When doctor and author Rachel Naomi Remen (Kitchen Table Wisdom) was young, she was caught between two different views of life: that of her rabbi grandfather and that of her highly academic, research-oriented parents, who believed religion was the opiate of the masses. As Remen gravitated toward academics and serving the world as a medical doctor, her grandfather became an "island of mysticism in a vast sea of science." But over time, Remen discovered that two seemingly divergent paths could lead to the same destination, especially as she learned to blend her spiritual beliefs with her medical treatment.

Remen uses the heart-rending stories of her patients to teach readers how to follow in her example, that is, combining a life of service with a life of receiving and giving blessings (a combination that avoids common problems such as burnout, self-sacrifice, and navel gazing). Remen also includes personal stories of her grandfather, who showered the world with his mystical beliefs and wizened blessings. While this story-by-story structure is similar to the bestselling Kitchen Table Wisdom, it is still a tearful and satisfying formula. --Gail Hudson


From Publishers Weekly
When she was four years old, Remen's grandfather brought her an unusual present: a paper cup of dirt, which he instructed her to water daily. She did, with increasing boredom, until she was astonished to find that a plant had sprouted. "My grandfather was a scholar of the Kabbalah, the mystical teachings of Judaism," Remen tells us. Through this exercise and others, he taught her that the "spark of God" exists, even in the most unpromising places. Through a series of unpretentious, affecting vignettes, the author of the bestseller Kitchen Table Wisdom encourages readers to recognize and celebrate the unexpected blessings in their own lives. Many of her recollections are linked to her experiences as a medical student and a physician working with cancer patients, but the most memorable ones relate to Remen's deep engagement with her grandfather, who died when she was seven. She gently illustrates her advice through simple yet powerful stories, such as that of a young woman whose husband helped her discover the real meaning of beauty years after her devastating mastectomy; of a widow who learned to cherish her husband's memory with love instead of with "a monument of pain"; and of a little boy who recognized that it's easier to love just a few toys than it is to love many. "Wisdom," Remen writes in this exceptional book, "lies in engaging the life you have been given as fully and courageously as possible and not letting go until you find the unknown blessing that is in everything." Author tour. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
This sentimental memoir honors Remen's grandfather, who died when she was 7. Raised in a different faith than her grandfather, who was a rabbi, Remen drifted into socialist/new age thought after his death. She surprised herself by returning to his teachings when her cancer patients confirmed many of his truths. Remen has a strong New York accent, which may be grating by the end of three hours. However, she speaks slowly, drawing out words even more when adding emphasis. What she lacks in delivery she makes up for in heart. Her obvious endearment and respect for her grandfather more than compensate. A.G.H. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Publisher Weekly
She gently illustrates her advice through simple yet powerful stories...[an] exeptional book. (Publishers Weekly (starred review))


Dr. Dean Ornish
One of the most extraordinarily moving books I have ever read.


Marianne Williamson, bestselling author of Illuminata
Rachel Naomi Remen has done it again. It is a wonderful book.


Andrew T. Weil, M.D.
The stories in My Grandfather's Blessings are simple and profound, with healing lessons for all of us.


Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., author of Emotional Intelligence
"Rachel Naomi Remen is nature's gift to us, a genius of that elusive and crucial capacity, the human heart. She has much to teach us about healing, loving, and living."


Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence
Rachel Naomi Remen is nature's gift to us, a genius of that elusive and crucial capacity, the human heart.


Jack Kornfield, bestselling author of A Path With Heart
This book actually heals and inspires as you read. It is a treasure house of great love.


Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People
This lovely book, like its author, is itself a blessing. Where some doctors treat symptoms, Dr. Remen heals souls.


Review
Andrew T. Weil, M.D. The stories in My Grandfather's Blessings are simple and profound, with healing lessons for all of us.


Book Description
As a small child, Rachel Remen sat at the feet of her grandfather, an orthodox rabbi and scholar of the kabbalah, and learned the secret of life: that love and blessings given to others heals our loneliness, unhappiness, and in fact all our wounds. Remen uses her power as a master storyteller to bring to life the extraordinary blessings of ordinary existence. These exquisite pieces show us how we bless and serve each other most often without knowing it, how much life gives to us, and how many of our own blessings we have still yet to receive.

There is nothing more comforting than hearing Rachel's grandfather speak of love, life, and God to a small, lonely, and very spiritual child who was trying to find her way in an unspiritual world. These are stories for keeping at the bedside, for those dark nights when we go out in search of our souls.

Rachel's grandfather has blessed not only his beloved granddaughter but, through her, has blessed us all.


About the Author
Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. has been counseling those with chronic terminal illness for more than twenty years and is internationally known as one of the pioneers of mind/body health. She is cofounder and medical director of the Commonweal Cancer Help Program in Bolinas, California, and is currently clinical professor of family and community medicine at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Our Review
From Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, the author of Kitchen Table Wisdom, a collection of moving and inspirational stories about the human spirit, comes more writings that examine the heart, mind, and soul at work. My Grandfather's Blessings is a collection of thoughts, anecdotes, parables, and prayers that Remen has gathered to help those who are facing the crisis of illness, whether in themselves or someone they care about. Such a crisis is often a wake-up call, a push that forces us to reevaluate our lives, our priorities, and our values. It can be a painful and arduous journey, but the homilies in My Grandfather's Blessings will no doubt provide a cushion for many as they navigate those bumps in the road.

As the title implies, My Grandfather's Blessings includes some of the sage advice and bits of wisdom that Remen's grandfather, a Cabalistic rabbi, shared with her. But there are other voices that speak out here as well -- patients, physicians, friends, family, and Remen herself -- each voice unique though united in the common goal of honoring and respecting life and learning to appreciate the many blessings -- both small and large -- we all receive. The collective whole is an inspirational and compassionate glimpse at the incredible fortitude and indomitable nature of the human spirit.

As a counselor to those with chronic, critical, or terminal diseases, as well as to the medical practitioners who treat them, Remen has explored many aspects of the impact of illness. A physician herself, she is also the survivor of a painful and debilitating disease she has had for nearly half a century. As such, she has viewed illness and its effects from both sides of the fence, a position that lends her words a credibility and balance others in her field may lack. This is not a book of medical advice, at least not in the standard sense, though healing is certainly a goal. But Remen's brand of healing is not the physical kind (though that occasionally occurs as an intriguing and serendipitous side effect), it's more a healing of the spirit and soul. The book is not about saving lives so much as it is about celebrating them. It's not a book about dying, it's a book about living.

Remen talks about such matters as the power of forgiveness and the courage of vulnerability. These may seem like lofty subjects until you read the powerfully simple stories of the people Remen has known and how they accomplished these goals. Some of these stories are sad yet inspiring, some are touching and funny. Others, such as Remen's anecdote about how she learned to become an expert in drawing blood, demonstrate the inherent power of humility. There are stories from patients and doctors, from children and from adults. Each one is a gift that demonstrates lives transformed and the ability we all possess to take charge of our lives and find the courage to share our common humanity.

There are lessons here, such as Remen's story about her mother's silk stockings -- several pairs in a rainbow of colors, stashed away in a drawer in their original packaging, never worn because they were too valuable and her mother thought they should be saved for a special occasion. Although the outcome to this tale may be predictable, it's nonetheless a touching story and drives home an important concept. As do all the other tales. There are stories of healing through imagery and meditation. There are stories of incredible courage in the face of overwhelming odds. There are stories of suffering and the myriad ways people deal with it. In fact, finding refuge from suffering is one of Remen's recurring themes throughout the book. Many of her stories and lessons are geared toward helping people in crisis recognize and avoid behaviors such as denial and rationalization, which may temporarily ease suffering but provide no long-term relief.

The stories are compelling enough to make one want to read the whole thing in one sitting, but My Grandfather's Blessings is one of those books best experienced in small bites in order to savor each tidbit and relish the flavor of the underlying theme or concept. It makes for a series of snacks, but in the end, there is much sustenance to be found. The cumulative effect is like a multicourse gourmet meal that provides a high level of satiety and nourishment for the soul.

--Beth Amos

FROM THE PUBLISHER

It was Rachel Remen's grandfather, an Orthodox rabbi and scholar of the Kaballah, who enabled her to see that blessing one another is what heals the isolation and loneliness in us all. He didn't do this by running out every week to volunteer somewhere. He did it by living life knowing that he belonged to it--that everyone belonged to him, and that he belonged to everyone.

SYNOPSIS

In My Grandfather's Blessing, Rachel Naomi Remen, a cancer physician and master storyteller, uses her luminous stories to remind us of the power of our kindness and the joy of being alive.

Dr. Remen's grandfather, an orthodox rabbi and scholar of the Kaballah, saw life as a web of connection and knew that everyone belong to him, and that he belonged to everyone. He taught her that blessing one another is what fills our emptiness and heals the loneliness in us all.

Life has given us many more blessings than we have allowed ourselves to receive. My Grandfather's Blessings is about how we can receive our blessings and share life's blessings with others. Through our blessing we will discover our own wholeness and the way to restore the hidden wholeness in the world.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

As a child, Remen spent a good deal of time with her grandfather, a Kaballah scholar and orthodox rabbi. She loved their ritual of drinking hot tea and talking. My Grandfather's Blessings is both a homage to a loving grandparent and a gentle reminder to be kind. Remen's grandfather believed that all humans are connected. He taught his granddaughter that each of us is blessed by kindness and the joy of being alive. He believed that the purpose of humanity was and is to share our blessings with others. The author seemingly absorbed all of her grandfather's teachings and has used them to benefit her patients and community in her medical practice. She has been counseling patients with chronic and terminal illnesses for over 20 years and is currently a clinical professor of family and community medicine at the University of California at the San Francisco School of Medicine. Recommended for all libraries with large medical and self-help collections.--Pam Kingsbury, Florence, AL Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

AudioFile

This sentimental memoir honors Remen's grandfather, who died when she was 7. Raised in a different faith than her grandfather, who was a rabbi, Remen drifted into socialist/new age thought after his death. She surprised herself by returning to his teachings when her cancer patients confirmed many of his truths. Remen has a strong New York accent, which may be grating by the end of three hours. However, she speaks slowly, drawing out words even more when adding emphasis. What she lacks in delivery she makes up for in heart. Her obvious endearment and respect for her grandfather more than compensate. A.G.H. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine

Phil Catalfo - Yoga Journal

The best-selling author of Kitchen Table Wisdom (and medical director of the Commonweal Cancer Help Program) returns with an even more engaging collection of anecdotal essays to engender in the reader that rarest of feelings: that one is blessed.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Rachel Naomi Remen is nature's gift to us, a genius of that elusive and crucial capacity, the human heart. She has much to teach us about healing, loving, and living. — Daniel Goleman

Rachel Naomi Remen has done it again. My Grandfather's Blessings is a massage to the heart. It is a wonderful book. — Marianne Williamson

Rachel is a true genius of the heart, mind, and soul. This is one of the most extraordinarily moving books I have ever read, one of the few books that really can transform your life. I am a better person for having read it. — Dean Ornish

A book of great charm and rare wisdom. I felt blessed by these stories. — Sam Keen

This lovely book, like its author, is itself a blessing. Where some doctors treat symptoms, Dr. Remen heals souls. — Harold Kushner

This book is a wonder and a gift to the world - which it is sure to bless. My Grandfather's Blessings is so full of wisdom, light, and life-changing insight that I found myself reading it slowly, savoring each story, and taking notes so that I could remember that each of us can bless life and thus repair the world just by being ourselves. Let Rachel Remen's stories show you how. — Christiane Northrup