Saturday, May 18, 2013

Book Review: Close to the Bone


Life-Threatening Illness as a Soul Journey

by Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D.


In her book, Close to the Bone, Jean Bolen succeeds at 1) describing the soul-body connection and 2) prescribing how to utilize it for positive gain.  Her insight fits very securely with the insights of connectivity familiar to those who understand and practice spiritual living.  The author is well-known for her use of illustrations from mythology to describe psychological behavior and elicit an Aha! response.  She has written Gods in Every Man and Goddesses in Every Woman, among  many others.  Dr. Bolen was invited to address a Cancer Patients Conference, drawing explicitly on the myth of Persephone.  The descent of the Soul into The Underworld proved to be a meaningful frame for them as they sought to take control of their own health and well-being.  The mother-daughter relationship represented by Demeter and Persephone and coupled with the agency of Hermes, the messenger god, further fleshes out the complexities of healing.  Dr. Bolen reinforces my conviction that just as we can make ourselves sick, so too can we make ourselves well. She speaks of “guardian angels” who are accessible to us when we pray.  They represent the bridge between the invisible world and the physical one.  Healing energy is very real.


Review by Jane Waldorf

Close to the Bone is available by special order from Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.  Please call us at (707) 527-8372 to place an order.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Free Event: Friday, June 28

The Magical Path

with Bestselling Author and Publisher
Marc Allen

Date:   Friday June 28
Time:  7pm
Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa
2075 Occidental Road

In this inspiring evening, visionary author and New World Library  co-founder Marc Allen offers a short and magical path for making your dreams a reality.  He'll share effective, easy-to-apply practices, including affirmation, visualizations, and guided meditations that have the power to change your life for the better. Because these tools are so simple and powerful, he calls them magic. But far from esoteric, they are tools anyone can use to achieve their dreams and goals.

Marc is also a well-known musician and composer and has released several albums of his music.  His books, audios, and workshops have been highly rewarding — even life-changing — experiences for thousands of people.  Currently he lives in northern California with his wife and two children.

Please join us for this inspirational free event.

Marc's book The Magical Path is available from Stepping Stones Books & Gifts.






Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Book Review: 365 Thank Yous

The Year a Simple Act of
 Daily Gratitude Changed My Life

by John Kralik


In 365 Thank Yous, John Kralik chronicles his journey for 15 months as he completes a commitment he made to himself. Starting at a very low point in his life, John tells of how a inner voice delivers a message that leads to this simple practice of writing thank you notes. Not only does he bring alive this often neglected practice of hand written notes, but his story shows how such a small act effected him both as a person and in the circumstances of his life. Beyond just opening him to become more grateful and see more good in his life, it reestablished and deepened his relationships. He also shared many poignant accounts of how in doing this he touched many people and added to their lives. This book brought me to a greater recognition of the value of appreciation in our lives. My thank you to John Kralik.

Review by Rev. Ruth Barnhart, a staff minister at Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa

365 Thank Yous is available at Stepping Stones Books & Gifts

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