Graceful Living
50 Reflections for a Harmonious Life
- Arthur A. Sackrule - Trainer and Coach at Educational Services, Milan, Italy
Graceful Living: 50 Reflections for a Harmonious Life aims to stimulate reflections and awakenings that, according to Socrates, may contribute towards a life well lived. It deals with situations that we all encounter in our everyday life, for example, relating to others, building up greater self-esteem and self-love—all for the scope of fulfilling our goals and dreams. Consequently, it reflects a sort of universal ‘common sense’ that can be applied anywhere. It draws upon the best wisdom traditions, both from the East and the West, that have been confirmed by the latest research in neuroscience and made accessible mainly through NLP (neuro-linguistic programming). This book is dedicated to readers who wish to further their knowledge and mastery of some of the workings of the human mind.
‘Fifty Reflections’, but it is much more than that. Reflections at the outset—in the end, during and in between, and throughout the whole book—are all shape shifters, and such is our life, uncatchable, eluding every attempt to organize it. Arthur not only writes words, he evokes emotions that stimulate thinking. And he embraces that trust in life going well beyond thoughts, emotions and words. He provokes us to delve into our existence, it is up to us to attribute a meaning to it and to live by it. Which means feeling worthy of our thoughts and our feelings, welcoming and experiencing them and allowing them to thrive within us. Arthur leaves us with a special invitation: to understand, notwithstanding our mortal limits, that ‘we can cherish ourselves and continue to travel in beauty.’ Not that we must, what he means is that we can.
I have been awaiting Arthur’s book, and at last it showed up in my bookcase. It is a book that instils energy, compassion and love, and stimulates us to express our very best. I recommend reading it in peace and quiet and in small doses. Like sipping a glass of good wine.
In a frantic world where time flies, this book allows us to stop the ticking of the clock and look within ourselves, listen to our thoughts, observe what is happening and be more aware, so that we can live each day more fully. Thank you for having distilled life’s experiences in deep and practical reflections that manage to speak to the ears of each one of us. A book to keep in your personal library or, even better, in your handbag for whenever you feel like having a moment all for yourself.
This book confirms Arthur Sackrule as inspiring a writer as he is a coach, presenter and trainer. It carries universal wisdom and practical considerations, and is nice and easy to read and built upon the insights of brilliant minds. I highly recommend it for every business leader, to learn about how to deal with the dilemmas and the complex issues of these challenging times. A good read that encourages deeper insights and self-reflection. Arthur has done an amazing job of condensing so much information and bringing it to light with a spark.
These are precious reflections and practices that Arthur Sackrule has produced in his over 30 years of experience and put together in this publication. The book is a real treasure trove of wisdom from which one can tap in daily to discover, rediscover or look for a sense in what we do both inside and outside organizational contexts.
[The] book offers 50 marvellous stepping stones for living life—with all its unresolved mysteries—with ‘greater completeness and fullness’, inviting us to dance from one stone to the other in no particular order. And his offer is made with such elegant simplicity even as it draws on complex research in neuroscience and linguistics. For those of us working on ourselves and working with others as they work on themselves (whether in a personal or professional context), this book brightens the pathways to self-growth. I only wish to add one more stone: read this book. And then dance ’pon the other stones in your living.
I met Arthur in 1996, 24 years ago, and from the very start, I knew he was no ordinary person. Never afraid to challenge mediocrity and mainstream lines of thinking, Arthur, throughout all these years has represented a refreshing source of inspiration for my personal and professional development, a long and arduous journey that I know has no end. After 24 years of walking, seeking and reflecting, I realize now what I’ve traversed: my personal coast to coast trip, from hell to purgatory and, maybe, now approaching paradise. The stars will be there to tell me whether or not I am on the right track; or in the words of this book as quoted in the next line, I learned the importance of giving and accepting professional feedback which is indeed an art: ‘ ...when it comes to human interactions, and feedback is offered by a living person ... that is where problems [may] arise.’ Thank you Arthur for being my companion in my personal Divine Comedy.