The Universal Heart: A practical guide to love - Softcover

'A tour de force in matters of the heart.' Claire Scobie, Kindred Spirit A life worth living is a life of love. Love is the currency that transcends all others. Love connects us most deeply to our best selves, as well as to other people. The presence or absence of love makes the greatest difference to our happiness, our health and wellbeing. Yet seeking love and sustaining it continues to disappoint many people. In this powerful and practical book, Dr Stephanie Dowrick affirms our highest ideals and intentions. Better still, she shows us how possible it is to live them out. With the compassion and psychological depth that is the hallmark of her writing, she also explores the common pitfalls to love. Then, with persuasive wisdom, she helps us to transform them. Perhaps what also makes this book exceptional is that Stephanie Dowrick shows us how to live more appreciatively across all our relationships, including with our own selves. Through her powers of storytelling, she demonstrates that anything worth discovering about love improves not one but every one of our connections. In a world where fears of not being or having enough dominate, she proves that love is ours to discover, to give and to receive. 'Deeply attentive and acutely perceptive . infinitely compassionate and accepting.' Josephine Brouard, Women's Health 'Stephanie Dowrick is a godsend. Her gift is the ability to write in a manner that genuinely enriches and changes lives.' Nigel Marsh, writer and global CEO 'Her wisdom is contagious. If anyone can cause a happiness revolution, she can.' Paul Wilson, author of the Calmbooks

Stephanie Dowrick, PhD, has the rare distinction of writing critically acclaimed, much-loved best sellers. Her books include In the Company of Rilke, Forgiveness and Other Acts of Love, Creative Journal Writing, Choosing Happiness and Seeking the Sacred. Her latest book is A Kinder Life. Formerly a publisher and also a trained psychotherapist, Stephanie Dowrick writes and teaches on a variety of spiritual, psychological and ethical issues. Her particular gift is anticipating key social issues and writing about them in ways that are encouraging and transformative. She also writes widely in the Australian media. She was 'Inner Life' columnist for Good Weekend Magazine 2001-2010, and has been a frequent guest on ABC Radio for many years. She was ordained in 2005 as an Interfaith Minister, is an Adjunct Fellow at the University of Western Sydney, and a regular speaker for Breast Cancer Network Australia. Born in New Zealand, Dr Stephanie Dowrick lived in London for many years where she founded The Women's Press. She has lived in Sydney since 1983 and is the mother of two adult children.