Publisher:
Ecstatic Self

Publication Date:
11/18/2020

Copyright Date:
N/A

ISBN:
978-1-7354689-0-7

Binding:
Hardcover

U.S. SRP:
23.99

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JOURNEY TO THE ECSTATIC SELF

By Kae Strouse

IR_Star-black
IR Rating:
5.0
Using an elegant blend of research and personal experience, author Kae Strouse draws from a variety of healing modalities in order to take his readers on a quest toward self discovery in JOURNEY TO THE ECSTATIC SELF.
IR Approved
   

A yoga and meditation teacher who spent several years living on an ashram, Kae Strouse certainly has the credentials to write a book about the search for self-knowledge. Ultimately, though, it’s his intimate and generous approach to the subject that makes JOURNEY TO THE ECSTATIC SELF a success. Strouse has drawn from several schools of thought to create the healing model he presents here. He introduces readers to basic yoga poses and leads us through several guided meditations. He encourages us to speak the truth to ourselves by coming up with a personal mantra and writing a version of our life’s story using the hero’s quest as an archetype. While holding tight to the book’s instructional thread, Strouse also weaves in pieces of his own story, generously sharing some of the lessons he’s learned about his identity in order to support readers in their own search.

The author writes about how he once dreamed of becoming a famous actor and devoted years of his life to attaining the goal, eventually realizing that—for him—it would have been an empty life. He tells readers how he repressed his sexual desires and identity out of fear and shame, only to learn that he was tamping down his emotional life as well. (He also presents an excellent breakdown of the differences between biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.) Readers who have struggled to accept their identities or tried to thrive within a stifling work or cultural environment will see themselves in these pages—but Strouse’s gentle exhortations should reach anyone, regardless of their background. Inspiring quotations pepper the book’s pages, from ancient thinkers to psychologists and self-help gurus and even Elle Woods from the movie Legally Blonde. All of them reflect an open-minded and fun-loving attitude. (“I knew who I was this morning, but I’ve changed a few times since then,” Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland.) The author has a lovely way of frequently addressing readers directly, which adds to the sense that he is their guide to the personal work of self-discovery.

Ultimately, though, JOURNEY TO THE ECSTATIC SELF is meant to be used as a workbook. There is an exercise of some kind at the end of each lesson, and they are arranged in such a way that they build upon each other. One chapter’s prompt to make a list of words that do not describe you leads to an exercise in “shadow work”—the difficult job of integrating the repressed parts of our psyches with our conscious minds. Readers with less prior experience with therapy, meditation, and other healing modalities are likely to feel the most excited by the ideas in this book, but anyone who wishes to gain a deeper understanding of their life stands to learn something new and benefit from doing the exercises. By the book’s end, Strouse takes readers into the realm of “the ineffable,” highlighting the fact that the search for self is, above all else, a spiritual one.

Using an elegant blend of research and personal experience, author Kae Strouse draws from a variety of healing modalities in order to take his readers on a quest toward self discovery in JOURNEY TO THE ECSTATIC SELF.

~Katie Haegele for IndieReader

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