So, would you like to know what I'm reading?!!

My mini stack at the moment consists of three books - Jack Kornfield's 'A Path With Heart', and 'The Art of Frugal Hedonism' by Annie Raiser-Rowland and Adam Grubb.

The Art of Frugal Hedonism

I bought this listening to a interview on ABC Radio National here in Australia, mainly as Annie sounds like one amazing chic. You can listen to it here: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/frugalistas/8124376 and I highly recommend you do! She talks about her crazy frugal hedonistic childhood and chasing volcanoes, and getting married at Melbourne Town Hall in a homemade bear suit.

I love the way she begins by talking about RELISHING. It goes right to the heart of mindfulness and attentiveness really - that we can spend so much time acculumating wealth and worrying about STUFF that we forget that we have many of life's greatest pleasures right here and now:

We humans are ripe with nerve endings. Why waste them? Your author Annie remembers being a kid running around the bulk foods store with her best friend, plunging arms into the giant bins of dry beans and rating the different varieties for how fun they were for arm-plunging. She seems to recall that kidney beans won, and while it is possible that you might be asked to take your business elsewhere if you try this as an adult, it does serve to illustrate how thickly strewn our daily lives are with sensual delights just begging to be noticed.

The problem is, she postulates, is finding the sweet spot between working enough to meet our needs, and working too much to enjoy life's wonderful pleasures, like drinking wine in the park in the sunshine with your best friend, watching a sunset or other things that don't cost a lot of money, but are worth so much for our lives. Whilst I do many of the things she suggests anyway, I really like her philosophical approach, good humour and fun tips. It's a really sweet book and I'm going to pass it on to my son's girlfriend who's always trying to find ways to save. You can find her book and review chapters here

Jack Kornfield: A Path with Heart

The yoga studio I frequent in Torquay, Yoke Yoga, is a place of heart, and in fact that's their thing: 'Yoke of the Heart'. Yogic philosophy often talks about that unity of breath, mind and spirit or heart that brings joy and contentment to our lives, and maybe even a bit of bliss and connection to the divine. There's such a gorgeous community there and, upon talking about books, I suggested that we start a book lending library (I'm even pushing book stuff out in the real world!). We bring some books in for others to borrow, and can take things home. I feel a little guilty for having this one for so long, but I tell you what, my Ayurvedic book has gone to about ten people with no sign of being returned soon!

Jack Kornfield is well known for teaching meditation. He was trained as a Buddhist monk and has been teaching since 1974, bringing Buddhism and mindfulness practice to the West. His books are really accessible and full of relatable metaphors about vipassana (insight) meditation and mindfulness practice. It's the kind of book I like to dip into to remind myself to stay on the dhamma path. You can listen to his wisdoms on podcasts and talks here. I love dipping in - it just calms me down even reading it.

Have you ever started a lending library? I highly recommend it.

Welcome to Lagos: Chibundu Onuzo

I love Nigerian fiction - there's something about the subject matter and the writing style that really appeals to me, so I'll generally pick it up when I can. I loved Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun. I haven't read a fiction book in a while, but this came via my Dad, and if Dad says read it, I generally do as I'm told. I'm really enjoying it so far, but haven't read far enough to give it a review. Here's a blurb:

Five ill-assorted characters find themselves travelling together – mainly for safety – towards the capital, where they hope to make various kinds of new start. They are a deserting army officer, his like-minded subaltern, a traumatised 16-year-old girl, a beautiful housewife on the run from her husband, and a cocky rebel fighter who dreams of becoming a DJ. On arrival in the city they stick together and attempt to resist the corruption of politicians and government officials, with the help of a sympathetic newspaperman.

Well, that's my stack. I probably should knuckle down to reading it, instead of just steeming about it!

Really looking forward to seeing what books you have sunk yourselves into!