Recipes for a Sacred Life: True Stories and a Few Miracles

by Rivvy Neshama

Overview

Winner of 5 national awards, this new, expanded edition was named one of "The Best Spiritual Books of 2020" by Spirituality & Practice.

"Recipes for a Sacred Life left us moved--and changed. Wise, poignant, funny, and inspiring."--Redbook

ON A DARK WINTER NIGHT with little to do, Rivvy Neshama took a "Find Your Highest Purpose" quiz. And the funny thing was, she found it: to live a sacred life. Problem was, she didn't know how.

But she set out to learn. And in the weeks and months that followed, she began to remember and encounter all the people and experiences featured in this book--from her father's jokes to her mother's prayers, from Billie in Harlem to a stranger in Salzburg, and from warm tortillas to the humble oatmeal. Each became a story, like a recipe passed down, beginning with her mother and her simple toast to life.

NESHAMA'S TRUE TALES, a memoir of sorts, are filled with love, warmth, and timeless wisdom. They ground us, and they lift us up. They make us laugh, and they make us cry. And most of all, they connect us more deeply with the grace and meaning of our lives.

"Exquisite storytelling. . . . Written in the spirit of Elizabeth Gilbert or Anne Lamott, Neshama's stories (and a few miracles) are uplifting, witty, and wise."--Publishers Weekly

"Rivvy's bite-sized stories will make you nod with deepest knowing. It's a magical companion."--HuffPost

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a guide to happiness? Recipes for a Sacred Life is the closest thing I've found. Powerful. Inspiring. About adding love and joy to the everyday."--First for Women magazine

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781733338615
Publisher:	Sandra Jonas Publishing House
Publication date:	05/05/2020
Pages:	258
Sales rank:	87,824
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.58(d)

About the Author

Rivvy Neshama is a writer, editor, and community organizer who holds degrees in philosophy, comparative literature, social work, and education. Her diverse work experiences have included being a teacher and social worker in Harlem, a campaign manager in Boulder, a college instructor in Queens, and a tarot card reader at Macy's on Halloween. A lifelong writer, Rivvy has written for many national publications, including Ms., Glamour, Spirituality & Health, and the New York Times. She is also the author of the children's book Nat Turner and the Virginia Slave Revolt. Rivvy lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband, British author John Wilcockson. Please visit her website: RivvyNeshama.com.

Table of Contents

Beginnings
Part 1. Basic Ingredients: A Good Day to Die … or Not; The Lord Is with Me … or Whatever
Part 2. The Sun Is Rising: Hello to the Sun; The First Few Steps
Part 3. Animal Chats and Other Unions with Nature: In the Woods; Animal Chats
Part 4. To Forgive Is Divine: Looking for God in All the Wrong Places; What the Dalai Lama Said
Part 5. Friends & Neighbors, Lovers & Strangers: Do You Give to the Ones Who Are Drunk?; Everything I Know About Sacred Sex
Part 6. A Nature Recipe from Frank Lloyd Wright: Love Nature; Stay Close to Nature
Part 7. Sacred Space. Sacred Time: A Sacred Space; A Sacred Home
Part 8. Soul Food: Mrs. Zimnoski and Her Vegetables; Sacred Sound Bites
Part 9. Rituals & Celebrations: Birth to Death and In-Between: Meditations on Meditation; Heart Like a Crystal
Part 10. This, Too, Is True: Fortune Cookie Karma; Do a Mitzvah. What’s a Mitzvah?

Editorial Reviews

11/25/2013
Author and community activist Neshama can see that the world is alive with holy moments, and her view comes to life through exquisite storytelling. The ingredients she gathers for this book's collection of "recipes for a sacred life" are few: intention, attention, and openness. Yet the timeless wisdom she serves up is food for the soul. Inspired by recognized teachers such as the Dalai Lama or Shakti Gawain, as well as far less famous messengers such as her mother-in-law or her Sufi teacher, the author sweetly invites readers into the sacredness of her everyday moments: awakening to a sunrise, being a grandparent, taking a walk in nature, or even buying a dress to attend her daughter's wedding. Each story is like a tried and true recipe being passed along, knowing that others will add their own ingredients to the mix and make it their own. Written in the spirit of Elizabeth Gilbert or Anne Lamott, Neshama's stories (and a few miracles) are uplifting, witty, and wise: one can't go wrong with a recipe like that. Agent: Kristina Holmes, the Holmes Agency. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"Exquisite storytelling. . . . Written in the spirit of Elizabeth Gilbert or Anne Lamott, Neshama's stories (and a few miracles) are uplifting, witty, and wise."--Publishers Weekly

"Inspiring, enlightening, and entertaining. Sit back and enjoy!"--Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD, author of Meditation as Medicine

"Recipes for a Sacred Life left us moved-and changed. . . . Wise, poignant, funny, and inspiring."--Redbook

"You might think by its title that this is another self-help book offering advice and spiritual directives. If you did, you'd be wrong. Rivvy Neshama's delightful stories are moving, playful, and enlightening. She offers timeless wisdom that will enrich the lives of readers of all ages and backgrounds. I highly recommend it!"--Charlie Bloom, coauthor of 101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married

"Rivvy's bite-sized stories will make you nod with deepest knowing. It's a magical companion."--HuffPost

"A bright promise of awakening. . . . The tales carry a resonance similar to healing stories from Rachel Naomi Remen's Kitchen Table Wisdom."--Foreword Reviews

"Blessings upon Rivvy and her beloved mother for their combined wisdom that leads to living a fully present life and loving it."--Michael Bernard Beckwith, author of Life Visioning

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a guide to happiness? Recipes for a Sacred Life is the closest thing I've found . . . adding love and joy to the everyday."--First for Women magazine

"Neshama's riveting collection of spiritual recipes in the form of short stories is gently carved out of the joys and struggles of life's experiences. A highly recommended book that is bound to make a difference in one's life."--Rabbi Israel Zoberman, Jewish News Virginia

"A reflective, joyful journey that will likely change the way you see the world."--Matthew Barber, Tony-nominated playwright of Enchanted April

"Joy-filled, laugh-out-loud. . . . This beautiful book can open your heart."--Science of Mind magazine

"With a flowing style of writing and a beautiful way of looking at the world, Neshama has written the essential handbook to living a sacred and meaningful life."--Women's Adventure Media

"Rivvy's delightful stories open the heart. Read them, one at a time, and then daydream on them . . . and you will take on a glow of joy and feel more secure in God's world."--Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, author of Davening: A Guide to Meaningful Jewish Prayer

"It charms and inspires. What more could one ask?"--Hal Zina Bennett, author of Write from the Heart: Unleashing the Power of Your Creativity

"Recipes for a Sacred Life is filled with delights. It will inspire and uplift your heart."--Tara Brach, international meditation teacher and author of

Radical Acceptance

From the Publisher