Lisa G Saw • April 23, 2026

Books and Courses 2

THE SECOND SET OF BOOKS AND COURSES THAT HAVE HELPED ME ON MY JOURNEY

 

Continuing where I left off in the last post in this blog series, Books and Course 1, here are more books that have helped me along my healing journey. Hopefully, it will prove helpful to anyone else who is in need of some physical, emotional and/or spiritual healing.


As before, I will continue to add to this list gradually, and new entries will appear at the bottom of the post, so scroll down if you're returning to this post and go directly to where you left off. You can also see a list of all the books that will eventually be mentioned in these blog posts by clicking on the button below.

Reading List

You Can Heal Your Life

by Louise L Hay


This is another one of those really significant books that was a game changer for me. It was whilst working through this book, that I held up a mirror to myself, metaphorically speaking, in a way I'd never done before and realised there were things I needed to change if I wanted to be healthier and happier, and to improve my relationships with others.


Louise Hay wrote this book in the eighties (there are newer editions than the one pictured here). As a result of its success, she was able to create and build the Hay House publishers, which still exists today. It is one of the largest publishing houses and is a leader in the genre of self-help, health and wellness.


In the opening section she states her philosophy and what she believes. There's a long list and she doesn't explain why she believes these things, so in a way it made me take what she said with a pinch of salt at first. Some of her beliefs seemed to be a bit weird or unbelievable at the time of reading because of what I believed myself. Though now I've read more books and have greater understanding, her views make more sense to me now. Even if some things don't sit well with you, I'd still suggest pushing through as it's a great book. Here are just a few of them:

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L Hay


This is another one of those really significant books that was a game changer for me. It was whilst working through this book, that I held up a mirror to myself, metaphorically speaking, in a way I'd never done before and realised there were things I needed to change if I wanted to be healthier and happier, and to improve my relationships with others.


Louise Hay wrote this book in the eighties (there are newer editions than the one pictured here). As a result of its success, she was able to create and build the Hay House publishers, which still exists today. It is one of the largest publishing houses and is a leader in the genre of self-help, health and wellness.


In the opening section she states her philosophy and what she believes. There's a long list and she doesn't explain why she believes these things, so in a way it made me take what she said with a pinch of salt at first. Some of her beliefs seemed to be a bit weird or unbelievable at the time of reading because of what I believed myself. Though now I've read more books and have greater understanding, her views make more sense to me now. Even if some things don't sit well with you, I'd still suggest pushing through as it's a great book. Here are just a few of them:

"Every thought we think is creating our future."


"The bottom line for everyone is, 'I'm not good enough.'

It's only a thought, and a thought can be changed."


"Life is really very simple. What we give out, we get back."

Interestingly, it's only later towards the end of the book that she added her story, which helped me to realise how the book came to be written and what experience she had that led to her realisations. I guess she wanted to put her message across first and not make it all about her. However, for me, I think people's stories matter and it was learning about hers that made everything more relatable and believable.


During her many years of counselling she discovered commonalities in the patterns of emotional issues and physical symptoms. Her first book, You Can Heal Your Body, is actually incorporated into this second book. It lists a myriad of ailments and physical issues and the possible emotional connections and offers powerful affirmations that will help turn things around. I found it very illuminating and a great starting point to consider where to direct my focus and attention, in terms of physical healing, and to see what, if anything, resonated with me.


She essentially believes that everything comes back to either

a lack of self-love or self-worth.


This is such a powerful book in helping us undersatnd ourselves better. Whilst it made me feel uncomfortable at times, realising there were things I could do better, I'm so grateful for how she's shining a light on the connection between mind and body and how our health is in our own hands.





Why Mindfulness Is Better Than Chocolate

by David Michie


This is a lovely, well-written and oftentimes humerous book, offering an insight into the benefits of mindfulness, with some simple easy to follow exercises too.


I used to be one of those people who believed meditating was about sitting cross-legged on the floor and doing nothing. I didn't understand the benefits of being still and simply breathing. To be honest, it didn't seem that appealing to me in the past, since I'm someone who has always been busy, on the go, with an active mind. Now I realise, that's exactly why mindfulness and meditation is beneficial and I'll be the first to admit that I needed to slow down and learn how to do that.


This book helped me see the benefits of mindfulness practice, explaining how it can help lower blood pressure, heart rate, reduce stress and even help to manage pain, plus so much more.


It's a great starting point if you're looking to bring a bit more calm into your life and improve your emotional well-being. As he says, "We are our happiest when our mind is not wandering." I certainly agree with this quote. Not only do I look forward to doing regular meditation and mindfulness practice now, but I've learned to be much more present in each moment, observing my thoughts and not always reacting to them. Plus, I've learned how every thought is impermanent - just passing through. When we understand this, "the more it erodes our sense of attachment."

Why Mindfulness Is Better Than Chocolate

by David Michie


This is a lovely, well-written and oftentimes humerous book, offering an insight into the benefits of mindfulness, with some simple easy to follow exercises too.


I used to be one of those people who believed meditating was about sitting cross-legged on the floor and doing nothing. I didn't understand the benefits of being still and simply breathing. To be honest, it didn't seem that appealing to me in the past, since I'm someone who has always been busy, on the go, with an active mind. Now I realise, that's exactly why mindfulness and meditation is beneficial and I'll be the first to admit that I needed to slow down and learn how to do that.


This book helped me see the benefits of mindfulness practice, explaining how it can help lower blood pressure, heart rate, reduce stress and even help to manage pain, plus so much more.


It's a great starting point if you're looking to bring a bit more calm into your life and improve your emotional well-being. As he says, "We are our happiest when our mind is not wandering." I certainly agree with this quote.

Not only do I look forward to doing regular meditation and mindfulness practice now, but I've learned to be much more present in each moment, observing my thoughts and not always reacting to them. Plus, I've learned how every thought is impermanent - just passing through. When we understand this, "the more it erodes our sense of attachment."

"Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment deliberately and non-judgementally."


"There's no causal relationship between external reality and our emotions. Instead, it's the way we interpret real-life events, people and things that makes us happy or unhappy."




Into The Forest

by Dr Qing Li


As someone who loves nature, this book was a natural follow-on from the previous one on mindfulness. I already knew there were benefits to being out in nature, but I was fascinated to learn more about the science behind it and the research that supports what most of us instinctively already know.


This book provided loads of lovely insights and interesting facts, plus there are lots of photos of nature to accompany all the text, which in itself was very relaxing and proving a point! Apparently, even pictures of trees can help calm, soothe and restore us, when we're not able to see the real thing. One research study discovered that patients recovered from surgery more quickly when they had a window in their room or a picture of nature/trees on the wall than those who had neither.


He goes into more detail about how a wealth of data now proves that shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) can: reduce blood pressure, lower stress, improve cardiovascular and metabolic health, lower blood sugar levels, improve concentration and memory, lift depression, boost the immune system, improve pain thresholds and so much more. He explains why it is good to engage all your senses, giving tips on not only being out in nature, but bringing nature to you if you don't have access to green spaces.

Into The Forest

by Dr Qing Li


As someone who loves nature, this book was a natural follow-on from the previous one on mindfulness. I already knew there were benefits to being out in nature, but I was fascinated to learn more about the science behind it and the research that supports what most of us instinctively already know.


This book provided loads of lovely insights and interesting facts, plus there are lots of photos of nature to accompany all the text, which in itself was very relaxing and proving a point! Apparently, even pictures of trees can help calm, soothe and restore us, when we're not able to see the real thing. One research study discovered that patients recovered from surgery more quickly when they had a window in their room or a picture of nature/trees on the wall than those who had neither.

He goes into more detail about how a wealth of data now proves that shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) can: reduce blood pressure, lower stress, improve cardiovascular and metabolic health, lower blood sugar levels, improve concentration and memory, lift depression, boost the immune system, improve pain thresholds and so much more. He explains why it is good to engage all your senses, giving tips on not only being out in nature, but bringing nature to you if you don't have access to green spaces.

"The key to preserving our forest, where it is, is to maintain our connection with it, and one of the best ways to do that is to remind people that our health and the health ofour communities depends on it. When we feel connected to nature, we want to look after it. And this in turn is good for our health. We will benefit not just from the clean air and water forests rpovide, the carbon they store, the species they maintain, but also from the peace and quiet they offer, their beauty and vital spirit, and the myriad benefits to our well-being they hold within them. Our health and the health of the forest go hand in hand."




Confidence, Flow and Finding You (CoFFY)

by Nick Haines, The Five Institute


Although I originally set out to share the books I've read, as signposts for what is out there and which I found to be helpful, it felt pertinent to include this course, because this was one of the best experiences I've had and helped me on my journey. It came at a time when I'd been feeling a bit blocked and lacking in energy, yet I couldn't quite put my finger on why. When I heard about this online course and read some comments from previous participants I knew it was the next step for me and it had come had just the right time.


One of the things that really stuck out for me was, "You may be confident for what you do now, but are you confident about what you want to do next?" I knew the answer to that for me was, "Not really!" I had aspirations of becoming an authentic successful published writer, but I felt some internal conflict about this.

Confidence, Flow and Finding You (CoFFY)

by Nick Haines, The Five Institute


Although I originally set out to share the books I've read, as signposts for what is out there and which I found to be helpful, it felt pertinent to include this course, because this was one of the best experiences I've had and helped me on my journey. It came at a time when I'd been feeling a bit blocked and lacking in energy, yet I couldn't quite put my finger on why. When I heard about this online course and read some comments from previous participants I knew it was the next step for me and it had come had just the right time.


One of the things that really stuck out for me was, "You may be confident for what you do now, but are you confident about what you want to do next?" I knew the answer to that for me was, "Not really!" I had aspirations of becoming an authentic successful published writer, but I felt some internal conflict about this.

I'd never done an online course like it before, so didn't know what to expect, but any worries that may have been lingering in the back of my mind were soon allayed. It was such a supportive environment with other participants sharing their thoughts, experiences and questions. There was an online forum where we were to post our "homework" from each week and the opportunity to write comments to support each other. There were extra sessions that were more informal than the course material itself, so you could follow up and chat about the content.


Not only did I learn so much about myself and experience some big shifts in my thinking, but it was fun and uplifting. But, perhaps most significant of all, Nick explained a lot about Conscious Questions and this has been life changing. It's a way of tapping into your soul, and what it is you truly want in life, helping you to overcome fears, limiting beliefs and more. I'm going to share more on this soon.


(Nick still runs courses through The Five Institute like this one, though he may have revised the name of it now.)





The Money Box Game

by Rúna Magnúsdóttir & Nick Haines


On the back of the CoFFY course was the opportunity to play the Money Box Game. Another online course that lasted 3 weeks. Each day you were 'given' an imaginery amount of money and each day it doubled, so very quickly we were 'receiving' large sums of money. Each day we would have to decide what we'd spent it on. (Not literally as the money wasn't real). We had to do the research and show the figures and only a small amount could be saved (or invested) each day.


Essentially, it helped me to become aware of my relationship with money, where I had barriers and what I valued. Whilst it was fun and illuminating, it also helped me change and have a healthier approach to money and what is important in life.


(He periodically runs this game through The Five Institute, so follow the link if you want to find out more).

The Money Box Game by Rúna Magnúsdóttir & Nick Haines, The Five Institute


On the back of the CoFFY course was the opportunity to play the Money Box Game. Another online course that lasted 3 weeks. Each day you were 'given' an imaginery amount of money and each day it doubled, so very quickly we were 'receiving' large sums of money. Each day we would have to decide what we'd spent it on. (Not literally as the money wasn't real). We had to do the research and show the figures and only a small amount could be saved (or invested) each day.


Essentially, it helped me to become aware of my relationship with money, where I had barriers and what I valued. Whilst it was fun and illuminating, it also helped me change and have a healthier approach to money and what is important in life.

(He periodically runs this game through The Five Institute, so follow the link if you want to find out more).

21 Days of Abundance

by Deepak Chopra


Someone from the CoFFY course recommended this to me, so I gave it a try. It's a series of videos that have been shared on YouTube. You listen to one each day in your own time, like a meditation, following what's shared and then there's a mission for each day.


It's all about letting go of our limiting beliefs and welcoming all the goodness and positive energy into our lives. It's about gratitude, forgiveness, having a vision for the future and what you wish to have/bring into your life, investing in yourself, letting go trying to control everything, welcoming kindness and love into your life, and providing much greater awareness of all that you are challenged by and how you can change to live a happier and healthier life. It's about sharing with others, sharing the positive energy, and as it says in the title, welcoming abundance into your life. It's done wonders for me and I hope it does for you too.

21 Days of Abundance by Deepak Chopra


Someone from the CoFFY course recommended this to me, so I gave it a try. It's a series of videos that have been shared on YouTube. You listen to one each day in your own time, like a meditation, following what's shared and then there's a mission for each day.


It's all about letting go of our limiting beliefs and welcoming all the goodness and positive energy into our lives. It's about gratitude, forgiveness, having a vision for the future and what you wish to have/bring into your life, investing in yourself, letting go trying to control everything, welcoming kindness and love into your life, and providing much greater awareness of all that you are challenged by and how you can change to live a happier and healthier life.

It's about sharing with others, sharing the positive energy, and as it says in the title, welcoming abundance into your life. It's done wonders for me and I hope it does for you too.

The Soul Must Go On

by Malcolm Thorogood


Details to follow...



The Soul Must Go On

by Malcolm Thorogood


Details to follow soon...

Miracles Happen

by Dr Brian Weiss


Details to follow soon...

Miracles Happen

by Dr Brian Weiss


Details to follow...



Many Lives, Many Masters

by Dr Brian Weiss


Details to follow...

Many Lives, Many Masters

by Dr Brian Weiss


Details to follow soon...





More books will added in another post in due course...

Bearded Tit

March 26

By Lisa G Saw • April 22, 2026
WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS At the end of February and early March, Bob and I were away in Norfolk for my birthday and had a wonderful trip. Plus, what a lovely birthday treat I had with both calendars produced by the Sussex Wildlife Trust showcasing two of my photos in the month of March! (Though rather disappointingly, they incorrectly attributed the one of the Common Seal to someone else). On the inside cover of the Rye Harbour calendar they also used my photo of mating Migrant Hawker dragonflies. This is a first for me, so I was thrilled they've used some of my photos.

Winter in Suffolk and Norfolk - Part 1

By Lisa G Saw • April 8, 2026
Winter is an excellent time to visit the north Norfolk coast, in terms of wildlife opportunities. It seemed the perfect area for my partner, Bob, and I to explore for our most recent holiday, which was for my birthday. It's a place we're both very fond of and yet we'd not been there together before, so it was lovely to return together and share some fabulous new wildlife experiences. We'd booked a lovely cottage in Morston for one week, but as usual, we made the journey there part of our adventure. We had an overnight stop in Lowestoft on our way north, which allowed us to visit RSPB Minsmere, Suffolk before heading to Norfolk. We had two great days before we'd even reached our accommodation for the week. In the weeks leading up to our trip, the weather was either wet, dull or windy, or all three! We didn't have high hopes for how many dry or sunny days we'd have for our trip, so I packed a few books, just in case! That also meant we'd packed all the necessary waterproofs and wellies, ready for anything. As it turned out, we had a really glorious week of lovely sunny, dry weather. What luck! Our previous visits to Minsmere have always been great and this was no different. We were really hoping to see some Woodcock, without spooking them and having the usual rear view as one rapidly flies away. I've only ever seen them a couple of time before, so I was eager for my first good view of one. Perhaps it was fitting, therefore, that I was the one that spotted one, at the precise moment Bob was saying, 'We probably won't find any!'
Row of books

Books and Courses 1

By Lisa G Saw • March 11, 2026
THE FIRST SET OF BOOKS AND COURSES THAT HAVE HELPED ME ON MY JOURNEY I began this blog series, Living My The Best Life Possible , back in 2022 after a series of events, and a couple of chronic injuries, quite literally stopped me in my tracks. Having followed conventional approaches to try and turn things around, but to no avail, I felt compelled to seek out help from alternative approaches. I opened my mind to the possibility they could help me, taking a more holistic approach to my healing. Along my journey, I've done some serious soul searching, dug deep to uncover suppressed and hidden trauma, and held a mirror up to myself, realising there were things I needed to let go of and much I needed to change. It's been uncomfortable at times and emotional, but completely worthwhile, as I've worked through things and persevered. Awareness was key . From that I had the power to change my thought patterns and my view of the world. I know all my relationships are better for it, including the one I have with myself, and I wouldn't be where I am today without what I've learned. I've discovered there are many different ways to heal and I've been amazed by what I've learned. It's been surprising, uplifting and most of all, empowering. Along this journey I've been led from one book to another, then another, and on it goes. Sometimes the books have been recommended to me by family, friends or health practitioners, other times they've merely been mentioned in passing or in another book, and I've felt as though it was something that could help me further my knowledge and understanding. In many ways, they were like signs guiding me along at just the right moment when I needed them. My curiosity to learn more has led to a voracious appetite to read, which I've never experienced before. I love it! I feel like I'm on a fast train to somewhere, but the landscape out of the window isn't a blur as I whizz by, metaphorically speaking, but a glorious view of the world around me, simply seen from a new perspective. There is still much I wish to share in this blog series about my experience, in the hope it helps others and not just myself. But, it will take time to write it all whilst I'm still working. So, in the meantime, I decided to share some of the most significant books that have helped me along the way. It isn't the full list, by any means. For now, I'm only including a summary and snapshot of the significance to me, but hopefully this will be interesting and/or useful. Perhaps one of them will grab your attention and be something you might wish to read to help you on your own unique journey. You can see a list of all the books that will eventually be mentioned in this blog series by clicking on the button below. However, I'm going to split them over two or three posts, so each one doesn't get too long!
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