Tapping the Power Within: A Path to Self-Empowerment for Women » (Expanded)

Iyanla Vanzant is the founder and executive director of Inner Visions International and the Inner Visions Institute for Spiritual Development. She is a Yoruba priestess and an ordained minister in Christian New Thought. The author of 13 titles—including five New York Times best sellers, and the Inner Visions Series of meditation tapes (Sounds True, 2002)—she is the former host of the television series Iyanla, and co-host on the NBC daytime reality show Starting Over as well. The proud grandmother of five currently resides in Maryland.

The revised and expanded 20th-anniversary edition of Iyanla Vanzant’s first published work offers a powerful path to self-empowerment through the revitalization of one’s spiritual and ancestral roots. Written with Iyanla’s signature healing stories, this classic guide to uniting the will with the spirit teaches that only you have the power to make a change for the better. With chapters on basic breathing and meditation techniques, setting up a home altar, connecting with ancestors and guardian spirits, and the extraordinary power of forgiveness, this book is a perfect companion on the way toward the real you.Known for teaching by principle and example, this exclusive edition also contains Iyanla’s special “What I Know Now” commentaries and an original CD. These tools will challenge you to stop struggling and start recognizing that it is possible to reconcile your humanity with your divinity. Whether you are a beginner on the path or a veteran in need of refreshment, Iyanla’s prescriptions can support your growth from the comfort of spiritual adolescence to the wisdom of spiritual maturity. You no longer need to settle for the way things are . . . you can open up to the way things can be—if you dare to tap the power within!

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xiii

Chapter 1 Spirit 1

Chapter 2 Spirituality 29

Chapter 3 Blessing Your Head 57

Chapter 4 Breathing 77

Chapter 5 Meditation 95

Chapter 6 Looking in the Mirror of Self 111

Chapter 7 Prayer 133

Chapter 8 Affirmation 153

Chapter 9 Forgiving and Releasing 169

Chapter 10 Ritual 187

Chapter 11 Altars 199

Chapter 12 Spiritual Bathing and Purification 213

Chapter 13 Help from Planet Earth 225

Chapter 14 Spiritual Code of Conduct 243

Chapter 15 Precautions for Your Journey 267

Suggested Reading 279

About the Author 283

Inner Visions Institute for Spiritual Development 284