The Book Report by Rebecca Traver - Our Online Bookshop Curator

“Problems sustain us--maybe that's why they don't go away. What would a life be without them? Completely tranquilized and loveless . . . There is a secret love hiding in each problem."

‍~James Hillman

What’s your problem? What’s got your knickers in a twist, friend? Has a relationship or something important to you not worked out in the way you thought it would? Has an unexpected turn of events left you feeling less than shiny? Whatever it is that’s turning your world upside down, I invite you to explore the notion that there might be nothing wrong here. 

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Consider this, as described by Pema Chödrön from her book Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change:

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“The third commitment, traditionally known as the Samaya Vow, is a commitment to embrace the world just as it is. Samaya is a Tibetan word meaning “sacred vow” or “binding vow.” It entails a coming together with our total experience, an unshakable bond with life. With this commitment, we accept that we are bound to reality, bound to everything we perceive in every moment. There is no way to get away from our experience, nowhere to go other than right where we are. We surrender to life.” 

Can you imagine living in this way? Can you imagine doing the deep work of healing required? I have a hunch that you can. In fact, I suspect that’s why we’re here. I have gathered together some titles in support of that aspiration:

Let’s begin with No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard Schwartz with an introduction by Alanis Morissette. I love how this book helps us to understand that there is not just one ‘you’, a single identity. “All of us are born with many sub-minds - or parts,” writes Dr. Schwartz. “These parts are not imaginary or symbolic. They are individuals who exist as an internal family within us - and the key to health and happiness is to honor, understand, and love every part.”

Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide for the Rest of Us by Justin Michael Williams with illustrations by Victoria Cassinova is something of an atypical guide to meditation in that it brings the practice of mindfulness directly into our complex modern world. We are modern people living in a high-tech context. We have first world problems and long to-do lists. And if you grew up in struggle - overcoming homophobia, sexism, trauma, shame, depression, poverty, toxic masculinity, racism, or social injustice - you might need a different type of meditation.

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Taking a more traditional, but no less relevant, approach is Ordinary Wonder: Zen Life and Practice by Charlotte Joko Beck. Wryly humorous and relatable, Beck uses powerfully clear language to show how our lives present us with daily opportunities to move from thinking to experiencing, from compulsivity to confidence, and from anguish to peace. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner, or a reader interested in exploring these teachings for the first time, Ordinary Wonder offers the depth and breadth of Beck's remarkable experience in an accessible guide to practice amidst the struggles of daily life.

Heart Open, Body Awake: The Four Steps of Embodied Spirituality by Susan Aposhyan weaves together insights from a wide range of scientific, psychological, and spiritual traditions to present a practical path toward embodied spirituality. Beautiful anatomical illustrations help readers to visualize the body systems, processes, and movements described in the book. Through the practices offered, your sense of spiritual wellness can become as near and palpable as your sensitive, beating heart.

Along with Pema Chödrön, my go-to author when I’m feeling more lost than found is Anne Lamott--with Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy often at the top of that list. In it she speaks of radical kindness, the art of giving ourselves and others the permission to forgive a debt, to absolve the unabsolvable, and to let go of the judgment and pain that make life feel so difficult at times. Full of her trademark honesty, humility, humor, and forthrightness, this is a profound and caring, funny, and wise offering to us lucky readers.

And then there are times when we are more in the mood for 

a divinatory approach to that stuck feeling that shows up occasionally. 

In my experience, oracle decks can reveal valuable lines of inquiry and often 

serve to highlight aspects of any given situation or circumstance 

that have been resting in shadow.

 If this is where you’re at now, here are some terrific oracle decks 

to complement your movement into growth.

The wonderfully creative Nick Bantock, author of the Griffin & Sabine series, brings us an extraordinary deck designed to help you create your personal mythology with The Archeo: Personal Archetype Cards comprised of 40 stunning archetype cards, a full-color guidebook detailing each one's skills, gifts and personalities, and two blank cards with which to make your own archetypal characters. Featuring mesmerizing artworks that spark the imagination, this marvelous deck guides you in discovering your full potential as a person of many parts.

The inspiring author and spiritual teacher Colette Baron-Reid gives us Oracle of the 7 Energies: A 49-Card Deck and Guidebook which is based on the power of 7 energies. The number seven is reflected in belief systems and cultures throughout history…and in your own life today, right this minute. The wisdom of the energy of seven can be seen in the way you think, how you make decisions, what you encounter within yourself and how that can help you to grow, and the conditions of your personal world. With guidance from intuitive master and oracle expert Colette Baron-Reid, you can now awaken to the power of Source within you, becoming a channel for Divine abundance and miracles.

Laura Tempest Zakroff’s Liminal Spirits Oracle is a lovely deck helping to connect you to the wisdom of the spirit realm and the deeper energies within yourself. In other words, whatever it is you seek, it is already within you.

Both Sacred Path Cards: The Discovery of Self Through Native Teachings and Medicine Cards: The Discovery of Power Through the Ways of Animals by Jamie Sams are classic decks offering sacred teachings and wisdom as tools for self-discovery, awareness, and positive transformation.

And lastly, I invite you to explore the beauty and insight of Denise Linn’s Sacred Destiny Oracle: A 52-Card Deck to Discover the Landscape of Your Soul. In this powerful oracle card deck, Denise Linn draws from her Native American heritage and experience as a gifted healer and teacher. With each card, you receive access to a different gateway, from our earthly realm to the one of Spirit. From forests to floodplains, meadows to caves, shimmering sunshine to the dark mysteries of the moon--these vibrant cards will fill your days with messages of Spirt, from the landscapes within and around us.

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May your inner guidance awaken and may the wisdom of the native spirit unfold within your life.

Perhaps things are not as insurmountable as they seem.

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“The problem, if you love it, is as beautiful as the sunset.”

~J. Krishnamurti

Please visit our online Bookshop to see our full selection of lists and titles.

May you be inspired, supported, and delighted by what you find here.