Succulent Wild Woman

In 2002, I remember speakiing to a group of women in the Philippines at a workshop on women's wisdom. When I told them that there is room in this world for everyone to shine because inside all women are fabulous--- I got a lot of unbelieving looks. A lot of women around the world, even in the United States, don't believe that they've got it in them. And that is one of the reasons why I highly recommend this book. Sark's book is about learning to be a wonder-full woman who is not afraid of life. Here "succulent" is defined with these words: ripe, juicy, whole, round, exuberant, wild, rich, wide, deep, firm, rare, female. Most women, have been raised up to be quiet and demure---keep your legs closed and your thoughts to yourself....etc, etc. Little do we realize that some of these tenets of femininity have suppressed our full expression of who we are and have prevented us from pursuing our dreams. We need to discover for ourselves how we can live life to the fullest. This book is fun, wild, inspirational, definitely different and it CAN give you ideas on how you, too, can start to find out more about your fullest self. The concepts that Sark gives in her books, starting with "Succulent Wild Woman" are that women need to live life to the utmost and that they need to love themselves so that they can love others, too. Here are some more of Sark's ideas that can lead you, too, to be your fabulous self: ...Marry yourself first...promise to never leave you... ...discover your own goodness ...dress to please yourself ...you are enough, you have enough, you do enough ...make more mistakes! And more thoughts on healing, fat, money and power, community, love and romance... What's more, there's little whining in this book---one of her best ideas is: end blaming... She's got honest, good stuff about facing our insecurities, faults and fears.I urge all of you timid and insecure women(and don't most of us start out this way?) to find your fabulous, succulent, bodacious selves.... to express yourselves....to find as much support you can get from friends, loved-ones and books like Sark's (and all other great books).... and to get out there and live a life full of love---the romantic kind is only part of this... the Universal kind is what you learn to be embraced by when you are your fullest, most succulent self!

Several years ago, I received this book as a gift from my cousin. I read it, but found it difficult because it is filled with hand written pages in wildly colored text and includes line drawings that seemingly have no connection to the text. Yet there is magic in this book and style, and in reading it again, I see why the format is important. Sark reveals herself, without fear or shame, much as a child simply tells the truth or writes letters and numbers with a crayon.There are many topics in this self-help book, so I will only tell a little about a few of them. What I have discovered is that I have implemented more than I realized in the years since I first read this book.Go out Wildly and Alone. Sark wrote, "My mother taught me not to wait for a man to buy me flowers. She always said, 'Buy your own flowers, too.' ... and I do." This bit of advice also covers buying something for ourselves simply because we like it. I splurged on some new knit shirts to wear with my jeans -- because I wanted them and I loved the colors.Old, Alone, and Succulent in Sark's words: "We are studying now to be the old women we will be." Getting older is a trick of fate, but being succulent is putting up pink towels because you want them; dancing in the rain (sans clothing) - well that's my idea of succulence; not fearing to throw your head back and laugh. Tonight I walked down to the park so I could swing.Faces of Intimacy: "Nobody tells us as little girls that we may fall in love and have moments of hating our beloved..." We build many walls in our goals of self-protection, but ultimately the walls create isolation. Break the walls down. Start simple -- for years I have walked up to strangers to tell them that I like their earrings or shirt or tie. It is not true intimacy, but it is a small opening. Erotic Robot is a woman in search of herself. This woman has sexual encounters because (1) it is easier than saying no, (2) she is fulfilling someone's fantasies at the expense of her own, (3) to be polite, (4) get it over with so the man would just leave, (5) to make money fast... and many more reasons. The succulence comes when the sensuous woman replaces the erotic robot.Succulent wild women wear costumes and let their different personalities out to play.If you want to have fun, have it. This book is fun. Five stars, and the hope that every woman will be as sensuous and expressive as she wants. Victoria Tarrani

This book was my introduction to SARK, but it will certainly not be the last I book I read of hers. I feel blessed because I stumbled into this book at the bookstore, having never heard of SARK before. Reading her (hand-written!) words is like having a talk with your dearest friend, the one who will talk about anything and isn't embarassed by any topic. You not only can see SARK's love and appreciation for life in her writing, you can feel it being infused into your blood as you read. Her book came to me at a rather desperate, stressful time in my life, and it has lifted me to a much brighter (more colorful!) place. My wish for every woman is to read at least one SARK book.

It was the cover with the dancing images that caught my attention, and then I opened the cover and like a child giggled and read and anxiously waited to get to each new page.I am being reborn, struggling with fears, wants and desires and this book is a GIFT. Finally a book by a woman who is much like me in many ways. Her sections on Blocks to Succulence and Money and Power are proving to be godsends. I am about to re-read the section on Fear. Her opening statement in the money section "Relax your money is not your life" was an eye opener as I have always struggled to make money. When she spoke of the older woman who was in her 70's (page 48) and the flair she had I couldn't help but think of the late Ruth Gordon (Harold and Maude) and how I hope to be like that in my 70's.On page 51 where she says it is ok to be crabby I laughed so hard. What a true statement. Page 117 is the beginning of her section on the LIES magazines tell us. The damn magazines that say size 12 is BIG and that we must always seek perfection or that most womens magazines have the same bloody topics, same lies but differetent Titles each month is or should be enough to get you to throw the damn magazines OUT. Hell even PLAYBOY has nice looking NON Barbie type OVER age 40 women now.The book is a godsend because it covers food issues, walking, taking time for oneself, dancing, reading, painting, gardening and other everyday pleasures we should take a new look at. The book does NOT tell you how to live you life but simply encourages you to live YOUR life by your rules and not by what others demand.I guess the author knows the TRUE meaning of "If you do not Love yourself no one else will either".Now here is a suggestion. Do you know a woman age 40 or over? Someone you adore and care for? Buy her the book as a gift. Not a gift for any other reason than a surprise and to say to her I LOVE you and value you and respect you because you are older and wiser......

I love this book-- it's become my "bible" of sorts! I love the honesty, freedom, delightful humor (I'm talking giggle fits!), color, and creativity that comes spilling forth from its handwritten pages! I love the little notes and pictures in the margins-- I'm even inspired to add my own to hers! I love that she "grants you permission" to read the book in random order, backwards, forwards or upside down if you want to (I read it in random order and backwards!). I love that at the end of each section she has a page full of other resources (books, tapes, newsletters, etc.) on the topic she's been writing about, and even suggestions for music to listen to for inspiration! I love that I've been quoting from it to family and friends since I started it and that I've already ordered 3 more copies for friends! I love that I received it for Valentines Day from two succulent and wild people- my Mom and Dad, and strongly recommend it be given to daughters (mothers, aunts, friends, co-workers, grandmas, etc.) everywhere who need a burst of positive energy and colorful inspiration in their lives! Wow.