- This topic has 25 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 7 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
-
One of my great loves is reading. I take a lot of comfort from it. Recently I have read Eat, Pray, Love (for about the 8th time!) and reflecting on the wisdom of the writing has been really helpful to me.
Can you ladies recommend any other books (not self help ones – stories would be best) that have touched you and helped you to find your balance?
Thank you x*x
-
-
-
-
‘Math with bad drawings, illuminating the ideas that shape our reality’ by Ben Orlin
It isn’t a story nor touching but it is hilarious and gives such complete mental break from all the abuse stuff, I can highly recommend it, it’s definitely thought provoking & humour helps restoring inner balance and sanity 🙃 -
-
-
-
-
-
Great 🤓
Yes I have read The body keeps the score, I find it the ultimate book about trauma, very well written, packed with stories. My favourite phrase from this book is “what can not be spoken to the [m]other can not be told to the self’”
The book approaches the subject of trauma through a scientific filter and is providing stories and examples illustrating the wide range of methods the medical field is using in attempting to heal trauma.
I didn’t find it triggering because the author emphasises more on the process of healing and the reactions issuing from trauma rather than going into graphic details of any abuse itself. It is relatively safe to read, I can only recommend it. Maybe not in one go haha take a breather with a lighter book at half time 😉
Happy reading darling!📚 -
-
Here an extract I found interesting;
“Traumatised people are terrified to feel deeply. They are afraid to experience their emotions, because emotions lead to loss of control. In contrast, theater is about emboydying emotions, giving voice to them, becoming rhythmically engaged, taking in and emboydying different roles.
As we’ve seen, the essence of trauma is feeling godforsaken, cut off from human race. Theather involves a collective confrontation with the realities of the human condition.
….traumatised people are afraid of conflict. They fear losing control and ending up on the loosing side once again. Conflict is central to theater – inner conflicts, interpersonal conflicts, family conflicts, social conflicts, and their consequences. Trauma is about trying to forget, hiding how scared, enraged, or helpless you are. Theater is about finding ways of telling the truth and conveying deep truths to your audience.”And that’s just one of the method researched in the book 😃
-
-
-
😂 happy reading – be prepared to have numerous discussions with yourself when you tackle one of Harari’s books! I’m currently dipping in and out of 21 lessons for the 21st century. I had to take a break from Sapiens as my poor brain couldn’t cope with life and some of his concepts! I plan to pick that up again when the grey matter has stopped being fried rice! 😂
Xxxx
-
My favourite book is still The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, I recommend it to everyone. I’m reading it for the second time. It’s for everyone too, not just ‘creative people’ because really all of us are creative in different ways. It helps you bring more of what you love into your life and can often help change or shape your career, your hobbies, your relationships, connect to yourself better, bring your dreams into reality. A lovely book, enjoyable to read too, it doesn’t feel like a chore doing the exercises (I know some books that give you tasks can feel a bit chore-like at times).
I also found Psychopath Free really helpful, v easy to read and describes my experience with my ex to a T which was very validating.
In terms of stories I love Practical Magic and Rules of Magic, really nice stories about powerful women and very cosy to read especially in Autumn.
-
That sounds like a really good mix of books. I used to be very arty but I’ve lost that side of me so I’m definitely going to put The Artists Way on my list 😊.
Another good book is The Salt Path. It’s about a couple that lost everything and to avoid acknowledging ‘homelessness’ embarked on a trek – a good one for snuggling up on the sofa with.
-
-
It is one of my favourite books Dragon; every time I read it I get something new from it. This time around it felt especially poignant.
Another excellent couple of reads are Shantaram and the follow on Mountain Shadow. They’re both stories rather than factual but the first one particularly draws on the authors life experiences – he escaped from a prison in Australia and ended up in India.
-
I love Shantaram!!I totally forgot about it! I had to leave all of my books behind and this one impressed me very much, I can only recommend it, it’s an adventure in India and so well written and thrilling you think you are right there with them. I didn’t know there was a second book, I’ll have a look at it.
-
-
‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ by Zora Neale Hurston, written in the 1930s. A beautiful book about the complexities of being in a violent relationship, and the liberation of escape.
“Here was peace. She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see.”
-
-
Same here, must be watchful of my budget, bought Permanent Record and saw the other ones from Harari. Can’t afford them all, one at a time, I think I’ll check the 21 Lessons out next then onto Shantaram&co. I used to be able to read a book within few days, I devoured them. Now I’m having a hard time staying focused on one, even when it’s interesting.
Where I live there are street libraries, for example an old phone booth transformed into a miniature library where people can place and retrieve books at no costs. It’s great 📚
-
I love those places. There’s one in a shopping centre just outside London that’s a WHOLE shop of free books – simply joyful!!
I’ve been recommended another two books….
Brené Brown – Braving the Wilderness
Elizabeth Gilbert – Big MagicAnd I’m also queuing Tale’s of a female nomad by Rita Golden Gelman
I’ll report back!
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
