Rating: 
Summary: Burst
Review: A poetic tale of author Dawna Markova's journey to find her passion, I Will Not Die An Unlived Life, is truly a remarkable work of inspiration that sets itself apart from the rest of the Self-help genre. It is apparent in even the style of her writing that she is clearly a deeply passionate woman. Markova delves into her search for deeper meaning when she is diagnosed with cancer. Instead of sitting on the sidelines watching her life go by, she becomes active in finding a higher purpose. Uniquely, she invites her reading audience to join her on a quest of rediscovery. A cabin in the Utah mountains is the setting for six months of searching. Markova works through her past as well as the present and future with others in mind. Moving along throughout the course of her solitary expedition, she speaks to the readers as if they are accompanying her every thought. It is a highly inclusive guide to discovering one's own path. The book is divided into four main sections, with different focal points, all centered around living. Each is filled with charismatic stories and personal experiences littered with hope that set the highly uplifting mood for the entire work. Loaded with beautifully written imagery, it is a joyful experience to follow the paths of the author's mind. Each story is added insight to how a deeper purpose can be discovered. In the first section, "Living Wide Open: Landscapes of the Mind", Markova focuses on living and loving open, no longer living "divided", listening to one's deepest ailment, and stillness. She personally relates to the reader at the end of each chapter by proposing a few questions from the main thought. "What are the courageous conversations you need to have with yourself, and how do you need to have them? What generates energy for you?" Equally uniquely, the very last paragraph in each chapter ends with a few all-inclusive aspirations. "May our quest for purpose be compassionate. May we allow ourselves stillness so we can open our minds to ourselves." In section two, "Living On Fire: Landscapes of the Heart", Markova focuses on her childhood and the "twisted seed of rage" that was passed on from her parents, death and the realization of what she needs to do in order to fulfill the sentence "When I die, I want...", fulfilling the hunger deep inside of her soul, and the proverbial phrase "catching on fire". These chapters are brimming with heart-filled stories and compassion, each with a different message for the reader. Continued on from the first section, she ends each chapter with aspirations including "May we all open our hearts to ourselves in wonder, and respond to the call of our passion. May we all find something to love that is larger and more powerful tan anything we fear." Section three, "Living On Purpose: Landscapes of the Soul" is the section where Markova digs deeper to find purpose in her life. Finding the spot of grace in others, letting our failures and wounds be teachers, listening to the stories we tell ourselves and how we can get out of "rut stories", and letting purpose find you are focal points of this section. Here is where the book takes a course of soul searching and is more of a guide than a storybook. As the previous chapters, Markova cleverly adds aspirations to help readers on their journeys. "May we all release our hearts and allow our hands to follow. May our souls crawl from hiding places of shame and gaze upon the mystery of healing that can not be explained." The final section, entitled "Living On Path: Landscapes of the Spirit", is a focus on all the previous chapters and how to put that into daily surroundings. What we truly love, finding our gifts and talents, and how to share those with the people and community around us are the main topics of this conclusive section. Markova shares her gifts and talents as examples to follow in exploration of one's own gifts and talents. Once again, the last two paragraphs include personal questions to the reader, whom she addresses "my dear reader", and a few aspirations that exemplify "we" statements. "May we all find the courage to offer ourselves fully to what has heart and meaning for us. May all who are different bring their unique gifts to the community and know they belong. May we all find the soil in which the seeds of our dreams can germinate into lives that are free of the limitations of our previous history, lives that are full and warm and rich with amazement." Reading I Will Not Die An Unlived Life is more of a journey into self. Unlike most self-help books, the author takes no authoritative stance on her subject of living with passion. She is merely another soul searching for meaning in this vast universe and is looking for a way to help others on their paths. Markova is the CEO of Professional Thinking Partners, Inc. and cofounder of the Worldwide Women's Web. She continues her success from previous books including The Art of the Possible, The Open Mind; No Enemies Within; An Unused Intelligence; How Your Child Is Smart; and Learning Unlimited. A book with fire, passion, and feeling, I Will Not Die An Unlived Life is an inspiration to anyone who is yearning to find meaning in their lives. As the author states, "In a similar way to A Gift From the Sea, the readers of this book are invited to accompany me on a journey to come to know more intimately the value and purpose of their lives." It is highly recommended to anyone willing to look a bit deeper at his or her lives.
Rating:
Summary: Another Hit By Dawna Markova On Living Life With Awareness
Review: Dawna always hits the mark with ways to live your life with awareness and the options that it brings. In this book, she gives us a first hand look at her life, how she has gone about creating awareness in her life and how it has enabled her to be authentic. Her courage in telling her story, asking questions of her readers and supporting them gives the reader courage and a way to go on an awareness journey of their own. Dawna's earlier works gave very valuable insight about how each of us learns. This work gives insight about how each of us lives, using some of her life experiencs to illustrate the points and asking questions for us to ponder about how we are living our lives. She asks the questions in a very supportive way. With the insight provided by this book and the addition of our own passion and courage, Dawna's newest book, is an excellent guide for enriching life's journey.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT BOOK - FILLED WITH HOPE AND INSPIRATION
Review: During the author's battle with cancer, she was blessed with the discovery that there is more to life than simply trying to fight the ravages of this horrendous disease. Markova discovered what many of us have not contemplated to any great degree, that our life is more than a physical being set adrift through the obstacles and challenges of day-to-day living. Each of us has a purpose, whatever our mission may be, and as part of our journey we must look beyond what we are and focus on what we can become. We cannot always control how much or how little time we have on this Earth, but we can live each day to the fullest and make each moment count for something good. I loved the author's down-to-Earth, straight-forward approach and her tell-it-from-the-heart writing style. Through Markova's stories and experiences, the reader will find inspiration and enlightenment, opening their heart, mind and soul in a journey of self-discovery. I highly recommend this book and two others, "A Gift from the Sea," and "The Power of Now" as inspirational sources of reading for anyone who truly feels their life lacks meaning or purpose, or anyone who feels life's journey is an unplotted course drifting with the tide, void of purpose and beyond their control.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT BOOK - FILLED WITH HOPE AND INSPIRATION
Review: During the author's battle with cancer, she was blessed with the discovery that there is more to life than simply trying to fight the ravages of this horrendous disease. Markova discovered what many of us have not contemplated to any great degree, that our life is more than a physical being set adrift through the obstacles and challenges of day-to-day living. Each of us has a purpose, whatever our mission may be, and as part of our journey we must look beyond what we are and focus on what we can become. We cannot always control how much or how little time we have on this Earth, but we can live each day to the fullest and make each moment count for something good. I loved the author's down-to-Earth, straight-forward approach and her tell-it-from-the-heart writing style. Through Markova's stories and experiences, the reader will find inspiration and enlightenment, opening their heart, mind and soul in a journey of self-discovery. I highly recommend this book and two others, "A Gift from the Sea," and "The Power of Now" as inspirational sources of reading for anyone who truly feels their life lacks meaning or purpose, or anyone who feels life's journey is an unplotted course drifting with the tide, void of purpose and beyond their control.
Rating:
Summary: I love this book...
Review: I absolutely love this book. It spoke to me in a profound way at a time when I needed it, and now, months after reading it for the first time, it still speaks to me, clear to my soul. I wish the same for you. This book is born when the author spends six months alone in a "tiny log cabin" in Utah. She goes there "to tell myself the truth about what I feel," and her discoveries will gently lead you to your own. You may feel a little lost in the early chapters, but I encourage you to stay with this book. You'll walk with the author through journeys of the heart and spirit, with penetrating questions and revelations, as you delight in the learning of who you are and then know what to do about it. The author reveals herself to us through her childhood, her son, a house fire and more. She encourages us to learn from our wounds, find our gifts, celebrate our values and live our dreams -- *to live on purpose*. This book is both a joy and a challenge to read. Ms. Markova's prose is honest and musical, and often, you have to slow down, re-read paragraphs, let the words fall on you like confetti in a parade and then pick them up one by one, hold, examine and understand them. At every page, you wonder how you'll apply such thoughts to yourself, and before you breathe again, you know.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Written
Review: I first encountered Dawna Markova's poem several years ago, and it was so powerful it almost knocked me off my feet. I lived with it through a period of growth and change, and left it behind. (Anyone who is not familiar with the poem will find it on this website, on the back cover of the book.) As the Universe would have it, I discovered the book just as I was going through a period of dormancy and wondering if this was all there was, or if I still had a purpose to fulfill. The book doesn't answer that question, but it does give a hint: you can't find your purpose, you can only make the space for it to find you. A very passionate, powerful, human book. Markova's mastery of the written word makes it a treasure. I have so much of it highlighted that I don't feel I can lend it to anyone - I'll be buying several more copies to pass on to friends!
Rating:
Summary: A Life Changing Book
Review: I first found the poem of this title about 6 years ago. As with many others, it touched my heart and soul very deeply. I read it over and over and over. Then, magically, I heard the author interviewed on New Dimensions radio, and found that she had written this book. The book is fascinating, warm, challenging, and compassionate. It is not a self-help book per se, nor a New Age fantasy. It is about Soul, and reclaiming who you really are. Give yourself this treat. You deserve it.
Rating:
Summary: A kindred spirit
Review: I found Dawna Markova's poem "I will not die an unlived life" posted on the door of a boutique in a small town in England. After discovering the book I found that the promise of the poem was more than fulfilled by reading about Markova's remarkable life. She has a gift for letting a reader discover their own wisdom through her experiences and learnings. Rather than spoonfeeding cliche's and helpful tips, Markova generously and unflinchingly shares herself with her reader. An amazing gift I've passed on to friends from Paris to Portland!
Rating:
Summary: A kindred spirit
Review: I found Dawna Markova's poem "I will not die an unlived life" posted on the door of a boutique in a small town in England. After discovering the book I found that the promise of the poem was more than fulfilled by reading about Markova's remarkable life. She has a gift for letting a reader discover their own wisdom through her experiences and learnings. Rather than spoonfeeding cliche's and helpful tips, Markova generously and unflinchingly shares herself with her reader. An amazing gift I've passed on to friends from Paris to Portland!
Rating:
Summary: This book is truly a gift from God!
Review: I love this book! I don't want to put it down once I started reading it. I brought it with me wherever I went. It is also one of the few books that I would re-read and also make book synopsis for regular reviews. Her words are those that you would want to keep in your heart all the time as reminders and companions. Wonderfully written, with stories that left me touched, moved and inspired.
Rage, fear, denial and inertia that were permanent blocks to me are now openings for passion. I am thankful to Dr Markova for her insights and her dedication to the world for knowing ourselves so that the gift God has blessed us with can be shared with the rest of the world. She is a demonstration of what passion looks like when its is claimed, nurtured and ignited!
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