aged remarkably well. In fact, you could almost believe it was written in the mid-Nineties in response to P.C. rather than in the Sixties as it was. It still packs a wise, timeless punch.
2) The book is based heavily on Adlerian psychology, which is very much about the individual and self-reliance.
3) It's not a detailed "how-to" book (which is why I'm giving it 4 stars rather than 5)-- it's big on ideas, but a little short on practical solutions for self-improvement, and might leave you wondering "Now what?" In that case, you may find that books like "Feeling Good" by Burns or "Awaken The Giant Within" by Robbins (no, really) offer you more pragmatic advice.

Kryptonite or gold? It's up to you now.

Well Well. The greatest book for those that can't find good feedback; and those hopelessly lost in self-help mantras and the like. Before you give me a story, realize that I see it as such. I hate stories! I can't care! Understand that you are trying to get a free ride; avoid paying your share (our national pastime?) and blaming others. You Lose! Read this book and see the ugly truth!

I first read this book 30 years ago. I am still reading it! Its' words cut like a two edge sword through all self delusion. It helps to bring the reader back to a realistic, "doable in the now" approach to life. I don't think I've ever read another book that was such a bitter pill for my ego and yet the positive effects on my life are still occuring. I knew Willard and he embodied the principles he wrote about. He somehow transmitted peace and serenity to whomever was in his presence. I still to this day use him as a standard from which to judge myself. Because words without the embodiment of their meaning are worthless. I not only highly recommend the book I recommend reading it as many times as necessary to find that place inside you that Willard describes in the introduction of the book as the eye of the hurricane where the sun is shining and the birds are singing!

I was a REMF who worked in intel activities at the lowest to the highest levels from January 1966 to August 1970, with my last assignment tasked to SOG. Mostly unofficially, but some officially, I supplied intel to units like Donahue's. There were a very few other units like his so his was not the "only" real guerrilla force in Vietnam. I eagerly supported these men in anyway I could, to include "midnight requisitioning" things they wanted or needed from Saigon. Donahue writes well and gives the reader a very close up view of the war at the very pointed end of the spear. I could not put the book down until I finished the last page. Master Sergeant, US Army Retired, VN War 66-70 & 71-73.

I have read dozens of non-fiction Vietnam books, trying to gain every perspective. Donohue provides a view somewhat different from many others in that his unit successfully combines US commanders with Cambodian nationals. As other reviewers have related it is the gripping tale of a significant engagement, but with emphasis on the relationships and interactions between men from vastly different cultural backgrounds. I have to admit, in places I questioned whether conversations or details were representative of actual events, or if they were modified as a vehicle to convey patrol SOP (for example) for the benefit of an unenlightened reader. Those impressions were easily overpowered by Donahue's story of the courage and tenacity of the men in his unit, and their dedication to and affection for each other regardless of nationality. As in so many outfits, individual personalities became critical to the success of the mission as well as the care of the unit's dead and wounded both during the battle and in the aftermath. It is a tale well told and will remain on my bookshelf.

Most of the writing I have read from first person accounts of war in Vietnam were either poorly written (ie. We Were Soldiers) or just plain boring and just didn't give you the sense of being there (ie Lest We Forget). Not the case here as Jim is a great writer. He lights up all of the senses on yet another Blackjack suicide mission and really puts you in the jungle. This may sound silly but I wish there was a scratch and sniff part of the book so you can really get what the smell of cut foliage and spent gun powder smell like, or burning napalm, burning flesh and rotting humas.

SPOILER ALERT: Skip the next paragraph if you want to find out what happens on your own.

On this mission it was basic recon of looking for stuff to blow up such as base camps or finding pockets of NVA/VC in the thick triple canopy jungle. MGF manages to spot some communication wires in the jungle indicating at least a regimental size enemy. Recon platoon manages to get spotted when all hell breaks loose and the 4 platoon company sized Mobile Guerrilla Force must retreat back to a small hill that was crossed a short time ago, set up a defensive perimeter around the hill, slug it out with the multiple regimental sized VC and wait for the Mike Force to bail them out resulting in an all day firefight. I personally (which means you free to disagree) equate this book to being the Vietnam version of Black Hawk Down with the exception that MGF didn't screw up. Its a great conclusion to the MFG trilogy as Jim simply falls asleep at a hospital after finally being medivaced from receiving an near fatal head wound.

SPOILERS END HERE

This book is not the typical mud, blood and tears of most Vietnam writings. In fact, there are some parts that will have you laughing (such as when Jim and Bob go to investigate a hut that the VC had just left about as soon as 5 minutes ago...oh the look on Bob's face : D). I will have to take back part of that last statement though as one of Jim's dear friends dies in this one and Jim struggles vainly to save him...not much you can do when their brains are on the ground. Its a good mix of emotions from on the edge of your seat action thrill, to having a good laugh, to being sadden by loss.

The Mobile Guerrilla Force trilogy that Jim writes would make an excellent movie that would show American led forces handing the VC's butts to them, which is historically correct through attrition. We didn't loose...we left. Its like our team was up by 2 touchdowns with about 5 minutes in the 4th quarter and we left. Someone must write a script and hand it to Oliver Stone...PLEASE!!!

Blackjack 34 is a sequel to another book (Backjack-33) about an earlier USSF Mobile Guerrilla Force operation to find and engage VC in the eastern 3 corps area. I certainly support the five star reviews of the earlier reviewers. Unless you were there, you cannot begin to really understand or appreciate what these SF soldiers went thru, but the book helps. Read both of them to get the full value of their operations and experiences.

U.S. special forces experience varied widely in Vietnam. The A Teams, the Greek letter projects, the MIKE Forces, and MAC-V-SOG all fought different fights of a large and very complex war. Within those units, none was more unique than Donohue's, which morphed from an A Team on a mobile guerrilla mission, into the B-36 Special Task Force, much later into the B-36 MIKE Force. Donohue describes the early days, when the window of opportunity for mobile guerrilla operations against the NVA and VC Main Force regiments was wide open. If you want to know what it was like to be with a small band of American special forces (and one Australian), leading companies of Cambodian nationalist rebels from the Khmer Serai against one half of their ancient enemy, then this is one of two books you must read. This is a war of companies against battalions, out well beyond the range of artillery where American forces were not allowed to go, where junior sergeants functioned as platoon leaders during the heavy fighting, and then quickly morphed into medics and radio operators. Read this, and Donohue's Blackjack-33, and you'll have enjoyed some of the finest combat writing to come out of the 5th Special Forces Group.

David Lorenzo's book shares techniques that seasoned professionals have developed and refined over the course of their careers.

Career Intensity makes the rules of career management and business success accessible to newer workers. If you have not achieved the success you were hoping for, it's the perfect resource to jumpstart your career.

Buy the book if you are at the early stage of your career or in the process of making a career change. However, anyone serious about managing their career should read Career Intensity.

This is a terrific book from a guy who will do everything possible to help you succeed. I have only known David Lorenzo a short time but he has helped my business immeasurably.

His book - Career Intensity - is the best book you will ever read on planning your career or starting a small business. That's right - he covers both of those topics and more.

You only purchase this book once but it provides value over and over again.

Our careers are important. To just "go with the flow" is not a plan for success. David Lorenzo has written a great book for those just beginning their careers, or those of us who are well down the path. The book is filled with nuggets of advice that will inspire the reader to excel to higher levels.

It is an easy book to read, and has the power to be one of the timeless classics for everyone who cares about success.

Career Intensity will help you get off your [...] and get going. The advice it contains is valuable and effective. The most valuable attributes of this book are the positive tone and the inspirational stories. This is not an elitist manifesto that tells you how great the author is. It is a practical, down-to-earth guide that is beneficial to individuals in a corporate setting as well as people who are looking to start a business.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to make money and be happy doing it.

I have always felt that it's not enough to be good, you have to be perceived as superior by the people that determine your success. If you work in a company, that means you boss, senior management and your colleagues. If you run your own business, it's your clients, prospects and employees.

That's why David Lorenzo's book, Career Intensity, is so valuable. Lorenzo provides concrete ideas and steps to take that will show you how to ignite your career and "brand" yourself for business success.

I especially liked the stories of executives and entrepreneurs of all stripes that demonstrate his career intensity principles.

Many adults have suffered great hardships in their childhood, even being sent away. This now successful man had a horrible beginning. One can feel the isolation he felt when he was "dumped" off at the age of 3.
A good book to restore your belief that you can make your life different.

This book was easy to read and understand. It should be read by every young person in children's home, in the foster system, in juvenile detention, and those with an incarcerated parent. Even those of us who never suffered any of those hardships, can learn an important lesson in forgiving those who have hurt us.

Wonderful book. Would recommend this book to any age group. Very touching and inspiring story.

I really enjoyed this book. Being from Chicago as well, I felt an ever closer connection to the author and his story. I had a real hard time putting it down and I had to keep tissue close by whenever I was reading it. As a Mother, it was especially heart wrenching to read some of the thoughts and emotions the author experienced as a child. Such wonderful writing and expression - always feeling the emotion the author was sharing. I would highly recommend it! I passed it onto a friend after I was done with it - so the enjoyment could be passed on!

Having been in the service of serving abandoned, behaviorally disturbed children and adolescents for 32 years, I was able to reminisce and find memories explicity tied to this book. The messages are accurate, profound, and direct. The chapters relive one man's story but the themes are multiplied by the number of kids in care from yesterday to the present and the stories are wide and varied. There are many stories in the lives of children from both yesteryear to this present day and age.The names change and the faces are different but the broken body and mind are still evident today. When one reads this book you become acutely aware of why behavior, emotion,identity, can go awry. All of the clinical terminology which labels children in placement existed then and still does today. What is remarkable and I have seen it over and over is that there are those who "will" to live, who "will" to grow, who never give up. Out of all the chaos emerges a Rob Mitchell and there are numbers upon numbers who, in spite of the many abuses and neglect, rise to become vibrant creative human beings like he has. This is a story of one of them. And, of so many of the children I have seen rise out of their pathology and into health, I have also seen a remarkable closeness to an abiding faith. Rob Mitchell is a man of that faith. Castaway Kid is just one of many castaway kids. What a wonderful read.
David Carlson MSW, LCSW

I really like Mary Hunts books I find them a lot more useful than books like the tightwad gazette which is way to extreme.Mary Hunts books are full of good useful information.

I subscribe to Mary's CheapskateMonthly.... and highly recommend both her website and most of her books. I have read and reread the books of hers that I own, of which this is one. If you're having finacial difficulties, get this book and subscribe to her newsletter - you can do this online or through the mail. I swear it's been the best money I've ever spent. And I have actually started to see a difference in my finances.

This is a good, solid, book covering the "basics" of money management. It can be said that Mary Hunt is just reiterating philosophies of money management that have been preached over the decades, if not centuries. Better, more comprehensive, readings include "The Millionaire Next Door", "Your Money Or Your Life", "The Complete Tightwad Gazette", and "The Richest Man In Babylon."

That being said, this book did introduce me to one innovative idea of which I have incorporated into my financial arsenol. It's what called the "Freedom Account". The Freedom Account is a fantastic tool devised by Hunt to manage payment of irregular,
non-monthly bills. The concept is not new, but Hunt's system is definitely the best I've ever come across.

My philosophy on reading books has always been that if I can get just one great new idea, then the investment in time and money is worth it. I can assure you that if you decide to buy this book, the "Freedom Account" system alone is well worth the investment.

Has worrying about money or paying your bills ever kept you up at night?

Me, too. Until I found this book.

About 7 years ago, our family was suffering from unbelievable money problems. Depressed and confused, I decided to stop by the bookstore and browse the personal finance section. There was only one problem. I didn't have twenty or thirty dollars to buy money management advice. I decided to get Mary's book and could not believe how many great examples and strategies she gave for reducing debt.
By following Mary's instructions, our family quickly began reducing our debt and wiped out almost $ 20,000 of credit card bills within a few years.
Her book is my money "Bible" and like scriptures in a holy work, I have highlighted paragraphs on almost every page that give insights into a subject that had always been beyond my control.

This book saved my marriage and brought me peace.
I highly recommend it. . . to everyone.

This is a good book for a great cause: getting and staying out of debt. However, after reading it, I liked Dave Ramsey's Money Makeover and Financial Peace University MUCH better - more thorough, great ideas, and fabulous examples of how a little money can grow w/ time - which this book, CM, is lacking.

I loved this book. It helped me to find a sense of peace within. I never knew what that meant until I started practicing some of the techniques in this book. One of my favorite quotes from the book, and there are many is, "Every woman needs two things": her own money and her own room. This book is filled with little gems like that. This is a must read. You'll love it!

This book really helps me on my journaling journey. I appreciate all of Jan's anecdotes that I could relate too. It sounded like she was writing about me, which I will think anyone who reads this book may also find. Jan has a real sense of how we can go inward and "come home to ourselves" through journaling. I love the stories as well as the blank pages with the wonderful quotes that gets the creative process flowing. I appreciate the "tools" this book provides for my journey through life as well as my journaling process. A great gift for anyone going down a similar path.

I feel "Coming Home to Ourselves" is an important tool for the novice as well as the more seasoned wife, mother, daughter, worker, etc. Jan gives very helpful suggestions for assessing just where we are in our self-nurturing, which is an area we neglect in our increasingly hectic lives. She then unfolds how we may begin to better care for ourselves, that in so doing, we can offer better care, not to mention empowerment, to all around us. We don't need to be over-achievers; we must take time for us. Jan, and her book, is a blessing for us all to enjoy.

This wonderful book has been a perfect tool for my group of women friends who enjoy getting into in-depth conversations on personal growth. The author touches on topics and situations that seem to be pertinent to every one of us. Her manner of communicating through print seems to open up long-locked doors, helping us look inside and discover who we really are...and how very "worth it" we are to know. On a personal level I really enjoy the journaling section. I can look at a situation in a totally different light when I reread my entries. Through my written words I finally "say things out loud" that have been rattling around in my brain, undefined and without direction. It's a great book for group or individual exploration.

For thousands of years, woman has been the primary caregiver, not only to her children but to everyone in her world as wife, daughter, sister, neighbor and friend. We were taught to suppress our own needs in order to have more to give to others. In Coming Home to Ourselves, we discover that in fact the opposite is true. When we give from a place of emptiness we just become more empty. We must first create and maintain a reservoir of love and life energy from which to draw. Then we can give to others with joy and love, from a place of abundance. Jan Forrest shows us that by making small changes in our daily lives we can find the time to reawaken the spirit of joy within by giving ourselves the gift of ourselves.