Marci Shimoff with Carol Kline - Love For No Reason

review by Ro Bennett on show august 2011
I recently diagnosed myself as having an extreme case of Post Visitor Stress which led to False Guilt Syndrome so I thought that reading this book might be a good antidote!

The full title is Love for No Reason - 7 Steps to Creating a Life of Unconditional Love. I figured that if I learnt how to love unconditionally I would never again find having visitors sleeping on my lounge floor stressful and would spend less time snuffling and snorting over the escapades of my grandchildren.

Marci Shimoff claims there are proven practical perks to living in Love for No Reason - for example, Love is a great medicine. When you experience love, the heart and the brain in concert with the endocrine and nervous systems release chemicals including endorphins and oxytocin which is known as the cuddle hormone because it makes you feel warm and fuzzy - and these strengthen the immune system and reduce the mental and physical effects of stress so they aren’t as strong and long-lasting.


Also studies show that being in a state of love increases your brain power and clarity through a physiological response called cortical facilitation. Blood and neurotransmitters flow to your cerebral cortex, activating the higher brain centres that govern creativity, intelligence and problem solving. So it all sounds good stuff!


In her explanation of why she came to write the book, Marci explains that in the process of becoming a a best selling author of books which have sold more than 14 million copies, including Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul and Happy for No Reason, she learnt to be happier. Then, as she travelled to speak about the books, people started showing up in her life who were more than just happy. She met them in unexpected places: the woman sitting next to her on the airplane to Kiev, the waiter in Peru, the man on the street in St Louis. Each of them had a palpable quality of open heartedness that was impossible to miss. She started doing what she loves to do - asking them questions.


So, each chapter contains stories contributed by people Marci refers to as Love Luminaries - people who she feels are role models, people who consistently radiate that kind of Higher Love. She and her co-writer Carol Kline interviewed over 150 people. Some were famous spiritual leaders and teachers, some were scientists, others ordinary people who chose to love despite horrendous circumstances, causing them to live what she describes as ‘lives rich in the gifts of the heart’ She claims she found their stories, insights and recommendations profound and eye-opening. I found all the stories absorbing and quite riveting. There was a wide variety - some were gut wrenching, some very sad, but all of them were inspiring.

At the end of the book there are recommended resources. I found a wealth of information and further reading and websites to explore and research in this part. There was also a section containing short biographies of the Love Luminaries whose stories appear in the book and I found these very interesting and informative too.

As well as their personal stories, many have contributed exercises or techniques which they have found helpful in their lives - so I will be fervently practising them all winter in preparation for next season!
On the other hand I might just learn how to say NO...