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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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A Radical Awakening summary
Shefali Tsabary
Turn Pain into Power, Embrace Your Truth, Live Free
15 mins
Brief summary
A Radical Awakening by Shefali Tsabary is a transformative guide that helps women awaken their feminine power and embrace their true selves through mindfulness, self-inquiry, and self-expression.
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A Radical Awakening
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The patriarchy
Shefali was born in India. She grew up in a culture steeped in tradition and patriarchy. The patriarchal tentacle that snared young Shefali was India’s infatuation with light-colored skin and eyes. Shefali had both, which meant she became the object of excessive and unwanted attention.
By age six, Shefali wanted to be a ninja so she could keep herself safe from men. The plan didn’t work. By age twelve, she had been groped by dozens of strangers, and molested by two male relatives.
She would tie her bed covers above her head and below her feet, as if she were a sausage, to keep away one of the molesting relatives when he spent the night at her childhood home. But he just undid the knots. Kicking him in the privates didn’t work either, and neither did threatening to tell her mother. He knew Shefali’s tender and generous nature. He guessed she would rather suffer abuse than burden her parents with a problem. And he was right.
Patriarchy and its toxic masculinity, which has scarred women and men across the globe for centuries, also infected Shefali’s young life in less overt ways than sexual assault. She has an early memory of her grandmother absently tying knots in her sari, haphazardly fixing her hair, and then explaining she didn’t need to worry about being beautiful since her husband was dead. This felt wrong to young Shefali, but her grandmother seemed to believe it, so Shefali didn’t question her.
Shefali’s grandmother had been conditioned to see her value only in relation to another person. This is one of the defining characteristics of the patriarchy. Most women aren’t aware of it, but they have been trained from girlhood to crave approval, validation, and praise. Not only do many women all over the world look to some external other for their sense of worth, they also place the needs of others over their own.
The patriarchy conditions people, especially women, to assume predetermined roles – subservient wife, obedient daughter, silent victim – or it scares them into false roles, like Shefali’s ninja, and prevents them from discovering their true nature on their own. Yes, many women are nurturing and generous by nature. But when those instincts are co-opted and abused, they stop being a reflection of the true self.
Institutions like religions and cultural traditions also prevent us from discovering our true natures. Like the patriarchy, these institutions want individuals to seek their identity through something external – church, marriage, an educational legacy, and so on – rather than internal. Your relationship with religion, or your marriage, may be healthy – but it probably isn’t if those institutions are your only source of self-worth.
Subjugation by the patriarchy and conditioning from its institutions leave us so desperate to be seen, and push us so far away from our true self, that we assume a false identity to get the attention we crave. That identity is the Ego, and it takes many shapes.
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What is A Radical Awakening about?
A Radical Awakening (2021) shows you how to heal by connecting to your authentic self – the person you were meant to be before society’s lies and conditioning morphed you into something else. It speaks from a woman’s point of view, but it doesn’t exclude men. Instead, it seeks to lift everyone from the pain of their past and into a higher consciousness.
A Radical Awakening Review
A Radical Awakening (2021) is a thought-provoking exploration of personal transformation and spiritual awakening written by Shefali Tsabary. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Packed with profound insights and practical tools, it guides readers on a journey of self-discovery and self-empowerment.
- By questioning societal norms and inviting readers to question their own identities, the book challenges conventional thinking and offers a fresh perspective on personal growth.
- With its compassionate approach and relatable stories, it invites readers to explore their inner landscapes and embrace their authentic selves.
Who should read A Radical Awakening?
- Anyone who wants to heal from their past
- Women who’d like to discover their inner power
- People who feel subjugated by society
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A Radical Awakening FAQs
What is the main message of A Radical Awakening?
The main message of A Radical Awakening is to embrace your true self and find inner peace and fulfillment.
How long does it take to read A Radical Awakening?
The reading time for A Radical Awakening varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is A Radical Awakening a good book? Is it worth reading?
A Radical Awakening is a thought-provoking and transformative book that offers valuable insights and guidance. It is definitely worth your time.
Who is the author of A Radical Awakening?
The author of A Radical Awakening is Shefali Tsabary.
What to read after A Radical Awakening?
If you're wondering what to read next after A Radical Awakening, here are some recommendations we suggest:
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- The Conscious Parent by Shefali Tsabary
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- Live No Lies by John Mark Comer
- And Then We Rise by Common
- Indistractable by Nir Eyal
- Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza
- Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu