The Gist: Good evening VegNews Book Clubbers! We are in the final week of our discussion of Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston. The book club will be taking a week's break for the holidays, and then we'll start back up on January 3 with our first week's discussion of A Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott. I hope you guys are looking forward to the new year as much as I am!We read the last two parts of the book this week. Part four was about overcoming obstacles, specifically crises and addictions. A tragedy such as the death of a family member or friend can totally unhinge you, and Freston explains different steps you can take to get through these types of crises. She even thinks that by overcoming obstacles such as these, you can become a stronger person. She also says the same is true when facing addictions, such as being addicted to smoking, alcohol, or even a certain food, and gives steps to help fight and overcome these types of setbacks as well.
In part five, called "Making the Leap," Freston talks about being the change. First, you can do this by changing ingrained, unhealthy traditions, such as abuse within a family, or even just eating very unhealthily, and changing them to be more healthy and positive. This may not be easy to do, due to the fact these unhealthy traditions could be passed on unconsciously, so you really need to look deep inside in order to make the change. Freston also says it is important to recognize your worldly aims, and that in addition to you helping yourself, you should also find a passion that is outside of yourself and give to that, such as charity work or volunteering. She also talks about finding your authentic nature, and introduces the idea of a "Vision quest," which is kind of a meditation in nature to help you discover your deeper self. Finally, Freston brings up honoring the fellowship of all beings, explaining that we are connected with all beings on this Earth, so it is important to respect every single one of them.
The Discussion: Here are two final discussion points to help get the conversation started. I look forward to hearing from you!
1. Have you dealt with any major obstacles in your life, such as crises or addictions? What steps did you take to overcome the obstacle?
2. What is your worldly aim, and what do you do to achieve that aim?
The Assignment: Please read the introduction to chapter two of A Vegan Girl's Guide to Life for our discussion on January 3, 2011.
~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig
I thought this book was fantastic, and I really enjoyed the analysis in the book club. I think life will always present obstacles, and it's important to have a solid support system to help you get through it. It's also vital to stay clear-headed and take care of yourself during the process (by eating healthfully, exercising, socializing, meditation, etc.). And what is my worldly aim? Wow. I just want to live a meaningful life, having done something that really made a difference.
ReplyDeleteI've been fortunate enough not to have to overcome any real, major obstacles in my life, for which I'm exceedingly grateful. I do, though, have some worldly aims! No matter what my career is, I need for it to be something that makes the world a better place for animals. The way they are currently treated is just too unimaginably horrible to allow to continue. So, I'm vegan, and I try to have as much influence over friends and family as I can. Other than that, I just try to live simply, and act compassionately toward people, too!
ReplyDeleteI have been lucky enough to have many crises and obstacles to overcome in my life. As Freston says, each one has taught me something, brought me to a better, stronger place in my life. I love what she says about not shutting down, ignoring, denying or suppressing uncomfortable or even negative feelings. My "shutdown" is to distract myself with focusing on something else. I have been learning how to breathe in the full depth of my feelings, to look right into my fears and my own darkness. She's right, I feel them lose their charge over me and I find peace. Admitting and allowing my feelings has been a huge step forward for me. This is really helping me right now in dealing with a really ugly situation with my oldest son.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! Thanks for all of your comments, especially during the hustle and bustle of this holiday week. I'll be wrapping up our conversation of the book tomorrow.
ReplyDelete~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig