inspirational

I hadn't looked at this book for a few years and recently started reading it again for the third or fourth time. There are some days when the reading doesn't really touch me and other days when it's exactly what I need to hear. I've attended three short seminars give by Alan and find him to be a loveable, real human being. I stayed around after one of the seminars and went out with a small group to have dinner with him. There are some 'teachers' who seem to don a mantle of self-importance and wouldn't consider breaking bread with a lowly seminar attendee. Alan is certainly not one of them. So, five stars to Alan and all of his books.

This book came to me highly recommended, so I was doubly disappointed. Cohen does better in his other books, but this one is "spirituality lite," big time. The format is standard for this genre: A page for every day, with a catchy title. A quotation to spark your interest . . . his sources are varied, and this part is okay, though not particularly inspiring. music, contemporary writers, scriptures, with the most prevalent being "A Course in Miracles." Then comes a thought-provoking paragraph or two . . . and here the disappointment takes hold. Cohen tells obviously-created stories which he claims come from his personal experience, or trite examples from the lives of famous people. Sometimes he quotes stories from world religious traditions without attributing his sources (as on June 12 where he tells the well known Buddhist tale about the man and the tiger, stopping to taste a strawberry as he falls).

Next comes a prayer/meditation. These are good. If you do buy the book, turn first to these italicized sections near the bottom of each page. May 7, for example, "Spirit of Love, open my heart. Help me to be at peace with all my relationships . . . " Then an affirmation, and these range from excellent (as on May 7, "I create peace with my loved ones and myself" to the banal (July 10 - "God's timing is perfect.").

Save your money. Choose another book for your daily meditations.

Someone recently gave me this book as a gift and I have since given away 6 more copies! Wisdom in bite-sized digestable daily pieces that seems to magically be just what I need to hear on that particular day. Not only does Alan share wonderful inspiring and insightful stories, but this book is a great reminder of the power of metaphor in our own lives. I find now on a daily basis I am making deeper meaning of my own life experiences...recongizing and recording those little "ah ha" moments that happen each day.
The people I gave the book to as a gift have since called to thank me, reporting that they felt the message was written specifically for them on that particular day. They are now passing on copies as gifts to their friends. The wisdom in this book is a "pass it on" kind of thing...just too good to keep to yourself.
The biggest challenge with this book is to simply allow "one daily inspiration" to be enough and let it really sink in. I keep wanting to read ahead!