BKMT READING GUIDES

A Princess and Her Garden: A Fable of Awakening and Arrival (includes the guided journal, Becoming the Queen of Yourself)
by Patricia R. Adson, Jennifer E. Van Homer

Published: 2011-11-30
Hardcover : 135 pages
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A Princess and Her Garden is a fable that reflects the stories of many women-and some men-who learn to put other people's needs before their own, until one day they come to realize they feel lost or unhappy because they have forgotten, or perhaps never learned, how to care for themselves. ...
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Introduction

A Princess and Her Garden is a fable that reflects the stories of many women-and some men-who learn to put other people's needs before their own, until one day they come to realize they feel lost or unhappy because they have forgotten, or perhaps never learned, how to care for themselves.

The telling of this story is more about the awakening and arrival of you, the reader, than it is about the journey of the Princess. The authors have wisely used their years of counseling and coaching experience to create a guided journal (The Queen of Yourself) that prompts you to reflect and answer thought provoking questions about your childhood, and what you learned about taking care of yourself and others. This unique journaling experience helps you cultivate a new life story in which you love both yourself and those closest to you. Beautiful color illustrations enhance this new edition-a beautiful allegory for reflecting on any stage in life. The included book club discussion questions are designed for meaningful conversation around changing lives.

The perfect gift for people in transition, from new parents to the just-divorced, A Princess and Her Garden is also a welcome story for fresh graduates and newlyweds, and anyone (including yourself) who is learning how to take care of themselves and plant nourishing seeds.

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Excerpt

Upon her birth the tiny princess was given a garden—a birthright — carefully prepared, fertilized and seeded with everything she would ever need in all the years to come. This perfect garden awaited only tender, gentle care and protection until the day when she would be able to care for it herself. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the author:

Here are a few thought-provoking questions designed to stimulate group conversation in your book club. Consider the following as you read this book:
1. The Princess felt she was doing the right thing by putting other people's needs before her own. When you take care of your own needs do you feel guilty or selfish?
2. The Princess was still a young woman when she was forced to care for her own garden. If this had happened later in her life would it have been too late? Is it ever too late to begin to care for oneself?
3. Why do you think the King and the Queen taught the Princess to care for them? What does this story have to teach us about raising children?
4. The Wizard gave the Princess tools, helped her build a fence around her garden, and gave her the only key to the gate. Why, then, did the Princess feel abandoned when the Wizard left? What does it mean to be abandoned? This is a story about a Princess. How might it have been different (or would it) if it were the story of a Prince?
5. The story ends with "it is possible that she lived happily ever after." What would the Princess have to do to ensure her own happiness? Do you think she married a King? If so, what kind of a relationship might they have had?

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

Note from the author:

I hope readers will use this book and journal to put their lives in perspective and learn to do for themselves what only they can do: self care.

The idea came to me after working with many strong, competent women who were doing well in all areas of their lives except interpersonal relationships: women who were wearing themselves out taking emotional care of and considering the needs of everyone but themselves. The idea of a garden proved to be a good way to talk about how we learn to care for others and how to care for the self using the language of growth and development rather than pathology.

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