A Year of Living Mindfully: Seasonal Practices to Nourish Body Mind and Spirit

by Randi Ragan

Everyone wants to live a long, productive life and be as vibrant and healthy in the process as possible. Yet sometimes, it’s hard to know how to construct a wellbeing plan that provides for these goals on a day-to-day basis. 
 
This elegant guidebook for awakened holistic living distills the basics and offers up practical solutions for busy people who yearn for lasting results. Stories, first person memoir, journaling, meditation and ritual take readers on a journey around the Wheel of the Year and through four inspiring seasonal themes: Renew(Spring), Energize (Summer),Balance (Autumn) and Contemplate (Winter). 
 
This book shows you- step by step - how simple yoga and breathing exercises, herbal healing, aromatherapy, delicious plant-based food recipes, and soothing beauty rituals can be essential components for creating deep transformation.
 
Author Randi Ragan makes connections between everyday habits and a life filled with vitality, fearlessness, wise purpose, compassionate relationships, and spiritual sustenance for any age or stage of life.

Genres: Inspirational, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

Published March 9, 2016

About the author

Randi Ragan is the author of A Year of Living Mindfully, which grew out of writing for her blog The Mindful Living Almanac (www.randiragan.com), which grew out of running her mobile spa and wellness company since 2006 in Los Angeles called GreenBliss EcoSpa. Obsessed with all things eco-friendly and an inveterate spa junkie, Randi has been immersed for several years now in thinking about what it means to create a true sense of wellbeing for oneself in the midst of such a technologically fraught time. She wants to live to be 100 and still be doing headstands. (#lifegoals) Her mother was an English teacher and then a librarian, who passed on her love of books to Randi, who used to read under her bed covers after bedtime with a flashlight. This probably caused her to go really nearsighted and need her first pair of glasses at age seven. She still reads under the covers with a flashlight on camping trips with her own family after they’ve gone to sleep, since there’s something magical about being alone with a book in a tent out in nature. Randi also reads books in the bathtub and still hasn’t figured out a way to keep the pages dry.

Reviews

[Kristina Coggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a marvel. I have been searching for something like this for a while now. I've been wanting to connect to the seasons and the earth to ground myself, to feel more wholeness and connection to my body and align myself seasonally. There is a wealth of ideas here (the author knows her stuff, and has obviously done extensive research.) The information is laid out in a way that is simple, clear, and a delight to read. I also like that the author is not preachy or self righteous...she offers ideas of seasonal recipes, yoga poses, self care rituals, natural beauty techniques, meditations, herbs and health. I also appreciated her thoughtful exploration of each season and the meaning each season provides. Really enjoyable and highly educational at the same time.

[M.K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as one of the giveaways and I'm so happy that I won it! I'm a huge seasonal living fan and this book is so amazing. It's definitely one that I will read more than once and pull out at the change of each season. There are wonderful practices and recipes as well as other tips and essential oil recommendations. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

[Roxann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I'm continuing to learn about mindless eating through a support group, but this book goes way beyond just eating. I liked many of the ideas within the book for each of the seasons. I will need to go back and reread each season again so I can practice/use the ideas presented in this book.

I won this book from Goodreads Giveaway.