Customer Reviews

Finding the Deep River Within: A Woman's Guide to Recovering Balance and Meaning in Everyday Life

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Amidst the clamor of self help books, take a quiet moment to reach out and choose Abby Seixas' new book, "Finding the Deep River Within: A Woman's Guide to Recovering Balance and Meaning in Everyday Life."
This jewel of a book is not another guide on how to become more organized; to "pack more into already overbusy schedules," nor is it a solely spiritual guide to meditation and slowing down. In a personal, accessible style, Abby takes on the plight of real women in 2006, who hunger for something not yet named, perhaps....the sacred in daily living.
She starts with guidance to identify and begin to tackle the external blocks to living more mindfully , providing good solid tools. Then, she takes us inside to explore the blocking beliefs there, giving gentle guidance and practical advice along the way. Finally, she addresses (in a way that draws one in) the larger implicatons of this culturally radical shift in relation to self.
Abby fills in the space between most self help books of our time. As a therapist and busy woman, I can say this is a must read for all women struggling with balance and meaning, today.

For people like me, who move at too constant and rapid a pace, a book like this needs to send a understandable and concise message. It also needs to be well-organized and formatted for easy usage. I found all this to be true about *Finding the Deep River Within.* In a clear and concise format, this book gave me great tools for slowing down and finding my way back from all the busyness, to ME! I also found the quotes particularly helpful. The author found beautiful and inspiring passages from widespread sources, which will continue to inform me for years. I plan to copy several of them, and keep them in my day planner for a "Deep River boost" when the pace of life gets the better of me.

The six practices Abby Seixas describes in Finding the Deep River Within contain sound psycho-spiritual skills that bring me home to myself and provide excellent guidance for my clients. The great value of this book is that Seixas has laid out these essential skills in a coherent, well-organized way that's easy to understand and inviting to use. Her writing is direct and intimate, and her message is desperately needed to create balance in our demanding world. Valuable wisdom for enriching one's life, and a treasure to give to your women friends.
Jean Guenther, Psychotherapist, Burlington, VT

Since my teens, I'd been a striver, a perfectionist, and a self-improvement project - constantly working to fix my flaws.

When I stumbled across Finding the Deep River Within 3 years ago, I was a homeschooling mother of 4 children, including an infant, and was working in two businesses - my husband's and my own. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and in despair over making the pieces of my life work.

My typical approach to overwhelm was getting myself more "together" or getting more organized. Reading Finding the Deep River Within was something entirely different, and quite radical. Abby Seixas' six pathways are a marked contrast to many of the messages that we receive from our culture - and from other self-help guides.

This warm, nurturing book was like sitting down and talking with a wise older sister or aunt. Instead of trying to change myself to be more productive, Abby Seixas encouraged me to examine the beliefs that kept me pushing myself so hard.

It's now been 3 years since I read this book and learned about the practices of the deep river. In applying these principles to my life, this is what I've gained, and how my life has changed:

Over time, I have slowly, gently, and powerfully shifted the painful, striving, perfectionist approach I had long carried towards myself.

I no longer feel so afraid of my feelings. I can sit with difficult feelings without running to food, my favorite avoidance tactic.

I have greater discernment about what's important. I can hear my inner voice with more clarity. I've been able to soften the anxious feeling of "I'm not doing enough" that pervaded every area of my life.

I feel more centered because I've created an internal sanctuary, a place of refuge that I was constantly seeking outside of myself.

I recently moved, and weeded out many of my books to uncover the true gems. This was one of about 12 (out of hundreds of books!) that I kept. It's I book I want to share with every woman I know, a gift to the overworked soul of womanhood.

I'm a psychotherapist and I received an early copy of this book and shared some of its material with my female clients. They found it very helpful and several intended to order copies for themselves. As I read selected portions aloud, they basically said, "yes, that's how I feel" and the suggestions for action and change of orientation seemed to resonate, as well.

I am a major fan of the hardcover edition of this book and plan to order paperbacks as gifts for my friends. Author, Abby Seixas, tackles the subject crucial to all of us living in this culture of rush: how to slow down and live more effectively, enjoyably, and unselfishly. She provides practical tools on how to quiet your racing thoughts, live in the moment, and realize the life you were meant to live. Too often, we are slaves to unnecessary stress which limits the lives we were meant to lead. This book will help you not only to stop and smell the roses but to feed and nurture the whole garden that is your life. The price and the time you will spend on this book will be returned to you 10 times over in the rewards you will reap in your daily life.

I love this book. It has practical advice for helping women to evaluate their lives and find balance. It is not another "how to organize" your life book. It truly invites one to take stock of what is important from inside out. It is a great resource for me as a retreat director.

It is said that "when the reader is ready, the author will appear." When Finding The Deep River Within appeared in my literary path, I was contemplating questions such as, "Given this one life to live, for whom am I living it?" Or, "What does it mean to live a simple life?" While insights would pop up through yoga and communion with nature, I had not read a book (or attended a workshop) that offered gentle and slow-paced wisdom. Abby's voice was just that... gentle, forgiving, compassionate, and the list goes on. My heart didn't race and my pulse didn't quicken when I read the book, nor did I race out the door to jump on a bandwagon. Instead, I found myself looking out the window at the way the plants dance in the wind, planning experiences to better meet my own needs, communicating more realistic boundaries in the fast-paced business world, and truly befriending the feelings that live in my heart. I count Abby's book as one of the top influences that helped me better see and experience my river of life. The teachings will stay with me and continue to be lived.

I have been struggling with finding balance and meaning for many years. I even teach balance workshops! So when I discovered Abby's book it was such a gift. All of the practices I need in order to stay centered and in order to find meaning in my life are in one place. Everything (and more) that I talk about in my workshops is in her book - all in one place. I find the concept and the practices a way of really understanding what is off center for me at any one time and use her practices to bring myself back into balance. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a "to do" list that is taking over their life or anyone who is trying to find balance and meaning in their lives.

Abby's book is so well written and full of wisdom, yet never preachy. I give it 5 stars!!
This is a book I'll continue to refer back to for encouragement and sustenance as I look for support in living soulfully. I had the benefit of sharing it in a group setting and found it helpful to digest the different suggestions over weeks. May I suggest getting your book club to spend some time with this gem, or gather your sister or auntie, or dearest friend to companion you on "Finding the Deep River Within".

After reading Abby's book, "lowering" is now "taming" expectations which makes such a difference in how I view the situation at hand. I find myself correcting my thought and saying aloud to friends who say they're "lowering" expectations (especially those of us who are new parents). I'm able to relax the perfectionist voice in my head that takes over every once in a while and even get a laugh out of the situation of chaos at my feet : ) This is just one example of many reasons I recommend and appreciate Abby's book!