Thursday 16 July 2009

Angels In My Hair by Lorna Byrne



Pages 325

Challenges - Non Fiction Five, In Their Shoes and 100+ Books.

Published by Century in 2008

This book is an unusual one. It is an autobiography of Irish woman who has the power to see angels in her everyday life. When she was a child, she was considered to be retarded, as she didn't focus on everything around her. Lorna knew she wasn't retarded, she was just too busy watching the angels and spirits that were around her. For most of her life, she assumed everyone else could see them to.

Lorna tells the story of her life as she grows up in Ireland. Her family are very poor and it takes years for their family life to improve. Lorna then meets the man she knows she will marry, as the angels had already shown her a vision of him. She has also been forewarned that in the later years of her marriage she will look after her husband during years of sickness, until his early death. All through their married life, the couple struggle, yet every time things seem they can't get any worse, Lorna's angels come to her aid.

Within the book, Lorna talks about meeting the prophet Elijah, an Archangel and of also being in the presence of God. She describes the world as full of angels waiting to answer our prayers and wishes, however because so many of us have forgotten them, a lot of angels are redundant. So Lorna is basically asking you to call on your angels to help you with your everyday life.

I am really on the fence over this book. My friend who recommended it to me, said I would come away feeling uplifted and that it would alter my view on life. I can honestly say, it really didn't do that for me. Unfortunately I found myself slightly skeptical of the whole thing. I am a person who believes in what she can see, if I can't see it or justify it, then I have a lot of trouble believing. I would love to believe that we are surrounded by angels, waiting to answer our every prayer, I am just not sure.

I have read a lot of books on cosmic ordering and also all the books by Gill Edwards, who believes life to be full of magic and if you ask for something,you will get it eventually, so I have believed for a long time that you create your own reality by asking for the things you want and positively believing you will receive them. From this book, I felt that you could have what you wanted, but you would have to suffer a great deal in order to receive it. Lorna's life comes across as miserable and desperate, she struggles throughout her life and for her suffering she is allowed to communicate with angels and spirits. I know that the angels came through for her at the end, but they really allowed her to hit rock bottom, before they helped. Imagine getting to Christmas Eve, having no food in the house or presents and praying for a miracle. I would be busting a gut by that point and nearing a stroke! I would love to be able to see for myself if angels exist, but not for the sacrifice of a happy life and my sanity. I am not saying they don't exist, just that really I have no idea.

I also found her description of meeting God, a little hard to swallow. Lorna describes meeting him and Satan as if it were an everyday occurrence and personally I just didn't buy it.

I really wanted this book to have the same effect on me that The Celestine Prophecy had. I loved that book and could completely relate to it, where as this book left me feeling a little despondent. I really wanted to love this book and really wanted to believe, unfortunately it just left me feeling sad. Perhaps I focussed too much on the negative aspects of her life, rather than the positive visions she was witness to, but that is part of who I am, to me the glass is always half empty rather than half full.

I would love to hear from anyone else who may have read it, as I am wondering if it is just my perception of the world that stopped me enjoying it. I believe if you have strong beliefs in your faith and if you are a positive person, then this book would suit you.

Thanks for stopping by.

13 comments:

  1. Interesting one. I'm a glass half empty girl but I'm also a believe in everything until you prove to me otherwise girl too. (Hence going monster spotting at Loch Ness in August - woo!) Though am on the fence with religion. I think I'll look out for the other book you mentioned first - The Celestine Prophecy.

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  2. I am getting the same sceptical feeling from just reading your review. I can say that if I read it I would feel the same. So not the book for me

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  3. Doesn't sound like the book for me either. Sheesh, like we need more depressing stuff in our lives! Just the state of the world leads me to believe that angels are sleeping on the job or that they have given up on us due to our own fault. Celestine Prophecy does sound good though.

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  4. I haven't read this one and I probably won't. I read the Celestine Prophecy so long ago and I remember enjoying it and being intrigued by the idea of synchronicity but unfortunately I don't remember it in any detail. I have to say that I am amused by the title, but then I am nothing if not easily amused.

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  5. I'm not sure about this one either. I'm just skeptical of things like this.

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  6. I haven't read it, but it sounds interesting.

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  7. I'm sorry there are bits in the book that is just not working for you.

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  8. wow, this does sound interesting.
    'I have believed for a long time that you create your own reality by asking for the things you want and positively believing you will receive them.' I believe this as well.
    great review!
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  9. I'm quite the sceptic myself so I'm not sure if this would work for me either, but I still really enjoyed reading your thoughts, so thanks for that.

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  10. Angels in my Hair is definitely worth reading. Her lifestyle was not unusual for the times in Ireland. It's a page turner...
    I'd also be interested in the Celestine Prophecy. Lorna Byrne has also a website worth visiting.

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  11. Hi, I have read the book a long time ago as I live in Ireland. Funny that you should say that her life was miserable. Yes, it was difficult and she has experienced a lot of pain, but she seems to be saying that her joys in life come from this deeper purpose and mission she has been given. She has said that she is overjoyed with the response from people who are saying this book gave them back hope in life!
    I don't believe that we are able to get everything we want in life just by thinking positively about it. From Lorna's Catholic perspective, our prayers are always supposed to be asking God, "Let Thy will be done, not mine", and to ask for the wisdom to respond to it. Her prayers are not selfish.
    There is a great deal to learn from experience in hardship. Not everything in this life is meant to be positive, at least in our immediate understanding.
    Just my two cents. I loved the book and Lorna is truly a blessed, unique person. Check out her videos on youtube and listen to her speak. She sounds like a woman at peace.

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  12. Definitely a good 'read' However, it contradicts most of what the bible tell us. For example there is no queen in heaven (Jeremiah ch44). G-d will not and does not share His throne or His glory. No one has seen G-d, yes some have heard His voice and seen varying forms of his Spirit but more importantly Lora seem to have the power to send everyone to heaven!! People, don't be fooled. The bible tells us that even the very elect will be fooled. Truth will be mixed with lies and fables I am a hard core Christian. Read the bible first (not the other way around) then you can spot the fdeceivers. If you have a fear or obsession with something you can psychologically make it appear. I know! Don't get me wrong, I do believe in angels/messengers devils etc but we are warned NOT to associate with the dead or evil spirits. Jesus is our only mediator/intercessor to G-d.

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Hiya, thanks for stopping by, it is always nice to hear what you have to say, so do leave a comment if you have time.