Summer is a great time for reading. These two books are polar opposites: One is about sorting through complexity, the other is about finding joy in simplicity.
The Spiritual Gift of Madness
The Failure of Psychiatry and the Rise of the Mad Pride Movement
Seth Farber, PhD
In its eagerness to label—and medicate—pathology, psychiatry (and our culture) may have gone too far. More than 8 million Americans have been diagnosed as mentally ill with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. But perhaps, the author posits, these people have something valuable to share with us. The general consensus is that our world is crazy, so why are we trying to force those with nontraditional thought processes to confirm? It could be argued that the truly insane are the politicians who have lied to us, denied climate change and led us into wars. Perhaps those classified as “mad,” like “the man with the foolish grin” of John Lennon fame, might be better positioned to offer an alternative vision for planetary transformation. (Inner Traditions)
101 Ways to Bliss
Quick and Easy Tips for Leading a Joyous Life
Angie Anderson
Even an upbeat person occasionally wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. You know that feeling—nothing to complain about but beset by general malaise. In a nod to the old aphorism of “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” Angie Anderson has compiled a multitude of ways to get your mojo re-revved. Lots of good solid suggestions here, so just open to any page and follow the directions, and you’ll likely find yourself moving through the morass very quickly. It might be useful to take the page you open to as a sign from the universe. In any event, you’ll be in motion, and we all know it’s easier to steer a moving car.
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