Synopses & Reviews
Winner of the COVR Award for Book of the Year (2007)
From the #1 creativity publisher in the country comes our latest creativity bestsellerCreative Journal Writingthe ultimate book for those who are looking to use this powerful tool to heal, expand, and transform their lives.
In this exceptionally positive and encouraging book, Stephanie Dowrick frees the journal writer she believes is in virtually everyone, showing through stories and examples that a genuine sense of possibility can be revived on every page.
Creative journal writing goes way beyond just recording events on paper. It can be the companion that supports but doesn?t judge, a place of unparalleled discovery, and a creative playground where the everyday rules no longer count. Proven benefits of journal writing include reduced stress and anxiety, increased self-awareness, sharpened mental skills, genuine psychological insight, creative inspiration and motivation, strengthened ability to cope during difficult times, and overall physical and emotional well-being.
Combining a rich choice of ideas with wonderful stories, quotes, and her refreshingly intimate thoughts gained through a lifetime of writing, Dowrick?s insights and confidence make journal writing irresistible?and your own life more enchanting. Included in Creative Journal Writing are:
u stories of how people have used journal writing to transform their lives;
· inspirational instructions, guidelines, and quotes;
· key principles, practical suggestions, and helpful hints;
· 125 starter topics, designed to help even the most reluctant journal writer;
· more than forty powerful exercises;
· and much more!
Review
“This book brings such serenity. In a masterful gesture, Stephanie Dowrick has collected prayers from these days back to earliest centuries. All the prayers, including some by the author herself, are arranged in a mosaic pattern that leads us towards the oneness we all long for. I urge you to open this book and read one or two prayers whenever you feel the need to see your shrink . . . or are seeking instant peace.” —Hanan al-Shaykh, author of The Locust and the Bird
Review
“What a great gift Stephanie Dowrick has given us. Each person who picks up Heaven on Earth will discover many wonderful choices that she has brought together in one easy-to-use book for connecting with the One and with your own inner strength during the ups and downs of daily life. In addition, she supports and encourages each of our unique and different ways of going to that healing inner space of holiness that is beyond words. Her openness and non-judgmentalness are extra benefits of this book and very timely.” —Leonard Felder, PhD, author of Here I Am: Using Jewish Spiritual Wisdom to Become More Present, Centered, and Available for Life
Review
“Just as prayer moves us, this book moves me. By showing us how to find the presence of God, Dowrick restores our confidence in humanity. This is a profound and immensely helpful contribution, at a time when we need it the most—not one wasted page.” —Jeff Golliher, Episcopal priest and author of A Deeper Faith and Moving Through Fear
Review
“Stephanie Dowrick has written and compiled a wonderful interfaith resource and companion for anyone seeking to deepen their inner life. Heaven on Earth is a feast for the spirit.” —Rev. Diane Berke, founder and spiritual director, One Spirit Interfaith Seminary
Review
“This collection, in which the reader not only will find selections from various traditions but also from some of the worlds great literature, is an invaluable resource. But it is more than that. Stephanie Dowricks sensitivity as a teacher and writer provides the reader with a unique collection that reminds us that we find divinity most profoundly in relationship. In speaking the words of these prayers the reader will not only find solace, but also meaningful relationship with a world that is both subjective and sacred. Heaven on Earth is not so much a book for us to merely read and put on the shelf as it is one to carry with us in hand and heart on our journeys.” —Theodore Richards, author of Cosmosophia and Creatively Maladjusted: The Wisdom Education Movement Manifesto
Review
“Truthfully, Stephanie, all your prayers are divine. They speak to me as if I had made them up. They speak the words that are from my soul too. You have a great gift to write about the universality of being human and enable us who read your work to feel, in some very meaningful way, ‘You wrote this just for me.” —Sharon Snir, psychotherapist and author of The Little Book of Everyday Miracles
Review
“Wrap yourself in beautiful words and spiritual connection in times of fear, grief or simply reflection. These writings will transport you back to your core and wipe the slate clean. If you want the gift of prayer, give yourself the gift of this book.” —Laura Berman Fortgang, author of The Little Book on Meaning
Review
“Stephanie Dowrick offers us her wise insight into the transformative qualities of prayer, as well as an interfaith anthology that will become a precious resource to so many. Available to all, prayer can be great equalizing force for good, an instrument of personal and societal healing, a repair of what has been broken. Including her own prayers with those of many spiritual traditions, this book is an act of love by a writer devoted to the sacred.” —Joyce Kornblatt, meditation and writing teacher and author of The Reason for Wings
Review
“Whether or not you are in the habit of praying, whether or not you believe in a traditional God, this mosaic of prayers gathered from around the world will delight and inspire.” —Susan Katz Miller, author of Being Both: Embracing Two Religions in One Interfaith Family
Review
“Stephanie Dowrick gives prayer back to the reader like a precious gift that was somehow forgotten or mislaid. I carry a different feeling about prayer around with me since reading these beautiful pages. Prayer helps set my compass towards the highest. A generous and joyful book.” —Dr. Juliet Batten, author of A Cup of Sunlight and Spirited Ageing
Review
“This is a beautiful selection of prayers from many different faiths: a fabulous read, a real feast! Whatever stage you are at in your prayer life, you will discover how instinctive prayer is and how praying can bring out your true self in times of darkness and joy.” —Rosalind Bradley, author of A World of Prayer
Review
“Gently leading us into a deeply-felt experience of prayer, you can tell instantly that prayer is not something Stephanie Dowrick does—it is central to who she is. ‘Prayer moves us, she says, and I also found myself equally moved by her heartfelt book on prayer.” —August Gold, co-author of Multiply Your Blessings and The Prayer Chest
Review
“Stephanie Dowrick is emphatic that the Divine is accessible to all and not a dogmatic prerogative of the few. Her emphasis on contemplative thinking rather than formulated or ordinary thinking is the key to using this book as a springboard into personal prayer experience. Stephanies own prayers reveal how she embraces and feels embraced by God. Whilst contemplating her prayers one feels that Divine Hug. Her prayers give us the confidence and the compass on how to open our own hearts in trust and friendship to the Sacred.” —Anthony Strano, BK meditation teacher, author of Seeking Silence
Review
“Since I was a teenager, Stephanie Dowricks work has been absolutely central to my understanding of curiosity, spirit, faith and the possibility of happiness. Her words speak about faith and longing and hope in ways that people like me can be heartened by. The wisdom in her pages has comforted me in dark times and brought me insights that I fear I may otherwise have missed. With deep intelligence and enormous heart, Stephanie has written and interpreted these prayers, creating a well-loved companion for anyone seeking beauty, comfort and insight.” —Clare Bowditch, musician
Review
“Stephanie Dowrick sees prayer as the constant tuning of heart and mind to the bounty of Kabirs ‘single kind of love that is directly recognized in all streams of contemplative practice, however differently they may name it. Her volume of prompts towards that open state is bounty in its own right.” —Dr. Susan Murphy, Zen roshi and author of Minding the Earth, Mending the World
Review
“These stunning prayers and poems embody the Timeless, the Traditional, and the Beyond. Stephanie Dowrick emerges as a mystical poet with a radiance of her own in the company of those whose words she has chosen.” —Dr. Marj Britt, vice president of the Academic Governance Council, board of Unity Institute and Seminary
Review
“In this marvellous collection, Dr. Stephanie Dowrick offers what so many of us desire: an authentic invitation into the mystery of prayer. This is a book to cherish. But more than this, it is one to use as a pathway into greater awareness, deeper connection, and a more profound sense of gratitude for the gift of life. What could be more welcome in times like these, when a trustworthy guide to the spiritual life like this one is so urgently needed?” —Dr. Mark S. Burrows, professor of theology and spirituality and author of a new translation of Rainer Maria Rilkes Prayers of a Young Poet
Synopsis
Combining a rich choice of ideas with wonderful stories, quotes, and her refreshingly intimate thoughts gained through a lifetime of writing, Dowrick encourages journaling as a way to reduce stress and anxiety, increase self-awareness, and achieve emotional well-being.
Synopsis
The internationally renowned author of
Choosing Happiness shows how a little bit of everyday kindness can help us tackle the pressures of the modern worldandmdash;providing the insights, reassurance, and the means to worry far less and enjoy life more.
Change your life with Everyday Kindness.and#160;Virtually every moment of our greatest well-being reflects the giving and receiving of kindness. At home, work, and in the wider world, there are countless opportunities when a moment of consideration or kindnessandmdash;given or receivedandmdash;will transform your day. Whether it is a hard time to be endured or a wonderful time to be shared and celebrated, it's our willingness to think well of ourselves and act kindly toward others that makes all the difference.and#160;In this intimate, deeply encouraging book, author Stephanie Dowrick takes kindness as her inspiration and theme and shows us how to bring the practice of kindness into our daily lives. This simple act, Dowrick illustrates, is vital in helping us grow in self-confidence and appreciation, make the best choices to support our physical and emotional well-being, find pleasure in our work and in our relationships, and experience more authentic love. Everyday Kindness provides the reader with the spiritual and psychological tools to make a calmer, happier, and more rewarding life immediately possible.
Synopsis
A modern prayer book from an internationally renowned and bestselling author Heaven on Earth is a non-denominational collection of prayers meant to inspire reflection, gratitude, discipline, healing, and discovery along your spiritual journey. Culled from a number of the worlds wisdom traditions as well as from mystics and world-renowned artistsincluding such life-changing works as the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Tao Te Ching, and celebrated thinkers such as Rainer Maria Rilke, Thich Nhat Hanh, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and original prayers by the author herself, among many othersthese prayers are structured in an easy-to-use format, and offer a new roadmap for the soul.
Synopsis
Here is a prayer book that offers you the wisest, most comforting of prayers, while also guiding you on
how to pray. Whatever your experience of prayer, you will find a new depth of inspiration and support in these pages. From the most ancient heartfelt prayers to those newly written by the author herself, this is a collection that meets us where we areand takes us where we most want to go.
As a writer and spiritual leader who has supported and guided many thousands of people to live more hopefully, Stephanie Dowrick has a rare understanding of what prayer is and how faithfully it can support you, whatever your faith background or journey. Some of the worlds most beautiful words are gathered hereas are many of the most uplifting and consoling. From prayers to be shared with family, friends or community, to prayers that take you within to your own souls depths, this is a collection to be used and cherished.
About the Author
Stephanie Dowrick, PhD, is noted for her highly encouraging, accessible writing on key issues affecting our personal and collective wellbeing. Her international best sellers include Choosing Happiness, Forgiveness and Other Acts of Love, Intimacy and Solitude, Creative Journal Writing, Seeking the Sacred and In the Company of Rilke. Formerly a publisher, and also a trained psychotherapist and literary critic, Dr Dowrick draws on the latest insights from the worlds of psychology and spiritual activism as well as timeless universal wisdom teachings. Written with beauty and remarkable care, her books are applauded by critics and loved by readers. "Courageous and original, she asks the most difficult questions with enormous heart and intelligence." Joyce Kornblatt, A Reason for Wings "Stephanie Dowrick is a godsend. Her gift is the ability to write in a manner that genuinely enriches and changes lives." Nigel Marsh, author and global CEO "Stephanie Dowrick makes the hard questions simple...if anyone can cause a happiness revolution, she can." Paul Wilson, Instant Calm. "I felt bathed in warmth and compassion, soothed and reassured as Stephanie Dowrick became my companion." Dr Juliet Batten, Dancing with Seasons. For more information visit http://www.stephaniedowrick.com