Book Club

Brain on Fire

Eye-opening and brave, this read will keep you turning page after page.

I was captivated within seconds of  reading Brain on Fire written by Susannah Cahalan. This bestseller is a powerful memoir of Susannah’s medical mystery. Her narrative takes us through the story of how her 24 year old self went from vibrant living to a life of being violent, psychotic and bed bound. She is vulnerable in her writing and bravely honest with each stage of her nearly missed diagnosis and an unremembered month with moments she can only recollect through her parents journals, medical records, interviews and video footage. Keeping you engaged as each chapter passes, this story takes you on a journey of survival and perseverance; of love and of strength.

If you’re into autobiographic writing, I will say that Brain on Fire is unquestionably important for all humans to read. As Cahalan writes “It’s a reminder of  how fragile our hold on sanity and health is and how much we are at the utter whim of our Brutus bodies.”

Brain on Fire

 Keep calm & read on. xx

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

MonkWhoSoldHisFerrariThis inspiring and wonderfully crafted fable written by Robin Sharma, takes you through the essential steps to higher living. To living a life with greater courage, balance, abundance, and joy. It was my first read for 2016 and a good choice at that. Inspiring me to shine brighter this year and play into the poetic possibilities of life. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate read to kick-start the year!

This tale reveals the revelations of Julian Mantle, former superstar lawyer, as he embarked on a spiritual journey of self-discovery and enlightenment after a near death experience. His findings outline steps to follow in life to ensure your desires come true. All of which, I am sure we know, but often forget to put into practice. Here they are as an important reminder for us all.

  1. Have a clear vision of your outcome
  2. Create positive pressure to keep you inspired
  3. Never set a goal without attaching a timeline to it
  4. Go out and buy a journal, your dreambook
  5. Magic Rule of 21- for new behavior to crystallize into a habit, one is said to perform the activity for 21 days in a row

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

These 5 treasures of wisdom, along with the 10 rituals for radiant living, (briefly touched on below) will enrich your everyday and bring great balance and control. Take a moment for yourself, curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and this read. I promise you it is sensational and a book you will not want to put down.

And for later reference and because I love these so much; I’ll share with you a snippet from the Rituals for Radiant Living.

Ritual of Solitude– ensuring that your daily schedule includes mandatory period of peace, for your soul to recharge and explore the healing power of silence. Understand who you are.
Ritual of Physicality– as you care for your body, you care for your mind. Get your blood circulating and your body moving for increased energy. At least, 5 hours per week should be invested in physical activity.
Ritual of Live Nourishment– as you nourish your body, you nourish your mind. Your diet affects your clarity and mood. Enjoy live foods that are created through the natural interaction of the sun, air, soil, and water.
Ritual of Abundant Knowledge– lifelong learning and expanding the knowledge base while taking daily, consistent action to apply the knowledge and realize your dreams.
Ritual of Personal Reflection– taking the time to get to know yourself.
Ritual of Early Awakening– rise with the sun and start the day off well.
Ritual of Music– never forget the power of music. Improves mood and motivates.
Ritual of the Spoken Word– recite a series of mantra every morning, noon, and night. See the effects, keeping focused, strong and happy.
Ritual of a Congruent Character– do the right things. Take daily, incremental action to build your character.
Ritual of Simplicity– live a simple life. Focus on your priorities, those that are meaningful and better for your well-being. Take pleasure in the simple things.

 

Happy Reading. xx

Journey of Souls

Mind-blowing, transformative, everything that I have hope for.

Journey of Souls written by Michael Newton, Ph.D is extraordinary; as Newton explores the spirit world through regressive hypnotherapy and uncovers what happens between lives, as a reader you are left in awe. This read is focused on the experiences of Newton’s patients when he dives into  the space between lives and what that journey is like, how we choose our lives, and how we interact with the souls who accompany us on our journey. Most of what I’d hoped for about in life and between lives was affirmed and expanded in detail with all 29 remarkable case studies outlined in this book.

If you have the slightest interest on what awaits you on this journey in life, this is a must read! It is brilliant and will make you more aware of your inner self and all those around you, without any religious teachings imposed. Each page will have your heart and mind filled with wonderment and you will be quickly turning to the next page for more and more awe-inspiring words.

Once finished I was definitely yearning for more and luckily for myself and all readers, Newton has released a second book Destiny of Souls, which dives into 70 case studies and is much more comprehensive. I just started to read it, so I’ll keep you posted! Journey of Souls

Enjoy the journey. xx!

If on a winter’s night a traveler

If on a winter's night a traveler

Italo Calvino is arguably one of Italy’s greatest modern novelist and in my opinion a literary genius. If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler is a rare find – challenging yet brilliant to read – a true original. It’s been quite awhile since I read this one, but I am still astonished on how Calvino pulled this one off. This novel left me frustrated at times, yet entertained and intrigued to continue reading. You will realize soon after you start this one that you have to keep reading! The protagonist of this novel is you – the reader (written in second person) – it’s quite clever indeed! You are tied into the plot as soon as you start reading with the attempt to finish Calvino’s novel. However, problems keeps occurring, obstructing that ultimate mission. Combined you find, 22 passages, that are split between; the second-person narrative, that concerns the reader’s adventures in reading, If on a winter’s night a traveler and stories that are the first chapter of 10 different novels. All varying in style and genre from danger, mystery, sorrow, and romance that break off as they reach climax.

This novel explores how and why we read, touching on postmodernism, post-structuralism and existentialism. Calvino opens up the discussion of the interpretation of novels and subjectivity of their meaning. He theorizes how novels are open to infinite interpretations and that the meaning is determined by the reader rather than the author. He touches on how novels offer readers a reason to escape their convoluted structure of life, offering a pathway to their own personal meaning.

I absolutely recommend this read for all literature lovers, don’t get discourage and embrace the confusion; it will blow your mind.

xx!

Summer Essentials

The Canada long weekend is upon us and I am heading to the cottage! I can’t wait, sunny or not, it will be refreshing to escape the city. Nothing beats some sun, swim, sand by day and sunsets, bon fires, star gazing by night. Hitting the beach means keeping things simple, packing light, and drowning yourself in a book or two. Here are some of my essentials. Nothing out of the ordinary, just your basic essentials. Shades, sunscreen, surf spray, bikini, books and good tunes. I am half way through each of these reads, so I am hoping to get through them all this weekend, will keep you posted with my review in my book club section.

The main purpose of today’s post is to share my favourite SPF products this year. Again, huge thanks to The Cure for educating and supplying me with some great product for the summer. Seriously guys, you have to check out this shop – be warned you will not leave empty handed. 🙂 Summer Essentials

 

John Masters Suncare Natural Mineral Sunscreen – A certified organic, vegan, mineral sunscreen that is light and non-greasy. Antioxidant-rich organic green tea extract gives skin an anti-aging boost, aloe calms skin, and jojoba and shea butter moisturize and help balance skin’s oil production. This sunscreen is free of paragons, phthalates, fragrances, and nano particles. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but in my opinion worth every cent to ensure healthy protection for your beautiful face.  Also, note that a little bit goes a LONG way with this one.

Sun Bum SPF 30 -This high quality product is 100% vegan, hypoallergenic, photostable,  and rich in Vitamin E, which helps neutralize free radicals, preventing premature skin aging. This sunscreen is broad spectrum UVA/UVB Protection / Parsol® 1789, paraben free, PABA free, and oil free. I love that this lotion is non-greasy which is key for every day wear. And a major point to note with Sun Bum, is that this sunscreen is tested and approved by the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Most importantly, be sure to protect your skin and when looking for sunscreen, do your research, consult with someone you trust and find what works best for you.

Happy long weekend! xx