Blessing: The Art and the Practice

by David Spangler

Book Overview

On the most basic human level, we all want to be blessed. We want life to bring us good things, to shield us from harm, from fear, from loneliness. A blessing can be anything-a kind word, a prayer or... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1573229342
• Release Date: June 2002
• Publisher: Riverhead Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 2.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.9" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

"Rainbow of Blessings"

Do you remember when you exchanged a "moment" with a stranger and saw a twinkle in their eye that shined from them so brightly that the rest of your day went so well you were "totally great"? That because the light that you saw was actually a reflection of your spirit coming back to you in joy? David Spangler shares this in this amazing treasure chest of thoughts, ideas and helpful exercises to allow us all an opportunity to become that blessing to ourselves and others,to enter that "blessing space."On page 17 he explains that the art of blessing is the practice of being connected to each other in the most amazing way because we all have this space inside us readily available.When we discover this and "realize it" a beautiful thing happens and that gift to each other...is our "self." By accepting the love that flows through us we effortlessly receive blessings, give blessings to others and become a blessing in and of itself. I ask a blessing for the thought of a "radiance of blessings" as David Spangler shares Dr. Brugh Joy, his friend and colleagues special thought, to shower us with light and love! A blessing that will appear as a Rainbow of humanities love for its "self."

Best Spirituality Book Read in Five Years

I cannot thank the author enough for such a warm, inspiring and eloquent presentation of how connection to life itself can be deepened through acts of blessing.I am not an avid reader of spiritual texts -- I am a RABID reader! This book is opening up undreamed of potential in my spiritual life and will be a true companion to me for years to come.

A Work of ever unfolding riches and depths!

One of the most extraordinary things about this wise and gently profound book is the way I have come to experience myself - a truly ordinary person - as one who can bless. Imagine that! Whether I am sitting quietly at home or on a bus, engaged in my daily work or doing something more unusual for me - like stepping up to lead an invocation at family gathering - I am finding I can do this! I highly recommend this book. My favorite part of this book is the workbook section. The exercises take one to ever unfolding riches and depths - revealing in turn - the wonder of ourselves as ones who can bless. I think David Spangler is redefining what it really means to be human!

A Blessing!

I have read other books by this author and am never disappointed by the wisdom and love I find in his writings, and his gentle style of humor. But this book is exceptionally good. I never thought much about blessing as an actual spiritual practice, but now I will. More importantly, this book gives me a whole new perspective on my own innate spirituality. I found it very empowering and the exercises were wonderful and helpful. It made me feel honored to be myself and helped me see myself as a blessing able to give blessings to others. I highly recommend it.

A Deep and Loving Book of Practical Spirituality

This is one of the finest manuals for a practical, everyday spirituality that I have ever read. I can understand why the reviewers have raved over it and why Mr. Spangler is called "the spiritual teacher's teacher." Although sometimes labeled simply a New Age teacher, Mr. Spangler has a breadth of spirit and a depth of teaching that far transcends anything that label might imply, unless it were to mean offering us innovative new perspectives on ourselves and our world, which this book certainly does.This book goes into the subject of blessing in a non-denominational and deep way, offering the perspective that this is not just something priests and ministers or other so-called "holy people" do but an integral part of daily life for each of us, if we choose to make it so. Blessings are presented as a shared remembrance of our inner divinity and as a gift of presence and soul that we offer each other to make our daily lives more uplifting and at the same time more effective. It is the blend between a lofty vision of the sacredness of the ordinary human being and the practical tools for grounding this vision in daily life that appeals to me in this book. The book itself is divided into three parts. The first is an overall definition of what blessing is, the second is a detailed description of learning to bless both as an ordinary everyday activity (with absolutely no "holier-than-though" fanfare about it, making blessing as natural a part of our lives as breathing and eating), and the third part is an amazing workbook of exercises and commentaries that go far beyond just the subject matter of the book and offer a powerful learning program for a practical spirituality itself, as well as providing numerous how-to examples for the art of blessing.However, what most came across to me as I read this remarkable and inspiring book was the love and blessing I felt from the author himself. Mr. Spangler absolutely respects the reader's inherent ability to find his or her own best spiritual path, and while laying out a roadmap for making blessing the cornerstone and heart of a spiritual practice, he always does so in a way that never infringes and always creates an unobstructed, open space, as he would say, for the reader. I had the feeling in reading this book that the author was not teaching me so much as embracing me as a colleague in an on-going exploration of how to bless my self, each other, and the world. This is an empowering book I shall go back to many times. I only wish I could give it 6 or 7 stars. As the Publisher's Weekly review said above, this book is itself a blessing.