Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #699786 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 576 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Romancing the Ordinary is the latest book from Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of the best-selling Simple Abundance. In the mid-80s Sarah Ban Breathnach spent several months bedridden, "confused and disorientated" as the result of a head injury. Her eyesight blurred, listening to music made her dizzy and her senses of taste and smell had vanished. At first she bewailed her fate, but gradually her attitude changed--as she recovered her senses, she realised she had learned an important spiritual lesson: "I had discovered the miracle of the sacred in the ordinary."

In Romancing the Ordinary, Ban Breathnach is determined that we too learn how to "turn our days of lead into days of gold." Aimed especially at women, it's a month by month celebration of "simple splendour". Each chapter is headed by an inspirational quote, and is jam- packed with suggestions, recipes, observations, tasks and sensual treats to help you re-discover the feeling of "wonder". Ban Breathnach first task is a deceptively simple one--you have to learn how improve the quality of your days. If that sounds a bit worthy, don't despair, Ban Breathnach's approach is more practical magic rather than good house keeping. So sure, she does suggest getting rid of all the useless junk in your hand-bag, but she also wants you to fully appreciate decadent mugs of hot chocolate or make up your own 'scrumptious' baths oils, or go for a stroll in the park on a sunny day. Instead of waiting for a significant other to show you a world of passion and romance, she wants you to create it for yourself. Now there's a heartfelt challenge. --Eithne Farry

Synopsis
Celebrating the spirituality of the senses, the author highlights seven important senses--sight, sound, scent, taste, touch, knowing, and wonder--through a series of daily reflections and meditations and encourages women to discover the sensual experiences of everyday life.

Customer Reviews

Romancing The Ordinary
This book is wonderful! I recommend it to anyone wanting a good, optimistic and inspirational shove in the right direction!! The book breaks itself down in to the twelve months of the year and sub-categories within each month.It can be read beginning from any month of any year it is bought and then during each month after that; giving its reader something to feel good about each time it is opened. If you're feeling a little low, or would simply enjoy being reminded of the wonderful things everyday life has to offer...this is the book for you. The book is bound so beautifully in heavy paper with a 'textured, deckle edging' and ribbon marker, making it feel like an old Victorian book you'd love to find in your grandmother's attic. It is filled with quotes and beautiful phrase in addition to the author's own writing, bringing a smile to the reader's face instantly. Something to read when life seems too hectic and complicated....or a perfect gift for anybody, but especially a female. The 'vintage' sepia photographs in it 'put the icing on the cake'....This is the type of book I wish I'd written myself. I will be keeping this book and re-reading it every year. It's so beautiful that I'll be passing it down to my children....and perhaps my grandchildren!! I will certainly be buying more books by the same author....Sarah Ban Breathnach has really given me a great 'pick me up'.

A Wonderful Book
Sarah Ban Breathnach's Romancing the Ordinary is a wonderful journey through the year. It restores the readers' sense of wonder and opens the mind to the awesome beauty that surrounds us every day. We are encouraged to slow down and really see the wonder and beauty around us. This book is a real pleasure to read. By incorporating some of Sarah's ideas into the daily round, the reader will see each day as the wonderful and amazing gift it is, not simply something to be "got through" on the way to the next one.

Sarah Ban Breathnach sets the essays out in monthly sections and takes the reader gently through the year, encouraging us all to be sensuists or "people who revel in life's sensory experiences". There is so much of life we simply miss by rushing through and not seeing it. The reader is encouraged to slow down and really see and enjoy the blessings all around us.

I must confess I couldn't wait until the end of the year to finish this book, and have read it all the way through already! However, this is a book most readers will read more than once, a lovely collection of ideas and inspirations one can turn to again and again.

This book would make a lovely gift, but do be sure to buy one for yourself. It is brilliant.

Suddenly i feel complete!
I read the first paragraph of this book and felt it was written for me!!!

For a long time now i have felt a certain unease about my life. It had so many wonder qualities to it but i needed something extra. And i found it within romancing the ordinary. For me, my life didnt need to be changed, it needed to be appreciated. Ive read my fair share of self help books, explored my spirituatlity and read essays on 'what is love' but none of these ever connected with me. If youre the sort of person who doesnt believe that something is missing from your life then this is the book for you.

Personally ive never been able to follow advice that would 'make me a better person'. Ironing my shirts the right way and writing in a dream diary every night never seemed to make me better. This book works though.

It focuses on not changing your life or making you a better person but showing you ways to slow down and value life in its simpliest form- from wearing a special pair of socks, to making a pie just to smell it. Its hard to imagine how this can help but when youre forced to sit down and use your senses to find peace, the mind suddenly becomes very quiet. Inspiration will come and you will make changes to your life without being told what is good- you will instinctively know.

Its divided into bite size chunks which you can read and appreciate every day. Its not something you can or would like to read in one be wadge. It is designed to make you savour and think. The language is so densely lyrical and full of thought that its hard not to spend under 15 minutes considering what Sarah has written. Its almost poetic. Personally i cant abide that style of writing but not in this case, I enjoyed the feeling of being wrapped in her clever sentances.

This is something i believe everyone should experience- from the depressed to the spiritually at peace. Its just one of those rare finds. A truely beautiful book, full of joy and spirit that ive recommended to all my friends!! Enjoy!!