Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: wisdom

  • The Comfort Book

    The Comfort Book

    If nothing else, the past many, many months of the life and times of the Covid pandemic had taught us the real value and need for connectedness with family, friends and community. It has highlighted the terrible effect mental health is having on the wider community and the many troubling issues of an uncertain future many are grappling with, often for the first time in their lives.

    Matt Haig has collected a wonderful mix of poetry, stories, wise and wonderful sayings, along with excerpts from his personal journey with depression to create The Comfort Book, one giant, massive hug in paper form that offers hope, understanding and a sometimes wry look at life and all who sail in it! His collection of gorgeous words help sort through many things that often need a slightly different perspective on those deep, dark ‘down days’.

    Mantra’s from his personal journey rub shoulders with quotes from Marcus Aurelius’, along with many others, questions are considered such as ‘the power of why!’ He looks at why he writes and why, on his lowest darkest days he wrote down what he was feeling. Reflecting back, he realized it presented hope, a pathway that could be used by anyone suffering with a debilitating illness. A perfect place to investigate this concept is “delete the italics’ and when you have done this the words that are left at the conclusion of the exercise are cathartic; a new perspective, a fresh viewpoint of YOU.

    The Comfort Book is meant to be used little by little, dipped into and enjoyed as required. Open it at random and read what is there for you: words of understanding and comfort, many that have stood the test of time, many that are full of wisdom reach out with their age old wisdom and comfort.

    Consider The Comfort Book as best friend, there to offer wisdom, philosophical viewpoints, wry smiles, food for thought, along with a lovely warm hugs of comfort, not a word spoken, just thoughts on paper to help along the way on those days when a slightly different perspective, a gentle wry smile and a hug in book are just simply the perfect solution.

  • Flawsome

    Flawsome

    Perfection or the pursuit of perfection is a pathway paved with emotional distress as many have discovered before they accept that perhaps being imperfect may be the next best option of the two; the more rewarding and comfortable.

    Flawsome from Georgia Murch looks at this complex issue of accepting that we are all flawed, we are born as close to perfect as we are ever going to be, and then spend the rest of our lives chasing something we perceive as perfection in every aspect of our lives.

    Using her own life journey of doing just that, aiming for perfection, she writes a no hold barred handbook on becoming comfortable with being you, by presenting the very real fact that by giving ourselves the freedom to be who we are we are, less than perfect, in fact flawed, we become Flawsome.

    As the past 10 years of her professional life has been spent becoming an expert in designing feedback cultures in teams and organisation, she discovered that how we perceive ourselves has a direct effect on those around you, whether it be in the workplace, at Corporate levels, within relationships and as a member of family. Over her years working with a vast range of people she has listened to more than 20,000 people telling their story, which certainly gives her the creds to be able to construct a book such as Flawsome, which definitely contains life changing potential.

    Murch asks you when reading this book to be brutally honest with yourself when working through the various chapters, which will create some confrontational moments, form embarrassing aspects and offer some light bulb moments or truths, which will all lead to acceptance of ‘learning to be holey’.  Courage is required to read this book coupled with a genuine desire to change, to be curious about who you really are, to be happier in your life journey.

    At times funny, cringe worthy, and occasionally a little sad, humanity is explored from so many angles, presenting situations everyone will be able to relate to, unless they of course choose not to be on this journey of personal discovery to become Flawsome.

    Flawsome offers a pathway towards the right to be flawed, to allow yourself to be a wonderful, caring, kind human who is happy to be holey, through and through. Georgia Murch says that by accepting that we are all flawed, we all have cracks, and becoming comfortable with the less than perfect pieces of ourselves, we give ourselves the right to become the best version of ourselves; to be kind to ourselves.

  • The Wisdom Years

    The Wisdom Years

    As life expectancy continues to grow, more and more people will experience the wisdom years and the awareness they bring. Retirement could be the beginning of a new more rewarding life!

    Zvi Lanir has written the perfect book, ‘The Wisdom Years’ which allows retired people to understand, explore and value those years post retirement. He offers readers the knowledge, the encouragement and ability to make the most of these valuable years. In his book he explains, using brain theory, why it is important for retirees not to allow their brains to retire, but to simulate them to achieve a new level of awareness in order to reap the benefits of the new life stage which lies ahead of them. By ditching some of the old habits and forming new one’s life could be fuller than before!

    The author identifies four personal dimensions; the cognitive, the emotional, the physical and the social, which he explores in detail. He believes that the over 65s’ functional age, quality of life and life expectancy are determined to a large extent by the interrelationship which exists between these personal dimensions. In his book he explains how people can actively influence their functional age and create a ‘personal reserve’ that will empower them to enjoy the wisdom years and delay the infirmities of old age.

    For anyone approaching retirement this is a must read, not as a manual for being a happy, successful retiree, but as a well-documented thought-provoking volume on the post retirement years. This easy to read book will resonate with seniors. It will trigger thoughts and ideas which are very familiar.

  • PUG: How to be the Best You

    PUG: How to be the Best You

    Everyone needs this book in their life. It is a wonderful, simple guide to a happy, healthy way of peaceful living. It’s a book that almost needs a hug. The author is to be congratulated on the messages she has to share and the way she has presented it.

     PUG, standing for PHILOSOPHICAL UNIVERSAL GUIDANCE, is a series of short passages under such headings as “The Journey, Wonder, Sing, Compassion,” and many others. Most of the messages are only three or four lines, but each word has been chosen with great care to reflect how you can become a better person, and more content with life. For example, the message under “Confidence” says, “To explore new ground, you need to have faith in yourself. When following another, make sure you pick the right leader.”

     The illustrations which accompany this gathering of wisdom are simply delightful. They explain the text admirably, and are quite lovely to examine. There is such a variety of expressions on the pug’s face that each page is a pleasure to scan. As you read the text and the pictures, one cannot help but smile, as the pug makes a point of emphasizing the text. Each double page includes a full page illustration, and the opposite page contains the text. The author must love pugs very much, as her introduction describes the breed of dog that has travelled the world, lived with Chinese Emperors, Tibetan Monks and European Royalty.

     At first glance the hard back picture book seems like a child’s book; perhaps this is because it is suitable for all ages and stages of life. A child would delight in the illustrations and listen to text, while an adult would get a very different message from the wisdom that is passed on.

      “Trying to be your best self “, is not an aim exclusively for adults, but for all of us who do need reminding about the joy that is to be had in a life. As Pug says, “The world abounds with creatures who can point the way.”

     

  • Intuitive

    Intuitive

    Intuition is something we all have and frequently use, without being aware of what it is that makes us instinctively know or understand the why and how about what may have just happened, or the reason behind the decision just made.

    But what happens to your life if you can use this God given ability each day to make life better, to help understand to a deeper and more humble level, what a wonderful gift has been given to us all.

    In this handbook or guide to discovering and using your intuition, Craig Wilson presents in a wonderfully warm and comfortable manner, the pathway to a better connectedness, a greater understanding and a greater acceptance of the journey we, as humans, are taking as we travel across our lives.

    As a gifted intuitive he has always understood the power and understanding that comes with this gift; equally he has understood that as we move rapidly through this fast paced modern lifestyle we are losing this skill, this talent and in so doing have lost the connectedness that is all important.

    Interestingly, people are today more than ever, seeking inner peace, are suffering from a range of stress related illnesses and conditions and are searching for that magic elixir to cure all their ills and ailments. As Wilson says, time and time again throughout the book, Intuition, while not a quick fix, will certainly help on the road to recovery and the pathway to a happier, healthier lifestyle both physically and spiritually.

    Right at the beginning there is a little ‘tick list’ to encourage you to check out just where you are placed, asking you to decide ‘are you where you had planned to be at this time of your life’. The results, if you are brutally honest with the answers could prove to be very surprising.

    Now that the base line is established the rest of the book is there to help you understand and make the changes required as well as encourage you towards change in the way you not only live, but do business, undertake your responsibilities to others and enjoy the fruits of your labours, with a happy, peaceful heart.

    As this is a rather challenging task, Wilson has constructed the chapters to be able to be read in one long marathon read, or simply to be opened at will and read little by little to help you make the changes as required. At the end of each of the chapters there is a little summation of all the points addressed making a really easy reference guide should you need to refresh or review.

    Craigh Wilson does not come from a place of perfection as he openly says he has ‘been there and done that’, even though as a young child he was well aware of his gift of intuition.

    Intuition is at the end of the journey something that is intensely personal, very humbling and can be used to have a lot of fun. It is flexible, versatile and totally life changing, unique to you.

    In his words “From my personal experience, I believe intuition is one of the most important parts of being a human”.

    Ask yourself the question, what have I got to lose, what have I got to gain? And then take the first step to the rest of your intuitive life.  Enjoy your very special journey into freedom and happiness under the guidance of a master in Craigh Wilson as he encourages you to:

    “Be who you truly are. Be bold, and be bright.”