Eat, Pray, Love

Ever since this book was first talked about I had wanted to read it. I enjoy going to book sales and at one of these fun scavenger hunts I found my own copy for a mere $2. I stashed it away in my ever growing pile thinking one day I would finally get to read it.

And then at one of our monthly book club meetings it was chosen as the book to read that month. So now not only was it a book that "had" to be read, it was one I had and have wanted to read.
So when I had finally finished the long book I was currently reading I dived in to Eat Pray Love.

Written by Elizabeth Gilbert, it is a true story of her 'finding herself' after a traumatic divorce and a stormy new relationship. She decides to spend a year in three countries "each starting with the letter 'I'" after what I would call a spiritual experience from God. At first I am quiet enthusiastic as it seems she comes to make a commitment to God but as I read through the book I realize it is not going to be as I thought.

In Italy she discovers food and "Eats" her way through numerous delicious sounding dishes as she learns to speak the Italian language that she loves.
Moving on to India she goes to an Ashram where she spends her time along with others from around the world learning to "Pray" and meditate. This section in particular really bugs me as I know that talking and listening to God (in prayer) does not involve the strict disciplines and rules to hear from Him. I feel that she and the others there were being slaves to some other god. In fact it made me so cross that they couldn't see what they were doing was such a bind that I almost through the book across the room!
Finally she goes to Indonesia, and more precisely Bali, to spend time learning from a medicine man. Once again I was sort of angry she felt the need to find out the ways of this healing man when it was not from God.
During this time she meets and falls in "Love" with Felipe, a Brazilian-born man of Australian citizenship, who also helps her to discover the joyfulness in a relationship between a man and a woman.

I am pleased I have read the book and am actually keen to watch the movie of the same name which stars Julia Roberts as Elizabeth. I actually really like Julia's acting so that in itself should be good. Having read the book as well will mean that I will know the bits in between that are missed out in movies because of the confinement of time.

It will be interesting for me to see if I get as frustrated with, what I feel, is a lack of understanding of God and His love for us as I did in the book. God loved us through sending His Son Jesus Christ, who died for us so that we could be free to have a relationship with God, with out the rules and rituals other religions put on a person, before they can be close to God.