100 Ways to Keep Your Soul Alive

Our family has hit a difficult period lately and I have decided to keep a journal during this crisis. I have found this book to be helpful when I get stuck on what to write about. It helps open my mind and gives me a topic to spring from when I am otherwise uninspired to write. It has also been a good place to find other inspirational authors to read.

This is a little gem of a book that I read often and have given as a gift at least 1/2 dozen times. It is inspriational and ideal you want to have more on your mind than the minutae of the day!

Along the lines of thought-a-day or Daily Word publications, this small book has 100 pages of quotes and inspiration. The book is NOT religious, or even overly spiritual. Its quotes are drawn from mystics (Rumi, Tao philosophy) and non-mystics (John Updike, Bill Moyers) alike. Following each quote is a suggestion to apply the idea to your life that day. Some are active suggestions (make a self-portrait), while some are contemplative (find the extraordinary in the ordinary), while others are applied all day long (throw caution to the wind). An example: 4 -- Try Not to Panic "I will try not to panic, to keep my standard of living modest, and to work steadily, even shyly, in the spirit of those medieval carvers who so fondly sculpted the undersides of choir seats." - John Updike, quoted in "Life" magazine "Act today without expecting to receive any recognition or reward in return." Each of these little gems is a good point for contemplation or even meditation. None what you'll find here is new to the world, and much of it is repeated in multiple sources. Nonetheless, the quotes and ideas are thoughtfully collected and amount to a portable collection of inspiration. The introduction is as valuable as the rest of the book in reminding us to feed the soul daily. Highly recommended.