Overview

Pulling a raisin out of a two-year-old's nose probably wasn't on the Buddha's path to enlightenment, but it was one of the obstacles for author Polly Campbell. For many people, stuck raisins and other real-life moments provide the day's only opportunity for spiritual growth-and it's easy to miss the lesson in these ordinary challenges. Imperfect Spirituality shows readers how to integrate those everyday moments with traditional spiritual techniques to allow personal growth and greater well-being. Any activity can be transformed into a spiritual practice. Don't have half an hour to meditate? Can't drop everything and trek to India? Find minimeditation while stopped at a red light impossible? Start by brushing your teeth. Imperfect Spirituality is filled with practical tips and dozens of examples like these, as well as anecdotes from real people who are striving to grow both spiritually and personally. It will help you identify, accept, and appreciate your own imperfections as an integral path to your spirit. The advice will lighten your load and give you a new way to think about your own spiritual connection and path. The things you've been trying to hide, fix, change, and deny are the very things that will expand and elevate your life.

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9780792791904

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Reviews

Polly Campbell is doing great work. -- Rick Hanson, author of Buddha's Brain The world needs good work from good people on topics that really matter. -- Judith Wright, author of The Soft Addiction Solution In Imperfect Spirituality Polly Campbell reminds us that the path to enlightenment begins exactly where you are right now. Every moment of our lives is a sacred opportunity to be present and deepen and expand our capacity to give and receive love. Open this book to any page and allow the stories and practical tips to illuminate your path to enlightenment. -- Susyn Reeve, author The Inspired Life Is there a more perfect word for spirituality than imperfect? I think not. Perfection is hoisted as the great and mighty goal, but none of us (aside from a few mystics and saints) are there yet. But thanks to Polly Campbell and this delicious treatise on the totally perfect state of imperfection, we can be at peace with where we are-in our lives, in our messes, in our moments. And guess what? That's where perfection lies. Bless you, Polly, for showing us the crooked road. -- Janet Conner, author of Writing Down Your Soul Imperfect Spirituality is a beautiful, inspiring journey to self-acceptance through the lens of spirituality. Campbell quiets the mind and feeds the soul so you can powerfully embrace who and how you are and liberate yourself from standards that actually limit rather than inspire you. When Campbell guides us in embracing our imperfection, what she is most telling us is to relish our extraordinary uniqueness. This luminous work will leave you resolved and new. -- Rosie Molinary, author of Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance Congrats to Polly Campbell for keeping it real! Her honest, frank, and often hilarious view of the challenges we create when we try to run from who we are is very empowering. You're sure to laugh along the way as author Polly Campbell shares her own insights, stresses, and stories en route to a more authentic life. -- Dr. Judith Wright, lifestyles expert and bestselling author of The Soft Addiction Solution and The One Decision Imagine sitting over coffee with your best friend, finally getting the whole perfectionist / inner critic demon tamed while laughing so hard you snort. Polly with Imperfect Spirituality will gently disarm those old voices and welcome you into a new world of ease and time-friendly practices you can use right now. Polly writes the kind of book you'll be carrying around to read out loud to those you care about. I highly recommend you dive into it right now. -- Kathlyn Hendricks, PhD, coauthor of the bestselling Conscious Loving Imperfect Spirituality doesn't shy away from the messiness of life but embraces it by giving mothers (and others) a much-needed dose of reassuring comfort, courage, self-kindness, and self-compassion. Campbell's touching and humorous stories from the edge of real life are filled with the kind of wisdom that can only come from a mother's heart. No matter how hard you may have been on yourself yesterday, this book will help you find an easier, gentler, more forgiving, and better way to live today. -- Donald Altman, MA, LPC, author, The Joy Compass and One-Minute Mindfulness Polly Campbell's Imperfect Spirituality is a welcome addition to the field of self-help and spiritual living-because her book is, above all, practical. No lofty, from-the-mountaintop sermonizing here; this is a woman who found an opportunity for spiritual practice while dealing with a raisin up her child's nose! As Polly reminds us, our ability to connect with the Divine is always possible, and in everyday occurrences-and her book is full of helpful stories, reflections, and exercises for doing exactly that. There may be no such thing as perfection, in spirituality or anything else, but Polly Campbell has given us a truly wonderful resource for living our lives with more connection, compassion, and calm. -- Maggie Oman Shannon, author of Crafting Calm and Prayers for Healing Grounded in Campbell's life as a wife and mother, Imperfect Spirituality left me smiling and nodding my head. This book will help any reader embrace imperfection, love more completely, and live with compassion, creativity, and courage. -- Kate Hopper, author of Use Your Words: A Writing Guide for Mothers Imperfect Spirituality presumes you know your relationship to the Divine and shines light on your relationship with yourself. Polly hooked me at 'don't put any more raisins up your nose.' While Campbell references a buffet of respected sources, the path is her own. It's funny, functional guidance in the accessible voice of a good friend. Read from start to finish, or opened anywhere for a dip, her words reach out...and touch your heart. -- Mary Anne Radmacher, author of Live Boldly The humorous and candid narrative in this book delivers lighthearted yet significant direction for integrating traditional spiritual techniques with the imperfections that characterize daily life. Campbell calls this 'choosing a path of imperfection, [which] connects you more deeply with yourself and fills those chaotic, confusing, and stressful moments with possibility and meaning.' Compelling anecdotes from ordinary spiritual seekers and informative research help to illuminate this path of imperfect spirituality...Practical tips for turning ordinary moments into opportunities for spiritual growth, many of which can be squeezed in while brushing your teeth or waiting for the bus, punctuate this clear and affable spiritual guide for the rest of us. -- Publishers Weekly You don't have to be the Dalai Lama to find spiritual peace. Imperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People is a spiritual guide for the not so spiritual. Polly Campbell presents how to approach the ideas of enlightenment in an everyday context and find one's purpose and live up to one's goals in the process. Imperfect Spirituality is a must for those who want to have that peace they seek but can't even get the brief moment of meditation right. Highly recommended. -- Midwest Book Review

You don't have to be the Dalai Lama to find spiritual peace. Imperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People is a spiritual guide for the not so spiritual. Polly Campbell presents how to approach the ideas of enlightenment in an everyday context and find one's purpose and live up to one's goals in the process. Imperfect Spirituality is a must for those who want to have that peace they seek but can't even get the brief moment of meditation right. Highly recommended. -- Midwest Book Review The humorous and candid narrative in this book delivers lighthearted yet significant direction for integrating traditional spiritual techniques with the imperfections that characterize daily life. Campbell calls this 'choosing a path of imperfection, [which] connects you more deeply with yourself and fills those chaotic, confusing, and stressful moments with possibility and meaning.' Compelling anecdotes from ordinary spiritual seekers and informative research help to illuminate this path of imperfect spirituality...Practical tips for turning ordinary moments into opportunities for spiritual growth, many of which can be squeezed in while brushing your teeth or waiting for the bus, punctuate this clear and affable spiritual guide for the rest of us. -- Publishers Weekly Imperfect Spirituality presumes you know your relationship to the Divine and shines light on your relationship with yourself. Polly hooked me at 'don't put any more raisins up your nose.' While Campbell references a buffet of respected sources, the path is her own. It's funny, functional guidance in the accessible voice of a good friend. Read from start to finish, or opened anywhere for a dip, her words reach out...and touch your heart. -- Mary Anne Radmacher, author of Live Boldly Grounded in Campbell's life as a wife and mother, Imperfect Spirituality left me smiling and nodding my head. This book will help any reader embrace imperfection, love more completely, and live with compassion, creativity, and courage. -- Kate Hopper, author of Use Your Words: A Writing Guide for Mothers Polly Campbell's Imperfect Spirituality is a welcome addition to the field of self-help and spiritual living-because her book is, above all, practical. No lofty, from-the-mountaintop sermonizing here; this is a woman who found an opportunity for spiritual practice while dealing with a raisin up her child's nose! As Polly reminds us, our ability to connect with the Divine is always possible, and in everyday occurrences-and her book is full of helpful stories, reflections, and exercises for doing exactly that. There may be no such thing as perfection, in spirituality or anything else, but Polly Campbell has given us a truly wonderful resource for living our lives with more connection, compassion, and calm. -- Maggie Oman Shannon, author of Crafting Calm and Prayers for Healing Imperfect Spirituality doesn't shy away from the messiness of life but embraces it by giving mothers (and others) a much-needed dose of reassuring comfort, courage, self-kindness, and self-compassion. Campbell's touching and humorous stories from the edge of real life are filled with the kind of wisdom that can only come from a mother's heart. No matter how hard you may have been on yourself yesterday, this book will help you find an easier, gentler, more forgiving, and better way to live today. -- Donald Altman, MA, LPC, author, The Joy Compass and One-Minute Mindfulness Imagine sitting over coffee with your best friend, finally getting the whole perfectionist / inner critic demon tamed while laughing so hard you snort. Polly with Imperfect Spirituality will gently disarm those old voices and welcome you into a new world of ease and time-friendly practices you can use right now. Polly writes the kind of book you'll be carrying around to read out loud to those you care about. I highly recommend you dive into it right now. -- Kathlyn Hendricks, PhD, coauthor of the bestselling Conscious Loving Congrats to Polly Campbell for keeping it real! Her honest, frank, and often hilarious view of the challenges we create when we try to run from who we are is very empowering. You're sure to laugh along the way as author Polly Campbell shares her own insights, stresses, and stories en route to a more authentic life. -- Dr. Judith Wright, lifestyles expert and bestselling author of The Soft Addiction Solution and The One Decision Imperfect Spirituality is a beautiful, inspiring journey to self-acceptance through the lens of spirituality. Campbell quiets the mind and feeds the soul so you can powerfully embrace who and how you are and liberate yourself from standards that actually limit rather than inspire you. When Campbell guides us in embracing our imperfection, what she is most telling us is to relish our extraordinary uniqueness. This luminous work will leave you resolved and new. -- Rosie Molinary, author of Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance Is there a more perfect word for spirituality than imperfect? I think not. Perfection is hoisted as the great and mighty goal, but none of us (aside from a few mystics and saints) are there yet. But thanks to Polly Campbell and this delicious treatise on the totally perfect state of imperfection, we can be at peace with where we are-in our lives, in our messes, in our moments. And guess what? That's where perfection lies. Bless you, Polly, for showing us the crooked road. -- Janet Conner, author of Writing Down Your Soul In Imperfect Spirituality Polly Campbell reminds us that the path to enlightenment begins exactly where you are right now. Every moment of our lives is a sacred opportunity to be present and deepen and expand our capacity to give and receive love. Open this book to any page and allow the stories and practical tips to illuminate your path to enlightenment. -- Susyn Reeve, author The Inspired Life The world needs good work from good people on topics that really matter. -- Judith Wright, author of The Soft Addiction Solution Polly Campbell is doing great work. -- Rick Hanson, author of Buddha's Brain

Author Information

Polly Campbell is a writer and speaker specializing in personal development and spiritual topics. Her work appears regularly in national publications, and she blogs at ImperfectSpirituality.com and PsychologyToday.com. For more than two decades, Polly has studied and applied the techniques she writes and speaks about to her own life. She lives in Beaverton, Oregon. Meredith Mitchell is an actress who has performed in such films as Mona Lisa Smile and The Reunion, on stage with Shakespeare & Company and the New Repertory Theatre, and on television on Good Morning America. She received her BA in psychology from Emory University and her MFA in acting from Brandeis University.

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