Official Review: The Waves of Life & Our Mind Game

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 14 Apr 2020, 21:17

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Waves of Life & Our Mind Game" by Say Thu Varadewa.]

2 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

Walking on the beach can be relaxing. Many people listen to recordings of ocean sounds to relax after a stressful day. The soothing, balmy waves that splash gently against the shore can transform into powerful and merciless tsunamis when a storm or hurricane approaches. In the non-fiction book, The Waves of Life & Our Mind Game, author, Say Thu Varadewa, compared the changes and stresses of life to waves on the water. The sea of life can be calm, but large waves can surge and threaten to inundate our emotions. How can we prepare ourselves to ride these unpredictable life waves so that they do not drown us?

In twenty chapters and 147 pages, Say explained her strategy for improving emotional health. The goal is to learn to be content by training your mind how to react to any wave that hits you. This can be accomplished by strengthening your mental focus and organizing your inner life. It is crucial to learn to prepare the mind to be calm in any situation. The author spoke of our relationships with others and strategies to improve our interactions with family members and coworkers. This method stressed the importance of listening to your feelings, the power of your smile, practicing kindness, and realizing that everything has an expiration date. Part of moving forward included learning to forgive. The author included a description of five specific toxic relationships and how to react to and resolve these circumstances.

I appreciated the examples that the author gave of her own life. She helped readers understand the strategies that she presented by describing how she struggled with relationships and learned to put in practice her proposed policies. One concept I could relate to was the idea of the “monkey mind.” “There is nothing in this world that can trouble you more than your own thoughts.” I also liked the eight appendices at the end of the book. Each one presented a series of questions for self-reflection related to different topics in the text. Each appendix suggested a book to supplement the topic of that questionnaire.

Unfortunately, this book needs to be proofread and edited by a professional. The text was full of awkwardly worded sentences. One example was on p. 137: “They will talk about you at the back of you.” Also, there were many misspelled words. Thorough editing, by a native English speaker, would improve the grammar and enhance the author’s message.

I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. The grammar and syntax errors made it difficult to understand some parts of the book. Readers who enjoy motivational books will find many suggestions in this book to create a better world and have a happier life by improving mental focus, developing confidence, and managing toxic relationships. There are some references to the author’s belief in reincarnation. Readers who do not agree with this position might take exception to the comments that reflect this belief.

******
The Waves of Life & Our Mind Game
View: on Bookshelves

Damis Seres Rodriguez · Post by **Damis Seres Rodriguez** » 15 Apr 2020, 14:08

Emotional health is something that on average, doesn't get the attention that it deserves. It is always interesting to read about it. It is a shame the book contains so many errors. As a non-native speaker, it probably would be harder for me to understand it completely. I hope it gets another edition round. Thanks for your review!

Laurina Michael Olowoniran · 15 Apr 2020, 15:11

Training your mind on how to react before situations arise. I think this is a powerful read. I should see it. Thanks for great review

Post by **kandscreeley** » 15 Apr 2020, 19:28

In a book such as this, it's important for the author to be clear. An editor or proofreader is necessary to be sure the audience can understand the book. Having said that, I do believe the mind is a powerful thing. It's worth exploring more. Thanks.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 15 Apr 2020, 22:58

damis wrote: ↑15 Apr 2020, 14:08 Emotional health is something that on average, doesn't get the attention that it deserves. It is always interesting to read about it. It is a shame the book contains so many errors. As a non-native speaker, it probably would be harder for me to understand it completely. I hope it gets another edition round. Thanks for your review!

Yes. I hope it gets edited. Thanks for your thoughtful comments!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 15 Apr 2020, 22:59

Laurina_Olowo wrote: ↑15 Apr 2020, 15:11 Training your mind on how to react before situations arise. I think this is a powerful read. I should see it. Thanks for great review

I agree. This is one I need to work on! I hope you enjoy the book. Thanks for commenting.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 15 Apr 2020, 23:11

kandscreeley wrote: ↑15 Apr 2020, 19:28 In a book such as this, it's important for the author to be clear. An editor or proofreader is necessary to be sure the audience can understand the book. Having said that, I do believe the mind is a powerful thing. It's worth exploring more. Thanks.

I agree. We still have not discovered all that the mind can do. These kinds of books, and testimonies, push us to develop more of our potential. Thanks so much for commenting!

jdsatosk · Post by **jdsatosk** » 16 Apr 2020, 12:34

Thanks for the review! I don't think I would have been too interested in reading the book just by looking at a description of it, but your more detailed review of the content did peak my interest. I like that the author opens up avenues to take her examples and practices further by adding appendices with "workshops" and supplemental books.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 16 Apr 2020, 15:06

jdsatosk wrote: ↑16 Apr 2020, 12:34 Thanks for the review! I don't think I would have been too interested in reading the book just by looking at a description of it, but your more detailed review of the content did peak my interest. I like that the author opens up avenues to take her examples and practices further by adding appendices with "workshops" and supplemental books.

I enjoyed the author's example of how she struggled with a difficult work relationship with a fellow colleague. Many people can relate to this situation. It made her suggestions seem more "real" and not just "theoretical." I appreciate your comments. Thanks for stopping by!

Prisallen · Post by **Prisallen** » 18 Apr 2020, 09:52

I think I would enjoy reading this book as I could use some advice on how to stay calm when under stress. I could also use the section on how to deal with toxic people. It's too bad about the errors. Hopefully, the author will get those cleared up soon. Thanks for your amazing review!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 18 Apr 2020, 13:39

Prisallen wrote: ↑18 Apr 2020, 09:52 I think I would enjoy reading this book as I could use some advice on how to stay calm when under stress. I could also use the section on how to deal with toxic people. It's too bad about the errors. Hopefully, the author will get those cleared up soon. Thanks for your amazing review!

The book touches on many important topics to help deal with stress and toxic relationships. Thanks for your comments!

Post by **Diana Lowery** » 19 Apr 2020, 08:17

I have always used the waves at the beach to wash away my woes, so this book might take it to a new level. I think I will wait for the edited version though.

Post by **Shrabastee Chakraborty** » 19 Apr 2020, 09:43

Too bad about the editing issues. Otherwise I feel the author has indeed made some useful points, including the "monkey mind." Our thoughts and interpretations do more damage to us than any outside force. A very thoughtful review, as always!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 19 Apr 2020, 10:28

diana lowery wrote: ↑19 Apr 2020, 08:17 I have always used the waves at the beach to wash away my woes, so this book might take it to a new level. I think I will wait for the edited version though.

I liked the comparison with waves - gentle and rough - and how to confront those waves in life. Thanks for commenting!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 19 Apr 2020, 10:31

Shrabastee wrote: ↑19 Apr 2020, 09:43 Too bad about the editing issues. Otherwise I feel the author has indeed made some useful points, including the "monkey mind." Our thoughts and interpretations do more damage to us than any outside force. A very thoughtful review, as always!

Yes. I enjoyed some of the author's unique examples. The picture of the monkey swinging from branch to branch and how to calm him down was helpful! Thanks for stopping by!