Saturday, December 13, 2014




I really like Tara Stiles' approach in Make Your Own Rules Diet. Like many of the new health and fitness books coming out, this one takes a more realistic approach than the books that came out ten or twenty years ago. The books that suggested you change everything and try to stick to a ridiculously, demanding diet and exercise regime for the rest of your life. Tara does a great job of breaking down the rules of the world, and teaching how you can get to know your own rules, or what you need to do to get where you want to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There are plenty of strategies in the book to help you get on track, but ultimately this book is about inspiring you to make your own way. Nobody can walk your path for you, so why not make your own rules. I found the parts of the book where the author opens up about her own struggles to be inspiring. The photos and artwork make it a unique meditative book you'll want to read through many times. If you're on the fence about reading this book, you can find Tara Stiles on youtube. Check out her videos and get a better understanding of one of the coolest yoga and health teachers on the planet today. I received a review copy of this book from Hay House publishing for review purposes. I was not paid for my review, and my opinion is my honest assessment.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014




Sonia Choquette expresses a level of authenticity that is almost scary. This book really made me look at my own life, into those dark places on the path easily ignored. in Walking Home, the author takes you on her personal journey of things falling apart to forgiveness and healing. The physical portion of her pilgrimage consisted of an intense 34 day hike across Spain, but the tough, inspiring part is the inner journey. This isn't a New Age book, or a Catholic book. Walking Home is a book about confronting ones humanity, healing the heart and all its issues. It's about getting down to what's real on a heart level, rather than interpreting life through an established paradigm. If you've enjoyed any of the author's previous books, you'll love this one, and if this is your first read of her work, I think, you'll come away from it changed for the better. There's a beautiful magic to this tale. I received a free copy of this book for review purposes. I wasn't paid for my review, it is my honest assessment of the book.

Thursday, November 20, 2014




For decades, Louise Hay has been walking her talk, and empowering others to find their way to healthier, stronger bodies, minds, and lives. In her latest book Loving Yourself to Great Health, she brings the ideas and experiences of two more incredibly inspiring ladies. Ahlea Khadro and Heather Dane are a wealth of information and practical knowledge that can help you in ways you may not have ever considered. This is an important book. As a fitness professional I usually burn through diet books in two or three sittings. This book is so much more than a diet book though. This is nutrition taken to the next level. I found myself having to sit with some of the concepts for a few days, not that I was having trouble understanding them, but rather I was blown away by their powerful simplicity and effectiveness. This book could change everything for you. Another thing I was happy to see, is that there are no hidden agendas or skewing of data to promote one way of eating over another (i.e. 'you must eat vegan because...' or 'paleo is the only way because...'). Taking responsibility for your health is a big step, and the approach in this book is to make gradual improvements rather than drastic, difficult to follow sudden changes. I honestly can't say enough good things about Loving Yourself to Great Health. I was given a free copy of this book, by the publisher, Hay House Inc. I wasn't paid or compensated in any way for my review or opinion.


Saturday, November 1, 2014




I love Pam Grout's book E-Cubed. She is an extremely talented writer. I found myself lol'ing several times, a truly enjoyable read. However the thing that sets this book apart from others is the energy experiments. I learned a lot from the nine assignments. I found out some things about my own personal mental state that were rather eye-opening. If you believe in the power of positive thinking and that our minds manifest, on some level, our reality; then this book is for you. Of course, healthy skepticism can be helpful, but opening up to these ideas and just diving into them for a few days at a time could prove to be a, dare I say it, a mystical experience. I received this book free, for review purposes from Hay House Inc., and I was not compensated for my review or coerced into my opinion, it is my honest assessment of the product.

Monday, October 13, 2014




As someone with a lifelong pattern of miscommunication, I was very excited to read Blamestorming by Rob Kendall. I was expecting to be taking lots of notes, however the author does a fantastic job of breaking conversations down and showing how they go bad, as well as how they can be fixed or at least made more effective. I believe most everyone could benefit from reading this book, as so much of our modern lifestyle is interdependent on how clearly we communicate. I like how Mr. Kendall describes conversations as creative yet messy. So often we can think we're really getting along with someone, oblivious to the train wreck fast approaching. Blamestorming:" Why Conversations go Wrong and How to Fix Them" is a very thought provoking read. It contains easily absorbed information, and colorfully stated concepts that are simple to remember, making them easily accessible, powerful strategies. Another thing that's nice about this book, is that it isn't a total overhaul prescription for changing the way you interact and express yourself through conversation, it's more like a guide for avoiding common pitfalls. Excellent book. I was sent a review copy by the publisher. I was not financially compensated, and the opinion expressed in this review is my honest assessment.

Thursday, September 18, 2014




If you've been following the work of Dr. Wayne Dyer, you will love this book. His daughter Serena has written beautifully about what it was like to grow up with parents who have "weird" ideas. The stories from her childhood are insightful and interesting. For a young woman, she writes with great wisdom and clarity. Each chapter of the book echos Dr. Dyer's classic 10 Secrets to Success and Inner Peace. Very significant since that book was originally written for the benefit of his children. What I found most interesting in Don't Die with Your Music Still in You is the idea that those who believe that our thoughts effect our reality have to really be certain we're walking our talk, because there's going to be those times where things get tough and we really need to tune into our "weird" ideas. As a parent I found this book extremely helpful and inspiring, and I hope to see Serena write more in the future. I received this book for review purposes from Hay House, I was in no way financially compensated for my opinion, it is my own honest assessment of this product.

Monday, September 15, 2014




I've read a lot of New Age books over the years, and I firmly believe that the consciousness of the human race is evolving in a positive way, that said, I wasn't quite prepared for a book as amazing as Gene Keys. Richard Rudd has made an incredible contribution to the new thought/new age movement. This book describes in great detail where we are heading in the future, how to reconcile where we've been and how to make the absolute best of where we are right now. Beyond any religious tradition, yet encompassing them all, this is a Zen masterpiece. There are many lofty concepts in this book that the author does a brilliant job of making accessible to anyone. Of the 534 pages in this book, there is not one that doesn't say something important. This is a book to return to time and time again. There is a truly magical quality about working with the Gene Keys. There is a really good chance that while reading it, you may experience some rather shocking, mystical experiences. I'm not kidding, I was blown away. This book will stay on my shelf with the books I return to often. FTC Disclosure: I was given a review copy of this book by a representative of its publisher. I was not paid for my review, and my opinion is my own honest assessment of this work. This one is a classic.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014



There is an admirable level of honesty the authors bring to this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is suffering from depression or high levels of stress. A caregiver type of person, who is always taking on more and more responsibility without taking care of themselves would also greatly benefit from reading The Power of No. Besides the lessons from author's personal experience, this book offers many powerful insights and several helpful tools for quieting the mind and getting to what is really important to you and your goals in life. Ultimately The Power of No, is not really about the things you say "no" to, but rather about defining what you're allowing and giving up trying to control (and obsess over) the things that are out of your control. The Power of No is a great read, and I take offense to the amazon reviewers who gave it a negative review without bothering to read the whole book. I was given a free review copy of this book by Hay House Publishing, I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions which I reached after reading the entire book, like a responsible reviewer.





Tuesday, August 19, 2014



I've read several books on the subject of meditation, and this is one of the best. The author does a great job of making

deep meditative states understandable and accessible without getting too wordy or guru-ish. If you'd like to learn

meditation, but find you just can't quiet your mind, then this is the book you're looking for. I'd also recommend it to

anyone who has been meditating for awhile, and would like to explore new techniques. I, personally, found the chapters on

stillness and putting things in context to be the most profound and helpful. Sandy Newbigging has created a great system

in Mind Calm, and you can't help but be changed by this book. I was given a copy of Mind Calm by the kind folks at Hay

House Publishing for review purposes. I was not paid for my opinion, and it is my honest assessment of the work.




Wednesday, August 13, 2014



I was initially skeptical about reading and reviewing a book on global warming. I've known many "green" people over the years who seem well meaning, but spend the majority of the time railing against what they perceive as wrongs against the world, wrongs against the animal kingdom, and wrongs against nature. I was also worried this would be another conspiracy book that spent 95% of it's subject matter on horrifying its reader, and 5% on empowering solutions. However, I needn't have worried. With Take the Red Pill And Cure Global Warming, A.G. Cusick makes the only real solution to global warming and peak oil that I've ever heard. The first section of the book deals with the author's trip around the world in 2006. It mostly focuses on his experience in Australia and New Zealand where he relays first hand accounts of his time spent on WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.) Many of these farms operate with total self sufficiency. Part of the book is dedicated to explaining how society finds itself in its current state. World leaders, lenders, and power elite are studied without being demonized. By far the most interesting part of the book is the study of spiritual concepts throughout human history. Ultimately all of the problems humanity face boil down to a problem of consciousness. "Global problems require global solutions." We can't 'save the planet' by doing less or conserving energy. Real world solutions will only matter when humanity changes. I hope my summation doesn't give the impression that this book is new age woo-woo fluff, it isn't, there are new paradigms and great ideas within. It will change the way you look at the world.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014



The Remembering Process by Daniel Barrett and Joe Vitale is a cool and

interesting book. The authors take turns sharing and teaching, so you get to

benefit from learning the Remembering Process from two unique personalities and

perspectives. There is a lot of great stuff here, but the process itself is

what's most memorable. It's an active meditation and if you have a good

imagination you can use this technique to create some pretty amazing stuff. I've

been experimenting with it, and love it. There is a question and answer section,

as well as many testimonials in the back of the book that are very helpful. One

thing I particularly like about The Remembering Process is how the authors speak

on the value of letting it flow rather than forcing. Trying to do this when

you're not in the mood could leave you frustrated. You're going to get the most

out of it when you're in the right mindset. This book illustrates, very well,

that meditative techniques aren't a chore belonging only to the

self-disciplined, they can be fun, powerful, and productive. And they should be.

I recommend this book to anyone who is ready to set some big goals, and make

some serious change while having some good fun. I was given a free copy of this

book, by the good folks at Hay House Publishing. I wasn't financially

compensated for this review, and the opinion expressed is soley mine based on my

personal view of the material.




Tuesday, July 15, 2014

I found the audiobook for Reality Shifts by Cynthia Sue Larson extremely

interesting. The author does a wonderful job of explaining a new way of looking

at life and how it shows up around us. Her unabridged reading of the text is

wonderful, because she doesn't rush through it. That makes it easy to pay

attention, and not get lost in thought while the book goes on to another point.

The section on lucid living is incredible. Cynthia is very Zen-like in her

approach, as she doesn't badger you into a philosophical corner and tell you

what you should think or feel, but rather teaches ways of going inward and

finding your own answers. That's where the true change and the power always

comes from anyway. My favorite part of the book are the sections dealing with

energy work. I got involved with Reiki several years ago with the idea of

proving that it was all bunk, instead it had the opposite effect and changed

everything for me. Cynthia speaks like a true master of this healing art. So if

you're at all interested in energy work, and experiencing reality in a brand new

way I highly recommend that you pick up this audiobook. It is one of a kind, you

won't regret it.





You can find out more about Cynthia and her work at:

http://www.realityshifters.com/

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Chakra Wisdom Oracle Cards by Tori Hartman




This is an incredible card deck. There's nothing not to like. The packaging is great. It lends itself to easy storage, as well as easy access to pop the cards out for a read anytime. The instructional booklet written by Tori Hartman is a nice read filled with insight. It is moving and inspiring, and goes much deeper into the subject of energy work than most teachings I've read. The colors and visuals are a fantastic way of better understanding the seven major chakras. The cards themselves are beautiful without being too girly. The art and the legends involved with each card really capture a spirit in the same way a really good Tarot deck would, but without being overly complicated and mystical. The readings in the book are great. The layouts are easy to follow, and the meditations can really take you to some interesting new places. They say the doorway to wisdom always opens from within, and this card deck is a great traveling companion to bring on those inward journeys. Obviously, I love it, and can't say enough good things about it. I'm very grateful to have these cards and plan on using them often. FTC Disclosure: I received this card deck for free for review purposes from a kind representative of the publisher. I was not financially compensated for my review or coerced in any way. The opinion expressed is my own honest assessment of the product. It rocks. You'll love it.




Click the pic to amazon, or copy and paste :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chakra-Wisdom-Oracle-Cards-Transforming/dp/1780287518

Friday, June 13, 2014

Good-Bye Bumps by Dr. Wayne Dyer and Saje Dyer



The folks at Hay House were nice enough to send me a copy of Dr. Wayne Dyer's

new book he wrote with his daughter Saje. It's called "Good-bye Bumps: Talking

to What's Bugging You." I was not paid for my review, opinions expressed are all

my own. I read this book to my five year old son. He seemed to enjoy it, and get

a lot out of the subject matter. I'm interested in seeing if he applies what he

learned, pretty confident he will. The artwork is great, it's interesting and

colorful without being too girly for boys to tune out. The story is about how

when Saje Dyer was 5 years old she had some facial bumps that caused her some

embarassment and pain. Her father gave her an idea. She could try talking to

what it was that was bothering her, and disempower its hold on her. It's heady

stuff for a five year old, but it's presented well, and easily understood if

given a chance. My son was helped a lot by the list at the end, where the little

girl reiterates the idea with bullet points on a chalkboard. Great book, great

ideas that can change ones perspective and change the lives of some great kids.



Monday, April 7, 2014



The Third Rule of Ten is even more exciting than the first two Tenzing Norbu novels. Once again the ex-Tibetan monk/private investigator is in way over his head, and has to rely on everything he's got including some old friends. There are great unexpected twists and turns, that of course you come to expect in a great mystery story. Ten's characterization is so well crafted, he's almost impossible not to like. We can all identify with his self criticism, and his desire to do the right thing while often doing the opposite and having to look deep and find self forgiveness. All three novels have been action-packed, but this one takes the cake. The plot is also hard to second guess. It would make a fantastic movie. I think Jet Li is the obvious choice to play Ten. I hope somebody in Hollywood is working on that. What's great about The Third Rule of Ten is the underlying story; it's about accepting our human frailties and doing the best you can. There are many times when the most enlightened of us are going to screw up, but you just dust yourself off, and try again. This case is definitely Ten's most interesting, but I can't really say too much about it without giving away spoilers. If you enjoyed the first two books, you will certainly love this one. I received a copy of this book for free for review purposes, from the nice folks at Hay House Publishing. The opinion expressed in this review is my own, honest assessment.


Thursday, February 13, 2014





Dr. Jamie Turndorf has written a fascinating guide to improving your relationship. Her sense of humor, and candor, also make this a refreshing look at a well worn subject. There are many concepts in this book that have never occurred to me. This book isn't just relationship advice with solutions offered, it gets into biochemical as well as psychological reasons a man and woman can love each other devotedly, yet still battle it out in the heat of the moment. Frankly, there were some examples offered that I was glad to have read about rather than experienced personally. Whether you're newly engaged, or been a couple for years there is a lot of wisdom you can take away from Kiss Your Fights Goodbye. I was not financially compensated for this post. I received the book from Hay House for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.



Wednesday, February 5, 2014




I received this book for free from Hay House, for review purposes. I wasn't financially compensated, and this is my honest opinion of this work. That said, in the beginning of Love Has Forgotten No One, I thought this was going to be my first 1 star review. However, I stayed with it, and by the end, if not completely convinced, I was fascinated. Gary Renard has an interesting story to tell, as well as some unique, tough lessons to teach. This book will have the most appeal to folks who study A Course In Miracles, as the author is a teacher of that material. However he seems to be doing much more than just echoing ACIM lessons. Reading channeled material can be distracting, and really asks a lot of some of us. But if you can get past all that and focus on the message you may find yourself as intrigued as I was. The author has a good sense of humor, and does a good job of presenting some interesting ways of looking at enlightenment.


Thursday, January 23, 2014

Progress Pics

#throwbackthursday I've found progress pics to be an essential part of my training. I kind of regret being so afraid of the camera when I was at my heaviest (275 lbs w/ a 50" waistline) in '04. 2011 was the year I really began applying Mike Mentzer type High Intensity Training. And I've basically used Bill Phillip's Body For Life style of nutrition since 2007.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

My Review of Daniel's Running Formula 3rd Edition





This is the best book on running I've read so far. The author has many years of coaching and training experience. He has worked with a wide spectrum of athletes from high schoolers to Olympians. As a runner himself, he also speaks to the mindset of those who love to run, addressing such ideas as layoffs, the benefits of cross training and the strategy aspect of racing. What I liked most about this book, is the author's insistence that rest days are just as important as training days. It's a concept that I've seen derail many individuals. I am deeply appreciative of the science involved within the Daniels Running Formula. He does a good job of making concepts relatable by the inclusion of detailed charts and graphs, making this book an indispensable part of my personal training library.

___
On a personal note, I'm really excited to see how I can apply what I learned from this book. I'm planning on doing a few 5k's this year, as well as running my 3rd marathon in October. So I have plenty of time to go through one of the full 24 week, 4-phase training cycles outlined in this great book.





Thursday, January 9, 2014

My Review of One Mind by Larry Dossey, M.D.



This is a thought provoking book. Written by a medical doctor, it's a scientific look at spiritual subjects which are more and more crossing over into the world of physical proof via the experimentation of quantum physicists. You may not be completely convinced by all the anecdotes or evidence, but it will definitely make you think. Larry Dossey M.D. makes some brilliant points. He does a good job of providing several ways of looking at issues such as the Near Death Experience, our connections with animals, and Remote Viewing to name a few. The documented evidence regarding Remote Viewing is some of the must convincing in the entire book. Whether we are all connected to a universal mind or not, the human mind seems to be the final frontier, and it continues to get more interesting as time goes on. I'm grateful to the publisher for providing me with a review copy. I was not financially compensated for this post. I received the book from Hay House for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.