What do you think?
Rate this book
The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World
It begins with a deeply inspiring wish for the positive welfare of another person. Writer and social justice advocate Pierre Pradervand believes that making the conscious choice to bless every person or being around you can truly make the world a better place.
In The Gentle Art of Blessing , Pradervand shows that the practice of blessing has the power to create more than just a momentary change. It unleashes tangible benefits throughout your entire life—through your daily interactions, your relationships, and how the laws of positive expectations and unconditional love can open the doors to a more peaceful world.
Pradervand describes a blessing as genuinely wishing the best for another person through seeing their individual worth and honoring them for it. By looking at several different perspectives—providing spiritual inspiration from Hinduism, Taoism, the Koran, the Bible, and other important spiritual sources— The Gentle Art of Blessing provides the tools for people to shift their attitude from negativity to acceptance. These blessings can be practiced daily in everyday situations whether it be at the supermarket, driving in rush hour, or spending time in the workplace, the simple action of blessing the event can turn a challenging experience into an experience of grace and gratitude. Simple yet powerful, a blessing can change the way of perceiving and shaping our surroundings, reflecting the unconditional love and acceptance that is necessary for global—and inner—peace.
In The Gentle Art of Blessing , Pradervand shows that the practice of blessing has the power to create more than just a momentary change. It unleashes tangible benefits throughout your entire life—through your daily interactions, your relationships, and how the laws of positive expectations and unconditional love can open the doors to a more peaceful world.
Pradervand describes a blessing as genuinely wishing the best for another person through seeing their individual worth and honoring them for it. By looking at several different perspectives—providing spiritual inspiration from Hinduism, Taoism, the Koran, the Bible, and other important spiritual sources— The Gentle Art of Blessing provides the tools for people to shift their attitude from negativity to acceptance. These blessings can be practiced daily in everyday situations whether it be at the supermarket, driving in rush hour, or spending time in the workplace, the simple action of blessing the event can turn a challenging experience into an experience of grace and gratitude. Simple yet powerful, a blessing can change the way of perceiving and shaping our surroundings, reflecting the unconditional love and acceptance that is necessary for global—and inner—peace.
203 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2002
94 people are currently reading
336 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 18, 2020
This book was gifted to me in the most beautiful way. I started a new job three days before the pandemic stay-at-home order began, and I was very intrigued by a new co-worker. She is a native Kentuckian and has the most mellifluous speaking voice and she says some of the most beautifully bananas things. She’s a jazz singer and reiki master. She enjoys ice baths and on a zoom call, she said she was “creatively blocked so I’m focusing on my spiritual health by connecting with nature.” She always wears a hat and talks about “the animating spirit, some call it God, Buddha, Allah, it’s all the same for me....”
In the three days before the pandemic began, I was so into being her friend. Her energy just drew me in. We had had lunch together one day and she and I skipped the small talk and went straight to the good stuff. I love people like that. I peppered her with questions and she was open and vulnerable and interesting and was also interested in me. I was really excited to get to know this person specifically because I love the truly woo-woo people in my life.
I exist spiritually inside a deep contradiction - I am both spiritual and deeply skeptical. I do yoga and meditate and go to therapy and can tell you my enneagram number and I read Thich Naht Hanh and all that jazz but I don’t believe in a lot of spiritual woo woo nonsense. I have had reiki sessions and while I enjoyed it I didn’t believe it. I believe in modern medicine and I believe that you can’t meditate your way out of negative emotions when things are bad. I am curious about religion and ritual but practice none of my own, having been raised Catholic, married a Jewish man, and raised my kids without a religious affiliation outside of “seders are great, let’s express our gratitude before we eat dinner.”
So....
I returned to work recently and I was delighted to see that after months of being sheltered at home with the same three people, I was scheduled on the same day as my co-worker. I work at a historical property in the woods by a rambling creek, and it is a truly beautiful workplace. We sat together by the river on a quiet day without a lot of guests and asked each other about how our experience over the last few difficult months have been. How did we cope? How are our families? What did we do to keep ourselves centered and sane?
I told her honestly and openly that it had been hard for me, particularly with respect to my daughter, who as a high school senior and soon-to-be college freshman, the timing of this crisis is a personal cataclysm of loss and uncertainty. I shared that I had been leaning into a certain kind of meditation - metta or lovingkindness meditation - to try to bring a soft responsiveness and compassion to my daughter and to myself as I absorb her stress and pain.
Her eyes got wide and she shared that she had an extra copy of a book in her car that she had been intending to return to the store where she bought it, packaged up and ready to go, but she was procrastinating going into the post office because...coronavirus. This is the book. The Gentle Art of Blessing. She felt very convicted that the book was meant for me, and that it was a way of her to bless me in my struggles and that the universe made sure the book got into my hands.
The idea behind this book is that you bless everything, all the time. So as a former Catholic, blessing has a specific meaning to me, but this is much more of a power of positive thinking sort of thing. A blessing is an intention or a pure wish of good for yourself, for others, and for the world. You bless yourself, your family, your pain, your torments. The blessing forms a protective shield for you and then it activates the “universal laws of.....”
See? This is where is loses me. I believe in the power of meditation and blessing to adjust your thoughts and help you carry your bad feelings but I do NOT believe in laws of attraction and don’t think you can, with the power of your pure blessings cure cancer and stuff like that.
So, all of this I love how this book came into my life, and there are portions of the book I connected to, about leaving your painful past behind and the value of moving through the world blessing others instead of carrying around your negativity. I have even begun blessing, as a practice. I define “blessing” as an open, pure desire for all that is good, kind, and abundant. So I get up in the morning, and bless the day. After 4 months of unrelenting stress and anxiety, I bless the day and welcome all the good that will come that day and wish the world lovingkindness and compassion. At night before I go to bed, I bless the day. I wish myself and anyone who comes to mind health, happiness, ease & peace. I’ll be candid and say it is a huge improvement to my life for the first and last thing I do with my conscious mind every day is blessing instead of stressing.
But...this book oversells blessing. It wants to tell me that blessing can heal someone’s cancer or stop violence in a way that is too Christian Science and spiritual healing and The Secret with some sprinkling of the Bible and that is where it loses me. I think meditation and woo-woo Eckhardt Tolle philosophy has value to the individual but it has also been monetized and weaponized for profit in a really harmful way (for example, our president who thinks the pandemic will just go away because he wants it to, or our fellow citizens who think they can be protected from coronavirus with the power of healthy food and positive thinking and the blood of Jesus so won’t put on a mask).
So. I can’t say this book connected deeply with me today. There might be a time it will. But I love how it came into my life, and accept that there is something in there that I am not ready to be open to. I am grateful for the gift of the practice of blessing.
In the three days before the pandemic began, I was so into being her friend. Her energy just drew me in. We had had lunch together one day and she and I skipped the small talk and went straight to the good stuff. I love people like that. I peppered her with questions and she was open and vulnerable and interesting and was also interested in me. I was really excited to get to know this person specifically because I love the truly woo-woo people in my life.
I exist spiritually inside a deep contradiction - I am both spiritual and deeply skeptical. I do yoga and meditate and go to therapy and can tell you my enneagram number and I read Thich Naht Hanh and all that jazz but I don’t believe in a lot of spiritual woo woo nonsense. I have had reiki sessions and while I enjoyed it I didn’t believe it. I believe in modern medicine and I believe that you can’t meditate your way out of negative emotions when things are bad. I am curious about religion and ritual but practice none of my own, having been raised Catholic, married a Jewish man, and raised my kids without a religious affiliation outside of “seders are great, let’s express our gratitude before we eat dinner.”
So....
I returned to work recently and I was delighted to see that after months of being sheltered at home with the same three people, I was scheduled on the same day as my co-worker. I work at a historical property in the woods by a rambling creek, and it is a truly beautiful workplace. We sat together by the river on a quiet day without a lot of guests and asked each other about how our experience over the last few difficult months have been. How did we cope? How are our families? What did we do to keep ourselves centered and sane?
I told her honestly and openly that it had been hard for me, particularly with respect to my daughter, who as a high school senior and soon-to-be college freshman, the timing of this crisis is a personal cataclysm of loss and uncertainty. I shared that I had been leaning into a certain kind of meditation - metta or lovingkindness meditation - to try to bring a soft responsiveness and compassion to my daughter and to myself as I absorb her stress and pain.
Her eyes got wide and she shared that she had an extra copy of a book in her car that she had been intending to return to the store where she bought it, packaged up and ready to go, but she was procrastinating going into the post office because...coronavirus. This is the book. The Gentle Art of Blessing. She felt very convicted that the book was meant for me, and that it was a way of her to bless me in my struggles and that the universe made sure the book got into my hands.
The idea behind this book is that you bless everything, all the time. So as a former Catholic, blessing has a specific meaning to me, but this is much more of a power of positive thinking sort of thing. A blessing is an intention or a pure wish of good for yourself, for others, and for the world. You bless yourself, your family, your pain, your torments. The blessing forms a protective shield for you and then it activates the “universal laws of.....”
See? This is where is loses me. I believe in the power of meditation and blessing to adjust your thoughts and help you carry your bad feelings but I do NOT believe in laws of attraction and don’t think you can, with the power of your pure blessings cure cancer and stuff like that.
So, all of this I love how this book came into my life, and there are portions of the book I connected to, about leaving your painful past behind and the value of moving through the world blessing others instead of carrying around your negativity. I have even begun blessing, as a practice. I define “blessing” as an open, pure desire for all that is good, kind, and abundant. So I get up in the morning, and bless the day. After 4 months of unrelenting stress and anxiety, I bless the day and welcome all the good that will come that day and wish the world lovingkindness and compassion. At night before I go to bed, I bless the day. I wish myself and anyone who comes to mind health, happiness, ease & peace. I’ll be candid and say it is a huge improvement to my life for the first and last thing I do with my conscious mind every day is blessing instead of stressing.
But...this book oversells blessing. It wants to tell me that blessing can heal someone’s cancer or stop violence in a way that is too Christian Science and spiritual healing and The Secret with some sprinkling of the Bible and that is where it loses me. I think meditation and woo-woo Eckhardt Tolle philosophy has value to the individual but it has also been monetized and weaponized for profit in a really harmful way (for example, our president who thinks the pandemic will just go away because he wants it to, or our fellow citizens who think they can be protected from coronavirus with the power of healthy food and positive thinking and the blood of Jesus so won’t put on a mask).
So. I can’t say this book connected deeply with me today. There might be a time it will. But I love how it came into my life, and accept that there is something in there that I am not ready to be open to. I am grateful for the gift of the practice of blessing.
August 31, 2019
Think of a person you have difficulty dealing with. Or a person from your past who hurt you deeply. Got one? Now bless them.
What??!! You may ask. Blessing the difficult people in our lives is the premise of Pierre Pradervand’s book “The Gentle Art of Blessing – A Simple Practice that Will Transform You and Your World”.
“A constant reminder of spiritual masters is that you cannot grow spiritually if you are burdened mentally by the habit of judging others.” Pradervand writes. “By ‘blessing’ , I mean wishing from the bottom of the heart, in total sincerity, the very best for those people – their complete fulfillment and deepest happiness,” he adds.
I liked how Pradervand includes many real life examples of how blessing has worked in people’s lives. One story was particularly meaningful to me. A Jewish lawyer, liberated from the Nazi concentration camps, had an unusually positive attitude when meeting the Allied troops. The Allies learned this lawyer had watched his wife and five children murdered by the Nazis five years earlier. “I had to decide right then whether to let myself hate the soldiers who had done this. It was an easy decision, really,” the lawyer said. “In my practice, I had seen too often what hate could do to people’s minds and bodies. Hate had just killed the six people who mattered most to me in the world. I decided then that I would spend the rest of my life – whether it was a few days or many years – loving every person I came in contact with.”
I’ve read many books and have heard many sermons on the importance of forgiveness for personal peace. Sound advice, but this whole “blessing” business goes beyond forgiveness alone as the Jewish lawyer’s story shows. I tried it out on meeting one person I have had difficulty communicating with in the past (mentally blessing this person before we talked). Surprisingly, I felt this encounter went well and I felt lighter afterwards.
“No one can be our enemy unless we ourselves stick such a label upon them,” Pradervand writes. “Ultimately, no outside event, encounter, or person can harm us unless we give it the power to do so.” This was another statement from the Gentle Art of Blessing that stuck with me. If you want to try the “blessing” approach Pradervand advocates I recommend reading his book and trying it out yourself.
What??!! You may ask. Blessing the difficult people in our lives is the premise of Pierre Pradervand’s book “The Gentle Art of Blessing – A Simple Practice that Will Transform You and Your World”.
“A constant reminder of spiritual masters is that you cannot grow spiritually if you are burdened mentally by the habit of judging others.” Pradervand writes. “By ‘blessing’ , I mean wishing from the bottom of the heart, in total sincerity, the very best for those people – their complete fulfillment and deepest happiness,” he adds.
I liked how Pradervand includes many real life examples of how blessing has worked in people’s lives. One story was particularly meaningful to me. A Jewish lawyer, liberated from the Nazi concentration camps, had an unusually positive attitude when meeting the Allied troops. The Allies learned this lawyer had watched his wife and five children murdered by the Nazis five years earlier. “I had to decide right then whether to let myself hate the soldiers who had done this. It was an easy decision, really,” the lawyer said. “In my practice, I had seen too often what hate could do to people’s minds and bodies. Hate had just killed the six people who mattered most to me in the world. I decided then that I would spend the rest of my life – whether it was a few days or many years – loving every person I came in contact with.”
I’ve read many books and have heard many sermons on the importance of forgiveness for personal peace. Sound advice, but this whole “blessing” business goes beyond forgiveness alone as the Jewish lawyer’s story shows. I tried it out on meeting one person I have had difficulty communicating with in the past (mentally blessing this person before we talked). Surprisingly, I felt this encounter went well and I felt lighter afterwards.
“No one can be our enemy unless we ourselves stick such a label upon them,” Pradervand writes. “Ultimately, no outside event, encounter, or person can harm us unless we give it the power to do so.” This was another statement from the Gentle Art of Blessing that stuck with me. If you want to try the “blessing” approach Pradervand advocates I recommend reading his book and trying it out yourself.
November 23, 2021
I came across this book by chance, reading comments on an unrelated page. I am soooo glad I decided to order a used copy! This book makes so much sense and it’s resonated with me on deep level and find myself blessing others silently more and more often! It’s a great book to read daily and amazing way to start your day. If you have conflicts with anyone or want relationships to improve, I would highly recommend as it may just ground you and allow you to breathe while going through difficult times. I was not going through anything difficult but have used in day to day life and when high emotions with others come up!
December 2, 2021
This was a good book, reminding our group, that meets monthly, of the power of intentional blessings.
July 13, 2018
Please consider this point if you are contemplating reading Pierre’s books.
In past situations, were you been in a difficulty and for apparent reason “something” happen to correct that situation, with no effort on your part, was that an Angel’s doing? Perhaps, but it could very well have been that someone, (known or unknown to you), placed a blessing elemental in your aura and that blessing became active at just the right time to bring peace to your Being-ness.
This is but one aspect of Self-consciousness we, as Human Beings, have within our powers and Pierre Pradervand is bringing it our attention in both his books, ‘The Gentle Art of Blessing’ and ‘365 Blessings to Heal myself and the world’. In these two beautiful books Pierre gently walks us though his (and others) experiences in life and how Blessings, given and received, have proven the Divine truths within the teaching of Josheau Emmanuel the Christ. John 15:12, as one example.
Pierre’s own humble comment says much, after all the shared wisdom contained in these two books mentioned above he say, “A last comment: it goes without saying that I still consider myself a beginner on the spiritual path and the practice of blessing, and someone who is almost daily learning from the people who write to him.” .....and also, "We are all here just to get our lessons".
There is a bright, bright, light shining out from those humble words!
Be Well Be Present
In past situations, were you been in a difficulty and for apparent reason “something” happen to correct that situation, with no effort on your part, was that an Angel’s doing? Perhaps, but it could very well have been that someone, (known or unknown to you), placed a blessing elemental in your aura and that blessing became active at just the right time to bring peace to your Being-ness.
This is but one aspect of Self-consciousness we, as Human Beings, have within our powers and Pierre Pradervand is bringing it our attention in both his books, ‘The Gentle Art of Blessing’ and ‘365 Blessings to Heal myself and the world’. In these two beautiful books Pierre gently walks us though his (and others) experiences in life and how Blessings, given and received, have proven the Divine truths within the teaching of Josheau Emmanuel the Christ. John 15:12, as one example.
Pierre’s own humble comment says much, after all the shared wisdom contained in these two books mentioned above he say, “A last comment: it goes without saying that I still consider myself a beginner on the spiritual path and the practice of blessing, and someone who is almost daily learning from the people who write to him.” .....and also, "We are all here just to get our lessons".
There is a bright, bright, light shining out from those humble words!
Be Well Be Present
October 7, 2014
I'm loving this book. I confess I have two stacks of books I'm reading. I'll read a few pages out of a few of them everyday. I know it's strange but it works for me. There are some books that I've decided that I'll read over and over again ... everyday for the rest of my life.
There are books that inspire and help you to be the best you can be and this is one of them. I love books that bring out the desire in me to be better. This book gives me hope in people and life.
It is so powerful to keep a prayer in your heart and this book will help you to do it with more ease and grace.
There are books that inspire and help you to be the best you can be and this is one of them. I love books that bring out the desire in me to be better. This book gives me hope in people and life.
It is so powerful to keep a prayer in your heart and this book will help you to do it with more ease and grace.
February 10, 2010
This one is / was so good when I finished it, I started reading it over again and bought every title of the author's I could order! Pradervand has a mind you can fall in love with, because he thinks with his heart, eyes open, believing actively beyond the despair that he sees and therewith making a critical difference in everything he treats be it geo-eco-politics or the life of one's soul. One day, when I grow up, I'm going to meet him.
January 18, 2012
This is an encouraging and uplifting book that teaches us how to bless ourselves, others and all things. By practicing the teachings described here you can heal yourself and all those and whatever you bless.
The book describes how to perform simple, heartfelt blessings to all those in your life, including those you encounter in your daily life – on the street, in the bus, at work, everywhere. Particularly, you are encouraged to bless all those who have harmed, injured or insulted you or those whom you dislike.
The author himself began the practice of blessing when wrongfully dismissed from his job. This dismissal thus eventually resulted in Pradervand being flooded with gratitude for the man engineering it, and his life was transformed.
We are given inspiring examples of transformations that have occurred in the lives of those who have made blessing a daily practice and those who have been blessed.
One obese man with bad eyesight and mental problems began to bless people from morn till night, His eyesight began to improve. One evening he experienced a strong light filling his mind – this was “the Christ coming to me”. Later this light began to appear more and more frequently. His obesity and mental illness disappeared, and he became harmonious, and the “happiest person in the world”.
We hear of the transformation of a hardened criminal, a violent, completely anti-social man who smashed everything in his cell. No-one could help him, so the prison director prayed for him for three hours, then visualized him as the Son of God for 15 minutes. The next day the man was completely transformed, friendly and obedient.
A moving story is recounted by a man threatened by a band of would-be murderers during the 1994 civil war in Rwanda. This armed band entered the man’s home armed with guns and bayonets and threatened to massacre him and his whole family. He began silently to make spiritual affirmations. After about half an hour the men became calm and became transformed. They “had become new persons … their language had completely changed … they started confessing the crimes they had committed”. The men stayed for two hours, but no-one was hurt and everyone was safe and sound.
Many other inspiring examples of transformation by the power of the spirit, and by blessing, are cited.
Each chapter is even more uplifting than the previous one.
In a chapter entitled “Blessings for everyday life” we are given examples of blessings of journalists, taxi drivers, a couple getting married, a nurse, prison inmates and guards, parents, etc, etc. These include a blessing for terrorists.
Many of those who have been practising blessing for years have sent the author stories of healings that have occurred. Many of these are from Africa where Pradervand has apparently exerted a great deal of influence, and where many have begun the practice.
Pradervand is a wonderfully eloquent writer, and this book is transforming the world. I strongly recommend that you read it and practice its tenets. You will heal yourself and everyone you know and encounter.
The book describes how to perform simple, heartfelt blessings to all those in your life, including those you encounter in your daily life – on the street, in the bus, at work, everywhere. Particularly, you are encouraged to bless all those who have harmed, injured or insulted you or those whom you dislike.
The author himself began the practice of blessing when wrongfully dismissed from his job. This dismissal thus eventually resulted in Pradervand being flooded with gratitude for the man engineering it, and his life was transformed.
We are given inspiring examples of transformations that have occurred in the lives of those who have made blessing a daily practice and those who have been blessed.
One obese man with bad eyesight and mental problems began to bless people from morn till night, His eyesight began to improve. One evening he experienced a strong light filling his mind – this was “the Christ coming to me”. Later this light began to appear more and more frequently. His obesity and mental illness disappeared, and he became harmonious, and the “happiest person in the world”.
We hear of the transformation of a hardened criminal, a violent, completely anti-social man who smashed everything in his cell. No-one could help him, so the prison director prayed for him for three hours, then visualized him as the Son of God for 15 minutes. The next day the man was completely transformed, friendly and obedient.
A moving story is recounted by a man threatened by a band of would-be murderers during the 1994 civil war in Rwanda. This armed band entered the man’s home armed with guns and bayonets and threatened to massacre him and his whole family. He began silently to make spiritual affirmations. After about half an hour the men became calm and became transformed. They “had become new persons … their language had completely changed … they started confessing the crimes they had committed”. The men stayed for two hours, but no-one was hurt and everyone was safe and sound.
Many other inspiring examples of transformation by the power of the spirit, and by blessing, are cited.
Each chapter is even more uplifting than the previous one.
In a chapter entitled “Blessings for everyday life” we are given examples of blessings of journalists, taxi drivers, a couple getting married, a nurse, prison inmates and guards, parents, etc, etc. These include a blessing for terrorists.
Many of those who have been practising blessing for years have sent the author stories of healings that have occurred. Many of these are from Africa where Pradervand has apparently exerted a great deal of influence, and where many have begun the practice.
Pradervand is a wonderfully eloquent writer, and this book is transforming the world. I strongly recommend that you read it and practice its tenets. You will heal yourself and everyone you know and encounter.
October 28, 2021
I waited to write a review as we were doing this book as a bookclub and I wanted to see how others found the book. I really enjoyed the book especially the parable of the black and white birds. It’s not the easiest book to put into practice as it’s not easy to bless inmates and those that hurt us. I do however see the value of the turnaround and the practice is a beautiful one. I also really love how the author found backing for all the spiritual laws he brings up within many faiths or religions which helps to one realise that most religions have more in commons then we initially anticipate. It also adds more value because if they are all essentially saying the same thing then there must be something to it, right? Powerful impact of one can put it into practice. Great gentle read
April 11, 2012
The Gentle Art of Blessing is an inspirational book written with journal questions after each chapter.
It describes a way of transforming your life into a positive loving way of being. It quotes many books I have read like "The Power of Now", "The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence,
"Love is Letting Go of Fear" and quotes from other authors I have read like Deepok Chopra, Kahlil Gibran, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Byron Katie to name a few. The practice of blessing described here is a tangible result of mindfulness and unconditional love. Truly a way to change the world!
It describes a way of transforming your life into a positive loving way of being. It quotes many books I have read like "The Power of Now", "The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence,
"Love is Letting Go of Fear" and quotes from other authors I have read like Deepok Chopra, Kahlil Gibran, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Byron Katie to name a few. The practice of blessing described here is a tangible result of mindfulness and unconditional love. Truly a way to change the world!
March 17, 2016
The concept behind the book is simple: learn to bless everyone you meet and interact with. See the possibility for good right where there seems to be unlovely traits or action.
The emphasis on bringing your own peace to every situation is vivid throughout. And the many life experiences shared verify the value of the author's message.
A friend lent me this book. Now I want my own copy! I won't forget the "how to bless" lessons in this book. I remember it every time I'm tempted to get annoyed or upset at another driver. :)
The emphasis on bringing your own peace to every situation is vivid throughout. And the many life experiences shared verify the value of the author's message.
A friend lent me this book. Now I want my own copy! I won't forget the "how to bless" lessons in this book. I remember it every time I'm tempted to get annoyed or upset at another driver. :)
June 9, 2021
A lovely book that describes a strong and impactful spiritual practice. Blessing is described as both a foundational attitude to hold as we walk through the world and as a practice in which we ask Divine Grace to uplift ourselves, other people and situations, to uplift any aspect of creation really. Quite accessibly written, Pradervand draws upon many spiritual writers while creating a work that transcends any single religion or philosophy.
April 17, 2017
What a wonderful gift
This book is inspiring, easy to read, and suggests a radical approach to daily living. Blessings, which always had a religious connotation for me, are now simple but powerful wishes for wholeness, joy and peace. A remarkable book and an uplifting gift for all who read it.
This book is inspiring, easy to read, and suggests a radical approach to daily living. Blessings, which always had a religious connotation for me, are now simple but powerful wishes for wholeness, joy and peace. A remarkable book and an uplifting gift for all who read it.
September 24, 2010
A lovely book about creating change from within yourself & transforming your attitude about life. Really enjoyed this and have been consciously blessing everything I can think of since I started reading it! :)
November 5, 2012
My third or fourth reading. Powerful book that we all should read again and again to bring more harmony in our daily interactions with people. No need to live constantly bent out of shape, upset with everyone. READ THIS BOOK EVERYONE!!! It'll change your life.
October 5, 2011
A great way to stay true to the "spiritual laws of the universe," AND
mindfully move away from people and things that are blocking your positive growth.
mindfully move away from people and things that are blocking your positive growth.
March 2, 2011
This book was a gift from my sister Loretta. I read it twice in two months.
November 11, 2012
A simple practice that can change the way anyone looks at the world for the better. I've shared it with several friends already.
January 2, 2014
Beautiful book about self transformation.
March 1, 2014
Beautiful book that will change your life with its simplicity and profound way of being
October 19, 2014
This is a book you read, then return to again and again. It's lessons are poignant and life changing.
June 16, 2021
A thought provoking book
The gentle art of blessing is a powerful book. I am blessed to have read this book. This is a life altering book. Please grab a copy and enjoy the ride.
The gentle art of blessing is a powerful book. I am blessed to have read this book. This is a life altering book. Please grab a copy and enjoy the ride.
September 24, 2024
There are many works on "spiritual laws of of the universe" and this is one of them. Is it different from the others of its kind? Is it better than the others?
I feel conflicted about this book; so I will start with the parts that I liked.
The practice of blessing does indeed look like a simple and easy technique one could incorporate into his daily routine, as part of general healthy attitude to life.
The author proceeds with defining 5 laws of the universe, and the first three are not some kind of complex mystery but are simply common sense- they work; as everyone with some life experience can attest. Faith over fear; karma; treat the others the way you wish to be treated.
The rest is where things get controversial. The author claims that universe is kind and " wishes us all only good things". He proceeds to say that all universe consists of entities that are in harmony.
He gives some real life examples which are, frankly; worrying. Imagine a young person reading the book and taking authors advice as " literally correct"- after all, the book " won a prize", therefore- "must be correct", the young person might conclude.
The examples I am alluding to?
A young woman chose to walk in darkness in a secluded place to test her theory that she will be kept safe by her faith. The attacker jumped onto her and started to tear off her clothes but then immediately walked away hearing half a dozen of words from his victim, one of which was " God".
Now, I do trust the author that this particular event did take place. However, the police stations across the globe are filled with female and other victims who wandered in darkness, unprotected, and suffered a full assault.
Another example: the author shares that mind over matter works in relation to "ignoring the weather " - such as getting wet/cold etc; "you will not get sick if you do not expect it"; apparently- the author doesn't.
Once again, I do not dispute that a human being who is exceptionally fit and is blessed with high level of immunity , might be lightly clad and not become ill despite certain degree of exposure to the elements. But the majority of humans are not like that at all! We have poor lifestyles and our immunity is low. I see people with sore throats/sinusitis/chest infection etc in my consulting room every day, in their dozens! and the majority of them were not dressed appropriately for the weather when they became ill.
Last but not least, how does one justify calling the universe kind and full of goodness?
The universe is simply neutral, and uses every tool for the job:
consuming each other is the essence of biological pyramid
survival of the fittest is the essence of evolution
the mother of the solar system will ends its life via engulfing it
altruism and kindness are the other side of the coin, yes- which makes for a neutrality, not positivity:
“The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent.”
― Carl Sagan
I feel conflicted about this book; so I will start with the parts that I liked.
The practice of blessing does indeed look like a simple and easy technique one could incorporate into his daily routine, as part of general healthy attitude to life.
The author proceeds with defining 5 laws of the universe, and the first three are not some kind of complex mystery but are simply common sense- they work; as everyone with some life experience can attest. Faith over fear; karma; treat the others the way you wish to be treated.
The rest is where things get controversial. The author claims that universe is kind and " wishes us all only good things". He proceeds to say that all universe consists of entities that are in harmony.
He gives some real life examples which are, frankly; worrying. Imagine a young person reading the book and taking authors advice as " literally correct"- after all, the book " won a prize", therefore- "must be correct", the young person might conclude.
The examples I am alluding to?
A young woman chose to walk in darkness in a secluded place to test her theory that she will be kept safe by her faith. The attacker jumped onto her and started to tear off her clothes but then immediately walked away hearing half a dozen of words from his victim, one of which was " God".
Now, I do trust the author that this particular event did take place. However, the police stations across the globe are filled with female and other victims who wandered in darkness, unprotected, and suffered a full assault.
Another example: the author shares that mind over matter works in relation to "ignoring the weather " - such as getting wet/cold etc; "you will not get sick if you do not expect it"; apparently- the author doesn't.
Once again, I do not dispute that a human being who is exceptionally fit and is blessed with high level of immunity , might be lightly clad and not become ill despite certain degree of exposure to the elements. But the majority of humans are not like that at all! We have poor lifestyles and our immunity is low. I see people with sore throats/sinusitis/chest infection etc in my consulting room every day, in their dozens! and the majority of them were not dressed appropriately for the weather when they became ill.
Last but not least, how does one justify calling the universe kind and full of goodness?
The universe is simply neutral, and uses every tool for the job:
consuming each other is the essence of biological pyramid
survival of the fittest is the essence of evolution
the mother of the solar system will ends its life via engulfing it
altruism and kindness are the other side of the coin, yes- which makes for a neutrality, not positivity:
“The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent.”
― Carl Sagan
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2018
Though the book is well written and there is a genuine wish to help people on their life paths, I cannot agree with most of what is stated in the content. While reading it, I felt that the author did not go far from the religious path. There are many beautiful quotes and affirmations from a variety of sources and also some examples to prove that if we bless everyone, including ourselves, as if we are Gods or priests, that miracles will happen. Life is much more complex than going around and blessing everyone good or bad. Each person has his/her own unique combinations of circumstances, backgrounds, believes and experience. Each of us also has their own path and not everyone wants the same. We all go through different lessons and sometimes a forced blessing is not the right way to deal with a particular situation. To truly bless others and wish them good one needs to be on a very high level of self-development, compassion, and empathy. I doubt that majority of people are on that high level. It is a good book if one needs faith and can believe for some time that he/she is a priest to himself/herself and can bless right and left, but overall I think it is just another easy to swallow blessing pill from the religious person. In other words, religious content wrapped in a shiny paper of spirituality – a gentle and sweet bonbon for impoverished and suffering.
August 17, 2024
This book went from a 1 star, to 2, then 3, 4, and it might make a 5 by the time I'm done writing this. It was a 1 at first because the reader sounded like he was 106 years old and about to take his last breath. And the god stuff, bible stuff, had my hackles up early. I have far too much christian trauma to give that the time of day. But just about the time I was about to call it done, the author refers to god as she. Hello, there. And when speaking with his own words, not quoting someone else, he said She. OK, now you have my attention. And it wasn't pandering or a one-off. Throughout the book, the author quotes from not just the christian bible, but also from Jewish texts, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Indigenous teachings, African tribal parables, and so many others, including Eckhart Tolle. Aaah, here we have someone, finally, who is not pounding yet more male god patriarchy believe or die and burn crap. We have someone who is in fact a very enlightened being, and has some very important and practical, useful, insights to share. What I got out of this book is that this spiritual thing, this experience we're living as a human, this one-ness, it is all so, so much more simple, and wonderful than we know. Highly recommended. OK, 5 it is.
May 24, 2022
This whole book is about a piece of 10% Happier that I found amusing: blessing others. It's just a different package for gratitude practice.
It's repetitive but worth a skim.
...we can transform our past by transforming our consciousness about the past---for the simple reason that the past only exists in our present thinking about past events. We re-create our past by the thoughts we hold about it in the present. When, time and time again, we go over events of the past in our mind, sometimes dozens or even hundreds of times, we are digging an ever deeper groove, so to speak, from which it can be increasingly difficult to escape. So it is important to realize we can very literally re-create our past by changing our thoughts and feelings about it.
It's repetitive but worth a skim.
February 2, 2023
The premise of this book distills a valuable message of many ancient and modern teachings. It gets to the marrow of what it means to be present, non-reactive, non-judgmental - to venture beyond our human conditioning, and walk the Earth as a creative force for good. No matter what our religious, non-religious, philosophical, or spiritual background, it's easy to understand and relate to. Uplifting, liberating, inspiring!
Read
March 24, 2023A curious read. Much quoting of scripture, but of a wide variety of other religious texts. As a serious believer in Jesus, I'd simply recommend reading it with blessing and prayer in mind. You can wade through the rest.... or read Philippians 4 and get the idea.
May 30, 2018
Excellent book for those who want to get past hate and unforgiveness toward themselves and others.
January 18, 2024
Excellent. What a blessing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews