Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy

When I was finally ready to read this book, I had to dig deep down into my pile of unread books to find it. I had gotten it years earlier after seeing Sarah on Oprah. I knew then that what she was teaching - to fully reside in the present and see the spiritual in the seemingly mundane - was exactly what I needed to grasp. The problem was that I was buried so deep in the mundane that I didn’t make this a priority until several years later.

Simple Abundance is a “day book”...to get the most out of it, you read just one passage per day and focus your energy on the philosophical lesson or practical task of the day. Being quite anal retentive when it comes to order, I didn’t allow myself to start until January 1 (thankfully, it was show more late in the year when I picked it up again!)...but, “normal” people can allow themselves to start on any given day. ;) To stay on track, I kept it by my dining room table so that every day at breakfast, I could read - and ponder - the day’s passage.

While this book didn’t adequately address my deeper spiritual needs, it definitely brought me to the present a little bit each day and helped me to readjust my attitude about cooking, laundry, cleaning, etc. It reminded me that preparing dinner was not only filling my family’s stomachs, but filling all of our spirits. It taught me that every “thing” I owned needed to connect with my spirit in some way. It reinforced the feeling I had that being organized on the outside helped me to achieve greater clarity on matters of the spirit. The details, the mundane, the seemingly unimportant are just as significant as the significant moments that are scattered throughout our lives...they are the bulk of life.

Simple Abundance was a great starting point for my adventure into the spiritual wilderness. It changed my outlook on my life. After a few months, I found myself faltering a bit...it takes continuous effort to be in the moment and stay positive about the mundane. I may start reading it again...on January 1, 2011. ;) Or, I may check out her other book: Something More: Excavating Your Authentic Self. (Fortunately, this one is not buried very deep in my “To Read” pile...in fact, if I turn my head to the right I can see it right next to my dining room table.) show less

Simple Abundance is a book of evocative essays - one for every day of the year - for women who wish to live by their own lights. A woman's spirituality is often separated from her lifestyle. Simple Abundance shows you how your daily life can be an expression of your authentic self ... as you choose the tastiest vegetables from your garden, search for treasures at flea markets, establish a sacred space in your home for meditation, and follow the rhythm of the seasons and the year.

There is a lot going on in this book. It has good intentions and there was a lot to give me pause. But, it was organized in a way that didn't flow for me.

These 365 essays are full of simple pleasures, gentle reminders, and homespun wisdom. The quotes and references have also directed me to several other fantastic reads. Whether I follow the daybook plan, or simply peruse through the pages seeking a message for the moment, this is a book I reach for over and over again.

I've had this book a dozen years now and have worked with it from time to time, but it's time to send it out to be considered by another. It's a daily journey to help one, as the author says in her introduction, "live in a state of grace." I won't pretend I got there, but it was meaningful from time to time.

Bookcrossing:

This is a book of 366 evocative essays, one for every day of your year, written by women who wish to live by their own lights.

I first heard about this when the author was on Oprah. This book really helped me so much! It's best if you can start it at the very beginning of the year, but it's still okay to use it at any time. It's a daily reading and it will help you get organized and simplify your life and find more joy every day.