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Book Review-Dancing Healers

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Feb 132018

The Dancing Healers: A Doctor’s Journey of Healing with Native Americans
by Carl A. Hammerschlag, M.D.

I first read this book over twenty years ago, and have enjoyed re-reading it. Dr. Hammerschlag began his medical career as a general practitioner at a hospital on an Native American Reservation in New Mexico. He then became a psychiatrist and worked out of Phoenix, Arizona, while also visiting Native Americans on their reservations.

He writes about his spiritual journey from completely believing in the miracle of Western medicine to understanding that healing occurs in many different ways. Along the way, his old issues were healed.

His experiences with the shamans, the disenfranchised, the healing practices and rituals of the Native Americans of the Southwest opened his mind to other possibilities and realities. This book allows the reader to take a step into a culture that is rich and unique.

Dr. Hammerschlag weaves stories of his experiences with the Indians in with his insights, understanding, and personal history.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review – The Gnostic Gospels

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Nov 212017

by Elaine Pagels

The Gnostic Gospels
by Elaine Pagels

I read this book about thirty years ago, and it opened my eyes to many things about the development of the early Christian church. The author is a religious scholar and historian and studied the Nag Hammadi scrolls. These scrolls were found in 1945 in Egypt, and brought forth new information about disagreements within the early Christian movement.

This book not only discusses the information found within the documents, but also places it in context with other Christian theological ideas of that era. There wasn’t just one view of Jesus and his life and death. Theories abounded in those years, many of which were denounced by an orthodox view that became more powerful. Eventually, any ideas that didn’t agree with the orthodox view were condemned and destroyed. Christians called each other “heretic” if they held divergent concepts.

The author examines the different areas of accepted Christian theology using the scrolls and the writings of the orthodox theologians. Addressing such issues as: the resurrection, God as Mother/Father, the persecution of Christians, how to know God, and more, this book casts new light on how these areas were perceived from many different viewpoints.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-Healing the Shame that Binds You

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Oct 032017

Healing the Shame that Binds You (Recovery Classics)
by John Bradshaw

Many people grow up in dysfunctional families that have caused them to feel ashamed of natural needs, desires, and sometimes of just being. This results in their not feeling worthy, effective, or mattering. Healing The Shame That Binds You not only addresses the core issues behind the toxic shame that people feel, explains how it formed and where it comes from, it also gives valuable direction on how to heal it.

Most of us have been exposed to some sort of toxic shame, and carry it with us. This shame prevents us from living up to our potential, accepting ourselves, and accepting all the good Life has to offer us. The author examines these issues, to give the reader a deep understanding on how shame formed, different ways it manifests (such as panic attacks, addictions, and compulsions), and steps to take to resolve the problem.

This book isn’t just one of theory and information. It includes meditations, exercises, new behaviors to practice, and affirmations. Different methods of healing are explained and demonstrated. Anyone who grew up in a dysfunctional home, or who absorbed a sense of shame would benefit from reading this valuable source.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-New Age Hypnosis

Book Review-The Dynamic Laws of Prayer

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Aug 012017

The Dynamic Laws of Prayer
by Catherine Ponder

“Pray and Grow Rich” was the first book by Catherine Ponder that I ever read. When I decided to review it, I thought that it was out of print when I couldn’t find it under that name. I was upset, because I knew how valuable the information was. But then I was relieved to find it under the title, “The Dynamic Laws of Prayer.” The second title more closely describes what the book is about.

Prayer helps bring us closer to the God within, contact Its power and releases that energy into our lives. Rev. Ponder dispels the notion that prayer is passive and pleading with a far off deity. In this book, she describes the many different ways we can pray and that prayer is individual. By tackling the difficult issues of what to do when prayer isn’t immediately answered, she assures us that it’s to help us grow into the result.

The information goes deeply into how to approach the power within you and express it, even if there are blocks in the way. This book addresses the use of affirmations, meditation in the silence, what to do to eliminate unwanted conditions, and much, much more. As with all of her books, it is filled with affirmations. If you want to change your life, this book will give you the tools to do so.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-Positive Imaging: The Powerful Way to Change Your Life

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Jul 052017

Positive Imaging: The Powerful Way to Change Your Life
by Norman Vincent Peale

I’ve worked with visualization and imaging for over forty years, and in that time have read many books on the subject. This is one of the best books I’ve read that not only describes the process, but also explains how it can specifically help in various aspect of your life.

Dr. Peale doesn’t define imaging as a magical process that alone will make all your problems disappear, but as one that opens up the way for solutions and guidance. Once the goal has been set and visualized, then there must be “discipline, determination, patience, and persistence” for the idea to become reality. Using examples and success stories, Dr. Peale explains how imaging can improve self-esteem, finances, success, worry, relationships, health, faith and much more.

Known for his wisdom and ability, Dr. Peale helps people change their attitudes towards their everyday problems. This book shows how using the natural ability of imaging, your challenges can be conquered. The technique he describes is very simple, and is used by everyone each day. I recommend it highly for anyone wanting to learn more about the important tool of visualization.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-What You Think Of Me Is None Of My Business

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May 292017

What You Think of Me is None of My Business
by Terri Cole-Whittaker

This title would be a fantastic mantra for most of us. We spend too much time trying to please other people. In doing so, we twist ourselves out of shape, compromise our deepest beliefs, abandon and stifle our uniqueness.

This book is all about our relationship to ourselves and others and how to be true to our real selves. Ms. Cole-Whittaker systematically goes through the different areas that we restrict ourselves to gain approval, such as abundance, guilt, health, relationships, competition and dismantles our excuses for doing so.

In her chapter on “Everyone Can Win,” she addresses the dissatisfaction of employees, and gives guidance to them and their bosses about how to improve their fulfillment.

Each chapter ends with some self-awareness questions and strategies, and includes three affirmations to implement the changes. This book will change the way you think about every area of your life. And as we know, when you change the way you think, your life changes in response.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review – The Dream Encyclopedia

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Apr 182017

The Dream Encyclopedia
by James R. Lewis

I’m not one much for dream interpretation books. Dream symbols tend to be personal, but sometimes I encounter a very puzzling symbol. In this case, I use a guide like “The Dream Encyclopedia” to help give me a direction to explore the meaning for myself. This encyclopedia has an excellent section on dream symbol interpretation that’s been very helpful, but it’s only about one-third of the book. The rest of the material is about much, much more than that.

The bulk of the information covers everything related to dreaming in an A to Z format and goes into great depth. The entries explain who various people, religions, cultures and deities are in relationship to dreaming. It explores various approaches to dreaming, from the ancient past to the present, including sleep research. It would be hard to believe there’s anything even remotely related to dreaming that doesn’t have a mention in this book. Each entry also has a bibliography of the source of that information.

I was enthralled with this encyclopedia. If you’re interested in dreaming, more than just interpreting them, then you must have this book. It would also be a great gift for someone who is interested in this subject.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

Book Review-Stake Your Claim

Book Review-Recreating Your Self

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Jan 262017

Recreating Your Self: Building Self-Esteem Through Imaging and Self-Hypnosis
by Nancy J. Napier

Most of my clients struggle with self-esteem issues. They have feelings of shame, worthlessness, and due to old programming, don’t take the steps necessary to support their own health and well-being. This book is a great resource to anyone who has experienced these challenges.

The author addresses the subjects of healing the inner child, reviewing past abuses in the light of our current understanding, connecting with our healed, future self and much more. Especially helpful to me was the chapter on the protective parts. These parts were created to help us in a time of stress. Based on the old information, they continue to control us, and many times this actually hurts our desire to heal. However, we can update their protection and turn them into resources that support us in the present day.

Instructions, exercises and scripts for self-hypnosis accompany each of her chapters to do the inner work and heal. This book is a wonderful addition to anyone who has read John Bradshaw’s books on healing the inner child, or who has had a dysfunctional childhood and wishes to resolve the old wounds to become a happier person.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart

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