Behavioral Astrology: How to Interpret Your Relationships, Soul, and Self Through the Zodiac Signs

Author:    Charlie Emerson

Genre:     Reference/Self-Help

Hardcover; Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9798787311013; 9798786098892

Independently Published

246 Pages

$46.20; $10.89; $1.99 Amazon

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Why do I feel anxious all the time?  When will I find 'the one'?  What is my purpose in this life?  We're all on a never-ending quest for guidance, answers, and solutions.  You may spend hours completing personality tests, reading self-help books, or visiting a tarot reader who will give you a glimpse of your fate.  It's only natural that you want to know yourself better, make sense of the world around you, and seek out the tools to help you overcome challenges.  That's the main reason why behavioral astrology exists -- to answer questions about you.

Astrology is often thought of as a form of entertainment.  In fact, many people never go beyond their daily horoscopes and obsessively checking compatibility with their crush.  This surface knowledge doesn't begin to cover the astrological wisdom of the stars shared across lifetimes of study and practice.  When you take the time to go deeper into your natal chart, you will start to uncover:

• The planetary influence in your life
• The karmic past you didn't know you had
• and how celestial bodies can impact your patterns of behavior

With this renewed self-awareness, you can begin to understand what you need for a life of love, success, and prosperity.

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First off, let me state that I have a healthy respect for astrology.  I began to study it myself when I was a teen, and have charted for myself as well as others.  Therefore, I am always open to learning more, and I enjoy reading new publications that might give insight now and then.  Unfortunately, in this book, I did not find that.

While this book is great for telling people how things work -- the Sun, Moon, Aspects, etc.; and it explains them very well, I was torn because it gave some information that I found erroneous.  The sun signs that this book regards as ideal for relationships for myself are all wrong.  In fact, the sun sign that the author thinks will run from me I have been with for nearly 30 years, and married to for nearly twenty.  Explain that.  The ones he thinks I would work with?  Nope.  Those relationships never worked.  So you see, you cannot go by sun sign.  There are so many more considerations, which were never gone into.

However, again, this book does a good job of giving information regarding the explanation of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Aspects, Transitions, etc.; and that is information that you need to know.  I honestly just think that before you take all this information to heart you need to forget the last part of the book (that gives you compatibilities) and rather work with your own heart and head.  Don't live by the page.

This book just didn't show me anything I didn't already know, and while it is a fairly good reference book, I can't see using it myself; but it is an excellent place to start for others.

I received an advance copy of this book through Reading Deals and Amazon but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Behavioral-Astrology-Interpret-Relationships-Through/dp/B09NRRFVK8/ref

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4500334049 

More information on Charlie Emerson:    https://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Emerson/e/B09P5MWMNX/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

The Complete Guide to Astrological Self-Care (A Holistic Approach to Wellness for Every Sign in the Zodiac)

Author:    Stephanie Gailing

Genre:     Astrology/Self-Help

Softcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781577152347

Wellfleet Publishing

256 Pages

$20.72; $11.99 Amazon

April 27, 2021

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The Complete Guide to Astrological Self-Care features a modern-day approach to the ancient art of healing Astrology, providing you with a way to curate a wellness plan that mirrors your unique needs.  Discover numerous easy-to-incorporate holistic approaches, lifestyle tips, and recommendations for all twelve astrological signs, including:

Eating Tips, Health-Supporting Foods, Natural Remedies, Wellness Therapies, Sleep Tips, Yoga Poses, Essential Oils, Relaxation Practices, Flower Essences.

After exploring how to personalize your self-care regimen based upon your star chart, you'll then learn about:

• STELLAR LIFE STAGES: Find a road map to navigate your health and wellness needs from your twenties to your eighties.
• THE MOONS: Explore ways to align your well-being with the lunar cycle, including all twenty-four New and Full Moons.
• PLANETARY RETROGRADES: Reduce stress and bolster your vitality by understanding the opportunities offered by Mercury, Venus, and Mars Retrogrades.

Filled with strategies and inspirations for nurturing your body, mind, and soul, this beautifully illustrated and timeless resource brings the healing wisdom of the planets down to earth to optimize your physical health and emotional well-being.

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I have taken the time to read this book a couple of times, mainly because I found the content interesting; but I also wanted to see how it applied to my own life.  As a disclaimer, I have studied Astrology for several decades and dam pretty much aware of how it applies to my own life.

This book is pretty much spot-on with that.  It gives full information on each sign (ruling planet, modality, element, etc.) which might not be important to some, but I do think it is vital information to help one understand oneself better,  The book then goes on to personal health profile, areas of health focus, etc.  Then it focuses on the changes of the planets and how it affects you personally.

I will say that this is a guide, not a bible.  It doesn't mean that you have to follow it religiously; but it does give some very good information that one can put to use in your own life.  I, for one, am glad that I found this book and will be very happy to add it to my collection.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Astrological-Self-Care-Encyclopedia/dp/1577152344/ref=sr_1_2?dchild

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4123416943

More on Stephanie Gailing's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Gailing/e/B002BOHG2S/ref

Mindfulness Workbook for Stress Relief

Author:  April Snow, LMFT

Genre:   Self-Help

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781647398040

Rockridge Press

196 Pages

$13.79; $9.99 Amazon

December 8, 2020

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Mindfulness is a powerful and proven method for reducing stress and its negative health effects.  Mindfulness Workbook for Stress Relief shows you how to relieve tension and find calm using soothing, restorative techniques like meditation, non-judgment, self-inquiry, and mind-body awareness.

Featuring helpful exercises and simple meditations, this hands-on stress management workbook delivers a wide variety of effective mindfulness tools that you can add to your self-care toolbox, such as breath awareness, body scans, mindful walking, and more.

Practical & Actionable.  With a beginner-friendly focus, the book covers a spectrum of everyday situations and science-based solutions.

Evidence-Based Approach.  Explore engaging mindfulness-based stress reduction exercises that are proven to help relieve stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and sleep issues.

Situational Success.  Learn how to address stress triggers in many areas of daily life, such as relationships, work, and beyond.

Take a deep breath and begin your practice today with this evidence-based mindfulness workbook.

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I ordered this book because I have found myself living a life with heavy stress.  Without going into deep detail, let's just say that there was an operation with every complication imaginable that I am still recovering from; and once my doctor told my husband and myself that there was to be no stress of any kind in my life, I knew I had to find something to help me stay relaxed.

While I was skeptical, I found that the exercises in this book do truly help me.  I've practiced most of them, and found the simplest to work the best.  There are also mini-questionnaires that you can read and respond to, if you like.  While I've never been fond of questionnaires of any kind, the one that struck me was writing a journal without using judgmental words.  One finds out quickly how we judge things in our lives and even ourselves.  I have learned to tread softly in my life, to relax more, and to stay focused on just the day.  

While there is nothing such as a 'miracle cure' to anything, I believe that this book will help others to relax and let go of stress in their life.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Workbook-Stress-Relief-Non-Judgment/dp/1647398045/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3761791251

More on April Snow:  https://www.amazon.com/April-Snow-LMFT/e/B08MHV1NQQ/ref

What's Your Enneatype? (An Essential Guide to the Enneagram)

Author:  Liz Carver and Josh Green

Genre:   Self-Help

Trade Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781592339525

Fair Winds Press

176 Pages

$19.79; $18.80 Amazon

August 4, 2020

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Pronouned ebb-ee-uh-gram, stemming from the Greek words enna (nine) and grammes (a written symbol), the Enneagram is a centuries-old categorization tool that classifies human personalities into nine interconnected personality types.

In What's Your Enneatype? you'll learn -- through in-depth descriptions, illustrations, and more -- how to assess how you think, feel, and experience life so that you can correctly identify which of the nine types you are.

Authors Liz Carver and Josh Green, creators of the hugely popular Instragram account @justmyenneatype, help you discover how knowing your type -- and the types of those around you -- can affect your daily life, your decisions, and your relationships.  You can then use this wisdom to live life with more clarity, peace, and insight.

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I found this book interesting in that it gives a comprehensive view of all nine Enneatypes.  But, unfortunately, it doesn't give you any information on how to discover which type you are.  Instead, the authors want you to read all nine types and then choose the closest to your personality.

This I found was a disservice to others.  I, myself, chose to go onto the Internet and take the tests that are offered there to get this done quickly, and therefore discover what I already knew about myself.  I say that because not everyone wants to read an entire book and then go back and state 'hey, I should have stopped at one!' because out of curiosity you will read the entire book and then realize that, only frustrating yourself.

I get that the authors wanted you to read the entire book - after all, isn't that why it was written in the first place? - but honestly, I would have preferred those little 'tests' thrown in at the beginning to make things easier.  However, I will say that in reading my 'number,' several of the things written were right on the mark; but others not quite so much.  Or maybe I've just adjusted through the years and done what I've needed to, to get where I am.  Who can say?  (I did think it was fascinating to find that the color chosen for my type is actually my favorite color, so there's that...)

In the end, this is a neat little book that I found fun to read and actually had some thought-provoking information that was worth the read.  As such, I would recommend this book to others.

https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Enneatype-Essential-Guide-Enneagram/dp/1592339522/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3647999564

The 20/20 Diet: Turn Your Weight Loss Vision Into Reality

Author:  Phillip C. McGraw
Genre:  Self-Help

Hardcover; E-book; Audiobook
ISBN #:  9781939457318
Bird Street Books
338 Pages
$17.68; $9.99 Amazon; Audible
January 6, 2015

Two Stars

In The 20/20 Diet, Dr. Phil McGraw identifies seven reasons other diets fail people over and over again:  hunger, cravings, feeling of restriction, impracticality and expense, boredom, temptations, and disappointing results or plateaus.  Then, he addresses each of these roadblocks by applying the latest research and theories that have emerged since his last best seller on the same topic, The Ultimate Weight Solution.  Dr. Phil and his team have created a plan that you can start following right now and continue working for the rest of your life.  In this diet, readers will start by eating only 20 key ingredients, called the "20/20 foods," which theories indicate may help enhance your body's thermogenesis and help you feel full.  But that's just the beginning.  This book explains why you haven't been able to lose the weight before, and empowers you with cognitive, behavioral, environmental, social and nutritional tools so you can finally reach your goal, and learn lifelong healthy habits to maintain those results.

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In 'theory' as is stated in the blurb, this diet should work; but theory isn't fact.  And, to be truthful, it probably does for some people.  But in order for it to work you have to be able to like the food you're eating.  Although Dr. Phil stresses that you can live with eating certain foods for five days at a time; not necessarily.  I don't eat prunes, hummus, coconut oil, mustard, or any number of foods he mentions (fish and eggs are an exception, but even I couldn't eat them straight for five days).  If you're making faces every time you put anything in your mouth, you're doing it wrong.  Eating only salads and smoothies for ten days?  That's a bit much, in my opinion.  And if you eat out, you should make your own dressing and bring your own salad toppings.  Really?  Go to eat at a nice restaurant and then order a $10 bowl of lettuce, pull out your own toppings to add?  Classy.  Yes, eating salads and drinking smoothies will help you lose weight.  But what is the point if all you're eating is lettuce every single day? Unfortunately, the book tells you nothing new - just don't eat bread, pasta, sugar, fried foods - the same as every other diet book; and to exercise.  I just don't feel there is anything new given in this book.

I think nearly everyone knows that you need to eat right and exercise to lose weight.  You need to drink water.  But if you want people to lose weight, you also have to give them appetizing foods to eat, and unfortunately, you won't find it in this book.

http://www.amazon.com/20-Diet-Weight-Vision-Reality/dp/1939457319/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1469736328