Book Review: High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment

I interviewed the very lovely author,  Alice Grist a little while back.
 She read my cards. 
I bought her book.


 I read it like a maniac (ie - while changing nappies, driving, cooking dinner) and I just HAD to write a review for you modern girls so you too can have your fix of spirituality! 

The High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment, as I forsee, will be on the best sellers lists over here.

Seriously.

I don't just say these things because Alice was kind enough to be interviewed by me and read my cards.

That is just the kind of girl she is. Down to Earth as well as a little beyond our Earth......

 You know when you just know that a  writer has the X Factor and is going to go places?

She has it.

In spades.

She is thoroughly modern, a little bit rock chick, with tons of sass and oh so importantly, she has an excellent sense of humour - AND she is totally jiggy with all things other worldly!

What more do you want from a writer?

In her book, Alice takes the modern girl through all realms of spirituality from Buddhism to Kabbalah.

She writes it in a genius, definitely enlightened way that  makes it accessable and applicable to the every day girl.

It is not a kooky or wacky book that you feel should be reserved for those who live in communes, rather it explains, from her real life experimentation - which elements of different spiritual beliefs  are worth adding to your life and why. She finds elements in each that are worth a crack!

Very, very  thought provoking.

 I have already taken onboard  a lot of the things that resonated with me.

 I could not review this more honestly than to cut and paste the email I sent to Alice when I completed her book :


"I LOVE IT I LOVE IT like I knew i would from the very first friend request i received on she-writes....Alice!


I have finally finished the book.


 A hard slog at times in between mothering duties, blogging and general domestic goddess-ness....

and I just want to congratulate you on a truly truly inspiring piece of work.

Although I have never met you, I could truly hear your voice through your writing (though am not sure if you have an american or english accent or combined ??) and it really did feel as though it was told from friend to friend - which truly achieves the goal of being incredibly inspiring - and genuine.

You could read any old book about buddhism or tarot cards, but when you are reading it and it feels like you are writing an email direct to me as your mate, to tell me the ins and outs.
 It adds a whole lot of intergrity (and genius) to the matter.

Since reading your book I have started paying closer attention to a lot of things I might not have paid attention to before. 

t has really opened up a world to me, a world to me that I have already been aware of but kind've ignored or suppressed a bit because of the desire to fit in with those around me. 

I am sure I am not alone in this and you will reach out and speak to the high heeled lovin' gal who is seeking something a little richer in life than $500 shoes...


It is the book I wish I had've thought of to write, but alas - you have the know-how and it could only be from you.
You have a great talent and thanks for using it to the advantage of the sisterhood!!!"


Please, take my word for it- I am passionate about this book!

Do yourselves a favour and get enlightened!

You can purchase it via Booktopia 


I love this gal's writing and style so much I have invited her to Guest Post and be a regular contributor to my upcoming website. More of Alice to come.


If you do get the book, please let me know what you think! 

Hierophant in Heels : My tarot reading

Hierophant:

any interpreter of sacred mysteries or esoteric principles

A little while back I interviewed Alice Grist, Author of the book taking the UK by storm ( I predict Australia is next... ) the High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment .

As a cheeky side note after the interview I joked that she could read my tarot cards.

And bless her, she did!

In her reading, Alice covered my past, my present and my future.

Alice is in England - so she shuffled the cards while thinking of me and the cards and the insights that she produced were very interesting!

I will now share with you some of the highlights - what she said and how it relates to current situation.

You have found your ideal future and now just need to adapt things to make it happen -

I have and yes I am trying

Trust in your intuition

I do, I do and more all the time

You will move away from negative feelings and fears and will embrace your inner strength and talents

This is true - negative stuff that used to bother me and concerns about what others think in particular - have left the building -- and they used to rule the roost!!

I am now so focused on what makes me tick that there is no room for the negative stuff.

A person who represents a spiritual advisor / guru will enter your life

OOOH I joked that maybe this was Alice - the card that indicated this is called the Hierophant (pictured) and I think that Alice could be my Hierophant in a pair of heels - !

She plucked out the King of Pentacles which revealed things about Cowboy.

She said "he is a key person in your life - reliable and supportive - a stable force and very practical - whether you realise it or not he is a rock for you."

Not a truer word typed.

Cowboy is certainly all that - and I feel will continue to be.

She predicted I will live in traditional ways but will also find the time and space to be true to my spiritual self

This is a massive challenge for me - I have a side of me that is definitely attracted to all things spiritual (hope that doesn't sound wanky - I have a hard time explaining this one - but I have a definite gravitation towards certain ideas / ways of living.. which is why I can't wait to read Alice's book)

and because I have this nagging side to me - I worry about how I can raise Monte with my 'ideas' when my family are more traditional.

This indicates best of both worlds so makes me happy.

Number of choices and opportunities coming my way

Excellent Smithers

The world is opening up to me quickly

Likin' that pace, likin' that pace

Embrace this energy and take swift action

I am!

Things will develop quickly

Good because patience ain't no virtue of mine

Competition and minor setbacks

oh well, to be expected I guess

Period of being unsettled....

hmmmm comes with the territory??

Internal struggles partner, child and work

oh no hope its not too bad...

This situation will give you a taste of your abilities ambition and own strength!

Oh I hope I like the taste!

Things will smooth themselves out - natural side effect of change

phew!

Outcome and future --

You will emerge victorious, ambitious and a force to be reckoned with. You will be charging forth into your future with great courage, compassion and confidence!

Brilliant! I am charging towards my future in this way already.

Thanks Alice for your reading.... it made sense to me - greatly - I will let you know if life unravels along these lines.

To receive your own reading from my High Heeled Hierophant (aka Alice Grist) you can visit her here

Oh and I am anxiously awaiting my copy of her book that I ordered through Booktopia.... I will review it here when I am done

What do you make of tarot readings and psychics? Have you had an accurate reading before? What did it predict?

Praise be to Blog

I am in a strange and wonderful place at the moment.

I have this inner sense of calm that I am where I need to be within myself.

God it's a good feeling!

I am running on intuition and it seems I keep meeting the right people at the right time.

It is hard to explain.

I find when I go with my 'feeling' rather than my head I get to where I need to be quicker.

I'm not sure how I am doing it - but I like it.

I just feel blessed to have met so many wonderful people.

No, they aren't in this one horse town (though yes there are some nice people here) - they are the people reading this.

YOU.

Honestly - the people I have met since becoming a blogger and joining writing networks such as She Writes and Blogher and Blog This- is incredible.

I really hope one day to meet many of you in person.

That would be excellent.

Today Alice Grist who I interviewed here (then cheekily hinted at a tarot reading) came to the party and I received a personalised reading from her.

This was a great honor particularly as I am still yet to get my hands on her book - the High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment.

Would you buy it for me for Christmas please?

I will post about my reading from her soon - but this post is about the wonderful 'stuff' and people that is happening and I am meeting.

The other thing is I have become a contributor (but haven't contributed yet) on a blog called Writers Rising, this was founded by a very inspirational lady - Katherine Jenkins who is the author of the site Lessons from the Monk I married.

It is a site for writers to share their work in a supportive atmosphere.

Let me know if you are interested in joining the ranks!

I am so inspired by Nikki a) because she lives in New Zealand and it looks beautiful (and now the Cowboy and I are seriously considering moving there) and b) because she is going to India.

I have ALWAYS wanted to go to India.

ALWAYS

I love the book Holy Cow by Sarah McDonald and I am a new recruit to the blog Lost and Found in India IN SPITE of the fact the author Braja is too busy to be interviewed on my chronicles :-)

I have a friend that OWNS a holiday cottage in GOA - how cool is that? I keep telling her one day, oh yes one day - when I feel confident enough to take Monte to the hectic charms of India - we will stay there.

Oh and Sarah Wilson - popular columnist, tv identity and social commentator has agreed to an interview for my blog - as in Women who do what they love.

I am stoked.... that is coming up soon

There has been heaps of other stuff inspiring me lately.... I can't think of it all now...

But honestly - thank-you because it has been the blogging that has sparked off this sense of contentment and almost.. enlightenment (??!!) in me!

Yes I feel enlightened ( a little)

Praise be to Blog!!!

Grist Almighty! Inspirational new author interview

I am so excited to have met another woman who does what she loves.

Alice Grist.

She has just had her first book "The High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment" published and it really strikes a chord with me and I haven't even READ IT YET!

"In the modern age of high speed, high tech, high maintenance, Alice Grist brings us the warm and witty book, The High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment for women who are looking to connect to something other than their internet provider and gain an understanding of alternative spirituality.

This book provides spirituality for the sexy socialite, enlightenment for the lipgloss dependent and a crash course in serenity for the yummy mummy!

Veering between the wildly faddish and fashionable to the freakier and less familiar, the High Heeled Guide sheds a pink and intelligent spotlight upon a diverse collection of spiritual options that well suit the modern woman.

An intriguing, informative and hilarious read for any woman who knows deep in her worn down sole that there is more to life than cars, careers, kids and cocktails."

Alice's book is receiving much hype in the UK and I have no doubt this trend will continue internationally.

Here is my interview with Alice:

Tell me about yourself and why you wrote this book.

I was born the daughter of a vicar in Manchester UK.

My parents divorced and my mum moved in with her first gay partner.

My dad became a Wiccan.

I grew up with feminist leanings coming from both parents.

I studied Women’s studies at university.

Following uni my heart was broken by my first love and I moved far away from home.

I met my husband to be and ventured into a rock and roll kinda life, much, much fun, for many, many years!

I experimented with several versions of myself and then writing re-found me.

Writing teamed up with my personal spiritual interest and the book was conceived.

Since then I got married, bought chickens and continue to tap away at my keyboard!

I wrote the book because I had been unhappy, I had entirely lost track of who I was, who I wanted to be and what I wanted out of life.

I returned to my spiritual roots via Reiki and Buddhism.

I soon realized how hugely beneficial these things were to me.

It seemed suddenly natural to write a blog, the blog became an idea for a book within about 5 minutes!

I then continued my personal spiritual path, experimenting with a great number of spiritualities, healing techniques and divination and writing it all up in a fun, humorous and accessible way.

I wrote the book for me and as a tool to share all I have learned.

I believe spirituality can transform your life for the better, and I felt that was something young, modern women needed to know.

What challenges did you strike along the way towards having your book published?

Working full time whilst writing the book was a challenge, as well as trying to not become a recluse.

I think I went missing in action for a good few months!

However I needed to do that to get the book done, I’m glad I did.

What are your greatest joys from doing what you love?

The transformation in my own self has given me a lot of joy.

I was not happy prior to writing the book and setting off on my spiritual path, now I feel grateful and joyous most days.

I love the adventure of it also and the education that comes as part and parcel of research.

I love being a student of this great, crazy, spiritual universe!

What inspires you?

Nature is a big inspiration, it is so healing, peaceful and energizing.

Whether I am digging holes in the garden or taking a walk in the hills I always find nature reinvigorates me and gives me fresh ideas to work with.

Also other people’s devotion and commitment to their work is inspirational.

My mother was an inspiration in this respect, and my husband too.

My husband’s devotion to his music has given me a tremendous example of somebody working hard at what they love and continually doing so because it is part of their soul.

He certainly inspired me to find that quality in myself.

What was the turning point for you from writer to published author?

Any tips for the aspiring author?

It all happened so quickly.

I was at work when I found out that my book would be published.

I had only been writing the book for a few months and despite that I was not surprised.

I had complete conviction in the fact my book would be published since I had the idea of the book in the first place.

I was very lucky that this was the case, and I followed this up by continual positive thinking.

My advice to aspiring authors is to write what you believe, do so with passion, enjoy it and believe in yourself.

Can you be into clothes and fashion and 'stuff' and still be spiritual?

I don't believe that fashion and spirituality are mutually exclusive.

We live in a world that worships at the alter of consumerism, and to be spiritual you may have to question that and how it impacts on you, your ego and your general existence.

However I of course also realize we live on a modern planet and as human beings our nature is to pimp and preen.

I see no harm in that, we cannot all be Buddhist monks after all!

Spirituality can change your attitude to fashion, but it does not mean you have to be unfashionable!

Not by a long shot!

What advice would you give to a mother raising a child today?

One of the biggest keys for any woman who wants to be spiritual is the ability to know herself. Particularly to know herself very deeply so that she is in touch with her intuition and her essential higher self.

I imagine that having a child can be a big distraction to that because all of a sudden you have a little person who is wholly dependent upon you.

I would guess that under these circumstances it becomes easy to lose touch with yourself.

As such I believe it is important for any mother to keep in contact with her soul, for her own sake and for the sake of her young family.

Five minutes brief meditation a day would help her to remain clear and to listen to the little voice inside herself as opposed to all the little voices external to herself shouting ‘Mummy’!

What is next for you?

I’m writing a second book and exploring opportunities as they arise. It’s an exciting time!

How does it FEEL now you have your book out there for the world?

Was it everything you thought it would be?

It’s incredible. I never thought I would have written and published a book by the time I was 30. I still potter about in my day-to-day life and occasionally something will happen that reminds me of that achievement and the breath catches in my throat!

and lastly....

easy one

What is the meaning of life?

I actually answer this a little bit in the final chapter of my book, so I’m not going to give that one away!

However, one aspect of the meaning of life is to learn.

We are all here to learn our individual lessons.

Forgiveness, love, compassion and kindness are some of the key curriculum!

Thanks Alice - I like your philosophies and attitude and can't wait to read your fascinating book!

Any chance of a tarot reading to reveal if I am going to be a published author like you one day :=)