My talisman

The new book that I ordered for use as a study guide, of the Book of Mormon, arrived and I sent it back!  I was so excited to get it but it was not what I expected and wasn't of interest to me.  The real kicker was the fact that several of the pages were double printed...possible to read if you were determined but not worth the effort.  I hope my copy was the only flukey one with the double print as I feel for the publisher and all concerned.  It was a $32 book so that is a big investment book-wise.

Books...yesterday the book by the Buddhist Monk, Haemin Sunim arrived.  It was first published hardback in 2016 in Korea and then USA in 2018.  Now, 2020, paperback !  Why did I order it?  Well, as everyone on the planet seems to be in self-improvement mode...I am one also!  

I shared awhile back that I was going to try new things and not drag out my old bedraggled list of must-do's, that somehow or other, seemed to never become a reality.  I decided to try new things.  I enrolled in several things and a couple I've already done and discarded.  One I didn't finish as it ended up way out of my comfort zone...tapping.  The other was chair yoga, for 21 days, I did it but got nothing out of it.  I was like a seated pretzel...trying to look at the screen and watch the gal, who talked non-stop and wasn't doing the pose that she thought I was doing.  She had another woman there and one would be on the floor and one on the chair.  Oh, never mind my yak-yak.  It just didn't work.  I'll try something similar...someday.
I have one that I signed up for 7-weeks ago...one thought a day for an entire year.  It deals with moving ahead with getting rid of excess baggage...tangible or mind-wise.  I really like it as it does make me think about how I deal with situations.  I have a couple of others that I really like.  My favorite is the 16 week course changing food habits, cooking, and eating whole foods.  I'm just getting into that one.  It's great!

I ordered the Monk book because I realize that being a co-dependent personalty, in many ways my self-love is at times minimal or even invisible and I need to place more personal private value on myself.  The book is about self-love...Love for Imperfect Things.  I'm aiming at self-care and this is a part of the deed!

The book I'm most excited about that will be here soon, maybe today!, is written by an LDS woman, entitled...The Priesthood Power of Women:in the Temple, Church and Family by Barbara Morgan Gardner.  I saw her on You-tube and I liked how she does no speculation on the 84th Section of the D&C and is very strict to not make assumptions about women and Priesthood.  I identified with her on so many counts.  I feel I did go through that 84th Section and I did enjoy it but I really have the desire to understand more and she seems like a great choice to read her findings and inspiration.  I wish I had a woman, or a few!, to also read it and talk about it together.  I want to finish it by April Conference.

May as well wrap this up with Talisman.  It seems if you do something not in the usual mode of doing things that suddenly you receive e-mails of FB ads and that tapping class brought an article on Talisman to me.  I think of objects and clear back to high school when boys had a dangling rabbit foot key chain for their car keys!  Gross!  So a talisman can pretty much be anything you want.  Even words, of your choice, written down that inspire or encourage you or make you have brave confidence.

Here is a paragraph  from the email....  

Almost any object can be transformed into a talisman of protection, good fortune, health, love, or serenity. It may be strung on a cord and hung around the neck, worn on a belt, or carried in a purse or pocket. But the physical properties of the talisman are not as important as the intention of its bearer. If you are grounded in your desires, your talisman will give you a focal point that you can concentrate on to affirm your intention and help you achieve your goals. 

The gospel and all that it entails is the best talisman ever for me!  Above and beyond anything else in my life!!  Love it!!