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The Mystical Qigong Handbook For Good Health
![The Mystical Qigong Handbook For Good Health by [Ashby, Glenville]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/518SRXEOo9L.jpg)
The Mystical Qigong Handbook for Good Health by Glenville Ashby goes into detail about how more people are turning to the East instead of focusing on pharmaceutical solutions that are pushed forward by the West. It focuses on the benefits of Qigong which is a holistic solution that focuses on coordinated body posture, movement and focused breathing. There are 12 benefits to Qigong if it is done properly and can meet many of today’s health challenges. It also has step by step pictures demonstrating how to properly do the movements of Qigong, which is helpful for people who aren’t sure how to do the movements.
I really liked this book as it gave an in depth and thorough look at a method I haven’t heard of before. Although the recommendation is to read the whole book thoroughly before attempting the exercise routine at the end, I felt like I had to give it a go. I’m not entirely sure that I did it right, but visualizing some of the aspects that are mentioned within the book gave me a sense of calm that I didn’t have before.
It was also nice to read a book that covered a variety of questions about Qigong. While reading about it, I initially thought that it sounded a bit like Tai Chi. However, the author has clearly realized that this is a similar train of thought for most people and covers this in the chapter ‘Qigong and Tai Chi Chaun: What’s the difference?’.
The style of this book is informative but casual. While reading this book, it feels more like you’re talking to a friend that’s very passionate about Qigong and has a lot of knowledge on it instead of reading a rigid textbook. I found it very easy to read due to a personal preference for this style of writing.
I also enjoyed the pictures of how to perform the fluid movements that are associated with Qigong. These diagrams made it easy for me to attempt to copy the movements and it helps that there are also written instructions.
One thing that I didn’t like about the book was that it implied a certain amount of knowledge about Qigong. As a beginner looking to expand my knowledge about Eastern health concepts, the book keeps mentioning Qigong but doesn’t explain what it is until the tenth chapter. As this book is about Eastern health concepts, people who aren’t open to expanding their minds about a different concept will not enjoy this book as it goes into astral travel and the third eye.
I enjoyed reading this book. I felt that I’ve expanded my view of the world and learned some helpful skills to deal with life’s stresses.
Pages: 100 | ASIN: B0722JVGNN
A Tangled Web
Set against the backdrop of one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent history, A Tangled Web by ML Sparrow tells a tale of teenage angst and romance. A girl abandoned by her parents and twin brothers wrapped up in their emotions weave this tale of romance, betrayal and heartache. Hayashi Taiyo has lived with her grandmother since the death of her mother. She has grown up with twins Kita Ryuu and Kairi in the quiet little town they live in. Things start off soft and slow as we learn about their everyday lives. As with most teenagers, growing emotions and endless confusion seek to disrupt the delicate balance between the three. Two brothers who are as opposite as fire and ice and the girl caught between them. However a tsunami is coming and it will upend their lives in ways they couldn’t imagine.
This novella is just the right length. The relationships between the three who are caught up in the love triangle are delicately portrayed. There is just enough backstory to understand the past of the characters and their mindsets without feeling as though something is missing. The risk a lot of novella’s run is that there is not enough explanation. Sparrow crafts the tale in such a way that the small page count doesn’t detract from the story itself.
By using the romaji forms of several Japanese words in the story the reader can feel much more like they are experiencing every day life in Japan. There is a handy glossary at the back of the book but the sentences they are used in and the way Sparrow writes makes it easy to understand what the words are meant to mean. This saves the reader from having to flip to the end of the novella while reading.
The tsunami in Japan in March of 2011 was devastating. A force of nature that could not be stopped devoured lives and homes without regard. Sparrow indicates at the beginning of the novella which books they read to better understand what happened. By listing them out it allows the reader to continue investigating the event on their own time. This novella is a work of fiction and whether or not Taiyo and her twin friends Ryuu and Kairi actually exist is unknown. What is true is that there are people who lived through the tsunami just like our three protagonists did.
A Tangled Web because is a story about three young people who are trying to navigate the transition from childhood to adulthood. It’s a delicate journey and the severity of the tsunami serves to illuminate the fact that life will go on. The tsunami is like the tumultuous relationship between the three. It attempts to tear them apart, to drown them, and it will change them forever. It’s a lovely read for those who are interested in a coming of age story with a touch of reality.
Pages: 89 | ASIN: B01MRU67AN
LITERARY TITAN 