Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men

Book was very good for men seeking recovery, but I ordered the “like new” edition and it showed stones as the cover, but the book looked like it was from the 80’s and was old, and had a boat on the front. I would’ve really liked the updated and most recent edition.

I have used this gem of a book personally and in the wilderness program, Galena Ridge, I operate for at-risk teens. The beauty of the book is encapsulated in the April 1st reading....every experience we have, every choice we make, is a "medicine wheel" telling us much more about ourselves than it tells us about others or the world around us. The reflections in this book take on new meaning with each reading, helping us learn about ourselves as we embrace our courage to grow and change.

This book is the cornerstone of recovery for men and used by men as an aide in recovering from addictions, co-dependency. While not conference approved literature it parallels much of it in its focus.

My husband has used this book for about ten years and has found it tremendously helpful. It lives next to his chair in the den, and he spends about 30 minutes with it in the morning while I'm still asleep. He reads the daily entry and meditates on the suggestions and affirmations on each page. He's commented that it provides comfort without being sugary, and he values the thoughtfulness of each entry, the low-key approach, and the wide range of sources quoted. I've browsed in and believe that it would be helpful to anyone, regardless of one's spiritual orientation... or lack of same. He recently bought a new copy to send to a friend who is having serious problems in his life, and we hope that its calm wisdom will help him as well.

I stumbled across this awesome book while desperately seeking solace and advice following the (unwanted) end of my 19-year marriage. While not an alcoholic, I've seen how the 12-step program can change people's lives, so I wasn't put-off by the references to it in the text. In any case, the focus on 12-step principles is low-key, and the book uses a number of other sources of wisdom to help the reader become more self-aware, calm and centered during the storms, large and small, of life. My well-worn copy is now in its sixth year of use. It's been so helpful that now just the act of picking up the book starts to calm me down!

I use this book to try to make sense out of life stresses. It's a small pocket book, nicely printed. There's one page corresponding to each day of the year. Each page starts with a quote from diverse folks: Einstein, Twain, Thoreau, Shakespeare, Woody Allen, etc. Then there's a small essay about a way to approach the day. In some ways, it's a supplement or even a substitute father, making gentle suggestions about the ways that the world works, and good ways to encounter and appreciate it.