Disclosure: I received this book to review. The post contains affiliate links; the opinions shared here are 100% mine.

 Do you find it hard to visualize your goals?  I’m not talking about the Mirror of Erised, where you would see your deepest desires.  Many times, those kinds of dreams are out of one’s control.  Instead, think about your life’s goal that is either tangible or attainable.  Can you see yourself doing that?   What was the first step toward it?  To Hold The Sun is an allegory about reaching happiness by internalizing contentment.  Sounds tough, right?  I think so, too, but found myself practicing the skill while reading this book. Well, that and pretending I was on a Caribbean island.  That’s what the book was about and far be it from me to ignore the story.  

Two years ago I read Desert Journey about a man who went off in search of spiritual guidance.  To Hold The Sun has a similar vibe.  There’s a lot to be taken from this book. The philosopher Paul presents ideas like love and spirituality in a powerful new way.  I didn’t always agree with the methods used in the book but appreciated the principle.   Instead, I could modify the ideas to suit my own beliefs.  One area I struggle with is holding a grudge.  Resentment has a tendency to fester in my heart until it becomes an ugly stain on my conscience.  Praying through this is helpful, but I tried the technique mentioned in the book of showering the object of my grudge with love.  It actually was helpful!   I also liked the point made about the ripple effect.  Paul points out that actions we take toward a lifestyle change can have an incredible effect on our entire well-being.  Now, the best part of the story was the author’s call to action at the end of the book. I won’t spoil it for you; instead, I want to applaud Chas Watkins for practicing what he preached in To Hold The Sun.  The book is currently 99-cents on Kindle, which is a real bargain for such an inspirational read.

Chas Watkins was born and raised in England and is a naturalized Australian.  Chas currently pretends to work as a Realtor and Radio DJ.  Occasionally he “likes to dance as if no one is watching” which is ironic as his dancing makes people stare. If you are really unlucky, you may meet him, and whatever you do, don’t offer him a drink as he is a very rude and uninteresting person.  He wrote To Hold The Sun as a guide to help his children live their lives in a way that would allow them to enjoy the journey. Drawing on wildly diverse disciplines including stoicism, neuroscience, skepticism, behavioral economics, and spirituality; the reader is taken on a journey that exposes the author’s philosophy of life. He demonstrates that happiness is indeed a choice.