Everyday Sacred: A Woman's Journey Home

by Sue Bender

Book Overview

Sue Bender takes the lessons she learns in her own life to weave a stunningly warmhearted story of our universal quest to live each day more fully. Her struggle is one keenly felt in today's intensely pressured and time-starved world: how can we experience our lives fully in whatever we are doing at the moment - whether cleaning the kitchen, faced with a situation that frustrates us, or momentarily exhilarated by some new fortune that's befallen us...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062512900
• ISBN13: 9780062512901
• Release Date: August 1996
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Read all three, Please!!!!

I bought all of her books at the same time and read them inreverse order. No kidding! Each touched me and healed and helped me. I am much more effective and sensitive to myselfnow. I have slowed down, I have done what she suggests. I evenvisited an AMish farm and bought chickens after reading thisand more deeply appreciated the experience after reading thesebooks. I can't tell you which taught me what, I just know theyare brilliant. I gave them to a treasured friend and encouragedher to pass them on to other women seeking balance and enlightenment. I lived in Berkeley too...so it was fun torevisit those memories!

A circular route

This is an interesting book as the author warns at the begining that there really is no beginning or end. She's right. I found myself while reading the book dutifully from beginning to end, often going back and rereading sections.THE AUTHOR REVEALS HER INSECURITIES AND THEY ALL SEEM SO FAMILIAR. However, what got me, was that the author was not a young woman. She is in her late 50s, early 60s. So much for outgrowing them. Well, I had hoped. She examined these insecurities and failings in a sense from a view, I had not expected; as if they were assets. Now that's a thought. She had difficulty accepting this notion at first and the book subtly pushes this to the forefront again and again. Fascinating.THE AUTHOR'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HER ADULT SON IS MARKED WITH MIS-COMMUNICATIONS THAT DOMINATED THEIR PREVIOUS INTERATIONS. However, by turning off the critic to herself, she was more accepting and could "hear" others better. This greatly helped her and her son communicate on a new level. Any parent who has children making that change from child to adult could really use help here. Any help.THERE ARE PARTS OF THIS BOOK THAT MADE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD AND OTHERS THAT WERE POIGNANT. The author relates a story, where she hires a professional organizer and within moments of this woman starting to do her job, pays her to stop and leave. The author realized that she did not want to have her organization methods changed, but wanted a different outcome using the same methods... Don't we all. Change requires...Change. THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL POINTS MADE IN THIS BOOK, A REVIEW, SHY OF RECREATING THE BOOK, CAN'T DO THEM JUSTICE. The best a reviewer can say is Read this book, read it slow and think about it. It is very Zen Buddist in philosophy and gives great weight to the day to day things. However, unlike "Sweeping changes" a book centered in Zen philosophy around house cleaning and maintenance, this book does not focus so much on day to day activities directly, but the philosophies of day to day relationships with people. The word Synchronicity comes to mind here.I PLAN TO RE-READ THE BOOK IN A MONTH OR SO. Books like this change in time. Next time I could write an entirely different review because different things will catch my eye. It is hard to write a book you can come back to over and over and in this the author has done a magnificent job.

Simple *and* Powerful!

This book is excellent. Sue Bender has an intimate way of writing--you feel like you're hearing from a good friend. I especially appreciate how she takes you through her thought process. She doesn't just serve up her insights--she shows you how she got there and in doing so takes you along for the ride. So you get to arrive at the same insights with the author; rather than just listening, you get to participate. This is warm, inspiring, lovely writing. Reading it was both illuminating and calming, and a true pleasure. I plan to share this great little book with all my friends.

Incredible book

This book is very powerful, you will start reading and not be able to tear yourself away from it. She does a great job of presenting allot of great ideas and concepts, for you to really think about.She talks about a simple concept of the monk's begging bowl, which I had never even thought about before, and she puts new relevance to what this means. The monk only takes what he needs, he takes no more no less, and there are many other great observations that are made. One in particular relates to the tea cup, that if you are already full you cannot take in new energy, ideas.

I just did not want to end!

The title struck me and drew me in. I felt a certain familiarity to the author and found it hard to let go of the book when I finished it. I have given it as a gift to more than twenty friends and acquaintences. I have often checked the bookshelves of many stores to make sure they had a copy or two of it. I always make sure I have atleast two copies of it, one for me and one for a new friend.It is the kind of book you share. You read it and pass it on to someone dear to you.I loved it and would love to meet the author one day.She is simply someone I would love to know. I am waiting for her to write another book.I recommend to anyone that reads this review-buy this book. It is amazing.