Walking in Circles

About the Book

Inspired by a startling midwinter dream of ancient hills and prehistoric shrines, the author builds her own stone circle in the wilderness and begins a journal of exploration into the nature of cyclical time, the sacred power of everyday, and the meaning of the eternal feminine. From the Art of Gardening to the Zen of Housepainting, Walking in Circles is a quiet chronicle of midlife passage and homegrown ways, reminding us that our lives are lived in moments, in the thoughts, memories, and rituals spun out in daily life. It is a book about time, the time of our lives, the remembered time we keep in our bodies and minds, the ticking time we use to measure out our days, and the hauntingly timeless time of dreams and moons and ancient stones.

Comments from Readers:

This book is incredible! It’s great reading. I loved it and it made me remember a lot of things about my own life and rekindled a desire to read. I especially enjoyed its vivid descriptiveness and tempo. - T.M. (jazz musician, Chicago)

How amazing and awesome when the truth of a life contains such wisdom. Your imagery is often breathtaking. Sensitive and thought provoking with unending layers of revelation. A brave experiment.     - J.S. (poet, Chicago, IL)

To say I liked your book would be a vast understatement; to say I loved it would be to leave so many important things left unsaid, like how it speaks to me and takes me to the place where I need to be. Thank you. If I could write, it would be what I would like to say and how I would like to say it. I read it straight through, stopping only to sleep.

- A.S. (businesswoman, Denver, CO)

I’m only 53 pages into it, but I had to stop to write and tell you- it’s great! The language is fresh, evocative, and poetic. Great work, beautiful storytelling.

- M.R. (psychotherapist, Chicago, IL)

Your writing is beautiful, lyrical. I love it. You’ve got a great book here.

- M.T. (college admissions counselor, Montpelier, VT)

Before I had a chance to get to your manuscript, something unusual happened. My husband, who rarely reads and never stays up past ten, picked it up and read late into the night, finally finishing at the breakfast table with the words, “Wow! You’ve got to read this book!” So I was psyched. The book is wonderful. Deep, rich, and vivid.

- B.A.C. (therapist, Lake Forest, IL)

A friend sent your book up a few weeks ago and I’m writing to tell you how much I enjoyed it. It was like being engaged in a long conversation with an old friend. All through the book I kept saying Yes! Yes! Now another friend is reading it and she says you’ve inspired her to begin writing a journal, and after that Bonnie will read it… you already have a little “fan club” up here in Baraga County.

   - M.D. (artist, Baraga, MI)

About the Author

Rita McNamara is a Chartered Herbalist, therapist, and writer who was a finalist for the 1999 Annie Dillard Award. Published internationally in seven languages, she is also the author of Energetic Bodywork, a groundbreaking book that explores a new understanding of the body-mind connection and the vital link between emotional trauma and physical health. She currently lives in northern Michigan where she teaches, writes, gardens, and maintains a wildlife hospice. She shares her small slice of wilderness with her husband, three cats, a small flock of hens, and a bluetick hound.