5 Insightful Reads

Recommendations

To be honest, I used to feel intimidated by books, especially the big ones…
I also remember not fully understanding the purpose of reading.

It was in my early teens when I had to face the challenge of reading a complete book as part of a high school summer assignment. There was a scary list on the left side of the green board, which listed 7 books - I remember staring at the chalk list, terrified and unsure how to approach it.

I was in luck! Because somehow, I was fortunate to choose the book which would change my view about reading books forever. It was ‘The Alchemist’, by the incredible author Paulo Coelho.

Today, I love reading, and my view about the big heavy books involves excitement over their precious value. Reading the right book at the right time is a blessing; wonderful people put together life lessons, and edited them for us readers to get the best out of it.

So why do we read?
I believe we read to get ready.
Get ready for our next chapter in life.

To do that properly we should read the right books - the ones which inspire us by elevating our thinking, and encourage us to take action toward our goals.

There are many amazing, life-changing books available. I selected 5 of my favorites, some classics & some relatively new ones, recommending these warmly, as each of them brought tremendous value to me, and it may work beautifully for you as well!  


I chose to start the list with the shortest read:

    1. The Four Agreements / Don Miguel Ruiz
      A short, timeless book, full of life. The 4 principals are simple yet sophisticated, and there are great benefits to embracing them.

      I view ‘The Four Agreements - A Practical Guide to Personal freedom' as a must-read, which I actually like rereading nearly each year. You may also want to reread this one every year or so, since it presents a blissful way of living, and as one grows, the personality evolves, and one may reach even higher levels of understanding it.

      Don Miguel Ruiz brought to print timeless values to live by, which will hopefully teach future generations to come.

      A great way to practice the values and to remember to apply them on a daily basis is The Four Agreements’ deck of cards, which are available, in addition to the book version; I like using these cards for daily messages, as I pick a random card, yet with intention.

      For me, of the Eight Senses, I feel that ‘­­The Four Agreements’ is connected with: The Sense of Sound, as there is so much balance and wisdom in it, true music to the ears.

       

        2. The List / Yuval Abramovitz

          We all have goals, dreams, heart desires and wishes - but how many of us are openly talking about it?

          At the age of 16, the future best-selling Author Yuval Abramovitz, had a terrible accident leaving him in a wheelchair, but he did not give up and found ways to make lemonade out of the very tough situation. He developed methods to pursuing his dreams, and against the odds he was able to work back to walking!

          By sharing his path, he is inspiring many to believe in their dreams, and against common beliefs, he encourages sharing them out loud.

          I grew up with the belief that it is better to be modest, and not to talk about goals and dreams too openly, and it seems this is a common belief related to modesty, as well as realistic thinking.

          In ‘The List’ – a new perspective is being offered, sharing dreams out loud in order to get closer to fulfilling them, by receiving help from the right people along the way. 

          With much insight from Yuval’s personal path, plus practical tools which he provides the readers with; this is the book to push you in the direction of your dreams!

          Recently, I was fortunate to take an online writing class taught by the Author, which I found to be fascinating and enriching on several levels. My creative passions include writing and I am making my way toward it :)

          For me, of the Eight Senses, I sense that ‘­­The List’ is connected with: The Sense of Touch, as it helps with pushing the dreams on one’s list to become more tangible.

            3. The Artist’s Way / Julia Cameron

              A classic piece with a clear point of view that there is an artist in each of us & we should nourish that internal artist.

              In ‘The Artist’s Way - A Spiritual Path To Higher Creativity’, Julia presents a process of self-discovery, while removing creative blockage. She is providing incredible techniques, such as the habit of writing ‘Morning Pages’, which involves writing down your stream-of-conscience thoughts each morning - helping to clear your mind and approach the day with a more effective mindset.

              In addition to removing creative blockage, Morning Pages feel pleasant and therapeutic; it helps to quiet down worries and discomfort, and to focus on the ‘now’, which leads to clarity. And even though it takes a chunk of time each day, it actually helps with effectiveness of action, because while you are very clear you can be more precise & efficient.

              It is never too late to discover or to enhance your creativity. I have been chasing personal creative passions since I can remember, and I still find this book extremely useful - especially these days, when uncertainty became part of everyone’s routine.

              Encourage yourself & your dear ones to pursue creative passions, finding ways for creative expression and fulfillment. Especially today, with technology all around us, human art is becoming more and more unique, because there is a pure light in art, the light of the soul.

              Although it may not always seem like it, creativity is very important in our everyday lives, because beyond being the essence of creating art, it is the ability to think differently, to come up with ideas & effective solutions to problems.

              For me, of the Eight Senses, ‘­­The Artist’s Way’ is connected with: The Sense of Taste, as it helps improve one's ability to create and add flavor to life, as well as thirst for more.

               

                4. A Woman Makes A Plan / Maye Musk

                  Years ago, I watched an inspirational talk by Brian Tracy, who presented a scenario of a hard working person failing and proceeding, failing and trying again, failing and not giving up, failing and suddenly - succeeding!
                  Others then said: Overnight Success! Boy, wasn’t he lucky!
                  - Not at all realizing the effort & the long process.

                  Looking at Maye Musk’s stunning modeling ads, others might think this woman ‘was lucky’, but it wasn’t only a matter of luck - it was a matter of hard, consistent work.

                  Single mother Maye did not have it easy, but she persevered, approached situations wisely, and step-by-step found the right way for her & her 3 children, gradually leading to the successful family they are today.

                  One of her beautiful quotes: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

                  The brave relocations, the family values, the awareness to the lessons she received along the way, the independence given to her children (with enough room for them to take personal responsibility, while providing them with the freedom to pursue their passions) - This is a gorgeous life story told by a truly inspiring lady who knows how to restart when it is needed, and not only to make a plan; but to make things work.

                  Together with Maye’s beautiful writing, and excellent tips, I also enjoyed the carefully selected photos from the family’s international journey, revealing more visual details of the time, the soft colors, the stage of technology, the dressing style, the mood.

                  For me, of the Eight Senses, I would say this book is strongly connected with: The Sense of Sight, as Maye was able to look ahead despite the challenges, see & lead the way forward.

                    5. Code Red / Lisa Lister

                      The last amazing book on this list is the bloodiest one; we go deep into the world of our natural menstrual cycle. Lisa brings the natural beauty out, by helping us to understand & accept our cyclical feelings better than ever.

                      In ‘Code Red’ Lisa breaks it down in a fabulously clear way, for the reader to chart, notice and increase the potential in each stage of the natural cycle.

                      Following this book, I started charting, and things became very clear. It truly is fascinating knowledge to have, and self awareness elevated to another level - so much so that I wish I read this book years ago… but it is not too late, and I can still enjoy the benefits of it!

                      When the phrase ‘Timing is everything’ was coined, it is unlikely that this aspect was considered, but it very much applies!

                      Being in sync with your personal flow is a healthy way to manage and reach high efficiency levels.  It allows us to manage and understand different moods, bringing the body and mind to work in harmony.

                      Achieving a better self-alignment brings clarity and calm. When something feels like pushing a huge rock uphill – it could be a matter of timing. When possible, manage your schedule according to the right timing for outgoing activities, and vice versa, when to take the time for yourself, tuning in.

                      Being the extremely practical person I am, I absolutely love that we can apply this blessed knowledge by aligning our agenda with our personal cycle, to achieve better results while being in tune with our body’s needs.

                      For me, of the Eight Senses, ‘Code Red’ is deeply connected with: The Sense of Intuition, as Lisa brings the unspoken magical potential of the cycle to light!

                      This valuable book helps to guide readers on an inside-out journey, for better health, happiness, and to increase efficiency levels - not by speed, but by the right personal timing - knowing when to dock, and when to surf life’s waves!

                      Did you ever wonder why it is uncomfortable to talk about things which are fully natural and part of our lives? ‘Code Red’ brings knowledge, which shines logic onto those topics which are often unclear or uncomfortable to discuss. Against the norm, this book is truly celebrating the natural cycle!

                      In the context of Timing, here is a Bonus App!

                      It has been over 10 years that I’ve been consistently using a wonderful app called: Good Days Selection. This app is providing a calendar of the universal energy behind each day.

                      Earlier in life, I used to think that some days are good and others aren’t, without any reason behind it. But Good Days Selection app brought to light the energies standing behind each day.

                      Simply put, there is a universal cycle of 12 different quality/energetic days, which are suitable for different tasks. For example, Open & Success days are excellent for new beginnings. While Destruction & Danger days are better for super low-key behavior, starting nothing new, resting, taking care of laundry, giving-yourself-a-break-and-not-feeling-bad-about-it kind of days.

                      In addition to the quality of the day, there is also the clarity of the day - 5 being the highest, and 1 the lowest. The more you use the app the more you learn how to benefit from the knowledge.

                      When possible, choose to schedule important events or start new projects on a good energy day, as it helps to increase the potential for success.

                      This is my all time favorite app! Good Days Selection is super helpful when planning events. When we had our monthly The Eight Senses Soho events, I would prioritize selecting the right energy day, and time after time this app proved itself effective.

                      Additional thoughts

                      Reading a book is not about reaching the last page - it is about the process and the benefit within each chapter. Patience is an essential part of the reading process.

                      These days our productivity levels are far from where they used to be. There is a strange mood, and thoughts are saturated with uncertainty.
                      As always - we should hope & pray for good. And at the same time; we shall invest in our mind, our body, our soul & our close relationships. By filling our time with healthy and inspiring nourishment - physical, mental, and conversational.

                      I personally enjoy a process of gradually reading a few books in a parallel period of time. Every other day a bit of each book, while feeling in-tune, at a comfortable pace, with intentional reading – receiving insightful messages seemingly at the right time.

                      Books reflect the shared worlds which wonderful authors put together in writing; although it is not easy to create time for reading, it is essential for our personal development. And when we invest in ourselves, we feel better, and we can give more back to our environment.

                      We need to find the right books for us, to be read at the right time, letting the Authors lead the way & take us on a journey with epiphanies along the pages.

                      Reading is an enrichment ritual via text, sharing ideas, triggering imagination, pushing you forward in the direction of your goals. When one feels they are heading in the right direction, there is a beautiful sense of enthusiasm, together with a sense of peace.

                      Monthly challenge:
                      New Year’s resolutions aren’t an instant
                      January guarantee - but a gradual process.
                      In order to increase the success of the process; we first
                      need to accept ourselves with love and appreciation -
                      true gratitude for what is!
                      Not taking things for granted,
                      and being grateful for what is - is a huge part
                      of a winning mindset, as gratitude helps
                      to magnetize more of the good.
                      Make a list of 10 things you truly appreciate about yourself;
                      it should be a combination of character qualities,
                      physical qualities, good life habits,
                      achievements & more.
                      Enjoy!

                       

                       

                       

                       


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