WIN: Unwrap the gift of love this Valentine’s Month
Jay Shetty is a renowned storyteller, podcaster and former monk, known for sharing his advice on love and relationships. Caxton's Mariclair Smit paged through his latest book to review the hype – and it's worth it! Two lucky readers each stand a chance to win a copy of this masterful book.
8 Rules of Love: How to Find it, Keep it, and Let it Go, Jay Shetty, 9780008471668
IF you only read one book this year, this would be THE one.
It’s not only for someone looking for love but also for those who have found love and would like to strengthen the bonds, or even those who have recently had their heart broken.
Author Jay Shetty – who is most notably known for his inspirational videos on social media – presents us with eight basic rules to love – all of which are linked to one basic lesson – you cannot love others if you don’t love yourself. (This includes platonic, familiar and romantic relationships.)
This is not a narcissistic or ego-centric love, but rather a healing, cathartic type of love. Shetty encourages readers to start their journey with love by learning to know themselves, their values, boundaries, strengths and weaknesses.
Any baggage, insecurities and unresolved issues that you may have will affect all your other relationships. But when you are healthy, confident and secure in who you are, you will not only attract like-minded people but you’ll be able to respect, value and unconditionally love others. So, your first step is to start healing and growing.
There is that saying: “If you don’t heal what hurt you, you will bleed on people who didn’t cut you.”
The eight rules are based on Ancient Hindu scriptures (or Vedas) that Shetty studied during his time as a monk.
In turn, the rules have been divided into four stages (aka Ashrams) preparing, practising, protecting and perfecting love.
In each of these stages, we are given tools, a mindset, as well as some challenges and/or assessments to help us develop and maintain strong, nurturing and rewarding relationships.
Shetty also highlights some universal issues which often lead people to a perpetual loop of heartbreak, with advice on how to break the cycle.
As with other self-help books that I have reviewed, I have to state that you will have to do some work, and you won’t magically find love right after reading the last chapter.
In saying that, I have to add: As someone who has been in a relationship for over a decade, even I was able to gleam A LOT of little nuggets of advice that either gave me the sudden desire to facepalm myself – as the solution now seems so simple – or left me gasping because I would never have considered that option.
At the end of the day, there is no ‘happily-ever-after’. Love is something that is built, slowly, and maintained on a daily basis.
We can always learn more about the concept of love and how to love better.
To celebrate the month of love, Caxton Local Media and Jonathan Ball Publishers will be giving away two copies of Jay Shetty’s new book.
Fill in the form below to stand a chance to win a copy of this book:
Sorry, this competition has ended. :(
*T&Cs – The winner/s will be selected by Caxton Local Media. Competition entries close on Monday, February 13. The winner will be notified via telephone.
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