Member Reviews
While I appreciate this, for many people doing this is unattainable and is definitely for upper middle class and upper class women. This feels like it belongs being mentioned by Goop and didn’t exactly need to be an entire book.
Most of us have been practicing self-care over the last year while in lockdown trying to soothe ourselves from the new stresses we’ve experienced because of COVID. Maybe it’s a daily skincare routine, dieting, clean eating, yoga, or any other fitness routine that fits into our lives.
For me, I’ve been practicing yoga for about 13 years now, get my monthly Birchbox delivery for skincare, and have been meditating every day to get through this new routine. It’s hard with everyone in the house, working from home, and taking care of all the other normal daily rituals to keep the house in order, but one thing I’ve learned is that it’s necessary to take time for yourself. Maybe you don’t know where or how to start and that’s where this book comes in.
You’ll learn new techniques to stay sane, get healthy by eating better, and most importantly turning inward to find what works for you. You don’t have to do everything this book suggests but you will find something that works for you.
Our family lives very seasonally in that our rhythms and diets are completely different in each season, so I am always drawn to books that promise seasonal rituals and recipes. I didn't realize this one would be almost completely centered around Ayurveda and basics about how to live seasonally according to your dosha (type). The author goes into a brief intro about the doshas and how they correspond to the seasons (three for Ayurveda -- fall and early winter, late winter and spring, summer). There's a short test to determine the dosha you were born under and what you are now. Then each season is given a chapter with basic information like what foods are recommended that in some ways transcend Ayurveda and are commonly accepted (like eating spices to warm you up in the cold winter and cold foods to balance your heat in the summer) with specific lists of spices, veggies, meats, etc. for each season. There's some basic information like giving yourself an oil massage before bathing but I really didn't find many "rituals" that were promised or anything new for me personally. Those who are interested in learning more about Ayurveda and how to apply it to their lives over the year may find it very helpful.
I read a digital ARC of this book via Net Galley.
Good for wanting to live more seasonally and would find this way easy for them. Things to do or make in each season.
This book was an introduction to the three different doshas and the various things we need to pay attention to if we want to keep each dosha in balance per season. I got the impression this was a beginner's guide to the doshas but there was still missing information to be able to fully understand the doshas. I had loads of questions that were not answered in this book. It might be that this book is more for people who already have an understanding of the doshas; potential readers should keep that in mind.
The author misses out on fully explaining the doshas at the beginning of the book however, I thought she did a good job of describing the different areas that the reader can improve to be more aligned with his dosha. The recipes at the end were nice to have, however, I would have liked some more explanations as to why certain foods were better for a certain dosha. I needed more research and studies to be mentioned to fully be on board with what the author was saying.
Overall, the book definitely sparked my interest in the doshas and I am looking forward to doing some research on the matter.
Especially in this liminal space in time we're all living in, more are looking for rituals that match the seasons. I appreciated this short look into Ayurveda and how season specific rituals can help us live our best selves. Sometimes it just seems like common sense, but it's also rather liberating at times. Why yes, it IS normal to put on more pounds in the winter season--the squirrels do, you don't see THEM body shaming, do you? OKAY THEN. I can see myself picking up this book again during the spring or summer to reflect on new rituals in transitory periods.
How frustrating is it to be told by all the different sources the things you must do to be successful in life? This book definitely does NOT do that. It instead takes an empathetic approach and gives bite size approaches and allows you to have kindness and patience with yourself when dealing with life. This is so necessary for everyone to read in life. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A lovely title! The format was a bit off for previewing on an e-reader, but I look forward to the actual book. The information was timely for the stressful world we are living in right now. It will be easily applied and I loved the individualization available. It would make a great gift!
This was a lovely, calming, and educational read on chakras and Eastern self care rituals. I thought it was really interesting and well done. It was also interactive since there were quizzes you could take to determine which personality type best fits you and it was just educational and interesting to read. I'd recommend it to others.
The content did not fit with my approach to life, and was more theoretical than practical, which I was looking for.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I think everyone can always take away one useful thing from a self-help book and that is why I always enjoy them so much. In 2020 I think its even more important to practice self-care even more. I also really enjoyed the added Appendices for more information.