Antigone Rising: The Subversive Power of the Ancient Myths by Helen Morales

Helen Morales highlights troubling aspects of Greek and Roman mythology in a call-to-action to analyze and reimagine those myths for modern times.

As a classicist, I was familiar with most of the myths Morales examined. However, I was unaware of some of the toxic sub-context contained within them.

“My hope is that by tracing patterns and connections between ancient and modern beliefs and practices it will become easier to understand how misogyny operates and the ways in which classical antiquity plays a role (although it is not the only player and this is not its only role) in legitimating how misogyny operates today.” pg 14

The stories we tell ourselves are powerful. It shapes our expectations for our communities and the roles we occupy within them. Joseph Campbell pointed this out for the last generation. Perhaps Helen Morales will be the one to point it out for this one.

“The problem is that misogynist myths are more strongly culturally entrenched in our societies than myths that subvert them.” pg 148

But all hope is not lost. Creators from books to film to music videos are taking these myths and making them their own. With time, new interpretations will take hold.

“Antigone is rising. Antigones (and Ismenes and Haemons) are rising.” pg 150

Lest we forget, Morales reminds readers that ancient myths have been the inspiration for, among other things, “the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, trades union movements, Marxism, and the gay rights movement.”

It is all about how we interpret and tell the myths with each passing generation. Let’s choose carefully.

Thanks for reading!

The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide: Essential Skills for Living Well in an Overstimulating World by Ted Zeff

“Approximately 15 to 20 percent of the population have trouble screening out stimuli and can be easily overwhelmed by noise, crowds, and time pressure.” pg 10, ebook

Ted Zeff, a self professed highly sensitive person or HSP, shares coping mechanisms he’s cultivated throughout his life-long struggle with the unique way he responds to every day life. Topics range from improving work environments, personal relationships with non-highly sensitive people, getting a good night’s sleep and more.

While you can’t live your life totally removed from the world’s jolts, you can create an environment that minimizes stimuli. If you can anchor yourself to a ship of tranquility, you won’t be tossed about by the waves of stimulation.” pg 22

I am a highly sensitive person too. Most of the tips and habits Zeff suggests in this book are common sense and were not all that helpful to me. The material also becomes somewhat repetitive as the book goes on. But, if you’ve just discovered this about yourself, I could see this book being eye-opening.

“Since our aggressive society values non-HSP behavior, HSPs must learn to create boundaries and speak up. Unfortunately, many HSPs are shy and feel embarrassed to state what they want.” pg 63

Something I did learn about in this book is the highly sensitive person issue of “time pressure”. I know deadlines and meet up times stress me out, but I didn’t realize that was fairly typical of highly sensitive people.

“Combined with your high sense of responsibility, functioning under time constraints can be one of the most difficult aspects of being a highly sensitive person. In this section you will learn specific techniques to successfully deal with the daily pressures of our fast-paced modern society.” pg 32

If you only have time to read one book about highly sensitive people, the author himself recommends The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You multiple times throughout this text. You may want to pick that one up and give this a pass.

Thanks for reading!

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer

Michael Singer reminds readers that we are not the thoughts that we habitually think or the bodies that we walk around in. He gives multiple tips on how to access the spiritual strength inside ourselves and how to view life through the wide lens of this non-attached perspective.

Singer writes that it is through this new way of looking at life that one can find enlightenment.

The ideas that are shared in Untethered Soul can be found in countless other books on spiritual studies. This isn’t new information. But, I think, there is always room on my bookshelf for a book that reminds me of spiritual truths.

It is all too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day trivialities of life with its stresses and constant demands on our attention. If you take a breath and a step back, it’s surprising what you can see.

Perhaps the mammoth success of The Untethered Soul over other books in its genre is the exposure it received on The Oprah Winfrey show. Whatever the case, it is quite accessible to readers who haven’t considered these concepts before.

Recommended for spiritual seekers both seasoned and not.

Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle, #4) by Christopher Paolini

Christopher Paolini brings his fantasy series for young adults to an end with Inheritance, the fourth and final book in The Inheritance Cycle.

Eragon, Saphira, the Varden and their various allies including elves, dwarves and urgals, make their way to Uru-baen, the capital of the evil Galbatorix’s empire, in a thrilling set of battles that bring a conclusion to the struggle between the characters of this world.

If you’ve been following my reviews as I made my way through this series, you’ll note that this is the highest rating (four stars) I’ve given any of the books. I could tell that Paolini brought all of the skills that he learned in writing the first three books to this one.

The characters are well-developed as he’s had thousands of pages to make them that way. The battles are nail-bitingly awesome.

The fallout after the main confrontation is long enough to tie up loose ends, but not so long that I was tired of reading about the world.

And it is a fun world to visit. Paolini took his cues from the classics of fantasy to craft his own world so that it feels familiar in a comforting way to fans of fantasy fiction.

But that familiarity cuts both ways. Paolini doesn’t move far from the expected tropes in the creation of his story. There were a few large reveals in Inheritance that I wanted to be more imaginative than the twists that Paolini crafted.

That being said, I did enjoy this book more than all the others. Once I started the final hundred pages, I couldn’t put the book down.

I think this series could be a lot of fun for young readers. Despite its predictability, there is much to enjoy in The Inheritance Cycle. Older readers or the young at heart might want something that veers a little more off of the expected paths.

Spirit Hacking: Shamanic Keys to Reclaim Your Personal Power, Transform Yourself, and Light Up the World by Shaman Durek

Shaman Durek offers practices to spiritual seekers who are looking for ways to improve their lives through the use of shamanistic techniques. Like most new age or spiritual books, not everything in here resonated with me. But I will take a few key concepts and jettison the rest.

For starters, I took issue with the title of this book, “Spirit Hacking”. It implies that there are some sort of tested and proven short cuts to bringing spiritual dimensions into one’s life. I think most readers are wise enough to know that such a thing doesn’t exist. To put that sort of label on a work is false advertising to delusional, depending, I suppose, on how much one believes one’s own hype.

On the other hand, if “Spirit Hacking” was simply an effort to connect with readers who sincerely want to believe in such spiritual short cuts then this book will probably fill some sort of gap in his or her journey to a desired “goal”.

Personally, I took the title as a type of warning flag before I read it. Tread softly here, Heidi, I said to myself. And question everything.

Shamanism, like other semi-organized movements, varies greatly depending upon who is imparting the wisdom and from what tradition. Shaman Durek touches upon topics I’ve studied from other sources such as there are different types of spirits, various rituals or practices to interact with these spirits and time isn’t as fixed as some imagine it may be. But he puts his own unique spin on the information.

I like the empowering side to shamanism. If you have lingering physical or emotional pain, these practices suggest that you can do something about it, today if you’d like. If you’d like to change the world, go within and change yourself, then the rest will follow.

I also like the idea that everything on the planet from plants to animals to places has a guiding spirit or intelligence. If only one knew the way to interact with these intelligences, life itself could become a guide into the mysteries of the spirit. That part of shamanism is pretty cool.

Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric on Pexels.com

On the other hand, I don’t like how some shamanistic movements act like established religions, insisting that their ways or traditions are the only way to go. In addition to the snobbery, I take issue with the manner in which some shaman teach their methods. They fail to distinguish between the real world and visionary space, leading adherents to confuse one with the other or worse, not draw any dividing lines at all.

Shaman Durek’s tone can be somewhat abrasive, but if readers are looking for basic shamanistic ideas, they can be found here. Recommended with reservations for new age spiritual seekers.

Other titles about shamanism that you may want to explore if you’ve read this: This Trip Will Change Your Life: A Shaman’s Story of Spirit Evolution, The Way of the Shaman, Active Dreaming: Journeying Beyond Self-Limitation to a Life of Wild Freedom or The Flying Witches of Veracruz: A Shaman’s True Story of Indigenous Witchcraft, Devil’s Weed, and Trance Healing in Aztec Brujeria.

The Wild Woman’s Way: Unlock Your Full Potential for Pleasure, Power, and Fulfillment by Michaela Boehm

“This book is a call to come back to our wild, undomesticated ‘original nature,’ which, combined with an untamed heart, knows what is true for each of us. It is a call to return to the inborn genius that guides our passion, whispers in our ear with longing, and reveals itself abundantly when we allow our bodies to show us the way.” pg 8, ebook

Michaela Boehm utilizes her years of therapeutic practice and tantric training in this self help book designed for the modern woman.

There are so many choices and life paths from high-powered careers to motherhood, that many women try to do it all.

“The good news: amidst such a multitude of options we are free to choose what resonates with us. The bad news: it’s confusing, overwhelming, time-consuming, fraught with many pitfalls, and requires constant discernment.” pg 9, ebook

It’s not possible to do and have it all, Boehm writes, and while they attempt it, women cut themselves off from their sensual natures. She has written this book to give women practices and rituals to bring them back from this disconnection into the power and knowledge of their bodies.

“Relaxing the body; engaging with life, beauty, and nature; and gentle, nonlinear movement and dance are some of those physical practices we’ll be engaging in throughout this book.” pg 34, ebook

I didn’t connect with all of Boehm’s writing, but I have begun to practice a version of her “formless dancing” every day. The practice itself is simple. Turn on music with no words and a beat, and move your body however it feels like moving. It’s designed to release tension and unconscious clenching that happens when one becomes disconnected from their physical form.

“Once you understand your own reasons for any numbness, tension, and strain that you may carry in your body, you can easily undo the related habitual body patterns and restore yourself to a state of pleasurable aliveness and sensual well-being.” pg 50

I find it extremely relaxing. I probably look mad, shimmying and bouncing and swaying around, but it feels really good so who cares. 🙂

Highly recommended for readers looking to reconnect with their body’s innate intelligence or who are interested in different spiritual practices.

Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle, #3) by Christopher Paolini

In Book 3 of The Inheritance Cycle, our hero Eragon and his numerous allies continue to inch their way towards the final confrontation with Galbatorix and his dragon, Shruikan.

Unlike the first two books in the series, I felt Paolini’s pacing was off. Everything is moving much too slowly. And then, when one of the leaders of the Varden sends Eragon off on a secret mission after the armies finally begin engaging each other, I actually groaned.

Yes, I realize there’s more to this fantasy story than endless battles and sieges. But they’re the fun part!

I also realize that I’m not the intended audience for this series, crafted for young adults. But that’s never stopped me from reading a book that looks entertaining. And these targeted young adult readers deserve better plot development than the sudden appearance of ancient artifacts or obscure dragon anatomy that changes the entire course of the story in the final chapters of a 600+ page book.

I think that is my main quibble with this series. It was written over such a long period of time that Paolini wasn’t able to build levels into his tale with foreshadowing. Important elements like Eragon’s mysterious parentage feel almost tacked on or added as after thoughts.

On the other hand, I do like the way Paolini has continued to develop the Rider/dragon relationship between Eragon and Saphira and her growing maturity as a character. And, despite my complaints with some story elements and pacing, I will continue on to the final book in the series.

I hope he does the ending justice.

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor

James Nestor takes a deep dive into the fascinating and surprisingly mysterious world of breathing. “How mysterious could it be, Heidi?” I hear you ask. It’s something everyone does without thinking literally a few times every minute every day of their lives.

Well, there’s a lot of mysteriousness, as Nestor discovered through his journey from terrible breathing to consciousness-shifting, bone-building, better breathing.

“I do as instructed, and listen as the rushing wind that was pouring through my lungs suddenly stops and is replaced by pure silence, the kind of jarring quietude a skydiver feels the moment a parachute opens. But this stillness is coming from inside.” pg 143, ebook

He talks to researchers and mystics from around the globe to access both cutting edge research as well as ancient teachings from such exalted texts as The Upanishads.

What he’s discussing here isn’t new, but it feels new, perhaps because of the chronic disconnect between the mind and body that seems to haunt modern humanity.

From breathing slower to exhaling more, the dangerous of mouth breathing and the astonishing connection carbon dioxide inhalation has to panic attacks, there’s a lot to explore.

And, despite all of the observed benefits and ten years of extensive research, Nestor doesn’t forget to mention that breathing isn’t a panacea. I appreciated that part as well.

“… what I’d like to make clear now, is that breathing, like any therapy or medication, can’t do everything. Breathing fast, slow, or not at all can’t make an embolism go away. … No breathing can heal stage IV cancer. These severe problems require urgent medical attention.” pg 184-185, ebook

I bookmarked all of the exercises Nestor gathers together from the text and lists at the end of the book. Each has similar yet slightly different affects according to practitioners of the methods. I may have to try every one to see for myself.

Highly recommended.

Eldest (The Inheritance Cycle, #2) by Christopher Paolini

Eldest is an enjoyable follow up to Eragon, a fantasy tale about a young man, his dragon, and a desperate fight to save the world from an evil immortal.

The best part about this entry of The Inheritance Cycle is that portions of it follow Roran, Eragon’s non-magical cousin, as he struggles to keep his village alive during the fall out of Eragon’s actions from the previous book.

“As he walked, he continued to order his thoughts. After Garrow’s death, Roran had abandoned his job at Dempton’s mill in Therinsford and returned to Carvahall.” pg 37, ebook

I’ve often wondered about the relatives and neighbors of the magical heroes that are featured in most fantasy tales. What happens to them while earth-shattering events are going on, rings are being melted, and orcs, or ‘urgals’ in this tale, plunder and pillage?

Eldest begins to tell that forgotten story through Roran’s eyes.

“After the last mournful note faded into silence, family members praised the feats and traits of those they had lost. Then the bodies were buried.” pg 111, ebook

Christopher Paolini writes at a pace that engages younger readers but doesn’t leave adult readers, like myself, wanting more depth. He carefully constructs scenes and backstories for characters with enough context to make you care about what happens next.

“A tingle of awe and joy shuddered along Eragon’s spine. This was where he belonged, as a Rider. Of all the things in Alagaesia, he had been lucky enough to be joined with this. pg 132, ebook

A funny quibble I have with this book, like in the last one, is I don’t particularly like how Paolini writes the character of Eragon’s dragon, Saphira. He makes her out to be occasionally insecure or jealous, and I’ve always pictured dragons as wise, free and powerful spirits of nature. But those are my preconceived visions of what dragons should be like and I understand how not every reader will have my sort of view on the matter.

I also don’t like Paolini’s take on elves. In some ways, the elves in Eldest come off as pretentious and pompous jerks. I get that he was going for a type of removed, immortal elegance, but it didn’t quite work for me.

All that being said, I will be continuing on to the next book. Young adult fantasy readers will most likely enjoy this read too.

The Help Desk Book Blog

Sharing reviews and deep thoughts about life.

Antigone Rising: The Subversive Power of the Ancient Myths by Helen Morales

The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide: Essential Skills for Living Well in an Overstimulating World by Ted Zeff

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer

Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle, #4) by Christopher Paolini

Spirit Hacking: Shamanic Keys to Reclaim Your Personal Power, Transform Yourself, and Light Up the World by Shaman Durek

The Wild Woman’s Way: Unlock Your Full Potential for Pleasure, Power, and Fulfillment by Michaela Boehm

Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle, #3) by Christopher Paolini

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor

Eldest (The Inheritance Cycle, #2) by Christopher Paolini

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