Soaring: Living Empowered and Joyful

Dobbs, a therapist and life coach, offers a road map to a blissful life in her debut self-help book.

Drawing on her own personal and professional experiences, the author presents a 12-step plan for “soaring”—living joyfully in spiritual awareness. The book begins with an introductory self-assessment to determine one’s current “soaring altitude” and spotlight personal aspects in need of examination. The 12 steps, or “flight lessons,” include awakening to a higher power—the divine Intelligence within; living a life of purpose in alignment with the heart’s desires; expressing greater love, including self-love; and employing visualization, affirmations, and expectations to create one’s desired reality. Vision boards, she notes, can also be used as a tool to communicate with the subconscious mind: “Mentally sending images to Spirit changes your world-view, and as your world-view changes your circumstances change.” Gratitude is the subject of one chapter, in which the author urges the use of a journal to catalog one’s blessings. Prayer, meanwhile, is broadly defined to encompass all thoughts. Other topics include meditation; forgiveness, letting go of personal histories and releasing old habits; healing; dealing with one’s issues and finding peace; and balancing the ideas of being and doing. There are brief tips of the hat to spiritual heavyweights such as Wayne Dyer, Shakti Gawain, Deepak Chopra, and Eckhart Tolle, along with quotes from the Bible and vignettes from her clients’ experiences. She presents the “flight lessons” coherently in an orderly, easily digestible format. A number of stories, including one in which an African-American woman breaks a color barrier, aptly illustrate “soaring” principles. In another inspiring tale, a woman with brain injuries works with kindergarteners, leading to the restoration of her cognitive skills. It’s an optimistic presentation, encouraging continuous renewal through daily practice while recognizing the power of thought to create reality. Although it’s not particularly groundbreaking, the philosophy effectively promotes moving beyond compartmentalization, wholeheartedly embracing spirituality, expanding consciousness, developing faith, and extending personal limits.

Timeless staples of spiritual practice enlivened and elevated by a buoyant approach.