Name: Emotional Alchemy
ISBN: 9780609809037

Tara Bennett-Goleman

Blends traditional Buddhist teachings with psychology and cognitive neurology into a practical program designed to help conquer self-defeating impulses and negative emotional patterns.

How the Mind Can Heal the Heart

Emotional Alchemy

Sarah Schumacher

3.5 stars. There’s some really good material in here, but it’s just too disorganized. It feels incredibly long because it feels repetitive, disjointed, hard to follow? Some sections are just brilliant, and there are many areas worth underlining, but I can’t figure out how this is supposed to be organized or what kind of solid takeaways you might have after finally hitting page 396.

The most valuable areas were those that discussed schemas, and I have a feeling I’d rather read the book by the originator of those ideas, which she references in the back (Reinventing Your Life by Jeffrey Young).

Many Buddhist schools of thought are referenced, but not in enough detail for this to be a good read if that’s where your interest lies.

The closest thing there is to a theme is how mindfulness helps you see the source of reactions, which is already going to be understood by the people most likely to pick this book up. Did I learn things? Absolutely. But I would recommend other books depending on your specific area of interest.

Emotional Alchemy How the Mind Can Heal the Heart

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