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Summary: What a wonderful path....
Review: My life seamed so empty and unrewarding and going no where. I felt so lost and unhappy. A counceler I was talking to at the time suggested that this book and I went out and bought it. It has truly changes my additude about life and I am now showing people my authentic self.....thanks so much for writing such an incredable book.....
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Summary: This is indeed a book of comfort and joy....
Review: My godmother gave me this book a few years ago, and it is a joy to read. It's simply nice to start or end the day reading a page or two of Breathnach's musings. Her idea is that you read it daily and heed that day's lesson, until it's time to read the next bit. I haven't managed that, but I do pick it up when I feel the need to read something thoughtful and comforting.
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Summary: Very Enlightening!
Review: This book is a must have for every woman's library. It hits on several topics that are thought provoking and soothing at the same time. Women tend to do for everyone else first and then take care of themself last. TAke the time to read this book to treat yourself! This book is awesome!
Rating: 
Summary: A Satisfying Read.
Review: Looked at one way, this is a collection of cheerful essays with homespun spiritual wisdom and housekeeping advice that satisfies our appetite for the nostalgic. Looked at another way, it's a terrifying reflection of a society of souls so sterile that we take comfort in being told it's okay to use scented bath products and buy flowers. Still, thousands of women have found meaning in the book, and they can't be all wrong.This book is more about abundance than simplicity. In places Ms. Breathnach does extol the virtues of simplicity and has you clearing clutter; in others she has you buying and hoarding and collecting everything, from fabric remnants, just in case some day you get the urge to staple lace to the pantry shelves, to autumn leaves for exuberant Victorian tableaus, (aka dust-collectors). These things are much more fun to read about than to actually do. I don't want to tie little circles of fabric to the tops of jam jars; even when they're bought that way, I'm the one who gets to cut them off and throw them in the garbage. Nor do I want to replace the buttons on all my clothes with cute ones, I curse enough if I have to replace one where the manufacturer did a shoddy job. I don't want to know what decoupage is; and most especially, I really, really, don't want to buy a hat to cheer myself up. Having hot mulled cider after raking leaves sounds charming (and I loathe cider), but the reality is that after raking leaves my back hurts, I'm exhausted and can barely crawl to the shower to wash the sweat and dead bugs off, and if I had to search for a hot mulled cider recipe I'd whack the nearest bystander with a poker. Since books are for reading and pondering, the pleasure in this one is in doing exactly that, and it does provide a lot of it. The problem I had with it was its overall frenetic busyness, which is in sharp contrast to its meditative advice. If you haven't already read it, go ahead, you know you want to, and somewhere in all its generosity and abundance you'll find ideas that appeal to you and that you can realistically use. But remember, if you can't keep up with the suggestions and images given for creating a perfect home, don't feel guilty. If you can, you're either a Stepford Wife or have a serious amphetamine problem.
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Summary: Great Gift at just the Right Time
Review: A very dear friend gave me this special book as a retirement gift. I not only read it each day and derive much comfort and joy, but I buy the books she mentions and find them to be very special, also. Retirement is wonderful...and having the time to read this book is one of the reasons!
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Summary: BLESS YOU SARAH
Review: I'M IN AWE! ONLY READ THRU JANUARY AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THE WAY MY THOUGHTS HAVE CHANGED. I HATE JOURNAL WRITING,BUT SARAH HAS MOTIVATED ME TO START MY GRATITUDE JOURNAL AND THE OTHER JOURNALS SHE SUGGESTED. THIS IS EXCITING, CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT LIES AHEAD. I AM SOOO THANKFUL TO SARAH AND OPRAH FOR OPENING THE DOOR TO ANOTHER WONDERFUL BOOK.
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Summary: A Life-Altering Experience
Review: A true pleasure to read. Sarah Ban Breathnach's simple, yet eloquent thoughts, meditations and essays on what she descibes as "the path to authenticity" has changed my life. The book's focus on principles such as gratitude, simplicity, harmony, beauty and order can help every woman find greater inner peace and joy in her life. The daily excerpts make reading the book a savory experience that can be enjoyed year after year. No matter what faith, race or background, this book is a must-read for all women. Sarah places your feet on the path and gently leads you along. I encourage all women to take the journey.
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Summary: Daily "pick-me-up"
Review: I simply love this book! I keep it on my nightstand and read from it daily. It always seems to bring a smile to my face. I like the fact that it is an insprirational book, and when I read it in the morning it starts my day off on the right foot. Great reading! I've told all of my friends about it and have even given it as a gift to friends.
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Summary: Simple reminders of the natural abundance of life
Review: The essays in this book remind me that thoughts of what might be missing from my life blind me to what is present in it. "There is no scarcity" (the essay for January 12) says: "But worries about money mock you...Without thinking, you throw away every precious twenty-four hours that come your way. You cease to live, and merely exist". How much more rewarding to examine my life and sort out what I need to live a healthy, satisfying life from the "wants" projected on us daily from ads, TV, movies. This book's format as a set of daily essays also reminds me to periodically review and see that what I have placed around myself (my possessions) still accurately reflect and nourish who I am today. I also recently read another book, "Working on Yourself Doesn't Work, a Book About Instantaneous Transformation", by Ariel and Shya Kane, that describes what the authors have discovered about living a deeply satisfying life, full of love and abundance. It has led me many steps further in the discovery of what works and doesn't work in how I have authored my own life. My experience demonstrates a central theme of the book, that merely observing the mechanics of how I think and behave can have a profound effect on the quality and, yes, the physical abundance (money, home improvements, activities) in my life, without the need to "work on" myself in the hope of someday having a better life. A magical life is indeed available right now! I recommend both of these books heartily!
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Summary: Nurture yourself
Review: The format is a page a day (big pages, sometimes a day's entry is longer than a page) but you don't have to read the day that it actually is, or read them in order. The main tenents of the book are finding everyday happiness, being aware of what you have, how to know what you really need and want, making time for yourself, nurturing your creativity, that kind of thing. I've bought five copies for other people (mom, sis, girlfriends...) -- that's how marvelous this book is. I've underlined a lot in mine and often go back to read bits that really hit me. It helps me feel better when I'm down, and when I'm already in a good mood, bolsters that. The tone is somewhat spiritual but not overpowering at all. Kimberly Borrowdale, Under the Covers Book Reviews
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