4 out of 4 stars
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Pierre Pradervand provides a great resource for anyone needing a blessing and for just about any situation in his book, 365 Blessings to Heal Myself and the World: Really Living One’s Spirituality in Everyday Life. The collection of blessings is not only from the author but also from poets, authors, Native American Indians, different religions, and different countries. Pradervand adapted many prayers and articles from a variety of sources and turned them into blessings.
Each day’s blessing starts with a short explanation of the source or situation before stating the blessing. The blessings cover topics, from love and forgiveness to peace and thankfulness. There are blessings for many different professions, from doctors and politicians to taxi drivers and clerks. There are also blessings for very difficult people, from terrorists and prisoners to prostitutes and addicts.
The author shared from his personal experiences of blessing difficult people, which inspired him to write this book. The book also included many testimonies from people all over the world, who have read a previous book on blessings that Pradervand authored. I liked that there was a good explanation of what a blessing is and the benefits that come from blessing self and others. My favorite blessing was on Day 85, “For Love as the ‘I’ of My Being.” This blessing on love reflected the attitude of blessing self and others that was the premise for this book. I also like that the whole way of life blessing people will change the one doing the blessing, as well as the one being blessed.
I least liked the author’s non-dualist beliefs and that people, animals, nature, and God are all one. However, it did not take away from the overall good message of blessings. If you are intolerant of such things, you may want to steer clear of this book. One does not have to completely agree with the author’s beliefs to enjoy and benefit from the blessings.
The 365 blessings are short, each being about two pages in length. One blessing a day is a perfect amount to read and apply. Pastors, chaplains, counselors, health care workers, social workers, prison guards, and parents would find these blessings the most helpful. This book would be a great resource for many professionals, who often have to have the right words to encourage or to pray for people in difficult situations. I would also recommend this book to anyone who would like to make a difference by blessing people all around them and to benefit from the blessings themselves. You will be inspired to think and speak differently about people and situations that often make you angry or judgmental.
Even though the blessings were listed chronologically in the back of the book, it would have been nice to have links to click on to go directly to a specific blessing. The table of contents did not have separate titles for each blessing. I liked the listing of the general themes in the back of the book. This can be helpful to find a blessing on a specific topic or issue more easily.
I rate 365 Blessings to Heal Myself and the World by Pierre Pradervand 4 out of 4 stars. The book had some errors but not enough to lower my rating or my enjoyment of reading the book. I liked the testimonies of people blessing others and the many varieties of blessings given to use in many different situations. This book inspired me to bless people all around me every day and to make a difference in my life as well as the world.
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365 Blessings to Heal Myself and the World
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