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July, 2005 
 The Diamond in Your Pocket
Discovering Your True Radiance
This book is a true jewel in every sense. The how-to path for discovering the whole, transcendent self is presented in books by a large, diverse group of authors, from gurus to celebrities. If you have found benefit in other books on this subject but still feel incomplete, try following the guidance offered in this superbly written book by Gangaji,The Diamond in Your Pocket, and you may finally find the whole truth you’ve been seeking.
In the introduction, Gangaji offers insight into her past and how it led her from a place of self-suffering to one of truth and self-discovery. While she grew up in the privilege of white, southern, middle-class America she was privately tortured by issues within her family such as her shame over her parents’ alcoholism. She shares that in her youth she felt as if she “…was involved in some huge mistake, that some force of darkness was surrounding me on all sides.” The years passed; she married, had a child, and most of the trappings that are expected to lead to a life of contentment and sustained happiness, but they didn’t.
Like many of us, Gangaji came to the conclusion that she needed “fixing” so she set out on the road to self-help: psychotherapy, meditation, affirmations, and many other common cures. While better for the process, the need for something more eventually led her to India and the man who she embraces as her teacher, H.W.L. Poonja (Papaji).
The writing of this book arose from thirteen years of traveling and speaking to spiritual seekers around the world. Gangaji is clear that her intention with the book is not to “fix anyone or teach anything;” her invitation is that by reading the book and working with its offerings, we will directly, through our own truth, self-discover the jewel that is alive inside of us.
Her invitation for self-discovery is genuine. Beyond the introduction, her personal experiences are not focused on. Even the most inveterate seeker will appreciate the queries and insights for revealing self-truth that she suggests. While some of the chapter titles: “Searching for Happiness” or “Truth or Story” are familiar topics, they are addressed by Gangaji in a way that is unique, provoking, and hard to dismiss as “been there, done that.”
With a foreword by Eckhart Tolle, a review of any length would most likely not convey the true transformational capabilities of this book.
—Yolanda Porter
 www.griefandlosshelp.com
Grief is a natural response to loss due to varying circumstances,” states Marcia Breitenbach, founder of this informative website. The site compassionately addresses the mental and spiritual pain that accompanies the loss of a loved one (human or a much-loved pet), the onset of a serious illness, a divorce, or any number of major, dramatic, and usually unexpected changes that occur in life.
Presently working as a psychotherapist in Tucson, Arizona, Marcia brings into her practice her own experience of loss and grief: her mother’s death, an emotion-shattering sexual assault, and the death of her sister. Working in the field of death and dying, and grief and loss, has opened wonderful doors to healing and spiritual growth for her. “Isn’t it depressing?” People frequently ask her. Her response is invariably the same, “Not at all. It has changed my life and brings me great joy.” An important part of her work is the formation of pet loss support groups. Animal companions can be powerful healers for grief or loss, according to Marcia.
“Animals...[though] disguised in furry or feathery bodies have come to teach us many important lessons about love and living life,” she says. In addition to her therapy practice, she counts music of vital importance to the healing process and to “lift the spirits.” Marcia also conducts experiential workshops and seminars on topics related to change, healing, grief, and loss.
—Cliff Johnson
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