This spiral-bound journal, conceived by Sarah Ban Breathnach, is designed to encourage writers to explore their life stories and unleash dormant creativity. Every two-page spread is exquisitely bordered by a wood print leaf pattern and includes a sage little quote to set the mood or beckon the muse (such as "People who keep journals have life twice." --Jessamyn West). The large format (11.25 by 9.75 inches) gives writers plenty of room to scrawl down their thoughts and even offers ample space for adding personal artwork or gluing in cut-out images. Several pocket folders are bound into the back for carrying clippings, postcards, or dry leaves--whatever whimsy dictates. Because it is spiral bound (with a sturdy wrap-around cover), writers can lay the book flat while at work--a major convenience.

Interspersed throughout the journal, Ban Breathnach has added suggestions for writing exercises and collages, plus discussions of themes such as "Success," "Mystery," or "Return to Self." In one spread, Natalie Goldberg is quoted as saying, "Your first job is to get your own story straight." There's no doubt that writers can do just that with this literary example of functional art. --Gail Hudson


Book Description
"Want to know your future? Forget tarot cards or the Ouija board. Within these pages your own private oracle is waiting to be consulted." The understanding, reassurance, and guidance offered by Simple Abundance and Something More have helped millions of women discover their true thoughts and feelings and uncover what author Sarah Ban Breathnach calls "the authentic self." Now Sarah invites you to continue that journey, but with an important difference. This time, she asks you to put aside your intellectual, reasoning self-and unleash your playful, intuitive, creative powers. "Think of each collage you create in this book as a detailed dispatch from your subconscious mind to your awakened self." THE ILLUSTRATED DISCOVERY JOURNAL puts you on the path of pure intuition and feeling. Here you'll collect random pictures that appeal to you-images culled from periodicals or cut out of catalogs, photographs, or postcards. And here, with Sarah's encouragement, you'll reverently and reflectively assemble them into collages that reveal just about anything you might ever want to know about yourself. Your passions. Your preferences. What tickles you. What ticks you off. What makes you happy. From discovering why a certain shade of blue makes you smile, to suddenly comprehending the source of a problem in a friendship, to recognizing your deep spiritual beliefs, the nine sections of THE ILLUSTRATED DISCOVERY JOURNAL will lead you to the hidden side of your authentic self as no other book can. "I believe that you'll find collage to be an incredibly powerful, imaginative, and enjoyable way to bring new messages to yourself. So get to it and have a blast! Blessings on your courage." -Sarah Ban Breathnach

FROM THE PUBLISHER

First published in November 1995 with little fanfare, SIMPLE ABUNDANCE-a daily inspirational guide written for people who wish to live by their own lights - soon found its audience through word-of-mouth raves including Oprah Winfrey's, who named it "her favorite book" of 1996 and called it "life-changing."SIMPLE ABUNDANCE has been back to press 44 times, and has sold nearly 4 million copies in the United States alone. It has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years, topping the list at No. 1 for a year. It was named one of the top ten best selling books in the United States for the last five years (1994-1999) according to USA Today. In October 1998 Sarah's book SOMETHING MORE: EXCAVATING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF debuted at No. 1 on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and Publisher's Weekly and within six months had sold a million copies. Her SIMPLE ABUNDANCE JOURNAL OF GRATITUDE (published by Warner Books) has also sold over a million copies. Her latest publishing project, THE ILLUSTRATED DISCOVERY JOURNAL: CREATING A VISUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF will be published by Warner in October 1999. SIMPLE ABUNDANCE has been highly praised from different corners of American culture. Thomas Moore, the best selling author of Care of the Soul called it "a book of real wisdom--a satisfying blend of the sassy and the profound." The book's phenomenal success has been parodied in the nationally syndicated comic strip "Cathy" and featured twice as a question on the hit television quiz show "Jeopardy." According to Deepak Chopra, writing in George magazine (September 1998) which named Sarah Ban Breathnach as one of America's twenty most fascinating women of power and influence, "she's a one-woman women's movement--just the subversively cosmic voice society needs" to help the country "re-evaluate our values." Because its editors felt that Sarah had her finger on the pulse of the American people, in September 1997 she was commissioned by People magazine to cover the funeral of Princess Diana. As a contributing editor of Good Housekeeping she writes a regular column on "everyday spirituality," the first such feature in a mainstream American woman's publication. Sarah Ban Breathnach is also the President and CEO of Simple Abundance, Inc., a consultancy firm specializing in publishing and multimedia projects which give creative expression to the timeless Simple Abundance principles and the concept of personal authenticity. Recently her company entered into a ground-breaking joint venture with Scribner to create The Simple Abundance Press. This new publishing imprint will include both original books by Sarah Ban Breathnach as well as books of "Substance, Style and Spirit" by other writers. The Press's mission is to help readers explore innovative and inspirational ways of enriching their lives. In early 2000, her magazine Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance will debut on her website simpleabundance.com prior to a print version later next year. She is the founder of the Simple Abundance Charitable Fund, a non-profit bridge group between charitable causes and the public dedicated to increasing awareness that "doing good" and "living the good life" are soul mates. In acknowledging Sarah's contributions to rethinking the role of philanthropy, The American Benefactor noted that while "it's not necessary to reconcile your public persona with your personal life these days, it's refreshing when someone does, like Sarah Ban Breathnach?" Since 1995, the SACF has supported the vision of over 100 non-profit organizations by awarding over $1 million in financial support. The Simple Abundance Charitable Fund is underwritten with proceeds from Sarah's speaking engagements, royalties and product sales."

SYNOPSIS