Book: Welcome Home to Yourself
Author: Suzanne Kyra
Photographer: Nathan Derksen
Published by: Relationships Matter Publishing Inc.
128 Pages, $40.00 (Cdn)

In Welcome Home to Yourself, author Suzanne Kyra and photographer Nathan Derksen, mother and son from Belcarra and Vancouver respectively, invite all to explore the mystery and the magic of what it means to discover and actualize oneself.

The first of a planned trilogy, Welcome Home to Yourself is a coffee-table photo journal that discusses topics such as the senses and life stages, as well as abstract concepts like wonder and being. Though many concepts in life tend to be shrouded with ambiguity, Kyra takes the reader by the heart and hand to unravel each topic one by one, as ribbons, with care and focus. On Beauty, Kyra captions, “Beauty makes its presence known when we experience the message from inside ourselves, 'Stop. That's it. It's perfect.'” Coupled with the ineffable beauty of Derksen's photo of a Belcarra sunset (also featured as the cover photo), she continues, “There is no excess and no deficiency in beauty.”  By showing readers their world, Kyra and Derksen welcome them into exploring their own.

It does not take a trained eye to appreciate Derksen's photography in the book. Most of the pictures are nature shots spanning three-quarters of the page. Many are distinct, like the white Australian crescent moon against a clear, black night (p. 93) while others are luscious and sensual, like the close-up shot of dew forming on the thistles of an evergreen in Lynn Canyon (p. 53). Printed with high quality ink and photo paper, the pictures blend well with the text to enhance or model the subject matter, setting the atmosphere for repose and contemplation.

Welcome Home to Yourself is divided into six chapters. In each, Kyra discusses topics in an easy-to-follow format. First, she defines the topic of reflection using simple and exact language to let her images and insights blossom. For instance, on Cycles she says, “We need to remind ourselves to appreciate and fully live in this moment, for the next moment will surely be different, even when we cannot perceive the difference.” Where words can often form fortresses and towers, Kyra builds bridges.

Next, she opens up a dialogue with the reader. Kyra initiates the dialogue with a sharing of her own experience, extending her thoughts as an open hand; she speaks behind no walls and meets the reader with authenticity, clarity and positive regard. To continue the dialogue, she posits questions that invite the reader into introspection and reflection. On Summer, she asks, “Can you feel your body relax? What makes summer most enjoyable for you? How can you create more ease of living in your life all year long?” Kyra guides readers back to themselves as if down a hall, with each question opening a new door.

Following the dialogue is a brief section of encouragement that segues into a caption and picture on the adjacent page. Here, Kyra ties together the topic, offering her own confidence to get the reader started. Leading by example, Kyra concedes, “As others cheer for us, we learn to encourage ourselves.” It is this sharing that supports the book's messages of healthy self-love and self-actualization.

However, Welcome Home to Yourself may not be for everybody; self-discovery requires patience and desire. The questions Kyra poses depend on the reader's honesty to provide value. Unlike a televised talk show where viewers are passively involved, Welcome Home to Yourself actively engages its readers to participate, inviting them to live life in a greater depth.

Welcome Home to Yourself is about connection. All too often in this world we are asked to compartmentalize our lives into business, love or play. Instead of dividing into categories, Kyra encourages readers to experience life as a whole through the practice of mindfulness, to understand that the different aspects that create us are distinct threads which weave together. Instead of choosing the mind over the body, Kyra emphasizes the connection that harmonizes the two.

The book can be found on Amazon.com or through Suzanne Kyra's website: suzannekyra.com.