EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE: HOW TO BREATHE YOUR WAY TO A MINDFUL LIFE & THE GNOSTIC GOSPELS.

Two books, both GoodReads wins, both published by Watkins ...

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE: HOW TO BREATHE YOUR WAY TO A MINDFUL LIFE by ROSE ELLIOT.

INNER FRONT COVER BLURB: Being mindful of your breath simply means observing and opening your awareness to your breathing without controlling or judging it in any way: letting it be. This inspiring book consists of 16 mindful breathing exercises and is based on the words of Buddha, called the Anapanasati Sutta, in which he brought the teachings of mindfulness to the world.

FIRST SENTENCE {PROLOGUE}: We are all born with the perfect tool of mindfulness.

MEMORABLE MOMENT {PAGE 57}: Becoming mindful of our breath enables us to open our awareness to the whole of our body, accepting it, healing it. 

MY THOUGHTS: With its words of wisdom and 16 exercises all based around different aspects of breathing, whilst this has Buddhist teaching at it core I'd suggest it as being suitable for those of 'faith' as well as those who aren't. 

Easy and clear to understand guidance, ideal for those wishing a momentarily respite from the modern 'rat race'. Every Breath You Take is a handy pocket size read that is perfect for dipping into as and when.


I came to this book with a mind that was at once both cynical and yet open in the hope of mastering my breathing whilst calming my mind. Still early days, I can't claim to have conquered all of the techniques no matter how clearly they are written, but, unlike other so called 'self help' books that I've given up on, I have hopes this one may prove beneficial.

THE GNOSTIC GOSPELS: INCLUDING THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS, THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS, THE GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE by ALAN JACOBS.

BACK COVER BLURB: The Gnostic Gospels , discovered at Nag Hammadi, are a collection of ancient texts dating from the 2nd to the 4th century AD. Of the 54 texts discovered, 14 have been chosen for this collection for their relevance today. The selected gospels reveal sayings of Christ not included in the New Testament and throw light on the intimate relationship between Jesus and his disciples.

FIRST SENTENCE {INTRODUCTION}: Jewish beliefs marked Christianity permanently until the fourth century, when Jewish Christians who had been prominent in the New Testament were reduced to a remnant.

MEMORABLE MOMENT {PAGE 173: THE SOPHIA OF JESUS CHRIST}: He meditated with his bride Sophia
and his first offspring was born,
an androgyne.

His male part is named
the Son of God.

His female part,
the Sophia,
Mother of the Universe.

MY THOUGHTS: One might think this an odd choice for someone who isn't of the faith but, interested in religions/spirituality to begin with, I was particularly eager to learn what insights a women (IE Mary Magdalene) might have to offer ... if any.

Of beautiful quality, I can't tell you how much I was impressed by this edition of the Gnostic Gospels that, after a forward by the author, included ...

• The Fable of the Pearl
• The Gospel of Thomas
• The Gospel of Mary Magdalene
• Melchizedek
• The Gospel of Philip
• Poimandres
• The Apocalypse of the Great Power
• The Sophia of Jesus Christ
• Human Suffering
• The Gospel of Truth
• The Greatest Human Evil is Forgetfulness of God
• The Secret Book According to St John I, II and III
• Thunder
• The Gospel of Judas

Arguably at a bit of a disadvantage in that my understanding of the Bible is at best rudimentary, I think I struggled in so much as I wasn't able to read this selection of omitted texts/excerpts from texts with any real sense of context. However, that said, I found some of them quite thought provoking and, to my surprise, some immensely moving.