3 out of 4 stars
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The How, What and Why of Talking to God is a religious self-help book by Rivka Levy, founder of the Jewish Emotional Health Institute.
This book features advice on how to effectively communicate with God. The information is based on Kabbalah, a school of thought in Judaism. The focus is on the relationship between soul, mind and body, in that order. To explain this principle in a digestible manner, the author uses the term “God Juice.” Essentially, God Juice describes feeling spiritually connected in everyday moments, big or small. Building a relationship with God can relieve both emotional and physical anguish. Patience is key, and talking to Him a little bit every day can go a long way.
Since this is a pocket guide, the book is quite short. The topic of prayer is thoroughly explored and manages not to be tedious. The chapters contain brief but in-depth lessons. The lessons are not directly from a religious text; instead, they further expand on the concept of God Juice. There are brief exercises so that readers can determine what they need to work on in their spiritual journeys. Though praying seems like a simple task, there are outlines of steps one should follow to pray in a spiritually beneficial manner. For the most part, prayer and God are presented in a universal way, with only a few mentions of Judaism.
The writing is very accessible. There are some analogies to help the reader understand the lesson, such as the need for humans to plug in and recharge like a laptop. The author references her own spiritual experience and how this method has helped those she knows. The attitude is very much “it worked for me, so it can work for you.” In fact, the book is written to “you,” directly addressing the reader. The writing is sprinkled with a personable writer’s voice, including affable parentheticals: “(Guess what: God knows how to read!).” The best aspect of the book is the notion that one’s outlook and attitude play a significant role in overall health.
Occasionally, the book takes on a judgmental tone. The author criticizes those who are spiritual but choose not to turn to God. According to her, they will never achieve true happiness no matter how hard they try. One of the exercises in the book is a quiz to measure the reader’s God Juice. The reader is supposed to rate each statement and add up the score. She criticizes those who receive a score in the highest margin: “Either you need a little more work on your self-awareness and honesty, or you’re the Messiah. I guess time will tell which one it is.” Such a high score is impossible, she asserts, which sends the strange message that one shouldn’t strive for the best spiritual connection attainable.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The occasional judging on the part of the author was unnecessary and could potentially be a turn off to non-believers who are exploring their options. Besides that, the book is well written. It takes a relatively simple topic and explores it in a captivating way. This step-by-step guide is filled with practical tips for any believer.
If religion isn’t your thing, then steer clear. This book is appropriate for those who want to deepen their relationship with God. It is also directed to those whose health is in jeopardy. This just might be the holistic alternative for you.
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The How, What and Why of Talking to God
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