BOOK CLUB: A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself & Other Essays

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Many thanks to Fremantle Press and Beauty and Lace Book Club for the opportunity to read and review Brigid Lowry’s beautiful book A Year of Loving Kindness To Myself.

This gorgeous book will appeal to Buddhists and Non-Buddhists alike. Written as part biography, part self reflection, with a sprinkling of poetry and a dose of humour, this small hardcover book with its beautiful cover artwork by Ruth de Vos is split into two distinct sections.

The first third of the book is the Year of Loving Kindness to Myself, a few pages for each month of the year, dedicated to a topic relevant to learning how to treat yourself with loving-kindness, incorporating Zen Buddhist and Contemporary Psychology teachings and practices, yet in a gentle, authentic and non-dogmatic way.

For me, the opening few sentences grabbed my attention and drew me in, this was no usual book on Buddhist philosophy and teaching, this wasn’t about training to reach enlightenment, in Lowry’s own words:

‘I dedicate the coming year to the practice of loving kindness to myself. Why?

Because my childhood was pretty sh*t.

Because I can’t be kind to anyone else until I learn how to be kind to myself.

Because I do not know how to be kind to myself. No one taught me. As a child, my parents did not model loving kindness. They were too busy drinking.

Because I’m unhappy and I’ve gleaned enough insight to see that much of my unhappiness is self-created.

Because, as Anne Lamott says, life is amazing, but also weird and hard.

Because the Dalai Lama says kindness is his religion and I want to feel like his smile, at least some of the time.’

Not every one of those sentiments will apply to us all, but I challenge anyone to not find at least one of those sentiments to apply to them, and I can’t think of too many better reasons to take the time to learn how to learn to be kind and to love yourself. And on that, have you ever been lucky enough to experience the Dalai Lama’s smile in person? I have, and I’d love to feel like his smile, at least some of the time.

The second two thirds of the book are a selection of short essays, poetry, and musings on pretty much everything you can think about. They are all wonderful, and deserving of reading, and then reflecting on, taking on board the parts that resonate with you and leaving for another day those parts that don’t. One of my favourites is named ‘On Things To Do When Life Goes Sideways.”

This is not a book to read in one sitting, and then put on the shelf. It’s a book to keep by your bedside and read in small chunks, and not necessarily even in chapter order, it’s a book to reflect on, digest, revisit and savour.

And, just in case the message didn’t come through strongly enough, I absolutely loved this book and I hope you will too.  Highly recommended, a five-star book in my opinion.

A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself & Other Essays. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.

ISBN: 9781925816327

Copy courtesy of Fremantle Press

5 thoughts on “BOOK CLUB: A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself & Other Essays

  1. A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself by Brigid Lowry is a beautiful self-help book full of inspiring compositions that are very uplifting, teaching us to take care of ourselves. It goes hand in hand with a cup of tea (or coffee if coffee is more your preference) and encourages you to really appreciate and nurture not only yourself, but all those around you.

    It is presented beautifully in a lovely hard copy and would make a beautiful gift for a special person in your life. Or just keep it for yourself! This is a beautiful book that I will happily re-read every now and then.

    Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read and review this lovely, thought-inspiring book.

  2. A year of loving kindness to myself and other essays
    A wonderful self help book which I enjoyed reading a few chapters each night before bed
    It really made me understand myself and made true sense to be kind to myself.
    I love the positive mind states and having gratitude when you have low mood.
    Teaching me to write down a list of what I am grateful for .
    Beautiful presented and an easy read .
    Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reading a beautiful well written hard copy book this will be staying in my bedside drawer for years to come especially when I need to read something uplifting.

  3. Love this. It’s sweet, beautifully presented, and packs a punch for such a small book. Definitely inspirational, motivational, and easy to pick up whenever you want to read a few pages. I recommend this one! Would be a great gift, but I’d definitely suggest getting one for yourself!

  4. A Year Of Loving Kindness To Myself And Other Essays was a beautiful book.
    I found a lot of value amongst the pages and learned how to change my mindset and become more positive.
    It came at the perfect time and I really enjoyed reading it.
    It’s the perfect book to enjoy a few chapters each night before going to sleep.
    Thank you so much for the chance to review this lovely book.

  5. This is the first review I have written for a book that I haven’t finished, and it’s not that I am not enjoying it but I’m not ready to stop reading it just yet.

    I have found it to be a very easy read and positive book, that has really made be change how I think at times.

    I starting reading it as a normal novel, but now just choose to read a ‘chapter’ when I have had a difficult day or I just have time to really think about what the book is saying. So it’s keep on my bedside table and I’ll most likely go back to some of the chapters that related to me at some stage.

    Highly recommend this for yourself or a friend.

    Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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