Book review - The Fault in our stars

A brilliant book by John Green which attacks on a psychological level while you are immersed in the captivating plot. There’s much more to be taken from the book which cannot be done while reading in a flow. One needs to go over and reflect. It is not like an Ayn Rand novel where you seek to take in something from each chapter. In TFioS you reflect before you go to sleep. And after you wake up. And in between that. It offers some brilliant quotes for the reader to take back.

‘How are you?’ ‘Grand.’

‘Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.’

‘Pain demands to be felt.’

‘I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up!’

‘It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.’

The story disgusts, charms, enlightens, and makes you cry. You contemplate it all through the mind of a 16 year old girl learning to live with cancer. With each passing page, you know the best part of the journey is yet to come, but by far it has been grand! Which also brings fear. Much like the roller coaster described in the novel. And it offers the fall as well.

Book Review – The Chakra Deck

I started my journey with “The Chakra Deck” by Olivia Miller 7 months ago and have never looked back. I’d heard of the concept of chakras and had been curious about what they were and how they worked. Olivia Miller takes you through a step-by-step process of 50 cards slowly elucidating how to work with each chakra. Each chakra is described in a set of 7 cards with 2 explanation cards, 1 breathing card, 3 yoga poses, and a meditation technique. The 50^th card relates to the aura which is a surrounding force for all chakras. I first went through the series in the prescribed order. Going through one chakra at a time, with 7 cards of each, spending a day of contemplation on each card. The set left me wanting for more. So I went through the deck again, this time going through all the explanation cards first, then all the breathing cards, all yoga poses, and finally all meditation cards. Lusting for more, I did the entire thing again in random order. This time I was done. Going through 50 cards 3 times took me 7 months, mostly due to my own lethargy. Nevertheless, meditation has become a daily part of my life right now. As I explore newer techniques and avenues to help mind, body, and soul, I’ve made a short summary of the deck for my own ready reference. Feel free to use.