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by John Calabrese, Huntington, NY THE PROGRAM: Never mind that it takes years, even decades, for poor mental and physical habits to develop - everyone seems to want positive change to occur quickly, but at the same time they resist it. But Kelly Traver, a noted physician, seems to understand this basic discrepancy, and so “The Life-Changing 12-Week Method” (the secondary subtitle) refers to the starting point of a healthier life, not the end point. Traver has created an easy-to-navigate guide for those looking to develop a newfound relationship with selfrespect, and therefore health. She begins by discussing the brain, and how we’re “wired” to resist change (as an evolutionary mechanism designed to keep early humanoids safe by establishing routines based on experience). Using this reasoning, she demonstrates how the brain perceives change as dangerous, and how we can shift this resistance to facilitate better, healthier habits. Aside from the pillars of neurology and psychology, the rest of The Program encompasses chapters devoted to energy, weight loss, heart disease, diabetes, sleep, addiction (food, primarily), aging, and cancer. This is essential reading, clearly written with plenty of specific resources to get you started on the right path.
IN SEARCH
OF THE LIGHT If you haven’t heard of Leonard Jacobson, In Search of the Light is a wonderful introduction to his work. A long-time spiritual teacher known worldwide, Jacobson labored for three years (for some very good reasons) to create this simple yet “cut-to-the-core” masterpiece – and, in the process, mastered the literary art of appealing to both adults and children. The book’s message is a perennially relevant one: that the “light is within us,” and searching outside as the primary means of our fulfillment will never truly work. Fantastically illustrated by Fiammetta Dogi, the big, bright paintings nearly jump out and draw the reader into a world within a world. The deeper beauty, though, is how the message is lyrically worded, and how the artwork helps to further enliven the flowing language, virtually embuing the sentences with the very emotions Jacobson probably felt while writing them. If you find yourself wanting to read more, but find it hard to create the time, well, here’s your solution. The sense of expanded insight and fulfillment - gained in one sitting, owing to only 30 pages - is one of the book’s principal attractions. And if you share its message with a child, well, how much better can it get? LIVING WITH
MIRACLES: A Common-Sense Guide to
A Course in Miracles Have you always wanted to read A Course In Miracles but keep putting it off – even after many years? Who could blame you? Although incredibly useful and potentially even life-changing, the full text of ACIM is huge, daunting and complex. The answer to your procrastination, however, has arrived. D. Patrick Miller has condensed all of the primary “lessons” of ACIM into one very clear and readable guide: what it is, why it’s important, and how to benefit from it. Living With Miracles can be used on its own or as a primer for anyone seeking advice as they embark on a long-term relationship with the teachings of the Course itself, including what to expect emotionally, as well as personal changes and shifts in perspective. Using carefully-selected excerpts from the Course, along with vignettes from those who have gained insight from it, Miller creates an astoundingly good book that can easily stand on its own. “Ultimately, the aim of the Course teaching…” he writes, is “to awaken an ‘internal teacher’ in each student that always gives reliable spiritual guidance on the spot, in any circumstance, without having to rely on religious rules or commandments.”
John Calabrese is the Editor-at-Large at Creations Magazine and has a private counseling practice in Huntington, NY. |
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