Mindfulness and the Art of Choice: Transform Your Life

By Karen H. Sherman

Book Overview

"If you're carrying any hurt from your past, Dr. Sherman's book will give you the power you need to banish that hurt forever."--Robert Epstein, Ph.D., host of ""Psyched!" on Sirius Radio and former... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1932690514
• ISBN13: 9781932690514
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Loving Healing Press
• Length: 124 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Truly helpful advice from a professional

Mindfulness is a core concept of Buddhism and is often viewed as some esoteric practice of Eastern religions. In Mindfulness and the Art of Choice, Dr. Karen Sherman describes mindfulness in a practical and applicable manner, combining the ancient practice with cognitive behavioral techniques to give readers the opportunity to recognize and change patterns that keep them from creating better lives for themselves. There is, says Sherman, "a way to approach life so that you feel a sense of being prepared, of being ready, of being grounded." Some of her advice will be familiar, such as the reminder that we can't control other people or situations but we can control our own reactions, or that doing what we've always done will get us what we've always gotten. The difference here is that Sherman explains why we repeat non-productive behaviors that often are formed during infancy and childhood, long before we are capable of truly understanding our reactions, and she gives us clear instructions for breaking the habit. Awareness -another term we hear repeatedly in Buddhist teachings--is key to the process Sherman promotes. Often we fail to recognize our own destructive behavior because we are so busy distracting ourselves from the root causes of emotional pain. Mindfulness and the Art of Choice begins with a simple exercise to quiet the mind and learn to live free of distraction, if only for a few moments. This in itself is a valuable gift. With twenty-two exercises, each building upon the others, Sherman's book is a long-term reward for a small price. There is no suggested time frame or any particular order for working through these exercises, making it a truly individualized program. Psychologist Sherman goes far beyond textbook analysis and trite platitudes. Her own life story is a moving and revelatory example of how tenacious and damaging early imprinting can be. Her honesty about her own pain and her journey to heal herself is as inspirational as it gets. Though Mindfulness and the Art of Choice comes in at under 100 pages, it's no lightweight quickie read. Like profound koans, this is a treasure chest of wisdom, expressed succinctly and sincerely by an author who proves that she has walked the path. ~ Myshelf.com

A useful and 'user friendly' guide

Unhappiness doesn't have to be something someone is sentenced to. "Mindfulness and The Art of Choice: Transform Your Life" is a useful and 'user friendly' guide for anyone wanting to turn their life around and become content with things they are otherwise compelled to deal with every day of their ordinary existence. With advice on making good choices, portraying a positive attitude to those around you, healing and dealing with loss, and more, author Karen H. Sherman offers a unique set of suggestions for everyday life. A welcome addition to personal self-help, self-improvement reading lists, "Mindfulness and the Art of Choice" is especially recommended for its underlying and foundational message that everyone does have a choice.

It Works to Transform Your Life!

There is something brave in the voice of this book, something resounding, without embellishments. This is a most important book that goes beyond self-help and good advice. It brings an awakening to the heart - a true connection to, and trust, in self. This book addresses the most important questions of life: Where do we go from here, and how do we get there? You will find Dr. Sherman's approach very helpful - solid, practical, and filled with loving guidance. This book is divided into two parts. Part 1 is "How the Art of Choice Works." Here Dr. Sherman describes in poignant detail how we live a life that is on autopilot. She then illustrates a simple, yet profound process to connect with the wisdom contained within the body, quiet the noisy mind, and move beyond fear. In addition, she touches our hearts as she describes her own painful childhood. Her account of suffering not only heals deep wounds within our own souls; it allows us to know that it is possible for us to create the great life we want. Part 2 is dedicated to "The Art of Choice Exercises." Sherman states, "A self-help book is only helpful if there are suggestions in it that offer you specific ways to make changes." She follows through on her promise providing twenty-two proven, easy to implement exercises to connect with the body, quiet the mind, and feel a sense of readiness to create a life for yourself that is full and satisfying. Dr. Sherman is a woman who knows healing inside and out. What a joy to find such an intelligent and creative approach for happiness and emotional well-being! Her exercises lead us on journey that allows us to discover new solutions to old problems. "Mindfulness And The Art of Choice" is both a powerful contribution to the field of personal transformation and a gift to those who are taking their satisfaction and joy into their own hands. Annette Colby: Author of "Your Highest Potential"

Govern your present, embody your future

Reviewed by Leslie Hiedle for Rebeccas Reads (3/08) "Mindfulness and the Art of Choice" offers insight into the cyclic emotional and behavioral patterns so many people encounter. Dr. Karen Sherman's step-by-step guide gives readers the opportunity to explore their pasts, govern their present and embody their future. Dr. Sherman has been a therapist for twenty years, conducts workshops, and speaks regularly around the country. In "Mindfulness and the Art of Choice," she uses not only her knowledge and education to delve into the world of habitual and reactionary dysfunction, but offers first-hand experience in unhealthy emotional responses and how she used the tools included in the book to break old habits and create a life of mindful choice. "There is, I discovered, a way to approach life so that you feel a sense of being prepared, of being ready, of being grounded. This self-confident approach is generated from within. It comes from being in touch, being connected, with your self. Through this self-awareness, you will be able to deal with whatever comes your way." Dr. Sherman addresses the issue of fear when facing change and why so many people stay mired in prosaic and uninspired lives. "Another benefit of not making changes is that you feel like you are in control--you know the outcome. Your risk factor is minimized. Furthermore, functioning in this manner releases you from your responsibility. If you're not all you can be, you can easily blame it on your past--something that happened to you, or something you didn't get." What sets "Mindfulness and the Art of Choice" apart from many self-help manuals is Sherman's awareness that people are a sum of their life experiences. Wanting to forget an abusive childhood or a traumatic encounter does not make the memory just go away. "Many people are not comfortable with the negative or painful feelings and go to great lengths trying not to feel them. Often there are attempts at using different distractions--anything from keeping busy all the time to using alcohol or drugs. The end result is a disconnection from oneself." Learning to acknowledge the impact of the experience by being aware of old patterns, noticing the physical reactions in the body and observing your own behavior will allow a person to actively make changes and begin to build a more rewarding life. Due to the fallible nature of human beings, unhealthy patterns are repeated from one generation to the next with pain and dysfunction handed down like family heirlooms. As adults, we many times unconsciously make the decision to hold onto these past pains and regrets. "You can never take away the past. The past is still something that has happened to you. And you cannot change your past. But what you have changed, what you have taken control over is how much of a slave you have been to your past." In "Mindfulness and the Art of Choice: Transform Your Life," Dr. Karen Sherman offers a guidebook of choices that can help lead the reader to

Truly a Self-help book

Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (2/08) Dr. Sherman, in practice as a relationship expert for over 20 years, has written a book to help readers create a better life for themselves. Taking excerpts of her own life and experience, she explains how to live mindfully. The book consists of two parts, the first part "How the Art of Choice Works" and the second part is "The Art of Choice Exercises." Both sections include a thorough explanation plus exercises. Dr. Sherman stresses that experiences in the past encode our mental and physical memory. These are called core issues or "baggage." She believes the feeling attained during a negative experience remains in our being, and often the same feeling comes up in other similar situations. This in turn creates an emotional response. The experiences could be traumatic, yet on the other hand, something perceived to be very menial could also create an emotional reaction. For example, a child is walking with her father and reaches up to hold his hand. At that same moment the swing of the father's arm goes away from the child. The child, at that moment, could feel rejected by not realizing what caused the father's arm to move away. This feeling would become embedded in the child's memory as rejection. From then on, anytime something or someone is pulled away from her, the same feeling of rejection occurs. Often the feelings are replaced with distraction, such as alcohol, drugs, or adverse behaviors. In "How the Art of Choice Works" Dr. Sherman addresses how to embrace the feelings, yet react differently. She also addresses patterns caused by the situation and how to change them. In a short two-paragraph section, Dr. Sherman explains awareness is the key response to making changes and gives a simple technique to generate it. Once we are aware of the reaction, she gives exercises to become conscious of the body, observe the behavior, note thoughts, address the thoughts/fears and ultimately break the old patterns, creating a new flow in life. There are many books on the market that cover the same issues as Dr. Sherman, however, there isn't one that is as concise and to the point as "Mindfulness and the Art of Choice" is. In less than 100 pages she helps the reader become aware of personal issues/reactions embedded in the memory. Within a few simple exercises we can change the feelings associated with the situation. At the same time we can move away from recreating those same feelings in another situation. It may sound like a difficult task, and it could be. However, Dr. Sherman simplifies everything for us through her explanations and exercises - to a point where "Mindfulness and the Art of Choice" becomes truly a self-help book. This book is highly recommended for anyone that is considering choosing to have "the good life."