Simple Abundance/Abridged: Living By Your Own Lights

Rating:
Summary: Life changing/discover who the real you is again
Review: After a bad marriage, I didn't know who I was or what I wanted anymore. This book helped me sort through all of that and rebuild myself back to my original design. I listened to it and stored some very important rules in my mind about keeping the real me alive and now I will never let anyone convince me that I need to change those wonderful characteristics about myself.

Rating:
Summary: Worth it's weight in gold!
Review: As I listened to this tape to and from my job for the last 5 days, I found myself hanging on every word, marveling with every sentence, at the discoveries I was making about myself and my life and yet, at the simplicity of the suggestions Ban Breathnach had to offer to improve my life. I can't think of any woman OR man that wouldn't benefit by listening to or reading this book and taking stock of what they have in their lives and what they THINK they desire. You suddenly find that everything you have is SIMPLY enough and everything else is a marvelous bonus! Oh, but what I would give to be able to express myself the way Sarah Ban Breathnach does. I have already started my Gratitude Journal (I did that the first day!) but before writing this, I purchased the "Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude" to be able to take advantage of the daily affirmations and inspirational quotes everyday! This book is practical, theoretical spiritual, and ESSENTIAL! And, oh y! es, SIMPLE! To Sarah Ban Brethnach, I am grateful!

Rating:
Summary: Already seems dated
Review: Good thing I did not have to buy money for this...hey, I am grateful, yippee. I went down to the local library and borrowed it and I couldnt wait to hear her ideology. I for one, think it is preposterous that so many women are seeing Sarah as God. She is not wise, or full of wisdom. What is her message? She is saying the same exact thing the New Age and Religious Communities have been saying for at least the last 15 years...be grateful, have gratitude. She acts as if she invented the idea...and what is worse, people are buying it. I cant believe people are buying this tape to learn how to be grateful. I have an idea, and it doesnt cost you anything...learn to say "Please", "thank you", and dont cut people off on the freeway.

Rating:
Summary: A waste of time and money
Review: I could not even listen to this tape through the end...and not just because my ten year old daughter was sitting in the back seat of the car chanting "bla bla bla bla bla" in accompaniment to it. The title of this tape should be "Women Who Have Too Much Stuff and Nothing to Whine About". What a mishmosh of new age claptrap, spurious mythology and quotations from everyone the "author" ever heard of this is. The essential message of this tape (if there is one) could be boiled down into three or four sentences...but then, Ms. Breathnach would not be able to make loads of money from the silly women who not only buy it, but buy into it as well. Read in a breathless voice just oozing sincerity, Ms. Breathnach's book made me want to chant "bla bla bla" right along with my daughter. If a ten year old girl can spot this phony a mile away, where are all these women who believe in this garbage coming from?? Well, if you feel a big hole in your well-padded life and are too silly/shallow/lazy to figure out a way to fill it, this tape and the series accompanying it is just right for you!!!

Rating:
Summary: Already seems dated
Review: I don't know what it is. The book seems to be a classic and that I can understand. But I pulled out the tape to listen to after not having heard it for some time and it seemed so out of date. Some parts were almost embarrassing, and in all was a mishmosh of biblical, new age, and groovy girl advice. A friend of mine borrowed it a while ago and was listening to it in her car. her 10-year-old son said, "Mom, this is so dumb!" Sometimes kids do tell the truth.

Rating:
Summary: Life-changing book
Review: I have listen to these audio tapes so many times my tape player got tired of hearing them and ate one this week. But I've gotten so much enjoyment and inspiration from listening to the tapes I plan on ordering another set. To Sarah, I say thank you for helping me change the way I look at life and for reminding me to grateful for all that I have.

Rating:
Summary: A New Age Exercise
Review: This is a thoroughly New Age approach to simplifying your life. It is an inward journey, complete with a map that you make of your own wishes to find harmony between your soul and the creative forces of the universe that lie within you. It is a celebration of the "spiritual" over the worldly. It is also a celebration of the self. It gives passing reference to a higher power which seems to be defined by the inner spirit. Christians should stay clear of this. A far better Christian treatment is Richard Fosters book "Freedom of Simplicity". Men should stay clear of this unless they have a very strong feminine side.