The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have (20th Anniversary Edition)

I’ve had my book for a good 15 years or so. I just go right back to January when the year is over. I love it & have gifted it to many for birthdays & Christmas. A perfect gift for Thinkers I know to be open, receptive, deep & contemplative who are interested in evolving & empowering themselves. It’s not affiliated w/ a 12 step program which is something I love about it & what makes these daily affirmations so attainable. I absolutely love Mark Nepo’s writing! I’m able to picture such detailed images. Each page starts w/ a quote before the daily reading & then finishes off w/ short instructions for a meditation. This is where you can reflect on the reading in relation to your life & self. I have 2 other books from him. One is a guide to inner resilience & the other is short notes on living. Anything by him is worth reading.

I love the day by day format, so you can literally pick up and read any day, or what ever one matches the calendar. The author is such a gifted artist and he shares that gift with us. The way he weaves such beautiful sayings into his stories, I have often had tears well up in my eyes. From Oct 21-Having Honest Friends-"I have a friend. His name is Alan. We have know each other for twenty-nine years, across eghteen states, and through storms we swore would never let up. We held each other when marriages failed, through accidents and cancers. We held each other up when our grandmothers died." "Having an honest friend-one before whom you can dump all your heart's pockets and still feel that your are worth something-is a form of wealth that will buy you nothing, but will give you everything. And mysteriously and rightly, to find such a friend, we must be such a friend" I have this page earmarked and re-read it often. I've bought many copies and given them to friends, I loved it so much. And they have too.

Very good positive charge. Short readings and insightful.

In The Book of Awakenings, Mark Nepo breaks open the harried existence we call life and folds it into bite-sized nuggets of wisdom that nudge us along toward expansion, a more open mind, a more indulgent spirit, all in service to elevating the soul. Nepo writes like a man who has crossed the desert and made it to the oasis for the revitalizing drink, then decided the oasis was a pretty fine place to be. A poet and philosopher by trade, Nepo is also a cancer survivor. While he fought the disease, life changed, became scary, possibly shorter, but decidedly different. Nepo suddenly saw the world through slow eyes, coming through the trauma more receptive and mature, and ultimately decided to write down his observations which turned out to be a boon for the rest of us. Just like tempered glass needs a little heat to coax it to its super state of existence, Nepo needed a little cancer to get his 3-D priorities right with his Soul. The work comes across as if time is infinite (spoiler alert: it is), so why not settle down and make note of a few things while you can. A calendar book, meaning you can read the day’s entry or you can skip around and read it in any order you like, The Book of Awakenings is not about deadlines, but lifelines. I am reading it slowly, savoring it like I would an expensive box of chocolates, but in orderly fashion, leaving randomness for the second round that I know there will be. You can’t absorb this book through a single read; it’s too rich with its lifetime worth of wisdom crammed into a bit more than 400 pages. The Book of Awakenings is a perfect read for anyone who feels as though they’re muddling through: losing life, losing purpose, losing love, identity, focus, or worse, the malaise has manifested as a dis-ease in the body and there you are, broken, alone, clueless as to how to break the cycle. It’s also perfect for someone with no problems, but many questions. If any of these scenarios sound like yours, I have a suggestion: read The Book of Awakenings. While not a guarantee of success — only you can do that — it will help you find a path in the worst of times. The Book of Awakenings shows you why everything is a blessing, even cancer, and why there is no such thing as curses, only cursed thinking, which with a little work can be changed. Nepo wants you to celebrate life by seeing the good in all things, but don’t misunderstand. This is not a touchy-feely self-help book. Rather, it’s a retreat for the mind and Soul that will provide the self-loving space for the body to follow. It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful book ever having been written. A modern day Rumi, Nepo meets you where you are and turns you from the outside in. You owe it to yourself to follow.

Read it every night. Soul searching.

I guess some of us just take longer to awaken than others. I've stumbled over some of the exercises: they seem to take me off my path sometimes. But maybe when I come across them again next year, I'll understand better. No matter what, there's always something so obviously useful for each day that reading that day is never wasted. I'm very grateful to Jeremy Renner for promoting this book.

Great book and seller.

This is a must read for your soul and spirit! It will help you view life in a different positive way!

I grabbed this book on a whim during a tough stretch—needed something to ground me without overwhelming. For its price, it’s a steal for a year’s worth of bite-sized reflections. Mark Nepo’s poetic style shines through short entries on presence, gratitude, and embracing the mess of life What I loved: Each day’s read (just 1-2 pages) nudges you to slow down and savor the now—like his take on “precious human birth” reminding me to appreciate the chaos. It’s not preachy; stories from his cancer journey feel real and relatable, sparking “aha” moments over coffee. Downside: Some entries lean a bit flowery for my taste, and if you’re not into spiritual vibes, it might feel too introspective. I’ve dipped in for a month now, and it’s already shifted how I handle stress—perfect starter for anyone craving quiet inspiration. If life’s got you spinning, this’ll help you breathe easier!

I ordered this book because people say it is very good. i was very impressed with it and it is the kind you can read daily and reflect on it all day!

Je lis le chapitre correspondant à chaque jour et je suis à chaque fois surprise de voir que les mots résonnent avec mon vécu. Ce livre est une aventure sur 365 jours, que l'on peut revivre pendant des années, ré-interpréter ce que l'auteur propose selon l'évolution de notre vie. Un livre à avoir !

É engraçado como cada mensagem é exatamente aquilo que você está precisando. excelente livro para acalmar a alma e achar nosso equilíbrio.

I have purchased this amazing book for myself and gifted one to my son I’m so happy that he’s very excited to have received it. Mark Nepi is brilliantly written and inspirational. Truly a great book to read.