Saturday 31 December 2011

A PRINCESS AND HER GARDEN BY DR PATRICIA R ADSON


ISBN: 978-0935652932
Publisher: Center for Applications of Psychological Type
Pages: 135
Formats Available: Hardcover


BLURB from Goodreads
A Princess and Her Garden is a fable that reflects the stories of many women-and some men-who learn to put other people's needs before their own, until one day they come to realize they feel lost or unhappy because they have forgotten, or perhaps never learned, how to care for themselves.
The telling of this story is more about the awakening and arrival of you, the reader, than it is about the journey of the Princess. The authors have wisely used their years of counselling and coaching experience to create a guided journal (The Queen of Yourself) that prompts you to reflect and answer thought provoking questions about your childhood, and what you learned about taking care of yourself and others. This unique journaling experience helps you cultivate a new life story in which you love both yourself and those closest to you. Beautiful color illustrations enhance this new edition-a beautiful allegory for reflecting on any stage in life. The included book club discussion questions are designed for meaningful conversation around changing lives.
The perfect gift for people in transition, from new parents to the just-divorced, A Princess and Her Garden is also a welcome story for fresh graduates and newly-weds, and anyone (including yourself) who is learning how to take care of themselves and plant nourishing seeds.
The cover of this books looks like that of an old classical tale, which is attractive and appealing to look at. This book is kind of an Aesops Fable type of self help/journal book. The short section of the story of the Princess and her garden I read with a wry smile, the moral of the book comes across simply and strongly. The illustrations add to the charm of the book. I would imagine the lessons that the Princess learns and/or comes across will probably mean slightly different to everyone, though the core meaning I would imagine would be pretty much the same for everyone. There is plenty of "space" for the journal section for you to answer the sometimes quite searching and deeply probing questions that refer back to the story section. I read this book on kindle so obviously the questions and in depth answers that you are encouraged to give would be done in a separate notebook. I would think many would find this kind of soul searching and deep self analysis really therapeutic and freeing. I think the actual book in your hand as the journal would be better and would probably encourage you to do the journal more than just having the book on your kindle. The journal would be a deeply personal record of your life, thoughts and innermost feelings.
If you are into the self help genre of books and are willing to give the time and persistence in filling in the journal then this is for you.
Unfortunately at the moment I do not find I have the time to commit to actually doing the journal, though I totally understand the concept and what the book is trying to do. In the spirit of the book I am too busy tending everyone else's garden at the moment to tend my own and don't see my situation changing for some time. I hope to perhaps create some time to take another look and participate more fully in the journal section of the book myself perhaps as a gift to myself for the New Year! An ideal New Year's Resolution!

Available at Amazon.co.uk


Wow just had to add I will definitely be doing the journal as I have been kindly sent a physical copy of the book and I have to say it is a gorgeous book, like a keepsake type of book size.

No comments:

Post a Comment