The Art of Trapeze: One Woman's Journey of Soaring, Surrendering, and Awakening

by Molly McCord

On a random Thursday morning, with nothing to lose and only a dream to gain, Molly McCord decides to move to Paris, France to follow the courageous call of her heart. She arrives in a city she has never visited before and where she knows no one, yet she trusts her ability to figure it out because her adventurous life has prepared her for this biggest of leaps. She carries the wisdom of Solitude, Strength, Style, Flexibility, Heart, Endurance, and Grace in her non-matching luggage collection.

Molly’s soul-riveting experiences unfold in surprising ways as she discovers the joys and realities of life as a foreigner in France, falls in love with a sexy Turkish man, moves her cats across the Atlantic, enjoys the rare opportunity of working for a U.S. Ambassador, and creates the life of her dreams in less than two years.

Yet when unexpected developments require her to surrender once again, a higher consciousness catches her with a deeper spiritual awakening.

The Art of Trapeze™ soars with emotional honesty, delightful humor, unexpected wisdom, and inspiring spiritual perspectives around living life to the fullest when nothing is guaranteed except gravity.

Hit #1 on Amazon in Spiritual Self-Help and Memoirs: Adventurers!

"Beautifully written, charmingly funny - even hilarious - and remarkably open, honest, and down-to-earth, Ms. McCord has gifted us with a pure example of how life can be such a beautiful, grand adventure..." ~ Starfield Press

"In many ways, Molly tells you how to be brutally honest with your own soul and get on with your own life in an extremely courageous way." ~ Rick DiClemente, Author of "The Exquisite Zodiac", Intuitive Astrologer

"Molly McCord is not one to sit on the sidelines wondering what life might be like "if only." Following along on her journeys allows us to see what it is like to try something out of our comfort zone, and how amazingly well even the riskier things can turn out. She teaches through example how to trust, how to adjust her thinking so she is putting out the right vibration, how to take necessary risks, and how to regroup if things go awry." ~ Lois Wetzel, MFA, Author

*************
Book One in the Awakening Consciousness Series!

Book Two is "The Modern Heroine's Journey of Consciousness"

Genres: Memoir, Spirituality, Biography, Ebooks, Nonfiction, Travel

389 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2013

About the author

Molly McCord, M.A., is a bestselling indie author of ten books, intuitive business coach, astrologer, radio show host, and modern consciousness teacher.

Often referred to as a Consciousness Catalyst, Molly's popular website, www.ConsciousCoolChic.com was nominated by Intent.com for Best Spirituality Website in 2011. She is a practicing intuitive astrologer who has connected with clients in over 20 countries, and hosts a popular weekly radio show attracted over 70,000 downloads in the first year.

Molly has a B.A. in Political Science and Women’s Studies, and a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy as a formal channel for understanding Global Consciousness with a Jungian perspective. She is TESOL certified and volunteers her time teaching English to college-level international students.

Molly is currently an Ambassador for Women for Women International, a non-profit organization which provides education and business training for marginalized women in developing countries.

Book One in the Awakening Consciousness Series is THE ART OF TRAPEZE: ONE WOMAN'S JOURNEY OF SOARING, SURRENDERING, AND AWAKENING and hit #1 in Memoirs: Adventurers & #1 in Spiritual Self-Help! {thank you, thank you!]

Book Two is THE MODERN HEROINE'S JOURNEY OF CONSCIOUSNESS and for the first time, connects Joseph Campbell's the hero's journey to spiritual growth (Dec 2013).

CONSCIOUS THOUGHTS: POWERFUL AFFIRMATIONS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR SOUL'S LANGUAGE (Dec 2013)
- Modern situations, past life stories, powerful affirmations! A rare combination of wisdom for understanding the root of energies.

CONSCIOUS MESSAGES: SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND INSPIRATIONS FOR AWAKENING (Dec 2013)
- 21 inspiring high-vibrational channeled messages for Soul-Full living. Great for anyone interested in Abraham-Hicks, Sanaya Roman, Duane Packer, the Seth materials, and Barbara Marciniak.

Reviews

[Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A true teacher will never give you the answers to the tests, but they will support you in figuring out the answers for yourself because that is how you connect with your own power."

This empowering quote from Molly McCord's amazing new memoir The Art of Trapeze: One Woman's Journey of Soaring, Surrendering, and Awakening perfectly captures the essence of the message so bravely portrayed in this book.

In true-life illustration after illustration, Molly recounts her journey from the United States into the great unknown of Paris, complete with cultural clashes, catch-22 scenarios, and blessings in disguise. All along, her fierce determination and belief in herself never fails her as she chases her Heart to the heart of her true Self.

Beautifully written, charmingly funny--even hilarious--and remarkably open, honest, and down-to-earth, Ms. McCord has gifted us with a pure example of how life can be such a beautiful, grand adventure, even when things seem a bit muddy. She demonstrates so simply that even the slow times are a necessary piece of the whole in life. As she puts it, "...being alone does not mean being lonely. Being still does not mean being boring. Being quiet does not mean being unexciting..."

I highly recommend The Art of Trapeze to the young and old, male and female alike.

You will not be disappointed.

--Lloyd Matthew Thompson, Author of The Galaxy Healer's Guide, Lightworker: A Call to Authenticity, and The Energy Anthology

[Rissi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too jejeune for me. I am way past all that striving.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Were it not for, what seems to me, a lack of editing and an over the bigtop spiritual self-empowerment movement ring to the conclusion, I would have given this journalistic account of the author's experiences in her early adult life five stars, especially the Parisian segments. I could have happily been spared the lengthy elaboration of her depressions in North Carolina and upon her return to the USA. I enjoyed much of her story telling and I share many of her perceptions about life, spirit, trust, living in the moment, seizing opportunity, persevering and so on. I also speak French and have lived in Europe as an American. Between wordy passages that in my opinion should have been reduced by about 80 percent, and which I could skim over without missing a thing, are tremendously engaging accounts of the author's finding footing, peppered with translated French phrases and insight and advice about French culture, all expressed with charm, wit and wisdom.
Copy editing is also lacking. I found many many instances of typos - for example location 1383 "It's allll..." Yes, four "l's." Or at location 3457: "For the true purpose of our trip: o make friends with the locals." From location 5535 to 5657 the author used the word energy or a variation of it at least 20 times.
At first I expected the metaphor of the trapeze to be more than simply that, a metaphor. I was disappointed. It seemed to me to have been inserted as an after thought in an effort to unify the narrative. I was glad when the author returned to the concept at location 4653 in her explanation of "finding top." She also ends the book with it. Nice idea though and the book surely needed something to give it a literary touch. Otherwise the book would fall flat and be really no more than a very long blog in print/ebook form.
I find it a bit frustrating to sing the praises of the book because for every wonderful bit, there is something that irritates. Here is an example. Molly had a storybook romance in Paris that even involved some living together but she never once divulged any details of the sexual relationship! The reader was treated to elaborate minutiae about the author's deep feelings for her cats and the trials of having them, but her lover/boyfriend seemed one-dimensionally portrayed, almost a prop to the author's romantic notions about men and relationships. The scene that gave me insight to what may be a strong narcissistic vein in the author's personality is when Turhan came as her date to a holiday party at the American Embassy and discovered he was the only man there not wearing a tie. Molly's lack of empathy for his self-conscious embarrassment and her waving his distress in his face embarrassed me for him and for her and took her character down several notches in my estimation. The slow and cold break up after that came as no surprise, yet Molly in all her upset never seemed to acknowledge her own role in the demise. Her departure from Europe was an anti-climax to say the least. Better turn to spiritual beliefs and personal empowerment than to delve into one's own shortcomings? The end of the book became gushing in tone and the fairytale wedding at the conclusion only serves to further reinforce my suspicions, much as I find Molly McCord endearing.

[Karenbike Patterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this book on BookBub for 99cents. It should have been free. Better yet, it shouldn't be offered. I slogged through 28% of the book and thought it was written by a middle schooler. It sounded like a preteen journal. A twenty something American woman goes alone to Paris for graduate work (how brave!) There are flashbacks to a earlier times- pretty typical things like car trips with friends and visits to museums (ho hum). It was not well written and the main character was boring. Sorry, BookBub, you'll have to do better than this in the future.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what I needed to read at this point in my life. Well written easy to read. Very thought provoking without being condescending. Will definitely recommend this to others and check out McCords other books.

[Jone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seemed to be written by a middle schooler. Not very interesting for an educated adult mind.

[Betsy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing was amateurish . The style was preachy. I don't know why I even finished it.

[Kenya Starflight · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this as a free e-book, during a time when I was interested in travel books. While Paris isn't high on my list of places to see before I die, I was still interested in reading about the experiences of someone who lived in France for a couple of years. And while the book is rather amateurishly written, it's decent when it focuses on Molly's adventures in Paris. But it wanders all over the place, and takes a weird turn towards the end.

At twenty-nine, Molly found herself working a dead-end job in Seattle, wondering if there was more to her life than this. On a whim, she decided to quit her job and attend graduate school in Paris... a journey far more complicated than she could imagine. Paris would be full of obstacles -- language barriers, bureaucratic roadblocks, lost pets, culture shock -- but she would also make friends, fall in love with both a charming man and a beautiful city, and learn new truths about herself and her life.

The writing in this book isn't anything masterful -- it comes across as amateurish and simplistic. And she makes some silly mistakes here and there -- claiming ostriches come from Australia, for example. (Perhaps she was thinking of emus?) But she writes honestly about her experiences, and this book was at its strongest when it focused on Paris and her experiences there. She shows us a city that, while not perfect, is lovely and charming and warm-hearted.

The book wanders quite a bit, however. She segues from her Paris story to talk about other trips, only barely tying them into the plot. And the book takes a weird spiritualist turn towards the end. Apparently this book is part of an entire series on this theme? I probably wouldn't have downloaded it knowing that -- I'm not sure how much I buy into the theme of "everything in your life works out for a reason" or "good energies controlling your destiny."

The Art of Trapeze works best when it's a travel memoir. Sadly, it wanders a fair bit from that, and the lackluster writing didn't help.

[Kristine Braley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poorly copy edited, but the story this woman tells touched me.

[Lisa McBrien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly McCord speaks to women of all ages, shapes, sizes and colors, no matter what crossroads they're facing or how they choose to embrace the passions, energies, and whispered messages their souls provide on a daily basis. As a woman nearing 50, I'm facing a crossroads in terms of what comes next; dealing with physical, emotional, and hormonal changes that come with age, and asking myself some tough questions about love and relationships, namely why am I still single after 5 years. Really soul, am I being CALLED to be single (Actually, I haven't gotten an answer to that yet, I'm still waiting for the spiritual- metaphysical ligtbulb to go off!)???? This is the second time I have read this book and I gain more and more clarity, as I go over the things Molly went through. I've definately had a few North Carolina moments, several transitional moments, more than my fair share of disappointments, and even faced the losses of a long term relationship (Which it turns out was alot like the whole Turhan thing, and I've totally made peace with it!) and a beloved pet. In my younger years, these things would have greatly upset me and thrown me off my game in a negative way, but now, I'm learning to reframe situations and look at them as growing and learning experiences rather than as failures, setbacks, disappointments, and so on (Insert negative words here.). Right now I am in a very solitary place with not a lot of true friends. That used to bother me, but through Molly's wisdom and the wisdom of others who speak more specifically to the issues of older women, I have learned that I need and even crave this solitude so that I can connect with my most authentic self and care for my changing body. Nothing wrong with that. Of course, there are many things I long for in my life still, finding a compatable partner would be nice!!!! Yet I realize more and more through Molly's wisdom and more importantly my own, that if I hold these intentions close to my heart, practice gratitude and forgiveness, and listen to my inner voice as opposed to trying to talk over it or question, that everything will happen for the greatest good, exactly when it is supposed to. Thanks to Molly, I have become quite interested in the idea of living "as if." Like she did, I searched for answers to some of my most burning questions and about why the Law Of Attraction sometimes doesn't work or manifest things even in spite of our best efforts. Came up empty, of course, but then Molly tells us we will!!!!! Anyway, I came across something writtten by a spiritual teacher which suggested that sometimes, simply voicing the intention does not bring it into being, sometimes we have to live as if we have what we want even if we don't have it yet. There are people who swear this works, so I'm trying the technique wholeheartedly to see where it takes me. Things may manifest exactly as I want them to or they may lead me someplace I was quite unwilling to go but needed to. At any rate it will be an adventure, maybe not a big Parisian adventure, but something worthy of me.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very satisfying memoir, with a bit of everything that I love. Travel, animals,self discovery, love and spiritual awakening. Molly after having gone through quite a bit of ups and downs, in her life and choices, decides she is going to leave the familiar and applies to graduate school in Paris. She is definitely a person, not afraid to try new things and to be good at them. Part of the spiritual journey to me was when faced with a problem or having one that does not go away she, would look within and changes her thought pattern, sending out different energy. From school to working part time at the American Embassy, to her romance with a handsome Turkish fellow student, to bringing her cats over from the USA, she had me right there in the story with her. Such wonderful visuals of her life, beautifully written. One piece where the visual impact was great was when she was sitting in Notre Dame on a rainy day, without many people around, thinking about her life and states that she is seeing prayers. One piece of it that I loved, is where she says: __ I closed my eyes and felt them swishing through my hair, whisper in my ears and kiss my skin. They twirled around my legs, rubbed against my arms, and then coasted over to the next warm body with comfort and ease.__ Just a small portion of what she described, but one that I found beautiful. I think we all come away from this story with having found something within ourselves or a feeling that there is something we need to still accomplish. The Art of Trapeze, to be able to delve into your dreams and opportunities, the choices you want to make, and being brave enough to try them. Loved this story.
there is a 2nd book coming out in late August, can't wait. Trapeze Travels: The Lost Chapters

[Jill Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molly McCord leaves everything behind to move to Paris after getting accepted at a university to earn her Masters degree. She describes the challenges of finding housing and a job as a non French person. She meets a man, Turhan, from Pakistan and they have a two-year relationship until he decides he has to put his work first. She also was awarded a most-coveted internship at the American Embassy for 3 months. Molly describes Paris wonderfully, as if I were almost there. This part I enjoyed immensely. What I didn’t enjoy was the last 3 chapters were nothing but ethereal nonsensical blabbering that didn’t make much sense. She could have left these chapters out. Therefore, a lower rating. 7 stars. (10.8 to 11.2.16)

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still processing this one. Loved the insights and the magnifying glass view of life as an ex-pat in Paris, but it took me quite a while to work through because the work as a whole read kind of...bulkily for me. (whatever, it's not a real word, but you know what I mean, right?) Like, if I had been given this piece to critique in a writing course, I would have chopped quite a bit down to get to the meat of the story. There was a lot of strong writing here, but it sometimes got lost in the narrative flow and all of the details that were and weren't relevant (it could have been much more concise and I would argue that it would read more powerfully that way)

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been really good. The author's trip to Paris to pursue trapeze artistry as a skill and life metaphor could have been an exhilarating read, and the excerpt I read in a magazine really caught my eye. She describes the feel of the cold metal bar beneath the soles of her feet as she waits for the exact moment to launch in vivid language. But it just wasn't well written. The memoir could have benefitted from some major copy editing. It could have been cut by a third and been a better book.

[Amy Czerniec · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book at the right time. Having been diagnosed with breast cancer, going through treatment and surgery I didn't know what I was supposed to do with my life. I feel reading this book may have helped me to find my inner strength and maybe guide me in the right direction.

Thanks Molly!

Now on to The Modern Heroine's Journey of Consciousness (Awakening Consciousness Series, Book 2)

[Carol Burrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the story of her living in Paris. I've never been there but her story telling made me long to go. From about 80% on, it switched to spirituality. It seemed very disjointed. Where did this come from? I didn't know we were talking about spirituality and then 'bam' we made this major shift. The trapeze part seemed very disjointed, too. A little at the beginning and a little more at the end but it didn't flow well at all. I would have enjoyed it much more if it was just about her travels.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful and inspiring memoir showing how life can be an adventure and about the souls mission both which can lead to happier life. Through this book I learnt one if the most important things in life was to believe in yourself and sometimes it's alright to put yourself first



I received this book through Goodreads Firstreads

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parts of this book were interesting and funny, but for the most part I found it boring. I admit I am something of a grammar snob, so the misuse of "passed" for "past" began to annoy me after the third time. I pushed through to the end and was glad when it was over. Maybe just a little too hippy dippy for me?

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book...try to get past the title and cover because it doesn't do the book justice. It got a little too deep towards the very end, but overall I loved her writing style and experiencing her travels!

[Angelica Taggart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was like reading Molly's journal from one level of consciousness to another -- finding her place in the world. Having done sort of the same thing in my own life, I enjoyed (and related to) many of her experiences!

Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Kay Mcaloney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book was like reading a journal of Molly's travels, thoughts, and feelings. I enjoyed learning about France and joining Molly on her travels throughout the world. It was interesting how she wove the trapeze artist into the story. Interesting read.

[Andrea Carlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must be too literal for this one. Finished it, kept waiting and hoping for it to get better. Was actually hoping she would get a life and join the circus, use those toes for our enjoyment and jump to the trapeze. Over analyzation of life

[Florence Primrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

One morning a courageous young woman decides to move to Paris. This memoir compares the struggles in life to deciding to let go of the trapeze. This is an interesting tale of adventure and learning acceptance as events occur as well as enjoying her stories of Paris.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the sections covering her time in Paris. I didn't like the numerous flashbacks to other times in her life; I didn't feel those were incorporated well. I really didn't like the whole end section of new age philosophy. The trapeze metaphor that pops up periodically didn't work for me, either.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book -it was very inspiring. However, it did drag a bit for me in the beginning and I thought it was a bit too long and detailed at times.

[Daniela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book -it was very inspiring. However, it did drag a bit for me in the beginning and I thought it was a bit too long and detailed at times.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not finish. Jumped around too much. Did not like enlightenment aspect of the story.

[Lois Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I feel like I learned a lot about me from this book. The book wasn't a lecture and it wasn't laid out like a typical self help nor was it preachy. It took you on a journey to discovery.

[Alex Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, with a crisp evocative voice. A worthy read!

[Becky Caplan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! An amazing story about own woman, finding herself - in Paris and in the world.