The Next Chapter·Bedside Books

How reading The Heart of the Soul boosted singer-songwriter Desirée Dawson's emotional IQ

The Heart of the Soul by Gary Zukav and Linda Francis is a book that the 2016 CBC Music's Searchlight winner keeps returning to again and again.
Desirée Dawson is a musician and vocalist. (Desirée Dawson)

Desirée Dawson is a singer-songwriter, and yoga teacher from Vancouver. Dawson was the winner of CBC Music's Searchlight competition in 2016 when she released her debut album Wild Heart.

Dawson talks about why The Heart of the Soul by Gary Zukav and Linda Francis is a book she keeps returning to again and again.

"I was going through a really hard time a few years ago. I went to a bookstore and bought a few books. This one sat on my shelf for quite a while and then one day I just went to it. I didn't know why I was drawn to it and then I just start reading it. And I was like, 'Oh my goodness yes!'

"The reason why I keep reading it — I keep it on me and regularly reference back to it —  is because of how easy it is to read. They're not preaching. They talk about how no one is perfect and we have our own challenges to overcome. It wasn't intimidating or had too much information. It's all laid out really nice and smooth.

"They used this example of an iceberg — how the tip of the iceberg is the emotion that we see, and below the surface is actually the deep-rooted emotion that we should recognize as well."

Desirée Dawson's comments have been edited for length and clarity. 

Watch the video for Just Fine by Desirée Dawson