Good Books
Karen Schacter, contributing editor (www.dishingwithyourdaughters.com)
Books for Moms
I know this is usually the section you come to for inspiring and wise parenting books or books to share with your children. But in honor of “May as Mother’s Month” as I am proclaiming, today’s book recommendations are for you, Mom.
Because I’m inviting you to rest, rejuvenate, play and get back in touch with your inner creative-goddess and inner-passion-queen, these three books are fun. They are for you to pick up, toss in your giant purse (I know you can fit a book or two...just take out some sippy cups and juice boxes!), and “play” with anytime. I have all of these books on my own shelf and whenever I need a little inspiration or motivation, I reach for one. I hope they inspire and ignite you as much as they do me.
First, SARK’S beautiful, bright, playful book called Succulent Wild Woman: Dancing With Your Wonder-Full Self. You don’t even have to read this book to begin feeling more delicious in your life! It is gorgeous and bright and playful and just skimming through it is inspiring. Each page offers juicy ideas, thoughts, insights and invitations to live more fully, engage more openly and live in a more enlivening way! (SARK has written several other books as well, each of which are equally inviting!).
Next is a very unique book called Spiritual Doodles & Mental Leapfrogs: A Playbook for Unleashing Spiritual Self-Expression, by Katherine Q. Revoir. I promise, you have never seen a book like this before! This book is full of exercises that use doodling — yes, doodling, to help awaken your creativity and awaken your heart’s passion.
As Katherine says in the introduction, “the purpose of this playbook is to provide a guideline for consciously re-connecting with the Spirit within, through the process of self-reflection, recognizing our own Divinity, self-expression, and exploring what our gifts are so that we may give them to the world”. The playbook uses right and left-brain activities to access our inner guidance, which creates a pathway for us to find our own unique formula for self-expression. I love this book and use if frequently for myself and with clients!
And finally, if you’re bone tired and thinking more about relaxing and pampering than passion and creativity, then you may want to first skim The Woman’s Comfort Book: A Self-Nurturing Guide To Restoring Balance in Your Life, by Jennifer Louden. This book does what it says; it reconnects you to your deep, and very honorable, need and desire for nurturing, rest and balance. Jennifer is wise and witty and honest, and this lovely book offers exercises and ideas for reassessing your needs and creating simple ways of meeting them.
I hope one or all — of these books serves to inspire and awaken you this month. You, dear Mom, who cares for so many and offers so much, deserve to fill your own well, to feed your own soul and to feel the delight that comes from paying deep attention to you.
