Inner Spark: Finding Calm in a Stressful World

by Kristin Vikjord

Change is inevitable, but how can we learn to navigate struggle and appreciate how emotions ebb and flow?  Kristin Vikjord presents a practical toolkit of exercises to help find, regain, and nurture your inner spark. Drawing on her experiences as a Clinical Psychologist and yoga and mindfulness facilitator, Kristin combines these complimentary, integrative therapies for a book that has the scientific mind of a psychologist and the heart and soul of yoga teacher. In Inner Spark , Kristin offers eight ‘prescriptions for wellbeing’ including practical activities that match up to the three sections of the normalization, clarification, and agency. She explains how pathways in the brain work, showing how, and crucially why, it's important for anyone navigating a difficult time, physically or mentally, to have a toolkit for re-connection. Kristin Vikjord has effectively harnessed the long Scandinavian winters to stoke her own inner spark and created this guide that will help readers embrace the challenges of modern life, from burnout to navigating new parenthood.

256 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2021

Reviews

[Konrad Plechowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 actually.
I'm finding the main concept of this book hugely important - the bringing together of Western psychology with Eastern spiritual practices (mainly yoga and meditation).

It's an approach so hugely needed, and one that I believe can be the one really beneficial to vast majority of Westerners (muuuuch more than eg discussing intricacies of yoga sutras while spiralling down in depression and not engaging in formal psychoterapy). For this only, 5 not 4 stars.

While reading it, at times the book comes slightly flat - but maybe that's how it should be, as it attempts to bring the clinical into the world of spirit.. looking from this perspective, you can start appreciating it and understand why it doesn't give highs as some other, spirit-only-based texts of similar nature would..

But it does give you guidance. Simple but powerful. Of gentleness, kindness, patience, power of nature, perspective, togetherness.. And for that, I'm really grateful for having read it, as somehow these messages reached me very strongly through this realistic book than they have through some other. Thank you.

[Caz · Rating 2 out of 5]

A beautifully presented book on mindfulness and finding your inner spark.

Filled with little exercises and meditations to follow with journal questions to answer at the end of them. But EACH of them comes with the SAME disclaimer, so about half the book was just telling you the exercises can trigger things and to seek medical help if you need it etc. This is already mentioned at the start of the book and really that's enough.

It just got tiring and repetitive after the first two chapters and made me question whether the author was being page by the page or word count?!?

In a sea of self help books, sadly would not bother recommending this one, though some of the exercises and questions were quite interesting.

**Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving access to this book in exchange for an honest review,

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read quite a bit of self-help books, I can say that this book truly stands out. I especially liked Kristin’s action-centered approach towards mindfulness and focus on entire well-being. She skilfully makes use of scientific knowledge and concepts from philosophy and psychology to come up with a practical guide to living well in the 21st century. Besides prescribing solutions, she encourages the reader to engage in self-inquiry and curate their own path to healing. Overall, this highly readable book is ideal for those looking for emotional strength, be it during tough times or in their everyday lives. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC.

[Cheresa Naudé · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only gave this book three stars instead of two because the exercises were actually helpful. There were way too many repetitions throughout the book and it read more like a promotional advert for yoga than anything else. It's clear where the writer's passions lie and that's great. It's just overall not my cup of tea.

[Lamees Hourani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book

[Mohammad Hossein · Rating 4 out of 5]

It helped me a lot in a very tough situation, and I would recommend it if you want to get into meditation principles!