Book Review: Tears to Triumph by Marianne Williamson - LA YOGA

BY BENJAMIN W. DECKER

"Depression can be a sacred initiation into the journey of enlightenment” reads the new book by Marianne Williamson, Tears to Triumph, The Spiritual Journey from Suffering to Enlightenment.

If you’ve ever heard her speak live, this book follows a familiar rhythm. Williamson teaches from personal experience and relevant mainstream knowledge, making her relatable and understandable. In Tears to Triumph, she processes the issue of emotional, spiritual, and psychological suffering through the wisdom of various religious traditions – including, but not limited to Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and A Course in Miracles. Rediscovering these universal spiritual themes, Williamson provides an intelligent, open, practical look at surviving and transcending our personal and collective suffering.

As we’ve come to expect from her, Marianne Williamson addresses the elephant in the room – a few of them, actually. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE IN LA YOGA MAGAZINE

Film Review: Paulo Coelho's Best Story - LA Yoga

BY BENJAMIN W. DECKER

What happens to a brilliant child who is entirely misunderstood by his parents? What changes inside of us when our dreams are disregarded and our potential underestimated?

These are some of the questions addressed in the new film about beloved author Paulo Coelho (who famously penned The Alchemist and a long list of other best-sellers). Paulo Coelho’s Best Story is a dramatized portrayal of personal story. From the author of The Alchemist, we might expect a mystical story of epic adventure, but this might be even better; this is the story of a new mind in an old world, and all that comes with it…including plenty of adventure.

Let’s get some of the obvious points out of the way. This is an autobiographical look at legendary author Paulo Coelho’s personal journey.  It is told using multiple timelines bringing together the constantly changing dynamics of the various stages of his life, including the stifling moments in his childhood and creatively blocked moments of his early adult life, and then juxtaposing them with moments of extreme success he experienced when the popularity of his words led to his celebrity. We see him unchanged by his success, exhibiting the same stoic depth along with a disinterest in pleasantries and a simultaneous innocence and sweetness. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REVIEW IN LA YOGA MAGAZINE