"Atlas of the Heart", a book for everyone!

I consider myself to be pretty emotionally literate - a career in mental health and years of therapy, right?

Well, this book made me eager to learn more, and gave me language for feelings that my heart knew but about which my brain was clueless.  What a relief!

According to the research shared in this book, most folks can identify 3 emotions - mad, sad, and scared.  Well, get ready to learn about the 87 (!!) shared within the covers.

It is encouraging to learn about the huge range of emotions that God gave us, and to have the opportunity to explore them in all our relationships. 

 My favorite to learn about was "forboding joy"; that reaction to happiness that sends you running for cover.  It's that quick flutter that says 'watch out, the other shoe is about to drop', which can send you (me) imagining the worst.  As a parent, she gives the example of experiencing the joy of watching her sleeping children, and then freaking out about all the bad things that could happen to them.  


Even the organization and Chapter titles are wonderfully helpful, for example:

Chapter #1   Places We Go When Things are Uncertain or Too Much (Stress,, Overwhelm, Anxiety, Worry, Avoidance, Excitement, Dread, Fear, Vulnerability)

Chapter #5    Places We Go When Things Aren't What They Seem. (Amusement, Bittersweetness, Paradox, Irony, Sarcasm)

Chapter #7.  Places We Go With Others  (Compassion, Pity, Empathy, Sympathy, Boundaries, Comparative Suffering)

Chapter #11   Places We Go When Life Is Good (Joy, Happiness, Calm, Contentment, Gratitude, Foreboding Joy, Relief, Tranquility)


You can find this book on Amazon, and it's been around long enough that some used copies are available.


Enjoy!


Berta

 

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