Join the Wisdom Within Book Club. Explore non-fiction, inspiring books on mindfulness, yoga philosophy, and personal growth. Connect, grow, and thrive through shared wisdom and gentle conversation.
Next meeting is April 24th 7.30pm – Contact me for more details.
April 2026
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life Héctor García
THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON: discover ikigai, the Japanese secret to a long and happy life from the world’s longest living people.
‘A practical guide to seeking a long, healthy and happy life.’ Liz Earle
‘Ikigai urges individuals to simplify their lives by pursuing what sparks joy for them.’ Marie Kondo
‘I read it and it’s bewitched me ever since. I’m spellbound.’ Chris Evans
Previous books
Sept 2025 – Think Like A Monk – Jay Shetty
Think Like a Monk is one of those books that earns its place on the bedside table rather than the bookshelf. I have returned to it several times, and each reading seems to meet me at a slightly different point on my own journey.
Jay Shetty has a rare gift for translating ancient monastic wisdom into language that feels clear, practical and entirely relevant to modern life. There is no sense of preaching or mysticism for its own sake. Instead, he offers thoughtful guidance on how to understand the mind, manage emotions and live with greater intention.
What I appreciate most is how accessible it is. The ideas are not reserved for people already steeped in meditation or spiritual practice. Anyone on a personal development path can take something meaningful from it, whether that is learning to let go of comparison, creating healthier habits, or simply pausing long enough to listen to themselves.
It is a book that invites reflection rather than rush. Calm, well structured and deeply encouraging, Think Like a Monk feels less like a self-help manual and more like a gentle companion for anyone wanting to live with more clarity, purpose and peace.
Oct 2025 – The Chimp Paradox Prof Steve Peters
The Chimp Paradox is a book I return to again and again. Each time I read it, the model feels even more relevant to everyday life. Steve Peters’ way of explaining the mind through the ‘chimp’, the ‘human’ and the ‘computer’ is simple, memorable and surprisingly powerful in practice.
What I value most is how practical it is. This is not abstract psychology. It gives you a language to understand why you react the way you do, why emotions can hijack sensible thinking, and how you can learn to respond rather than react. Once you see your ‘chimp’ at work, you cannot unsee it.
I had the opportunity to meet Steve Peters and asked him whether he encourages meditation to his patients. His answer was immediate: absolutely. He said the world would be a better place if we all learnt to control the chimp. That stayed with me, because it so clearly links his psychological model with the quiet, steady work of mindfulness.
This book offers more than insight. It offers a way to step back from your own mind, understand it with compassion, and gently take back control. It is one of the most helpful tools I have found for understanding human behaviour, both in myself and in others.
Let Them felt like sitting down for coffee with an old friend who tells you the truth kindly and without fuss. Having followed Mel Robbins’ work since her first TED Talk in 2011, reading this book felt familiar in the best possible way. Her voice is steady, direct and deeply human.
The message is disarmingly simple: stop trying to manage other people, and start managing your own response. That shift alone feels like a breath out. Throughout the book, Mel brings her usual no-nonsense clarity, but there is also a warmth that makes the advice feel doable rather than demanding.
What struck me most is how widely applicable it is. Whether it is family tensions, workplace frustrations or the general noise of the world, the idea of letting others be as they are creates an unexpected sense of peace. It quietly hands your energy back to you.
This is not complicated psychology or lofty theory. It is practical wisdom delivered with the care of a best friend who wants life to feel lighter. For anyone looking for more calm at home, at work and in their own mind, Let Them offers a very gentle way forward.
November 2025 – A Year of Living Simply – Kate Humble
A Year of Living Simply was an interesting read, though not one that truly resonated with me. I did finish it, and I can appreciate the intention behind the project, but much of it felt quite distant from the realities of everyday life.
Kate Humble’s experiment in simplifying is thoughtful and well described, yet it often seemed to rely on resources, space and financial freedom that many people simply do not have. The version of ‘simple living’ presented here felt, at times, more like a lifestyle choice available to the fortunate rather than something widely accessible.
There are moments of reflection that are engaging, and it certainly prompts you to think about consumption and habits. However, I found myself feeling that this kind of simplicity would be easier to achieve if you already had the means to step away from the pressures most people face.
An interesting concept and an honest account of her experience, but one that felt a little removed from my own life and circumstances.
Nobody Wants Your Sh*t: The Art of Decluttering Before You Die
by Messie Condo
Nobody Wants Your Sht* was exactly the jolt I needed. After reading all the gentle, well-mannered books on decluttering, this one arrives with a bracing honesty that cuts straight through sentiment and excuses.
It is blunt, occasionally sweary, and entirely effective. Since reading it, I have taken six trips to the charity shop, sold £150 worth of things on Vinted, redecorated both my sons’ rooms and finally persuaded them to sort through the boxes of belongings they left behind when they moved out eighteen months ago.
The biggest shift is mental. I now pick things up around the house and ask myself, “Will the boys actually want this?” When in doubt, I ask them. So far, the answer has always been no. That clarity has been surprisingly freeing.
If you have already worked your way through the kinder books on decluttering and still feel surrounded by ‘stuff’, this is the one that changes behaviour. It is not sentimental. It is practical, motivating and oddly liberating. I am now eyeing the garage and twenty-five years of printed photos, waiting for a stretch of good weather and a bit more courage.
Rachal reviewed this:-
I found Nobody Wants Your Sht* to be an easy, light read.
Having hugely downsized about 18 months ago, I didn’t have a great deal left to declutter, so much of the book wasn’t particularly applicable to me. That said, it did give me the push I needed to finally tackle my “junk drawers”, and I’ve since culled books and magazines that I’d finished with.
One of the most helpful things was that it helped me see the things I’ve kept just because they were mum and dads are just things. My memories will always be with me. My kids didn’t know their grandparents and won’t want their things.
My biggest takeaway was the idea of a “burn box”. I’ve kept journals for several years and would be mortified if anyone else was to read them. I’ve already told my children that if they ever come across anything marked BURN, they are not to open it, but to light a bonfire and burn it all!
and
A Monk’s Guide to Happiness is a book I genuinely enjoyed. It is calm, clear and written in a way that makes meditation feel approachable rather than mysterious.
Since beginning my own meditation practice in 2020 during lockdown, when I finally realised it was not something reserved for the end of a yoga session, I find myself quietly wanting everyone to experience the same benefits. This book speaks directly to that starting point. It explains the why, the how and the everyday relevance of meditation without overwhelming the reader.
Although I have read many books on meditation over the past seven years, I felt this one covered the subject in a particularly balanced way. It touches on the philosophy, the practice and the practical application in daily life, making it especially suitable for beginners.
An easy, thoughtful read that gently opens the door to meditation for anyone curious about where to begin.
Rachal Reviewed it
Monks guide to Happiness is an easy read and explains meditation in a clear, no-nonsense way. Ideal for beginners or those that struggle with the idea of meditation. The exercises are simple and the focus on short sessions makes it feel doable rather than daunting. I especially liked the idea of “micro moments” for everyday life. Overall, it’s a very practical and encouraging book.
Febraury 2026: Careless Peopple – A story of where I used to work by Sarah Whynn-Williams
Here is my review:-
Reading Careless People felt like lifting the lid on a machine most of us use every day but rarely question. I found it both shocking and, at the same time, entirely unsurprising. The way the author describes her treatment inside Facebook reveals a culture where power, profit and protection of reputation seem to outrank basic human decency.
What stayed with me was not only the corporate dysfunction, but the reminder of how invisible the machinery of social media really is to its users. Decisions made in boardrooms quietly shape what billions of people see, think about and react to each day. The book exposes how little control we truly have unless we consciously reclaim it.
As someone who spends a great deal of time encouraging people to step away from the noise and back into their own bodies through meditation and mindfulness, I felt a personal resonance. It often feels as though I am gently battling vast, million-pound platforms simply to remind people that they are still in charge of their attention, their thoughts and their sense of worth.
Careless People is unsettling, illuminating and deeply human. It is not just a story about Facebook, but a story about power, accountability and the quiet cost to individuals when systems grow too large to care. I will continue to care and will encourage everyone to put social media down and breath…..
Next meeting is April 24th 7.30pm – Contact me for more details.
April 2026
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life Héctor García
THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON: discover ikigai, the Japanese secret to a long and happy life from the world’s longest living people.
‘A practical guide to seeking a long, healthy and happy life.’ Liz Earle
‘Ikigai urges individuals to simplify their lives by pursuing what sparks joy for them.’ Marie Kondo
‘I read it and it’s bewitched me ever since. I’m spellbound.’ Chris Evans
May 2026 onwards
- The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke (published by Abacus, Little, Brown Book Group, Hachette)
- A Thousand Threads by Neneh Cherry (published by Fern Press, Vintage, Penguin Random House)
- Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton (published by Canongate Books)
- Agent Zo: The Untold Story of Courageous WW2 Resistance Fighter Elżbieta Zawacka by Clare Mulley (published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Orion Publishing Group, Hachette)
- What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World’s Ocean by Helen Scales (published by Grove Press, Atlantic Books)
- Private Revolutions: Coming of Age in a New China by Yuan Yang (published by Bloomsbury Circus, Bloomsbury Publishing)