Great Reads

I am a book lover who believes in the gift of sharing. The following is a list of books that have shaped my thinking and my life over the years. Books that have a healing touch can affect us deeply and help us grow. Consider making reading a part of your self-care practice. These are only a few and are not in any particular order.

The Art of loving by Erich Fromm, New York: Harper, 1956.

Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl, New York: Pocket Books, 1959.

The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978.

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay, New York: Hay House, Inc. 1984.

As You Think by James Allen, California: New World Library, 1998.

Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, M.D., New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1998.

THE PROPHET by Kahlil Gibran, Sydney, Australia: Phone Media, 1996.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, San Francisco, CA: HarperOne, 1993.

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin S. Sharma, New York: HarperTorch, 1997.

Making Peace With Your Parents by Harold H. Bloomfield, M.D., New York: Ballantine Books, 1996.

When Bad Things Happen To Good People by Harold S. Kushner, New York: Avon Books, 1981.

Mothering Ourselves Help and Healing for Adult Daughters by Evelyn S. Bassoff, Ph.D., New York: Penguin Group, 1991.

Struggle For...Intimacy by Janet Woititz, Ed.D., Florida: Health Communications, Inc., 1985.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, New York: Doubleday,1997.

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, California: Amber-Allen Publishing, 1997.

Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach, New York: Bantam Books, 1995.

Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali, Australia: Inspired Living A& U, 2003.

Creative Visualization: Use the Power of your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life by Shakti Gawain, Novato California: New World Library, 2002

A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis, San Francisco, CA: HarperOne, 2001.

The Dance of Anger by Harriet Goldhor Lerner, Ph.D., New York: Harper & Row, 1985.

Staring At The Sun Overcoming the Terror of Death by Irvin D. Yalom, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003 edition.


Happy Readings!

Ropes Of The Mind

The story of the elephant and the rope

As a man was passing the elephants at a circus, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not.
He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. "Well," trainer said, "when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it's enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free."
The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn't, they were stuck right where they were.
-Author unknown

How many of us think of ourselves tied up to something from which we cannot break free? As in the story above, the ropes that bind us are in our hearts and minds, not on our hands and feet. They are the beliefs that we have about ourselves that have the power of holding us back in life. Just like the elephants, we too have tied ropes to our mind. We can and often do become victims of our beliefs, convictions and thoughts.

Life lessons for us all

-We are limited only by the thoughts, beliefs and convictions that we choose.
-Consider opening your mind to new ways of looking at your past, present and future. A shift in one's perception is key if you truly want to change your life.
-Recognize your pattern of thinking that keeps you doing the same thing over and over again.
-We tend to create in our life what we believe and feel is true for ourselves. Yes, our thoughts come to life and create our life picture.
-What we believe to be true about ourselves is what we live with and this has a profound effect on our day to day life.
-To change your life you must first be willing and ready to change yourself. Change your mind, change your life.
-When we defend our own negative beliefs, we are our own worst enemy.
-Your life is up to you. You get to decide who you are and how you will live out your life.
-It is possible to change your thoughts, beliefs and convictions.

Questions to reflect on

-How is what I believe to be true for me show up in my life?
-When facing difficult situations, ask yourself, what needs to change, the circumstances or your mindset.
-What beliefs about yourself and others are you holding on to in your mind that are not allowing you to progress in life?
-What is the relationship between what you expect in your life and what actually happens?
-Are you settling for less than you deserve simply because you are not open to new ways of thinking and being?
-What old beliefs are you holding on to that no longer serve you?
-What or better yet, who is in your way of experiencing a better life? A clue- it's nothing on the outside.
-What are the ropes that bind you? Are you ready and willing to break free?

It is true that our actions, or lack of, are an extension of our thoughts. A change in perception may be all that you need.

Enjoy!