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My Grandfathers Blessings : Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging (Paperback)
by Rachel Naomi Remen
| Category:
Motivation, Inspiration, Personal success, Attitude |
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Author: Rachel Naomi Remen
Publisher: Riverhead Trade; 1st Riverhead Trade Pbk. Ed edition
Pub. in: April, 2001
ISBN: 1573228567
Pages: 400
Measurements: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA01248
Other information: ISBN-13: 978-1573228565
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- MSL Picks -
When perusing through several books on Kabbalah, I am greatly regretful that I had no influence from a Rabbi. My earliest encounter with Reformed Judiasm was far from the mystical perspective of Kabalah! When our Baptist Suburban Church toured into Atlanta to worship with Rabbi Sugarman's Temple, we had a double privilege of hearing one of the erudite Rabbis and one of the best cantors of Atlanta. Haskell Boyer was long noted as the former student of my own Vocal Coach!
Our young people were deeply impressed with the inspiring ritual of Rabbical Language, the reading of TORAH in Hebrew,especially by the Hebrew vocalizing of the Yiddish Lyrics. It was surely a contrast between that worship and the Kabbalah. And yet Rachel Naomi Remen writes in her Introduction,that her Grandfather taught her "that the Holy may speak to you from its many hidden places at any time. The world may whisper in your ear, or the spark of God may whisper in your heart. My grandfather showed me how to listen."
Imagine if you will what a Miracle may have been granted to us by having a Rabbi of Kabbalah for a grandfather. If we could have spent our growing years being inspired by the mystery of reading the TORAH and chanting those awesome Psalms in their original sounds from the Hebrew scripts. One of several that Dr Remen quotes: "Blessed are Thou, O Lord Our God, King of the Universe..." Following that text she names her "grandfather, a man of many blesings." Of course those blessings were prescribed generations ago by the great teaching rabbis."
One of her most interesting Chapters is "Keeping It Together." As part of a project she asked 73 physicians to rank the same list of 21 life-values twice... First, according to what was most important to them in their work, and then according to what was most important to them personally. Her list included values such as admiration, control, wisdom, love, power, compassion, happiness, fame, success and kindness. None of the doctors made two lists of the same ranking. In one case, kindness was number 2 on their personal list, yet 11 or last on their working list. Overall the doctors were dismayed, they did not find it possible to live by the same values personally, but strongly valued as their work-values. Finally her conclusion was stated by one man, "as life diminishes you!" He added that it comes only with your permission. I have done this line of questions with prison inmates. They pointedly responded much the same!
There are several principles that jump out in Dr Remen's lovely account of written blessings. Upon moving from her university atmosphere, she summarizes..."Symbolism is the language of the unconscious mind; It is the deep wisdom that is part of how we are made." It was on this page that I noted her use of numerous adverbs: instantly, occasionally, personally, thinking, sharing, knowing...all participles and adverbs of action. My sense is that she likely practises effective Pastoral Counseling which is deeply healing for her patients!
(From quoting Fred W Hood, USA)
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Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. has been counseling those with chronic terminal illness for more than twenty years and is internationally known as one of the pioneers of mind/body health. She is cofounder and medical director of the Commonweal Cancer Help Program in Bolinas, California, and is currently clinical professor of family and community medicine at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine.
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From Publisher
As a small child, Rachel Remen sat at the feet of her grandfather, an orthodox rabbi and scholar of the kabbalah, and learned the secret of life: that love and blessings given to others heals our loneliness, unhappiness, and in fact all our wounds. Remen uses her power as a master storyteller to bring to life the extraordinary blessings of ordinary existence. These exquisite pieces show us how we bless and serve each other most often without knowing it, how much life gives to us, and how many of our own blessings we have still yet to receive.
There is nothing more comforting than hearing Rachel's grandfather speak of love, life, and God to a small, lonely, and very spiritual child who was trying to find her way in an unspiritual world. These are stories for keeping at the bedside, for those dark nights when we go out in search of our souls.
Rachel's grandfather has blessed not only his beloved granddaughter but, through her, has blessed us all.
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Amazon.com (MSL quote), USA
<2008-03-24 00:00>
When doctor and author Rachel Naomi Remen (Kitchen Table Wisdom) was young, she was caught between two different views of life: that of her rabbi grandfather and that of her highly academic, research-oriented parents, who believed religion was the opiate of the masses. As Remen gravitated toward academics and serving the world as a medical doctor, her grandfather became an "island of mysticism in a vast sea of science." But over time, Remen discovered that two seemingly divergent paths could lead to the same destination, especially as she learned to blend her spiritual beliefs with her medical treatment.
Remen uses the heart-rending stories of her patients to teach readers how to follow in her example, that is, combining a life of service with a life of receiving and giving blessings (a combination that avoids common problems such as burnout, self-sacrifice, and navel gazing). Remen also includes personal stories of her grandfather, who showered the world with his mystical beliefs and wizened blessings. While this story-by-story structure is similar to the bestselling Kitchen Table Wisdom, it is still a tearful and satisfying formula.
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Publishers Weekly (MSL quote), USA
<2008-03-24 00:00>
When she was four years old, Remen's grandfather brought her an unusual present: a paper cup of dirt, which he instructed her to water daily. She did, with increasing boredom, until she was astonished to find that a plant had sprouted. "My grandfather was a scholar of the Kabbalah, the mystical teachings of Judaism," Remen tells us. Through this exercise and others, he taught her that the "spark of God" exists, even in the most unpromising places. Through a series of unpretentious, affecting vignettes, the author of the bestseller Kitchen Table Wisdom encourages readers to recognize and celebrate the unexpected blessings in their own lives. Many of her recollections are linked to her experiences as a medical student and a physician working with cancer patients, but the most memorable ones relate to Remen's deep engagement with her grandfather, who died when she was seven. She gently illustrates her advice through simple yet powerful stories, such as that of a young woman whose husband helped her discover the real meaning of beauty years after her devastating mastectomy; of a widow who learned to cherish her husband's memory with love instead of with "a monument of pain"; and of a little boy who recognized that it's easier to love just a few toys than it is to love many. "Wisdom," Remen writes in this exceptional book, "lies in engaging the life you have been given as fully and courageously as possible and not letting go until you find the unknown blessing that is in everything." Author tour.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. |
AudioFile (MSL quote), USA
<2008-03-24 00:00>
This sentimental memoir honors Remen's grandfather, who died when she was 7. Raised in a different faith than her grandfather, who was a rabbi, Remen drifted into socialist/new age thought after his death. She surprised herself by returning to his teachings when her cancer patients confirmed many of his truths. Remen has a strong New York accent, which may be grating by the end of three hours. However, she speaks slowly, drawing out words even more when adding emphasis. What she lacks in delivery she makes up for in heart. Her obvious endearment and respect for her grandfather more than compensate. A.G.H. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine - Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine |
Publisher Weekly (MSL quote), USA
<2008-03-24 00:00>
She gently illustrates her advice through simple yet powerful stories...[an] exeptional book |
View all 11 comments |
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