The Unburdened Heart: 5 Keys to Forgiveness and Freedom

The Unburdened Heart touched my heart and helped me key back into my need to stay current with the people in my life that I care about most and with those with whom I have on-going conflicted feelings. Mariah's writing style is open, engaging and makes sense. I am using her five key points in my personal life and also in my professional life as an organization development consultant. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to change the way they relate to their partner, family, friends or colleagues. This is one of the best books I've read and the best on forgiveness - great job!

Mariah Burton Nelson writes a very moving book. She is honest, objective, sincere, and sensitive. When I read "The Unburdened Heart", many feelings, emotions, new ideas, and fresh goals are provoked in me. Mariah Burton Nelson is truly inspirational. I want to read the "5 keys ..." again to fully grasp these profound ways of "opening the heart."

I believe in the future this book will be seen as the beginning of a sea change in our culture; similar to _The Feminine Mystique_ in its impact on our society. Mariah is at the forefront of a powerful cultural spiritual awakening that will not be stopped. She is one of our teachers. She is a woman who faces life fearlessly and is willing to share her journey with others. Her message has changed the way I do my life and I believe everyone can benefit from her message. She has given us a road map, a gentler way to do our lives.

I held the image of my ex-husband in my mind throughout the reading of Mariah's book, to make sure I didn't just engage theoretically, to make sure she could reach me in the most base and unresolved crevices of my heart. I haven't stopped thinking about it since putting it down - Mariah challenged me, as a feminist, to look deeper at forgiveness...to see it as the ultimate power in my relationships, the power to free myselves from the weight of my disdain, from the heaviness of holding onto my righteous contempt for him. Mariah helps to define forgiveness: not to be cofused with condonement or even with justice, forgiveness is really a personal experiece that is empowering and liberating because ultimately it begins and ends with ourselves. I applaud her courage and welcome her wisdom. This is a great book.

Nelson's book is eloquent and yet accessible, wrenching and yet soothing, and as beautifully written as a poem. While addressing some of our most difficult issues--the relationships between compassion and anger, forgiveness and healing--she has created a narrative that will sing to anyone who's ever had anyone to forgive: namely, anyone!