“In the world we live in, we have been taught from a young age that traditionally masculine traits are what will make us succeed; intelligence is measured logically through tick-box tests, the loudest voice in the room tends to win the debate and we are told to be cruel to fight our way to the top. The world is dog eat dog – fast and hard. But what about those of us who are soft and slow?”
“As someone who is highly sensitive, I am sick of being told to grow a thicker skin or to build my resilience. I am still finding hard to understand why the working world would need this fierce characteristic to be a baseline requirement for working with others if we are all trying to reach the same goal. Softness and sensitivity hold very little space in a skyscraper office. “
The Wheel is such a beautiful, tender and magical book. It is a truly soul-soothing read which takes a reader on a mystical journey of a (self-) discovery through wild landscapes of the British Isles filled with wonderment, gentleness, and magic. It is a nuanced, profoundly moving exploration of our connection with the nature, contemporary toxic working environment which many of us are forced to be a part of, and the healing power of witchcraft and ancient rituals. The Wheel is such a ray of sunshine, beautifully written, and extremely engaging.
A few weeks ago, I had such a rough time; I suffered from burnout, emotional and physical exhaustion. And then one rainy afternoon a small package arrived and inside I found this gifted beautiful copy of The Wheel from a wonderful team at September Publishing. During that time this book felt like an oasis of peacefulness. Reading The Wheel brought much needed calmness to my soul.
“Inside my cauldron is a thick fistful of paper, old diary entries, work “to do” lists, notes I wrote while I was in a bad place and feeling trapped in a life that was keeping my mind small and narrow (…). These papers are flashes of lightning across a darkened room, and I want them gone. As they curl and burn, twisting in their black spirals like the farewell flourish of travelling cloak, a sense of calm sweeps through my chest and shoulders. (…) I’m burning a path for something new to come in.”
The Wheel by Jennifer Lane is a wonderful, magical autumnal read and hugely beneficial for people having experienced toxic work environment and their health damaged as a result of that. Also, it is a great read for those interested in the connection between the natural world and humans, in the ancient rituals, beliefs of our ancestors and their impact on our contemporary life in a modern society. I am truly in love with this gem of a book. I highly recommend it to everyone.
