A daily meditation book I will read over and over.

“We are faced with a never ending choice: to become the wound or to heal”

Besides the Bible, I have found this to be the only book that literally changed the way I live. The very way I think about the pain I experience, the world I live in, and the life I live has shifted as a result of this book’s repeated reminder that I have all I need in the here and now. It is impossible to overstate the role that reading this book over the last 2.5 years has had in my healing and the way I view my perpetually emotional and anxious heart!

“To suffer means to feel keenly. For to feel deeply and precisely with full awareness is what opens us both to joy sorrow. It is the capacity to feel keenly that reveals the meaning in our experiences”

I read this book year after year and learn something new each time!! I’ve also purchased copies for friends who are searching for deeper meanings in life. I definitely recommend anything by Mark Nepo.

I bought this on my audible account. I will purchase the hard copy as

Many of his words were so beautifully expressed and it’s something to digest in small mindful chunks rather than headphones going about my housework etc. the narrators sickly tone grated on me..and he pronounced human as ‘uman’ throughout

This book is a great book to read when starting your day as well as before falling asleep! It is well written super easy to read. This author has the power to give you a new perspective on life to appreciate yourself and all living beings that surround you. Life is short, and we only get one, everything that lives has a purpose. Always love yourself and learn from your mistakes. I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone. This is the kind of book I would read over and over and over. It's got way too many stories to read back on. This inspiring book would make an awesome gift.

Saw the author on Super Soul Sunday with Oprah. Had to buy the book. Such great wisdom & insight in what I've read so far. It's a daily devotional.

It's amazing how almost each entry gave me an answer to a question I needed an answer to, or it gave me comfort, strength, and encouragement. I will be starting it again tomorrow, January 1, 2025. But this time, I will stay with each entry longer than a day until I feel ready to move on to the next.

As a high ambition low energy person that is always feeling stressed about making my life as fulfilling as possible. This book has reminded me that I am my own art project. I’ve come to love rebuilding who I am, and expanding my beliefs all through sitting in stillness.

Let's be honest. I am always reading this book. Probably will read it for the rest of my life.

I converted from a Christian to an atheist/egnostic several years ago. Walking away from the church was the best thing I could have done for myself, but I missed that daily meditation. Something to calm my mind to deeper my thoughts outside myself. This book has brought me that peace, wisdom, and a feeling of not being alone. Mark Nepo does a wonderful job pulling in wisdom from many religions, personal experience, artists, and many more. It never feels preachy, only an open door to think upon. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking for a better life. A better way of looking at things. To be awakened to your story and how similar other's stories are to your own.

Book of the Day – The Book of Awakening

Today’s Book of the Day is THE BOOK OF AWAKENING, written by Mark Nepo in 2000 and published by Conari Press.

Mark Nepo is a poet, philosopher, spiritual writer and cancer survivor who has written books in the fields of poetry and spirituality all over his career.

I have chosen this book because I cited it during a function of my Sangha.

To me, this isn’t just a book, but a source of wisdom distilled into a daily companion. Each page feels like a gentle reminder to take a step forward towards a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Nepo‘s prose is refreshing and soothing, inviting to introspection, reflection, and gratitude.

This is one of those books that offer their readers a bite-sized piece of inspiration every day, not with a preachy or pushy tone, but rather with a thoughtful seed that will grow in your mind long after you close the cover. The author does not give a rigid path to follow, he offers guidance and encouragement to embark on your own unique journey of awakening.

Nepo‘s own life experiences, tangibly sparsed throughout the book, add that layer of authenticity that highly adds to the narrative. He doesn’t shy away from life’s hard times but instead shows how these challenges can be used as stepping stones on our unique path to growth and understanding.

He also acknowledges the pain, the loss, and the uncertainty that we all face at some point. But he also shows the readers the power of resilience, the strength that lies within vulnerability, and the transformative potential of even the most challenging experiences.

And it is just the vulnerability shared by the author that facilitates the creation of a sense of connection, reminding you that you’re not alone in your struggles.

The book is infused with a sense of wonder, urging us to see the world with fresh eyes. Nepo invites us to reconnect with nature, to find solace in its quiet strength and ever-changing beauty. He reminds us of the interconnectedness of all things, the way our own lives are woven into the fabric of existence.

The book puts together ideas coming from many different spiritual traditions, offering in this way a universal message that transcends the single cultural or religious boundaries. It speaks in a timeless and profoundly relevant, engaging way about the human condition in our modern lives.

Perhaps one of the most transformative aspects of The Book of Awakening is the invitation to action in the form of exercises, designed to put the wisdom gleaned into practice, that the reader finds after each reflection by the author. These exercises, some simple, some more challenging, can help awaken the senses, foster self-compassion, and cultivate a deeper connection to the present moment if the readers welcome them with an open heart and use them to get a deeper understanding of their own journey.

This is one of those books that can help you transform your perspective, become a source of comfort and strength in difficult times, and a reminder of the beauty and possibilities that exist in every day you are given the chance to live.

I would say that this is a book that you’ll find yourself returning to again and again, each time finding new insights.

So, this book is a testament to our power to awaken towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

This book was my companion through 2018

Mark Nepo is this awesome offering walked with me through last year and I was refreshed, retrained, restored and returned to my core every time. The potholes in life were bearable because I had a tutor to circumnavigate the many seasons of emotions and vagaries. I highly recommend this volume for those who desire to have a copilot in the flight through each day.