Book reviews - Best Places of Interest

June 7, 2025 Literature/ Art/Music/Education, Book reviews

Book review- The Power of Subconscious Mind

Welcome to my book review corner.

Will be reviewing, ‘The Power of Your Subconscious Mind’ by Joseph Murphy.

“The Power of Your Subconscious Mind” by Joseph Murphy is a self-help book that discusses the capabilities of the subconscious mind and ways to utilize it to enhance various aspects of life.

Key aspects of the book include:

Understanding the Subconscious Mind: Murphy explains that the subconscious mind is a powerful force that can influence our thoughts, behaviors, and outcomes. By understanding how it works, we can tap into its potential to achieve our goals.
Positive Thinking: The book emphasizes the importance of positive thinking and how it can shape our reality. Murphy provides techniques to reprogram the subconscious mind with positive affirmations and beliefs.
Visualization: Murphy discusses the power of visualization and how imagining desired outcomes can help manifest them. He provides practical exercises to practice visualization effectively.
Overcoming Negative Patterns: The book offers strategies to identify and overcome negative thought patterns that may be holding us back. Murphy suggests ways to replace these patterns with positive ones.
Healing and Health: Murphy explores the connection between the subconscious mind and physical health. He provides examples of how positive thinking and visualization can contribute to healing and overall well-being.
Success and Prosperity: The book discusses methods for utilizing the subconscious mind to achieve success and prosperity. Murphy shares techniques to align the subconscious with one’s goals and aspirations.

Overall, “The Power of Your Subconscious Mind” is a thought-provoking and insightful read that encourages readers to harness the power of their subconscious to create a better life. It offers practical advice and exercises to help readers implement the concepts discussed in the book. If you are interested in personal development and the mind’s potential, this book is worth a read.

Joseph Murphy’s book “The Power of Your Subconscious Mind” provides techniques to manage anger and anxiety. Practical applications of the book’s concepts:

Managing Anger:

Positive Affirmations: Use positive affirmations to reprogram your subconscious mind. For example, repeat phrases like “I am calm and in control” or “I choose peace over anger” regularly. This helps to instill a sense of calmness and control over your emotions.
Visualization: Visualize yourself in situations that typically trigger your anger but imagine responding calmly and peacefully. This practice can help train your mind to react differently when you encounter similar situations in real life.
Relaxation Techniques: Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. These techniques can help calm your mind and body, making it easier to manage anger.

Managing Anxiety:

Positive Thinking: Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. For example, if you find yourself thinking “I can’t manage this,” replace it with “I am capable and strong.” This helps to reduce anxiety by fostering a more positive mindset.
Visualization: Visualize yourself successfully handling situations that cause you anxiety. Imagine feeling confident and at ease. This can help reduce anxiety by creating a mental image of success and calmness.
Affirmations for Anxiety: Use affirmations specifically designed to reduce anxiety, such as “I am safe and secure” or “I trust in the process of life.” Repeating these affirmations can help to calm your mind and reduce anxious thoughts.
Mindfulness and Meditation: Practice mindfulness and meditation to stay present and focused. This can help reduce anxiety by preventing your mind from dwelling on past events or worrying about the future.

By consistently applying these techniques, you can harness the power of your subconscious mind to manage anger and anxiety more effectively. Remember, it takes time and practice, so be patient with yourself as you work on these strategies.

More information on any of these techniques?

Sure! Visualization is a powerful technique that can help you harness the power of your subconscious mind to achieve your goals and improve your mental well-being. Here are some detailed steps and tips on how to practice visualization effectively:

Steps for Effective Visualization:

Select an Undisturbed Location: opt for a setting where interruptions are unlikely. This will help you focus and relax.
Relax Your Body and Mind: Breathe deeply and relax. You can also practice progressive muscle relaxation or deep breathing exercises to calm your mind and body.
Set a Clear Intention: Decide what you want to visualize. It could be a specific goal, a desired outcome, or a situation you want to manage better. Be clear and specific about what you want to achieve.
Create a Mental Image: Close your eyes and create a vivid mental image of your desired outcome. Imagine it as if it is happening right now. Use all your senses to make the visualization as detailed and realistic as possible. For example, if you are visualizing a successful presentation, imagine the room, the audience, your voice, and your feelings of confidence.
Engage Your Emotions: Feel the emotions associated with your visualization. If you are visualizing a positive outcome, feel the joy, excitement, and satisfaction. Emotions play a crucial role in making the visualization more powerful and effective.
Repeat Regularly: Practice visualization regularly, ideally daily. Consistency is key to reprogramming your subconscious mind and making the visualization more effective.

Tips for Effective Visualization:

Be Consistent: Practice visualization at the same time each day to create a routine. This will help you make it a habit and increase its effectiveness.
Stay Positive: Focus on positive outcomes and avoid negative thoughts. Positive visualization helps to reinforce positive beliefs and attitudes.
Use Affirmations: Combine visualization with positive affirmations. For example, while visualizing a successful outcome, repeat affirmations like “I am confident and capable” or “I achieve my goals with ease.”
Keep a Journal: Write down your visualization experiences and any progress you notice. This can help you track your progress and stay motivated.
Be Patient: Visualization takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself and trust the process.

By incorporating these steps and tips into your visualization practice, you can effectively harness the power of your subconscious mind to achieve your goals and improve your mental well-being. Visualization can be a powerful tool for managing stress, anxiety, and other challenges, helping you create a more positive and fulfilling life.

Would you like more information on any specific aspect of visualization?

Combining visualization with mindfulness can be a powerful way to manage anxiety and enhance overall well-being. Here are some steps to help you integrate these two techniques:

Steps to Combine Visualization with Mindfulness:

Select a Quiet Location: opt for a location that is quiet and comfortable, where interruptions are unlikely. This will help you focus and relax.
Begin with Mindfulness: Start by practicing mindfulness to bring yourself into the present moment. You can do this by focusing on your breath, observing your thoughts without judgment, or paying attention to the sensations in your body. The goal is to become fully present and aware.
Set a Clear Intention: Decide what you want to visualize. It could be a specific goal, a desired outcome, or a situation you want to handle better. Be clear and specific about what you want to achieve.
Create a Mental Image: Close your eyes and create a vivid mental image of your desired outcome. Imagine it as if it is happening right now. Use all your senses to make the visualization as detailed and realistic as possible. For example, if you are visualizing a successful presentation, imagine the room, the audience, your voice, and your feelings of confidence.
Engage Your Emotions: Feel the emotions associated with your visualization. If you are visualizing a positive outcome, feel the joy, excitement, and satisfaction. Emotions play a crucial role in making the visualization more powerful and effective.
Stay Present: While visualizing, maintain a mindful awareness of the present moment. If your mind starts to wander, gently bring your focus back to your breath and the visualization. This helps to keep you grounded and fully engaged in the process.
Repeat Regularly: Practice this combined technique regularly, ideally daily. Consistency is key to reprogramming your subconscious mind and making the visualization more effective.

Tips for Effective Practice:

Be Consistent: Practice at the same time each day to create a routine. This will help you make it a habit and increase its effectiveness.
Stay Positive: Focus on positive outcomes and avoid negative thoughts. Positive visualization helps to reinforce positive beliefs and attitudes.
Use Affirmations: Combine visualization with positive affirmations. For example, while visualizing a successful outcome, repeat affirmations like “I am confident and capable” or “I achieve my goals with ease.”
Keep a Journal: Write down your experiences and any progress you notice. This can help you track your progress and stay motivated.
Be Patient: Visualization and mindfulness take time and practice. Be patient with yourself and trust the process.

By incorporating these steps and tips into your practice, you can effectively harness the power of your subconscious mind to manage anxiety and create a more positive and fulfilling life.

Please share your thoughts on this …in the comments section below.

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3 Books I Read for Personal Growth

Reading is one of the best ways to expand knowledge, challenge perspectives, and dive into subjects that shape our lives. Recently, I explored three fascinating books covering health and philosophy. Each offers unique insights into the world around us. I discovered these while recovering from a knee injury.

Here’s a look at what I learned from these books.

*1. Magnesium and Its Benefits**

Magnesium plays a crucial role in our overall well-being, yet it’s often overlooked in daily health discussions. The book I read about magnesium dives deep into its importance for bodily functions. It covers everything from muscle and nerve health to sleep and mood regulation.

**Key Takeaways:**

– Magnesium is essential for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including energy production and heart health.

– It can help reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and support bone health.

– Many people unknowingly suffer from magnesium deficiency, leading to symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, and muscle cramps.

– Including magnesium-rich foods like nuts, seeds, and leafy greens in daily meals can naturally boost levels.

This book was an eye-opener on how small nutritional changes can make a big impact on health. If you’ve been feeling sluggish or stressed, magnesium be the missing link!

*2. Thriving Beyond Fifty- Will Harlow

*3. Life Is Short and so is the book -by Peter Atkins

Philosophy often reminds us to embrace the fleeting nature of life, and this book does exactly that. Through thought-provoking reflections, it explores themes of time, purpose, and how to make the most of every moment.

**Key Takeaways:**

– Time is the most valuable resource—we should spend it wisely on things that truly matter.

– Living with gratitude and mindfulness can enhance daily happiness.

– Fear of failure often holds people back; embracing risk can lead to growth and fulfillment.

– Prioritizing meaningful experiences over material possessions leads to a richer life.

This book was a powerful reminder to live intentionally, appreciate small joys, and focus on what genuinely brings fulfillment.

That’s a fascinating pairing of titles!

Thriving Beyond Fifty by Will Harlow seems to be a practical guide. It focuses on health, mobility, and well-being for those over fifty. It emphasizes natural strategies to avoid pain and surgery. This approach aligns with the wish to make the most of one’s time and physical capabilities as life progresses. The title suggests that life is advancing quickly at that stage. Yet, there is still ample opportunity to thrive.

It sounds like a collection of impacting thoughts. It is designed for quick reflection. This encourages readers to focus on what truly matters in their limited time.

These two books are interesting in how they engage with the concept of time. They explore how we choose to live within its constraints. One focuses on extending the quality of our physical time. The other encourages maximizing the meaning and impact of the time we have.

Key takeaways from “Thriving Beyond Fifty”!

Consistency in physiotherapy sounds like a crucial element for maintaining flexibility and mobility as we age. The book provided valuable insights into specific issues like knee and ankle problems. It offered practical PT solutions.

It makes perfect sense. A book focused on thriving in later years would emphasize proactive and consistent care for our physical well-being. Our bodies are our vehicles through life. Maintaining them allows us to experience that life more fully and actively. This is true regardless of age.

The “sit and stand up from a chair” movement is often referred to as a chair squat. It is a cornerstone of functional fitness, especially as we age. It targets several key muscle groups essential for daily life, including:

* Quadriceps: The muscles on the front of your thighs, are crucial for straightening your legs.

* Hamstrings: The muscles on the back of your thighs, are important for bending your knees and extending your hips.

* Glutes: The muscles in your buttocks, powerful hip extenders that contribute significantly to standing up.

* Calves: The muscles in your lower legs, which help with ankle stability and pushing off the ground.

* Core: The muscles in your abdomen and back, which offer stability and control throughout the movement.

Incorporating chair squats into your daily routine can offer many benefits, such as:

* Improved Lower Body Strength: Making everyday activities like getting in and out of chairs, walking, and climbing stairs easier.

* Enhanced Balance and Stability: Strengthening the muscles around your hips and knees contributes to better balance and reduces the risk of falls.

* Increased Functional Independence: Maintaining the ability to do these fundamental movements independently is key to a higher quality of life.

* Greater Flexibility in Hips and Knees: The controlled range of motion involved in chair squats can help keep and even improve flexibility.

It highlights the importance of foundational movements and how consistently practicing them can have a significant impact on maintaining physical ability as we age, aligning perfectly with the title “Thriving Beyond Fifty.

Excellent addition! The goblet squat is a fantastic variation that builds upon the basic squat and offers some unique advantages. By holding a weight (like a dumbbell or kettlebell) close to your chest, it encourages:

* Improved Posture: The weight in front helps to counterbalance your body, naturally promoting a more upright torso and preventing you from leaning too far forward. This can translate to better posture in everyday life.

* Increased Core Engagement: Holding the weight requires your core muscles to work harder to stabilize your body throughout the movement. This strengthens your abdominal and back muscles more effectively than a regular bodyweight squat.

* Greater Depth: The counterbalancing effect of the weight can often allow individuals to squat deeper with better form, leading to a more effective workout for the glutes and quads.

* Enhanced Quad Activation: The upright posture often leads to greater activation of the quadriceps muscles.

* Accessibility: It can be a good progression for those who find regular back squats intimidating or have limitations.

Combining chair squats with goblet squats in your routine provides a well-rounded approach to lower body strength and stability. The chair squat focuses on the fundamental movement pattern needed for daily life. The goblet squat adds an element of load and enhanced core engagement.

*Final Thoughts*

Each of these books offered valuable insights—whether on health or the deeper meaning of life. Reading diverse subjects keeps curiosity alive and broadens perspectives.

Sources-

Magnesium: What Your Doctor Needs You To Know: Including: How to Fight Diabetes, Have a Healthy Heart, and Get Strong Bones!
Thriving Beyond Fifty- Will Harlow
Life is short and so is the book

Kash Pals

Kash Pals loves to read, write and travel, DIY, Coffee, Music, Photography, Family, Friends and Life. She believes as you move through this life…you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life- and travel- leaves marks on you.

Golden Oriole

At the book launch of ‘Buried Seeds’ by Chef Vikas Khanna

I love watching Masterchef India so could not resist this invitation

Chef Vikas Khanna is an award-winning Michelin Starred Indian Chef, restaurateur, cookbook writer, filmmaker, humanitarian and judge of Master Chef India. Buried Seeds is a timeless story of struggle, passion, willpower, failure, and rise. It recreates his childhood, finding comfort in his grandmother’s kitchen and follows the journey of an immigrant enduring overwhelming obstacle and pain in achieving his dreams.

Prof. Dr. Y. G. Tharakan, First Guru of Chef Vikas Khanna & Current Dean, (Le Cordon Bleu School of Hospitality, GD Goenka University said, “A recipe has no soul, you must bring the soul to the recipe, Chef Vikas Khanna has strived hard to learn this art of giving soul to his recipes.”

Chef Vikas Khanna with a fan at the book launch — Chef Vikas Khanna at the book launch

Chef Vikas Khanna launched his biography “Buried Seeds” at GD Goenka University
“The book is all about my journey from Punjab where I grew up, my years in Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA), Manipal University, where I studied to become a Chef, and thereafter, all ups and downs, I have been through to become what I’m today. My life has been like a seed which had to be buried to grow in to a tree” and so the title of the book.” said Vikas.

Book Review- Destiny of Shattered Dreams by Nilesh Rathod

Your client must go to jail tonight, the judge said, as he picked up his pen to formalise the pronouncement cancelling Atul’s bail.
Atul’s heart skipped a beat, the blood rushing about in anguish as he sank down on his chair, discredited and shamed.
Atul hadn’t been as prepared for this; so when reality struck, it did so with a paralyzing force.

The above are opening lines of ‘Destiny of Shattered Dreams by Nilesh Rathod. These opening lines lure us into the novel as we want to know about Atul, the protagonist. As readers, we have the following questions in our minds: –

Who is Atul?
Why has he been convicted?
What crime has he been convicted of?
Why has the judge been so strict in not granting him bail?

The title ‘Destiny of Shattered Dreams is apt and justified as it is here that we see the dreams of a Man being shattered and know how does it feel. So, as we proceed to read the novel further, the questions are answered as well the mystery unfolds.

Story– Atul Malhotra, 35 years, Chairman of the board and founder CEO of Transmech Telecom Limited (TTL). He was in judicial custody on charges of corrupting government officers, violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act [FEMA] and other economic offenses.

Atul Malhotra’s ambition, passion, and raw courage help him realize his dreams. He is a quick learner and adapts to any new situation. Power, aspirations, betrayal and drama is what all the story is about. It gives out messages of righteousness while entertaining you.

Atul found his solace in Qazi Sahib’s couplets while in jail. Qazi Saheb or Akram Qazi was the legal brain behind the business. He often came up with such beautiful lines or couplets. He was a poet, musician, and romanticist, a multi-faceted personality. The following quote is appropriate to the situation and worth mentioning:

Time is a messiah, every sorrow it shall contain,
But time it is and time it shall take,
But who will heal my wounds till then?
Just so will continue sorrow’s shackle all life,
Sometimes the pain it shall bluster,
At other times, pain it shall heal.
For how long will the distraught cloud contain itself?
Bellowing, bellowing, it shall set the firmament on fire,
Afore bursting it too will set fire to the same desire.
What do you call destiny, this I do not know?
Transforming, altering forms it too shall my extant relish.
Something like the spark did leap, I thought that now at least it will absorb me,
Fire, fire all the way but how shall it give cinders
before destiny’s decree.

The above lines are very apt and beautifully expressed. The author, Nilesh Rathod who is debutant novelist is praiseworthy.

Genre– The genre of the book is Contemporary Fiction and covers many sides of life. It is about the rise and fall of Atul Malhotra in business. Contemporary fiction is usually focussed on giving people a glimpse into some part of daily experience showing them what it would be like to walk in someone else’s shoes. In contemporary fiction, the writer focuses on making everything as realistic as possible. The author hopes that the experience of reading a story will give the reader a better understanding of these issues than he would otherwise obtain from non-fiction account which deals with the same kind of subject matter that would potentially help the person develop more sympathy or better understanding.

Style– The pace of the novel is fast and tells a tale of this brilliant young man’s meteoric rise at business. The author has used simple, clear and lucid language. The fast pace of the novel keeps you engaged till the last page. It is nothing short of being a Bollywood movie. It is well-written with poise and with conscious efforts.

Book cover of Destiny of shattered dreams — Image courtesy – Goodreads

The book cover is very apt and suits the title ‘Destiny of Shattered Dreams’. It has been designed by Mugdha Sadhwani. It grabs the reader’s attention with a broken line running right through the centre of the cover page. It is a brilliant red and blue cover.

About the author: Nilesh Rathod is a business person, writer, and poet. Co-founder of Ensemble Infrastructure India Limited, Nilesh’s current company employs over 2000 people. Destiny of Shattered Dreams is his debutant novel. He is currently working on his second novel. He lives in Mumbai with his wife Preeti and sons Shloak and Parv.

Book trailer– This book has a book trailer which has been directed by Jay Bhansali, Music Composer: Amaal Mallik and Script & Voiceover: Nilesh Rathod. It is an amazing concept, narration, and music.

So, all I can say grab your copy today. 🙂