Women are prone to many kinds of violations in any society. And it is no exaggeration to say so! Though humanity has evolved and we have moved on leaving the darker days of history behind us, the world still needs to recognise, acknowledge and adequately reward women for their extraordinary contributions to our society. They bear a lot throughout their lives. They tolerate out of nature (supposedly), one can say so. However, they sometimes get enough of it, retaliate, or move on leaving everything behind. Dr Haseena Chokkiyil has come up with her debut book The Kintsugi Moms: Transformative Insights from a Healer’s Diary recently, and this book celebrates such brave women who have put miseries and sufferings behind to move on and chase better versions of stories for their lives. And believe me in advance if you are into reading books celebrating the true feminine, you will be loving this book even for that reason alone. Nevertheless, The Kintsugi Moms by Dr Haseena also offers another reason to deserve appreciation and critical acclaim. It brings to the fore the tips and suggestions by the author, a certified holistic healer and a homoeopathic doctor, to make someone’s life better and heal from the inside.
It is no surprise that domestic violence can have a wide range of emotional effects on women. It can include feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, shame, guilt, and isolation. Eventually, domestic violence can also lead to physical and mental health problems. Though it becomes difficult to put such experiences behind them, the women who are featured in the eight stories by Dr Haseena have put their ordeal, mental and physical, behind and moved on with their lives. Dr Haseena counselled these women and helped them realise there is more to life than keeping oneself caged in the painful memories of the past. The methods and techniques Dr Haseena used in counselling these women are summarised in a wonderful way in the second part of this book.
Though the stories in the first part of the book are moving and compelling, the second part of the book takes the readers beyond the tales of suffering and recovering and tells them about the ways one can mend oneself into a better version. Dr Haseena suggests the roadmap to Kintsugi – the betterment of physical, mental and emotional aspects of a human being that would eventually lead to a better life. For those who don’t understand, Kintsugi is a Japanese art that involves crafting something back from broken pieces. Metaphorically, the author has suggested these women (featured in the stories) mustered their courage and crafted themselves back from their broken pieces. Moreover, anyone can come back anew and start fresh (once again) by following the roadmap to Kintsugi that Dr Haseena prescribes in the book.
Unlike many other books that I read, this book does not overdo the philosophy and psychology of well-being. It simply describes the author’s opinions (that come from her expertise and experience doing things for years). Anyone who reads the book can easily understand the author’s opinions, ideas and tips (and even work on those things if desired). Yes, the summum bonum may connote the same thing that we often find in self-help books – crafting a new ‘you’ that beats the older ‘you’ and paves the way for an even better ‘you’ tomorrow. However, that this book comes with the same results as others may be an unfair judgement. After all, one has to keep in mind the things authors do to reach conclusions. Dr Haseena’s writing style, approach to the issues and themes, way of offering tips and suggestions, and manner of persuasion are very different and everything together makes her book not only a convincing self-help piece of literature but also an eye-opener for society. It will not only empower the thoughts of those who want better lives but also those women who think they cannot leave their sufferings and pain behind (to begin a new life).
Overall, The Kintsugi Moms by Dr Haseena is a book that anyone would enjoy reading (and learn something new about life). You can get a copy from Amazon India today. Click the link below and you can land directly on the Amazon India book page.
Review by Alka for Indian Book Critics
The Kintsugi Moms: Transformative Insights from a Healer’s Diary By Dr Haseena Chokkiyil – Book Review
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IBC Critical Rating
Summary
The Kintsugi Moms: Transformative Insights from a Healer’s Diary By Dr Haseena Chokkiyil is a self-help book with eye-opener stories.