Book Reviews Archives - Julie Bladon

The Creative Act – A Way of Being Review: A Guide to Unlocking Your Inner Artist

There are books that teach you how to create, and then there are books that remind you why you create in the first place. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin falls firmly into the latter category, a soft, steady voice in a noisy world, gently guiding you back to your own creative instincts.

This isn’t a traditional “how-to” guide filled with rigid frameworks or productivity hacks. Instead, it feels like a collection of meditations on creativity with short, poetic reflections that invite you to slow down, pay attention, and reconnect with your artistic self. If you’re searching for a creativity book that nurtures your creative mindset, sparks artistic inspiration, and supports personal growth, this one stands out.

Reading it feels less like consuming content and more like having a conversation with a creative mentor. Rubin doesn’t position himself as an authority handing down rules. He shows up as a creative cheerleader, encouraging, patient, and deeply understanding of the struggles that come with making something meaningful. Whether you’re dealing with self-doubt, overcoming creative block, or battling perfectionism, the book meets you where you are.

One of the most powerful aspects of The Creative Act is its simplicity. Each passage is concise, yet layered with meaning. You might read a page in under a minute, but find yourself reflecting on it for hours. It’s a book you don’t rush as you return to it, revisit it, and let it evolve alongside your own creative journey and self-expression.

In the book, Rubin emphasises presence, awareness, and openness. Creativity, he suggests, isn’t something you force, it’s something you allow. This perspective is particularly refreshing in a culture obsessed with output and productivity. Instead of pushing you to “do more,” the book encourages you to “notice more.” That subtle shift can be transformative for artists, writers, and anyone seeking deeper artistic inspiration and a healthier creative mindset.

You don’t need to be a professional artist to benefit from this book. Whether you’re journaling, designing, building a business, or simply trying to live more creatively, the ideas resonate. It speaks to the human desire for self-expression and the need to stay connected to the creative process.

If there’s any limitation, it’s that readers looking for concrete, step-by-step techniques might find it too abstract. But that’s also its strength. The Creative Act isn’t about formulas, it’s about perspective. It doesn’t tell you what to create; it helps you remember that you already can.

Ultimately, this book feels like a quiet companion. It doesn’t demand your attention, it earns it. It doesn’t overwhelm, it reassures. And in doing so, it becomes something rare: a book that doesn’t just inspire creativity, but gently sustains it over time while supporting long-term personal growth.

If you’ve been feeling disconnected from your creative energy, this might be exactly what you need, a reminder that creativity isn’t lost. It’s just waiting for you to notice it again.

April 12, 2026

Book Reviews, Inspiration

Book Review: If Women Rose Rooted – The Journey to Authenticity and Belonging by Sharon Blackie

‘I love this book. Truly, it’s mind-blowing in the most profound and exhilarating sense. This is an anthem for all we could be, an essential book for this, the most critical of recent times. I sincerely hope every woman who can read has the time and space to read it.’ ~ Manda Scott, Boudica and Into The Fire

I am deep in a process of researching, studying, learning and self-development when If Women Rose Rooted caught my eye. It had consistently great reviews with 5 stars. I was drawn to purchase it and find out for myself.

The book arrived, I had a stack of books to read already but felt called to start If Women Rose Rooted and I couldn’t put it down. If Women Rose Rooted is a beautifully written, honest and moving read. Part autobiography, part mythical Celtic storytelling, part exploration of contemporary women deeply rooted in the land and part guide for shaping our journey for the future.

‘This is the core of our task: to respect and revere ourselves, and so bring about a world in which women are respected and revered, recognised once again as holding the life-giving power of the earth itself.’ ~ Sharon Blackie

We are guided deftly on a life-changing journey from the wasteland of modern society to a place of nourishment and connection.

If Women Rose Rooted has been described as both transformative and essential. Sharon Blackie leads us on a quest to find our place in the world, drawing inspiration from powerful women in Celtic mythology and guidance from contemporary women re-rooting with the land and community.

We live in a time of profound change and this book is thought-provoking and inspirational. Blackie’s autobiographical thread through the book is an opportunity to review our lives, make sense of situations and experiences, heal and let go of difficult or painful situations and make sense of the person we are today.

Using the Eco-Heroine’s Journey throughout the book to illuminate a path to understanding how we fit into the world, finding a way to be, facing the things that are dysfunctional and calling us to change both ourselves and the word around us. This wisdom and sharing is a profound call to reclaim our power to bring ourselves and Mother Earth back to wholeness.

This book marks the Rites of Passage we transition through in life and explores how these experiences may be painful and unauthentic for individuals in our contemporary culture.

As the feminine awakens and we rebalance the masculine & feminine, this book can guide us to reconnect, find our authentic selves, re-root into the Earth, release what no longer serves us and help us find a sense of belonging.

Dr Sharon Blackie is an award-winning writer of fiction and nonfiction, a psychologist who has specialised both in neuroscience and narrative, and a mythologist with a specialisation in Celtic Studies. Her unique approach to working with myth, fairy tales and folklore highlights the insights these traditions can offer us into authentic and meaningful ways of being which are founded on a deep sense of belonging to place, a rootedness in the land we inhabit. See her website for more information: sharonblackie.net

September 18, 2025

Book Reviews, Inspiration, Yoga

Popular Yoga Philosophy Books

“The Wisdom of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras” by Ravi Ravindra

The teaching in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is for the transformation of the whole of a human being – body, mind and soul. The first aim of yoga is the development of a steady attention. Difficulties and obstacles to this steady way of being are discussed in the Yoga Sutras and practices for transformation are suggested. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras offer wisdom and inspiration. Patanjali recommends the eight “limbs” or steps to quiet the mind and achieve a transformation of consciousness.

Scholar Ravi Ravindra offers a fresh and direct translation of Patanjali’s text. The book contains extensive commentary and spiritual exercises. This is an insightful and informative book. It is a book that will be read and re-read with lessons gained every time.

Atha-yoga-anusasanam – Here, now, is the teaching of yoga (Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras 1.1)

“This very opening aphorism presents a challenge. It could be simply a statement placed at the beginning of an exposition of yoga. However, it is much more instructive to see in it an invitation to practice yoga always and everywhere. Yoga does not require sitting on a cushion in a meditation and in not limited to a specified hour or a particular posture. Each moment is the right moment and the present moment is the best one. Each place is the right place – the place where I now am can be a sacred place.” – The Wisdom of Patnajali’s Yoga Sutras by Ravi Ravindra

“The Wisdom of Yoga – A seeker’s guide to extraordinary living” by Stephen Cope

Stephen Cope; author, psychotherapist, leading American yoga teacher; unlocks the teachings of the Yoga Sutras and yoga wisdom by focusing on contemporary life. He analyses the lives of friends and fellow yoga students looking at a multitude of modern dilemmas such as career issues, relationship issues and dysfunctional family relationships. Looking at their life challenges, Cope brings to light some answers to the struggles experienced in life.

Whilst some people think of yoga as a set of invigorating postures and breathing exercise, this book highlights that the physical practices of yoga are only part of this vast and ancient spiritual science.

Yoga sages systematically explored the essential questions of our human existence: What are the root causes of suffering, and how can we achieve freedom and happiness? What would it be like to function at the maximum potential of our minds, bodies, and spirits? What is an optimal human life?

Cope presents an easy to follow text that explores areas such as the path of inner development, practices to build character and mental power, practicalities for the process of awakening. This is a perfect guide for a more ethical and graceful way of living in the world.

“The Bhagavad Gita” by Introduced & Translated by Eknath Easwaran

Easwaran’s best-selling translation of the Bhagavad Gita is readable and easy to follow. His introduction places the Gita in its historical context, presents key concepts, and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. The book includes chapter introductions, notes and a Sanskrit glossary.

The Gita opens, dramatically, on a battlefield, as the warrior Arjuna turns in anguish to his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, for answers to the fundamental questions of life. Yet the Gita is not what it seems it’s not a dialogue between two mythical figures at the dawn of Indian history. “The battlefield is a perfect backdrop, but the Gita’s subject is the war within, the struggle for self-mastery that every human being must wage if he or she is to emerge from life victorious.”

Easwaran (1910-1999) grew up in the Hindu tradition in India, learned Sanskrit from a young age, and became a professor of English literature before coming to the West. He was a gifted teacher and an authority on the Indian classics and world mysticism.

This translation is a timeless classic. Read it many times and you will discover new wisdom and information each time.

“On this path effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure. Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear.” – The Bhagavad Gita, 2:40

“The Great Work of Your Life – A guide for the journey to your true calling” by Stephen Cope

Cope takes readers on a step-by-step guide of the revered tale the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient allegory about the path to dharma told through a timeless dialogue between the fabled archer Arjuna and his divine mentor Krishna.

Busy daily life can sometimes leave you overwhelmed and uncertain about your life’s true path and purpose. Cope says that in order to have a fulfilling life you must discover the deep purpose hidden at the very core of your self. In “The Great Work of Your Life“, Cope describes the process of unlocking the unique possibility harboured within every human soul. The secret, he asserts, can be found in the pages of a two-thousand-year-old spiritual classic called the Bhagavad Gita.

Cope makes the lessons of the Bhagavad Gita relevant for contemporary readers. He highlight well-known Western figures that have embodied the true dharma path and also uses every day stories to further illustrate the lessons of this classic tale.

If you’re feeling lost in your own life’s journey, “The Great Work of Your Life“ may provide you with answers to the questions you most urgently need addressed—and may help you to find and to embrace your true calling.

This book will offer you guidance and inspiration. It is a book that can be revisited on many occasions and is a good reminder to keep focused on your true path even when times may be challenging or confusing.

“Every man has a vocation to be someone: but he must understand clearly that in order to fulfil this vocation he can only be one person: himself.” ― Stephen Cope, “The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling”

“And now a surprise: Beethoven was deeply inspired by his reading of the Bhagavad Gita.” ― Stephen Cope, The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling

“There is a certain kind of action that leads to freedom and fulfilment,” Krishna begins. “A certain kind of action that is always aligned with our true nature.” This is the action that is motivated by dharma. This is the action taken in the service of our sacred calling, our duty, our vocation. In dharma, it is possible to take passionate action without creating suffering. It is possible to find authentic fulfilment of all human possibilities.” ― Stephen Cope, The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling

“The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman’s Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras” by Nischala Joy Devi

In this book Nischala Joy Devi interprets Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras from a heart-centred, intuitive, feminine perspective resulting in the first translation intended for women. Devi’s interpretation captures the spirit of each sutra and offers practices to embrace the spirituality of yoga in your everyday life.

This is a contemporary interpretation relevant to all yogis, male and female. Simplifying the teachings for use in everyday life.

“The yogic practices help us release memories without having to express them either outwardly or in dreams. They also help dissolve unwanted thoughts and feelings as they are forming, relieving the need to see them to fruition or preserve them for a later time. Sometimes while sitting still in meditation or holding an asana (pose), a memory will escape from the bottom of the mental-emotional lake. Like a bubble, it will float through layers of the subconscious and then pop on the surface of the conscious mind.” ― Nischala Joy Devi, The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman’s Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras

“To preserve openness of heart and calmness of mind, nurture these attitudes:

Kindness to those who are happy
Compassion for those who are less fortunate
Honor for those who embody noble qualities
Equanimity to those whose actions oppose your values”
― Nischala Joy Devi

“An Offering of Leaves” by Ruth Lauer-Manenti

A poignant and thoughtful read perfect for aspiring yoga practitioners and any spiritual seekers.

For many years at the Jivamukti Yoga School in New York City, popular and highly regarded yoga teacher Ruth Lauer-Manenti (affectionately known as “Lady Ruth”) has offered her students “dharma talks”—stories from her life that accompany her classes and represent the yogic commitments to ahimsa (non-violence), compassion, and service.

Some of these dharma talks have now been collected in this book, many of them accompanied by a reading from classic Hindu texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita, The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Composed with humour and sensitivity, “An Offering of Leaves” is the perfect gift for the aspiring yoga practitioner and any spiritual seeker wanting to live with thoughtfulness and integrity.

While in Bylakuppe, in Southern India, a territory that had been given over to Tibetan refugees, she was touched by the humble generosity of the Buddhist monks there.

She writes, “An elderly monk came up behind me and slid a piece of cardboard underneath me. He smiled at me, and my cardboard seat felt luxurious… Everyone can give something. In that spirit, I offer this book, like a piece of cardboard to sit on.”

She connects this to a beautiful line in the Bhagavad Gita: “However humble the offering, be it a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, if it is made with love and devotion, I will accept it” (9: 26).

This book is made with love and devotion to share teachings from the ancient yoga teachings.

An easy read and reflecting on the joys and struggles of life. It inspires ways to lead a more thoughtful, compassionate life. This is a touching, universal, honest and humbling book.

August 16, 2025

Book Reviews, Inspiration, Meditation, Yoga

Book Review: Awakening The Spine by Vanda Scaravelli

‘Awakening The Spine‘ is one of my favourite yoga books and I revisit the book frequently. Each time I dip into the book I am reminded of useful information and at the same time I see new information. The beauty of this book is that it goes well beyond the physical body and can open you up to the true gifts of yoga.

This is not a step-by-step instruction book for asana, Vanda is sharing her wisdom. Vanda explains “This is not really a yoga book nor a book on yoga, for yoga has been written about so much in recent years. What we will try to do in this book is to create a much more serious approach to our bodies, which have bee neglected for so many years, You have to listen to your body, going with it and not against it, avoiding all effort or strain and centring your attention on that very delicate point, the back of the waist (where the spine moves in two opposite directions).” Vanda uses art, nature, music, myth, philosophy to explore yoga practice.

Vanda Scaravelli was born in Florence in 1908. She came from an intellectual and artistic background. Her father had a degree of piano from the Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini in Florence and went on to create his own orchestra in Florence. Her mother graduated in pedagogy and was one of the first Italian women to attend university. Vanda was raised in a musical and intellectual atmosphere surrounded by artists and scientists visiting her parents.

Vanda herself studied music and was a concert level pianist. Music and musicality informed her work throughout her life.

“Movement is the song of the body” ~ Vanda Scaravelli

Vanda learned yoga from B.K.S. Iyengar who was invited to Switzerland by the well known violinist Yehudi Menuhin. She met J. Krishnamurti and later met Desicachar who taught her the importance of breathing.

For more than twenty-five years, until her death at the age of 91, Vanda Scaravelli was transforming bodies and lives with her innovative approach to yoga through the proper alignment of the spine. She listened to the body and worked with instead of against it. She used gravity, grounding, and breath to achieve dramatic improvements in health and wellbeing.

“The way we live is destructive to the body; there is no respect towards its needs and demands. We destroy, little by little, that precious, complex, vital, vessel of life we received at birth, why? Do not fight your body. Do not carry the world on your shoulders. Drop that heavy load of unnecessary baggage and you will feel better. Do not kill the instinct of the body for the glory of the pose. Do not look at your body like a stranger but adopt a friendly approach towards it. Watch it, listen to it, observe its needs, its requests, and even have fun.” ~ Awakening The Spine, Vanda Scaravelli

This classic inspiring yoga book features three parts – Part One “The Story of Stories” the philosophy of yoga; Part Two “The Asanas” short exploration of yoga asana and Part Three “Breathing”.

Vanda skilfully uses nature and the wider world to illustrate her teachings and to show the internal & external connections. We are skilfully guided to ‘see’ and experience the links of our inner and outer experiences. The spine is central to her practice and teachings. The nature images are carefully placed to mirror the asanas and to prompt a deeper examination of practice.

It is inspiring to see the photos of Scaravelli in the Asana section, showing that yoga is for everyone. She didn’t start yoga until her 40s and the photos in the book are taken in her 80s. This book is an inspirational reminder as to why you are doing yoga.

Scaravelli reminds readers that: “if you are kind to your body, it will respond in an incredible way.” ‘Awakening the Spine‘ offers a gentle way to achieve and maintain overall health and a naturally supple spine at any age.

This is an updated version of Vanda’s original work, with a foreword by B.K.S. Iyengar and revised by Vanda’s daughter based on Vanda’s extensive notes.

I also recommend ‘Notes on Yoga: The Legacy of Vanda Scaravelli‘ by Diane Long and Sophy Hoare.

Diane was the first of Vanda’s regular students and remained so until Vanda’s death in 1999. Sophy began working with Vanda during the period when she was writing Awakening the Spine.

In ‘Notes on Yoga: The Legacy of Vanda Scaravelli’, they share their experiences and memories of being taught by Vanda and offer instructive advice for practising asana, challenging many preconceptions about yoga.

April 29, 2025

Book Reviews, Inspiration, Meditation, Yoga

Book Review: The Path of Practice by Bri. Maya Tiwari

“An extraordinary book . . . [that] illuminates the wonderful truth of who we are. . . . As a result, we heal our bodies and our lives on the deepest levels.” ~ Christiane Northrup, M.D., Author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom

We are busy preparing for our 2019 Menopause, Wellness & Vitality Workshops. The workshop day is a content rich experience with plenty of time for discussion. We provide an extensive handout packed with information and includes a recommended reading list.

One book on the reading list is “The Path of Practice” by Bri Maya Tiwari. This is one of my all-time favourite books and is a powerful book for women interested in self-healing, self-care and practical lifestyle changes.

I discovered this book several years ago when my roommate on a Yoga Teacher Training course at the Anand Prakash Ashram recommended it. I headed off to one of the many bookstores on the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh to purchase a copy. It is probably the best 295 rupees I have ever spent!

“The Path of Practice” is an honest sharing of Maya’s experience of healing from her diagnosis of ovarian cancer at the age of 23 to her journey using Vedic healing practices to heal herself. She undertook self-healing through meditation, the healing of her ancestral heritage, sound healing, silence, creating sacred space, breathwork and food sadhana. This was a deep process taking Maya from America to Rishikesh where she became a practising Vedic monk devoted to developing and sharing her knowledge of healing techniques.

May the universe never abuse food.
Breath is food. The body eats foods.
The body rests on breath.
Breath rests on the body.
Food is resting on food.
The one who knows this
becomes rich in food and great in fame.
– Taittiriya Upanishad (11.7)

The book is an easy to follow, step by step guide which is part auto-biography and part healing manual. For me the book gave me many “aha” moments, enabling me to journey deeper into my yoga practice and understand some of the practices that I was intuitively being drawn to. We were practicing many of the sadhanas at the Ashram so it was useful to be practicing as well as intellectually understanding the processes. Our sadhanas included full moon ceremonies to bask in the essence of the moon to heal shakti prana (feminine energies), holding ancestor ceremonies on the banks of the river Ganges, attending fire puja (rituals) to burn away impurities, chanting for healing and eating a sattvic (pure) diet.

“We are wellness. We are consciousness. That is our natural state. Disease is an impostor” – Bri Maya Tiwari

This book is designed for women by a woman but it does not preclude men. Maya states that this book is a “course in healing and in living.” She maintains that “all pain is a reminder that we have strayed from the natural rhythms of life,” and this book acts to guide us back. An easy to follow programme containing a wealth of knowledge and the depth of experience. It’s a profound read and calls us to get in tune with deeper universal rhythms.

This informative book is an enlightening read and a useful book to dip into for ongoing guidance. The practices can be incorporated into our daily life in order to live a more harmonious and healthy life. This book is a valuable tool at peri-menopause and menopause when we are being called to take stock, to review our habitats and to pay more attention to self-care.

“This is one of the simplest introductions to a step-by-step practice of sadhana for the uninitiated…. Her methods incorporate the healing nature of sound, food and breath and are easy to understand and follow to be in tune with natural rhythms.” – Book Reviews

February 1, 2024

Book Reviews, Inspiration

Book Review: The Enchanted Life – unlocking the magic of the everyday by Sharon Blackie

“To live an enchanted life is to be challenged, to be awakened, to be gripped and shaken to the core by the extraordinary which lies at the heart of the ordinary. Above all, to live an enchanted life is to fall in love with the world all over again.” ~ The Enchanted Life, Sharon Blackie

Deep in the heart of winter, I have been enjoying the connection with this season by slowing down and taking deep rest. This slowing down has enabled me to catch up on reading, diving into the books that have been stacking up.

One book I’ve had the pleasure of reading over the holidays is “The Enchanted Life – unlocking the magic of the everyday” by Sharon Blackie. The Enchanted Life is Sharon’s second non-fiction book published after the widely acclaimed “If Women Rose Rooted”.

Sharon states “The enchanted life has nothing to do with fantasy or escapism or magical thinking: it is founded on a vivid sense of belongingness to a rich and many-layered world. It is creative, intuitive, imaginative. It thrives on work that has heart and meaning. It loves wild things, but returns to an enchanted home and garden. It respects the instinctive knowledge and playfulness of children, and relished story, poetry and art.”

This is a timely book asking “What is Enchantment?”, why is it important right now, what is involved to truly inhabit our living world and how to explore the magic of the Everyday.

Sharon is a storyteller intertwining her personal story with examples of others’ personal journeys to enchantment. Sharon has developed a deep sense of place & belonging over her life’s journey and this book explores these themes.

The Enchanted Life is an uplifting magical read reminding us of what really matters in life. This book can guide us in times of unease and disconnection. It’s a call to reconnect with the world and with nature, guiding us to explore and establish our sense of belonging.

Part personal journey, part collective stories, part storytelling & myth, part guidebook. The Enchanted Life gives us the tools for exploring enchantment and directing us to a more connected whole-hearted life.

I enjoyed the journey to the windy wilds of Scotland and the picturesque landscapes of Ireland. Sharon shared her experiences of healing and rewilding, finding her place in the land she was called to settle in. The process and ideas truly inspire.

My holidays have been a time of deep rest and reading. This book inspired me to get outside to explore my local area. Over the holidays I spent time walking the local part of the South West Coastal Path. To connect in more deeply to the landscape. I walked a new stretch of the coastal path that I haven’t journeyed along before, and I explored the ancient footpaths inland connecting local villages & communities to the coast.

“It is the intention that is the important thing – that’s what transforms a walk into a pilgrimage.” ~ Caro Woods, Artist

The Enchanted Life explores our connection with the nature world, the need for wilderness, the notion of embodiment, how to cultivate a mythic imagination, knowing our place and learning to belong, developing kinship and community spirit. This is an invitation to find our true calling.

“For me, calling has nothing to do with religious beliefs; it is quite simply the work of a lifetime – it’s about living life as if it mattered. It’s beautiful work, because it’s not so much about doing and accomplishing as it is about developing and expressing a vision for your life. And one of the things that is forgotten in a task-driven culture which has no appreciation of calling is that developing a vision takes time. Sometimes, it takes a lifetime – for it to emerge, and for it then to be developed and expressed in all the ways that are possible for us. Because to express our calling is to allow ourselves to uniquely express one mode of being, one facet of the creative life force of the universe – whatever you might conceive that to be.” ~ The Enchanted Life, Sharon Blackie

I found this book inspiring and accessible. There are tasks and prompts at the end of each chapter to encourage the reader to explore the topics more deeply and give ideas of how the ideas can be incorporated into our daily life. It is comforting to know that developing our calling can take time, maybe even over the whole of our lifetime.

I would highly recommend this book. It’s magical, inspiring, relatable and is a guide to re-finding ourselves.

“I believe that enchantment is an attitude of mind which can be cultivated, a way of approaching the world which anyone can learn to adopt: the enchanted life is possible for everybody.” ~ Sharon Blackie

sharonblackie.net

septemberpublishing.org

January 10, 2022

Book Reviews, Inspiration

Book Review: The Practice – shipping creative work by Seth Godin

I don’t know about you but I’m enjoying the long stretch between Christmas and New Year to catch up on reading books, listening to podcasts, watching movies and taking rest.

I have finished Seth Godin’s new book, ‘The Practice – shipping creative work’ over the holidays. An inspiring book that encourages creatives to do the work that matters.

As we know creative work can be difficult at times and we need encouragement to keep going. This book helps to drive creatives forward and helps people to get out of their own way.

This positive book is written in mini chapters so is a fast read and a perfect book to dip into when you need some inspiration.

Thank you Seth for mentioning “Morning Pages”, the creative practice featured in Julia Cameron’s ‘The Artist’s Way’. I frequently use morning pages although I must admit I do dip in and out of this practice. My focus can wander and I stop doing my morning pages even though I know that it is a valuable tool for discovering our creativity. I’m now back to my morning pages practice.

Seth acts as supporter to all creatives and those wishing to explore their creativity. It’s a call to action and is an easily digestible handbook for those taking this journey. This book is about discipline and taking daily steps towards creative goals. It is honest and supports creatives through the stages of self-doubt, fear, imposter syndrome and creative blocks.

Doing our creative work daily helps us move forward, work towards our goals, create new work, start a new business and get our work out into the world.

It’s Possible

“This book is for people who want to lead, to write, or to sing. For people who seek to teach, to innovate, and to solve interesting problems.

For people who want to go on the journey to become a therapist, a painter or leader.

It’s possible. The people who came before us have managed to speak up, stand up and make a difference. While each journey is unique, each follows a pattern – and once you see it, it’s yours.”

‘The Practice’ – Seth Godin

This is art

“Not painting, but art: the act of doing something that might not work, simply because it’s a generous thing to do. The combination of talent, skill, craft, and point of view that brings new light to old problems. The way we change our culture and ourselves.

Art is the work we do where there is no right answer – and yet the journey is worth the effort. We might make art with a keyboard, with a paintbrush, or with our actions. Mostly, we do it because we lean into a practice, trusting we have a shot at making a difference.”

‘The Practice’ – Seth Godin

How do we work with intention and create a regular practice? According to Seth we can use this simple narrative

This is a practice
It has a purpose
I desire to create change
The change is for someone specific
How can I do it better?
Can I persist long enough to do it again?
Repeat.

We can learn to trust – ourselves, our audience and our work. This roadmap is designed to be revisited again and again as we do our practice and fine tune our creative work.

If you are ready to unlock your creativity and take daily steps to do your practice, I’d highly recommend this book to get you started and to encourage you on your journey.

December 30, 2020

Book Reviews, Inspiration, Meditation, Yoga

7 Yoga Book Recommendations for Beginners

I was recently asked at the end of class if I could recommend any yoga books for beginners.

Books are an excellent way to learn and to develop your knowledge so here are 7 recommended books for you.

When I first started yoga I remember supplementing my yoga classes with reading by following advice and following the sequences within a yoga book. It is highly recommended to study with a teacher in person when possible but reading is a great way to explore and develop your practice.

1. The Complete Guide to Yoga by Judy Smith, Doriel Hall, Bel Gibbs

This was one of the very first yoga books that I owned, given to me as a gift by a friend. This step-by-step guide is a practical, easy to follow book with sequences for everyone. I liked to dive into this book each morning and get inspiration for my practice particularly as it was all so new to me. The philosophy and benefits of Iyengar yoga are clearly explained and there is advice on how to begin and what equipment is needed. There is a chapter on making yoga enjoyable and fun for children. The guide to meditation is useful giving techniques and tips.

2. The Sivananda Companion to Yoga by Swami Vishnu Devananda

This essential companion for beginners and experienced yoga remains a classic guide to yoga. The book is an engaging and comprehensive guide to asana, pranayama, meditation, nutrition, relaxation and every aspect of the yogic lifestyle.

Swami Vishnu Devananda trained under Swami Sivananda for many years and one day Swami Sivananda gave him a 10 Rupee Note, and his blessings, to travel to the West and spread the teachings of Yoga.

“Living with mind and body relaxed is our natural state, our birthright—it is only the pace of our lives that has made us forget. Those who retain the art possess the key to good health, vitality and peace of mind, for relaxation is a tonic for the whole being, liberating vast resources of energy.” ~ Swami Vishnu Devananda

3. Light On Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar

B.K.S. Iyengar devoted his life to the practice and study of yoga. ‘Light on Yoga’ is widely called ‘the bible of yoga’ and has served as the source book for generations of yoga students around the world. It is the classic text for all serious students of yoga.

This classic yoga book gives emphasis on precision and alignment which is important for developing a safe foundation for your practice. The book includes step-by-step yoga asana guides; a guide to Pranayama, breathing techniques; and an introduction to the spiritual side of yoga practice.

4. Yogasana – Encyclopedia of Yoga Poses by Yogirishi Vishvketu, PhD

This fantastic book presents 850 yoga asanas in a logical sequence enabling the reader to understand the variations for each posture. The Sanskrit translations allow you to understand the relationship between the name and the spiritual significance of each pose. Detail regarding the energetic essence of each asana is included through the use of a chakra chart and graphic icons for each pose.

Presented in a clear way which allows you to creatively explore your practice whilst maintaining a safe home practice.

5. Awakening the Spine by Vanda Scaravelli

This is not a step-by-step yoga instruction book but a classic inspiring yoga book. The book features three parts – Part One “The Story of Stories” the philosophy of yoga; Part Two “The Asanas” short exploration of yoga asana and Part Three “Breathing”.

Scaravelli reminds readers that: “if you are kind to your body, it will respond in an incredible way.” “Awakening the Spine” offers a gentle way to achieve and maintain overall health and a naturally supple spine at any age.

6. Living Your Yoga: finding the spiritual in everyday life by Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD

I’ve included this book as it examines ways to stretch the meaning of yoga beyond the familiar poses and breathing techniques. This book explores yoga philosophy and ways to incorporate it into our everyday life. Judith explains off-the-mat practices to guide you in deepening your relationship with yourself, your family and the world around you.

This inspirational and practical book will guide you in a warm and personal way. Covering topics such as Courage, Relaxation, Compassion, Fear, Empathy, Greed, Truth and many more. The book includes practice suggestions and daily mantras for each topic.

7. The Breathing Book by Donna Farhi

Breathwork is an important part of Yoga and our overall wellbeing. This is an easy to read book with step-by-step guides for remembering and re-learning our breath. The book includes concise information and diagrams relating to the anatomy of breathing and suggested practices for various health issues such as back pain, tiredness, asthma and help to build stamina.

Easy to understand and beneficial for all yogis and non-yogis alike!

This list gives you a taster of yoga books available for beginners. I hope that it gives you some inspiration. Why not explore further the wealth of yoga books available to us. Happy reading!

November 7, 2019

Book Reviews, Inspiration, Meditation, Retreats

Spiritual Ecology – The CRY of the EARTH

My summer programme has well and truly kicked in! My diary is packed with yoga retreats, festivals, classes, workshops and writing. I’m in the process of writing an e-course which I will start filming in a couple of week’s time. It’s a really exciting development and I can’t wait to get this course up online.

In my busy schedule I am a making sure that I take time to get out to enjoy the summer. This includes regular walks at the beach, yoga practice, meeting up with friends at local cafes and taking time to catch up on some reading.

“Spiritual Ecology – The Cry of the Earth”, a book of essays edited by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, has just arrived. I’m enjoying dipping into the various essays written by elders from around the globe such as Thich Nhat Hanh, Vandana Shiva, Satish Kumar, Chief Oren Lyons and many others.

“This book is important to the survival of humanity. We must reconnect with Mother Earth and treat her as a source of life instead of a resource to be plundered. Everyone must read this book, understand it and live it if we are to leave anything to our children and grandchildren.” ~ Hanne Strong, founder The Manitou Foundation and Earth Restoration Corps

The first essay I have read is “In the Time of the Sacred Places” by Winona LaDuke. Winona is an activist and voice for Indigenous consciousness devoting her life to protecting the lands and lifeways of Native communities. In this essay she talks about the importance of sacred sites and how place belongs to our deeper understanding of spiritual ecology.

For many years I have been interested in Indigenous cultures and their connection to Mother Earth and sacred places.

“Since the beginning of times, the Creator and Mother Earth have given our peoples places to learn the teachings that will allow us to continue and reaffirm our responsibilities and ways on the land from which we have come. Indigenous peoples are placed-based societies, and at the centre of those places are the most sacred of our sites, where we reaffirm our relationship” ~ Winona LaDuke, “In the Time of Sacred Places”

The essay highlights a selection of cases where the land has been named and claimed for the empire and desecrated for mineral rights and financial gain. Some cases go back to the 1850s and others are in most recent years for example Eagle Rock, known as “the home of the White Wolf and the High Place”, a sacred site to the Anishinaabe and other peoples for centuries. Rio Tinto Zinc, a UK based mining company through their subsidiary Kennecott submitted plans to mine the copper deposits adjacent to this sacred site. It has been a seven-year battle and the Michigan regulatory authorities ruled against the tribes, the water and the sacred site, stating that “the site could not be sacred or did not have spiritual significance because a place of worship must be a BUILDING”.

The state, on these grounds approved the mining permit. In response, the leadership of the HoChunk Tribal Court noted, “consultation should include learned tribal members who are the leaders of our ancient societies. Their knowledge spans the time prior to Christianity and Christopher Columbus. It is this understanding that makes who we are. There is no other place where tribal people can gain this understanding….”

This is the difference between world views – where one society, an industrial society, views a rich ore body, and another society views this as a source of great spiritual and cultural wealth.

It has been a seven year battle for the sacred site and now a petition to the United Nations for intervention under the declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to not only protect their sacred sites but to be protected from minerals exploitation which will destroy their life ways. A separate petition to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, by the National Congress of American Indians requests, “that requirements be imposed on Kennecott Eagle Minerals to mitigate the negative aesthetic impact of the proximity of the mining operation to Eagle Rock and that members of the various Native American communities be provided unfettered access for traditional use of the sacred ceremonial place”.

The Anishinaabe and their supporters who care for this land and do not wish to see the threshold of the world’s fresh water poisoned, have continued to gather and pray at and near Eagle Rock – amidst its strength and in the face of greed and destruction.

We can learn much from these Indigenous peoples and these cases illustrate how far we need to go in order to restore the health and wellbeing of Mother Earth.

I’d highly recommend Spiritual Ecology and I’m looking forward to diving into the other essays within the book.

Visit my Events page to find out What’s On over the summer.

July 1, 2019

Book Reviews, Inspiration, Meditation, Retreats, Yoga

The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling

Right now I am completely absorbed by “The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling” by Stephen Cope, the Director of the Institute for Extraordinary Living at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.

Stephen takes us on a step by step journey through the ancient spiritual text the “Bhagavad Gita” and makes it relevant for our contemporary lives. He explores the notion of dharma, the inner possibility within every human soul.

It is a perfect, and easy, read if you are feeling a little lost on your journey, if you are asking bigger questions about your life and you wish to explore your true calling. It might be that you are living fairly close to your dharma but you need minor adjustments to be fully living your life purpose. Or perhaps you have been living on purpose for many years and now it just doesn’t feel right, your inner knowing is telling you that changes are needed to live your life more fully at this present time.

“Every man has a vocation to be someone: but he must understand clearly that in order to fulfil this vocation he can only be one person: himself.” stated Thomas Merton. This is so true, we each have a unique calling. We may get influenced by outside opinions such as those from parents, teachers or peers but it is only when we tap into our true calling do we experience true energy, passion and magic.

“If you bring forth what is within you it will save you. If you do not, it will destroy you. And what precisely is destroyed? Energy is destroyed first. Those shining eyes. And then faith. And then hope. And then life itself.” I am sure we have all experienced both sides of this coin, when we are fully living our dharma we feel alive, we can feel it in our heart, others can see it in our face and they witness “those shining eyes”. When we are not living our dharma we may feel heavy, stressed, confused, desperate and unhappy.

I think it is comforting to know that at each phase in life we may have a different calling and sometimes we may have several dharmas running at the same time, for example your calling may be musician, parent and community activist.

What steps can you take to start to explore and live your dharma?

Allow yourself time to reflect and to ask questions such as “Why am I here?”, “What is my purpose?”, “What am I being guided or drawn to do?”

Create quiet time and stillness to let your heart and mind speak to you.

You may get lots of answers but over time your truest answers will begin to develop.

Don’t be frightened to try new things, it doesn’t have to be huge scary life changing stuff but taking action can open the door to your true purpose.

Think of the small as large. All of our actions, however small or large, are important so do not overrate or underrate your dharma. You will know when it feels comfortable for you at just the correct balance and size.

Trust in your inner knowing!

April 16, 2018