Shares – Books, Blogs and Other Recent Favorites

The web is all about connecting, so once in awhile I like to share books, articles, and blog posts that I have recently enjoyed. The idea is that you can scan this, and see what grabs you. Please feel free to share your own recent favorites in the comments. And thanks to those of you that have shared recent posts of mine, especially on Facebook – I haven’t found a way to track who is sharing what in FB, I can just see the clicks coming in, so thanks whoever you are!

On the book front, I have found myself recommending Adyashanti’s The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment a lot lately, so felt I would mention it again here. I don’t think I have to say much more about this book – if the title grabs you, there may be something in it you need to read right now.

I’m also really happy to announce that Cyndi Dale has a new book out that she co-wrote with psychotherapist Andrew Wald, Togetherness: Creating and Deepening Sustainable Love. This is very different for Cyndi, and her and Andrew do a wonderful job of integrating their spiritual and psychological approaches. If you want to deepen your capacity to love in any relationship, and see your relationships as integral to your spiritual journey, this book is for you.

I was also intrigued by the first book in The Ringing Cedars series, Anastasia. This series was a runaway hit in Russia, and shares the life and teachings of a woman who lives entirely in nature within the Siberian forest, as told by Russian entrepreneur Vladimir Megre. He can be a bit off-putting, but her story and teachings are interesting.

A book I haven’t read yet but have on my summer list is Embodying the Feminine, by Chameli Ardagh. You can read this excerpt, ‘The Trance of Judgment and Comparison‘, about women and our relationship to our bodies, and see if it calls to you too.

Astronomically and astrologically, there has been a lot going on this month, with lots of coverage of the recent eclipses, and Venus transiting the sun. Here’s one interpretation of the Venus Transit as tied to the continued awakening of the divine feminine. I also liked Cate Frazier-Neely’s guest post at Kim Falconer’s 11th House Blog, about the current Venus retrograde period entitled Gifts from Venus Rx.

This past Winter and Spring I found a lot of new blogs that I like, and wanted to share some of them with you here. At some point this summer I will revamp my blog roll and add new blogs, as well as dividing them into categories to make it easier to find blogs of like-minded individuals.

Beyond Meds is a blog devoted to sharing alternative mental health therapies of all types. The owner/writer has written extensively about her own experiences coming off of psychiatric medications, and on natural alternatives.

Chantal Monte, who you may remember I interviewed back in January about Bali, Kundalini and ‘Remembering’, has now started her own gorgeous and soulful blog, Devotional Beauty, on which she shares aspects of her own spiritual journey, as well as meditations, and posts and tools from friends.

In terms of blogs new to me, I’m also really enjoying What the Yoginis and Dakinis Know, which excerpts writings from Tibetan and Indian sources, many Tantric.

Mon, whose blog Holistic Mama, was one of my first regular online reads, is now also blogging at the lovely Ink + Chai. One of my favorite recent posts was I Feel Therefore I Am, celebrating the whole of us.

Stacy at Sweet Sky (formerly Mama Om) is also a longtime read of mine, and I love this post Inside My Heart, on letting go of criticism, particularly self-criticism, and opening our hearts ever deeper, in parenting and life.

In terms of dealing with difficult emotions, I also appreciated this post, Downward Facing Hulk: Diffuse Your Anger with Yoga, by Charmed Yogi.

Also worth a read is Mommy Om’s Philosophy and Politics and Motherhood – Oh My, about the difficulties of expressing our own values and views on motherhood, and her own choice to focus on health.

Here’s a frank and supportive piece on Womb Health: 5 Steps to Clean Your Womb, by SensualTantricHealing.

Here’s a great visual of the symbolism of the Indian God Ganesh, from Numerastra.

Nicole at Purpose and Dream shares her own kundalini awakening journey, and the teachings that most resonate for her (along with some great visuals), in Kundalini Awakening.

I also wanted to give a shoutout to Violence Unsilenced, where victims of sexual abuse and trauma break their silence by sharing their stories. I also wanted to mention that I have added some other resources for sexual trauma and abuse victims to the Appendix of my e-book in the latest version, so if you have the first edition, you may want to download the new one for those.

I could go on and on, but hopefully some of these will resonate for you! I always appreciate recommendations of new blogs, books and resources, so feel free to share some in the comments. Be sure if you comment that you enter your current blog URL, so that I can visit you back:-)

Namaste and Happy Solstice. May the light and power of this time magnify your peace, joy and awakened presence.