bubble faerie

Soothing Alchemy in the Aftermath of a Storm

Reviewed: 11-09-24

I first listened to this extraordinary book while working in long neglected gardens of a home I was renting. It was during the pandemic and listening to books was a way to feel a sense of companionship in a time when we were so very far apart in so many ways.
Now, here I am in the aftermath of Helene, in these ancient Carolina mountains, cleaning up the debris of both nature and of life, so of course, I turned once again to the wisdom of Mr. Macfarlane and his ability to transport me beyond my aching heart to the peace of wild places.
Perhaps it was because I was diligently working to move dozens of fallen trees to a new purpose as a hugekultur on our land, but the book resonated even more deeply with me this time and I found myself openly weeping many times. On the morning of September 27th, I watched in horror as we lost nearly 75% of the trees of our forest to the forces of wind and rain, unexpected and unfathomable in these sacred mountains. We are fortunate to have only experienced a temporary flooding of our creek, while others lost homes and lives and businesses to the rage of rivers flowing beyond their banks and trees and land sliding down on top of them.
The Wild Places offered me hope, knowing that, indeed, nature will renew herself. We are so very aware of her power and strength here now more than ever, but also of her resilience, much like these people in these tiny mountain towns. Trees will grow, we will rebuild, and the wild places will flourish once again.
Read this book. Be transported. Love and tend our wild places. Please.

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Accessible tools for effective change

Reviewed: 07-20-24

To be honest, I was resistant to listening to this book. It kept coming up every time I logged onto Audible, and I mistakenly assumed that it was just another Do My Program for results book.
Then I heard James on a podcast and was sincerely intrigued and inspired, so here we are now, with me having recommended this book to nearly everyone I know.
Essential and accessible tools to help create a healthy mindset around your habits. It is already helping me move forward in some areas which I felt overwhelmingly challenged by in the past.
Get the book. I hesitate to claim anything will change your life because it’s highly individualized, but I’d be incredibly surprised if you didn’t experience some positive changes from listening to this.

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Heart Expanding Exponentially . . .

Reviewed: 12-02-23

The only regret I have about this book is that I didn't know about Homeboy Industries until recently. Having served in a nonprofit for most of my adult life, I stand in awe of what they have created and will wholeheartedly support their mission going forward. Now on to share my thoughts on this remarkable book.
You know how you have an experience that lingers within you and comes back up time and time again, like a specific song or scent? Well, Father Boyle's words and inspirational stories keep coming up into my daily life again and again. I"m thinking that's a fabulous intention for the success of a message, don't you? This book made me want to be a better person (and, as he so eloquently and repeatedly states, "we already ARE good and always have been", being even better, well, that has to be pretty great!)
I triple dog dare you to listen to this book and not want to be a more compassionate, loving person. To see us all as one, big family with some of us (a whole LOT of us) dealing with heavy burdens and challenges which require us to dig even deeper into that infinite heart space to remember we "belong to each other".
I often refer to Indra's Net in my yoga classes - a vast net cast across the universe with a jewel at every place where the net meets. Within each jewel, we see ourselves and EVERYONE else. A reminder that we are all just reflections of one another is something I believe we desperately need to remember in this world we are constantly creating.
Thank you, Greg Boyle, and everyone who plays an integral part in the healing of our world through compassionate connection. I am inspired and motivated. Thank you.

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Deepest wisdom

Reviewed: 04-09-23

Not since Thoreau’s Walden have I felt a deeper connection to the written word. It’s as if, for the first time, someone finally articulated what I’ve inherently felt my whole life. Thank you for affirming that my connection to the world is a beautiful thing indeed.

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Embrace your elder woman

Reviewed: 04-09-23

Thank you for this insightful, extraordinary and revolutionary book. If you are a woman or love and care about women, this is essential reading. It’s time we recognize the wisdom and power which comes from aging. This book will invigorate your spirit and motivate you to embrace your elder woman

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3 people found this helpful

Morose

Reviewed: 09-08-22

In the event you’re searching for a way to elicit tears and a truly pessimistic outlook on life, look no further. I couldn’t get beyond the first chapter. If it were physically in my library, I would take great pride in placing it in the recycling bin.

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Reflections and Growth, a Quintessential Must-Read

Reviewed: 08-02-22

If I had the financial wherewithal to be able to purchase this book for every middle school library and for every dear friend and family member, I would. This book reached deep beyond my cambium to the heartwood at my center. Asia's words resonated so deeply with me that I often found myself with tears streaming down my cheeks, an unexpected smile on my face, or a desire to go back and listen again to allow her wisdom to infuse deeper into my consciousness.
I was gifted a paperback copy of this book by a dear friend who knew that I felt a kindred connection to the posts Asia put on her Instagram. Little did my friend know that I had already purchased a copy for myself, so I gifted that to another friend. As this is gardening season, I was frustrated not to have the time to sit and read the book, so I ordered it on Audible and am so glad that I did. Asia's voice is like receiving a warm embrace from a dear grandmother, as she is wise beyond her years.
At 12, I perched upon the narrow end of a retaining wall of our driveway which went into the woods. Surrounded by trees and the sounds of nature, I read Walden, my life forever influenced and inspired by Thoreau's words. Fifty years and a world of technology later, I gardened and hiked with earbuds planted firmly in my ears and was once again thoroughly transformed by the wisdom within Mirrors in the Earth.
This book is about so much more than our relationship with nature. Like Thoreau, Suler is able to draw us deeper into the realization of self and our place in the world. You will likely feel as if you have spent time lingering in the most intriguing conversation with a dear friend, who is honest enough to be authentic in sharing their own story, while offering ageless wisdom to honor yours. You will feel seen in a way that feels intimate, yet safe, as if she somehow knew exactly what your life experience must be like.
Do yourself a favor and purchase this remarkable book, both paperback and audible, so you can go back to the paperback and reference the exercises and passages which resonate most. It might just be the best thing you've done for yourself in a long time.

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An adventure of thought

Reviewed: 07-23-22

Despite what other reviews said about this being done before, I found it compelling, engaging, thought-provoking and enjoyable. The narration was lovely and a great selection for the weaving of this tale. My only criticism would be the repetition in discussing all of the lives . . . “And in this life . . . “. Otherwise a delightful summer adventure!

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Diving Deep Into the Cosmic Connection

Reviewed: 07-16-22

It’s rare when I finish reading or listening to a book and feel exquisitely exhausted. This remarkable book is so richly filled with interwoven relationships, historical facts, extraordinary prose and poetry and subtle nuances that it’s a lot to take in. Similar to a feast of your favorite foods, a few you have never seen or tasted, and some that imparted an entirely different flavor than what you expected. One must pause periodically to simply savor it.
While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my weekly dose of Brain Picking in my email, this takes us above and beyond, to the very depths of our human experience, it’s glories and tragedies.
You will come away likely questioning everything you “learned” in traditional education regarding these fascinating souls. And that, in my opinion, is a very, very good thing.

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Interesting and engaging

Reviewed: 06-09-22

I enjoyed this book for several reasons. I could easily listen to a chapter or two, then resume as I wanted. I prefer books read by the author most of the time (exception being certain authors with monotone or grating voices). John added inflection and emotion when purposeful and I doubt a narrator would have provided that. I liked that I actually learned a lot from this book, often from subjects I didn’t realize I would have any interest in whatsoever (case in point, the Indianapolis 500).
Overall I would give The Anthropocene Reviewed 4 and a half stars 😊

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