Awakening from Grief: Finding the Way Back to Joy [Paperback]

John E. Welshons (Author), Dr. Wayne Dyer (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2003

In this remarkable book, John Welshons weaves together his own personal awakening with those of others he’s counseled to create a deeply felt and beautifully expressed primer on dealing with grief. Grieving, says Welshons, offers a unique opportunity to develop deeper and fuller life experiences, to embrace pain in order to open the heart to joy. Written for those who have experienced any kind of loss — death, divorce, or disappointment — this book offers reasonable, reassuring thinking on dealing with the death of loved ones and ourselves, finding the inner gifts that promote healing, and much more. Awakening from Grief takes a rare and compelling positive look at a subject needlessly viewed as one of the most negative in life. This is a persuasive primer on drawing the joy out of grief.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A must read for the soul....If you are grieving, this book will comfort you. If not, it will prepare you for that which is not small stuff."
— Richard Carlson, PhD, author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

"Beautifully written!...This book is exactly what you need to heal your aching heart."
— Wayne Dyer, author of 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace

"Everyone experiences grief. John Welshons has insights that will get you through your pain and mend your broken heart."
— Mark Victor Hansen, cocreator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series

"Outstanding!...Very moving...John's heart, his years of experience, and his expertise show through clearly on every page of this excellent book!"
— Stephen and Ondrea Levine, authors of Who Dies and A Year to Live

"[Welshons'] clear, direct style will hook readers. Highly recommended."
— Library Journal

About the Author

JOHN E. WELSHONS is a gifted counselor and teacher who for more than twenty-five years has been helping people to deal with dramatic life change and loss. His graduate work in "History of Religions" was done at Florida State University. He has worked extensively with Ram Dass, Stephen Levine, Mark Victor Hansen (co-creator, Chicken Soup for the Soul), and has studied with Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. He is the Founder and President of Open Heart Seminars, and has a wide range of business and teaching experience. He is a frequent lecturer to businesses, churches, hospitals, hospices, colleges, and universities throughout the U.S. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: New World Library; 2 Sub edition (August 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930722184
• ISBN-13: 978-1930722187
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #118,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Gift, January 3, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Awakening from Grief: Finding the Road Back to Joy (Paperback)

Awakening From Grief is wonderfully different from other books on this subject. It allows you to rediscover and embrace the memory of someone who has died rather than forcing you to "get over" the loss. As it turns out, the cure is not trying to forget, but encouraging you to remember, to allow yourself to feel the joy the person who has died brought you and still brings you.

John Welshons manages to pull this off not by resorting to Hallmark platitudes, religious quick fixes, or amateur psychology...but by simply telling his own story in a very compelling way.

I've now given this book several times to friends who have lost someone. The last person I gave it to (who lost a teenage son) told me it was the most wonderful gift she's ever received.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A diamond of a book, December 29, 2000

By 

Lorraine Ash (Allendale, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Awakening from Grief: Finding the Road Back to Joy (Paperback)

In my house I have a box in which I reverentially keep those few precious writings and items that most help me heal from the death of my daughter last year. "Awakening From Grief" is in that box. Believe me, I've read a whole lot of grief books and this is one of the best.

John Welshons has a genius for blending life experience and philosophy into a provocative healing balm for the soul. You can feel him reach out from the pages. "Awakening from Grief" helped me unite my emotions and thoughts so that they worked together to form a new outlook on the situation.

The book works as memoir as well as grief companion. Welshons shares touching stories from his own life that let readers know he has lived on the emotional landscapes about which he writes.

His writing voice is assuring, conversational, honest and caring.

This book will make you weep but when you finish it I believe you will find, as I did, that you walk more peacefully and happily in the world. You will feel, and be aware of, how your grief has deepened you.

If this book were a gem, it'd be a diamond.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ONE Book I recommend to Anyone and Everyone, November 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Awakening from Grief: Finding the Road Back to Joy (Paperback)

Yesterday, I snuggled up in a blanket on my couch and read AWAKENING FROM GRIEF. I can't begin to tell you how the words moved me. Until now, I have felt like most of the material I have read about grieving has been a band-aid; a small protective device to keep out harmful germs. After reading AWAKENING FROM GRIEF I feel as though my heart has been covered in a sterile bandage...coated with healing balm to speed the healing process...and healed within a matter of days. My heart has been hurting for years, so I knew it wasn't healed before. Now it is feeling young, and loved, and happy again. I feel truly alive for the first time in a long time! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!