And Breathe by Leonora Meriel – 4 STARS
This took us through the separate tales of three different people, all guided to attend a 10-day silent meditative retreat. You learned their backstories and traumas and saw how they each processed emotions and thoughts differently.
It fascinated me how in a state of silence, how mentally wayward us humans can become; the stories we make up in our heads, how dark anger can drive us to think, the overwhelm of our unhealed experiences.
I could see myself in some of these thought processes, and how difficult it can be to let things go when our mind controls our thoughts a little too harshly.
The author did a great job demonstrating very different personalities and anxieties- but I felt all of them. I empathized and was rooting for all of them to find their peace. It actually makes me want to seek out a similar program myself!
But that ending? Oh my goodness does it take you by complete surprise! I did not see that coming. Wow! What a way to end it all (in a good way). Interesting read.
To learn more about the author and her book: https://leonorameriel.com/