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Little Book of Letting Go: A Revolutionary 30-Day Program to Cleanse Your Mind, Lift Your Spirit and Replenish Your Soul
Bestselling author Hugh Prather has a knack for putting his finger on the pulse of America's emotional and spiritual angst. In The Little Book of Letting Go he gives voice to the internal chatter that prevents us from enjoying or pursuing our true desires. "Within our human heart we all feel the call to be simple, to be present, to be real," Prather writes. "Yet throughout the day, the world urges us to be at war with ourselves and each other: 'Be resentful about the past.' 'Be anxious about the future.' 'Be dissatisfied with what you do see.' 'Be guilty.' 'Be important.' 'Be bored.'" Prather compares these thoughts to the stale clutter in the back of our refrigerators. By cleaning out our minds, we allow room for fresher and more nourishing foods for thought.
In this little book on mental cleansing, Prather uses personal stories as well as step-by-step exercises to help readers understand the rewards and the process of letting go. For example, in the section on letting go of guilt and hurtful actions, Prather suggests that for at least one day readers "rise from sleep and make your purpose only this: 'I will go through this day harmlessly. I will hurt no one in my thoughts or in my actions, including myself.'" Prather includes numerous similar kinds of assignments in all of his chapters, including how to let go of..."Mental Pollutants," "Misery," "Prediction and Control," and "Spiritual Specialness." --Gail Hudson
223 pages, Hardcover
First published July 31, 2000
240 people are currently reading
1298 people want to read
About the author
Hugh Prather
46 books153 followersHugh Prather, Jr. was a writer, minister, and counselor, most famous for his first book, Notes to Myself. , which was first published in 1970 by Real People Press. It has sold over 5 million copies, and has been translated into ten languages.
Together with his second wife, Gayle Prather, whom he married in 1965, he wrote other books, including The Little Book of Letting Go; "I Touch the Earth, The Earth Touches Me"; How to Live in the World and Still Be Happy; I Will Never Leave You: How Couples Can Achieve The Power Of Lasting Love; Spiritual Notes to Myself: Essential Wisdom for the 21st Century; Shining Through: Switch on Your Life and Ground Yourself in Happiness; Spiritual Parenting: A Guide to Understanding and Nurturing the Heart of Your Child; Standing on My Head: Life Lessons in Contradictions; A Book of Games: A Course in Spiritual Play; Love and Courage; Notes to Each Other; A Book for Couples; The Quiet Answer; and There is a Place Where You Are Not Alone.
Born in Dallas, the younger Hugh Prather earned a bachelor's degree at Southern Methodist University in 1966 after study at Principia College and Columbia University. He studied at the University of Texas at the graduate level without taking a degree. While he could be categorized as a New Age writer, he drew on Christian language and themes and seemed comfortable conceiving of God in personal terms. His work underscored the importance of gentleness, forgiveness, and loyalty; declined to endorse dramatic claims about the power of the individual mind to effect unilateral transformations of external material circumstances; and stressed the need for the mind to let go of destructive cognitions in a manner not unlike that encouraged by the cognitive-behavioral therapy of Aaron T. Beck and the rational emotive behavior therapy commended by Albert Ellis.
Together with his second wife, Gayle Prather, whom he married in 1965, he wrote other books, including The Little Book of Letting Go; "I Touch the Earth, The Earth Touches Me"; How to Live in the World and Still Be Happy; I Will Never Leave You: How Couples Can Achieve The Power Of Lasting Love; Spiritual Notes to Myself: Essential Wisdom for the 21st Century; Shining Through: Switch on Your Life and Ground Yourself in Happiness; Spiritual Parenting: A Guide to Understanding and Nurturing the Heart of Your Child; Standing on My Head: Life Lessons in Contradictions; A Book of Games: A Course in Spiritual Play; Love and Courage; Notes to Each Other; A Book for Couples; The Quiet Answer; and There is a Place Where You Are Not Alone.
Born in Dallas, the younger Hugh Prather earned a bachelor's degree at Southern Methodist University in 1966 after study at Principia College and Columbia University. He studied at the University of Texas at the graduate level without taking a degree. While he could be categorized as a New Age writer, he drew on Christian language and themes and seemed comfortable conceiving of God in personal terms. His work underscored the importance of gentleness, forgiveness, and loyalty; declined to endorse dramatic claims about the power of the individual mind to effect unilateral transformations of external material circumstances; and stressed the need for the mind to let go of destructive cognitions in a manner not unlike that encouraged by the cognitive-behavioral therapy of Aaron T. Beck and the rational emotive behavior therapy commended by Albert Ellis.
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June 26, 2008Here's a story from this book:
The River and the Lion
After the great rains, the lion was faced with crossing the river that had encircled him. Swimming was not in his nature, but it was either cross or die.
The lion roared and charged the river, almost drowning before he retreated. Many more times, he attacked he water, and each time he failed to cross.
Exhausted, the lion lay down, and in his quietness he heard the river say, "Never fight what isn't here."
Cautiously, the lion looked up and asked, "What isn't here?"
"Your enemy isn't here," answered the river. "Just as you are a lion, I am merely a river."
Now the lion sat very still and studied the ways of the river. After a while, he walked to where a certain current brushed against the shore, and stepping in, floated to the other side.
The River and the Lion
After the great rains, the lion was faced with crossing the river that had encircled him. Swimming was not in his nature, but it was either cross or die.
The lion roared and charged the river, almost drowning before he retreated. Many more times, he attacked he water, and each time he failed to cross.
Exhausted, the lion lay down, and in his quietness he heard the river say, "Never fight what isn't here."
Cautiously, the lion looked up and asked, "What isn't here?"
"Your enemy isn't here," answered the river. "Just as you are a lion, I am merely a river."
Now the lion sat very still and studied the ways of the river. After a while, he walked to where a certain current brushed against the shore, and stepping in, floated to the other side.
May 7, 2020
I've often heard the sentence, "We are our thoughts". Hugh Prather's book "the little book of letting go", invites us to recognize our ego, and the continuous stream of thoughts it uses to keep us fearful, angry, depressed, anxious, and sad. By letting go of these thoughts, we welcome only love and peace in our lives. Wonderful book, and well worth reading. I underlined numerous passages, and found myself jotting notes in the margin, when a certain sentence spoke to me. I will definitely keep this book in my library.
March 13, 2009
hugh prather has been THE instrumental non fiction personal guidance author in my life.
HOW TO LIVE IN THE WORLD AND STILL BE HAPPY made a substantial difference in my way of
being - beginning in 1987.
THE LITTLE BOOK OF LETTING GO served the same purpose as a comprehensive tune up on an old,
reliable car. of course there were things which were repetitive but there were plenty of discoveries and also
significant reminders of processes that i once followed, and have dropped out of my tool kit over the years.
mister prather has a provide and helpful way of shedding profound insight on that which only appears simple and making things which seem incomprehensible - easily accessible.
HOW TO LIVE IN THE WORLD AND STILL BE HAPPY made a substantial difference in my way of
being - beginning in 1987.
THE LITTLE BOOK OF LETTING GO served the same purpose as a comprehensive tune up on an old,
reliable car. of course there were things which were repetitive but there were plenty of discoveries and also
significant reminders of processes that i once followed, and have dropped out of my tool kit over the years.
mister prather has a provide and helpful way of shedding profound insight on that which only appears simple and making things which seem incomprehensible - easily accessible.
December 22, 2017
When I was in college, a cute boy in my French class recommended Hugh Prather’s Notes to Myself to me so of course I read it, and we quoted it to each other (along with Smiths songs and Rilke) in long emails written at 3am in the dorm computer cluster. This one didn’t land with me at all, but maybe it would have if I were 18 and away from home for the first time and susceptible to boys in polo coats.
August 25, 2023
I started and stopped this book multiple times. I am not normally a book quitter, but it is time - I am letting it go.
While I cannot quite put my finger on the culmination of annoying platitudes that caused me to finally stop reading, here are a few highlights for those assessing whether this book may be the right one for them (as I do believe that for some, this book will be the right fit):
The author states that this is not a religious book, but multiple times refers to God and God’s love/direction. While I believe spirituality can be part of the experience of finding peace, I struggle with someone indicating that their book is “not” something, and then continuing to reference that thing which it supposedly is not about.
Throughout the book, the author also makes comments that show his white male advantage/entitlement. One in particular is a conflict at a grocery store, where the author notes that he might have had an easier time handling the conflict and his emotions around it if the offending party was a beautiful super model (ugh).
Yes, we can learn not to worry, but these stories exemplify the author’s inability to understand the way that the “game is rigged” for many of us. The sad reality is that there are things that those of us who do not have the advantages of the author DO need to worry about (such as an old white male feeling entitled in a parking lot and judging my physical appearance in terms of how he is going to handle the situation) in order to keep ourselves safe in modern society. Has the author ever had to carry his keys between the fingers of his closed fist as he walks to his vehicle after work?
While the book is short, and he may resolve some of these things later on, I just cannot bring myself to spend my time reading it any more. Reading it is taking me anywhere but to a peaceful place.
While I cannot quite put my finger on the culmination of annoying platitudes that caused me to finally stop reading, here are a few highlights for those assessing whether this book may be the right one for them (as I do believe that for some, this book will be the right fit):
The author states that this is not a religious book, but multiple times refers to God and God’s love/direction. While I believe spirituality can be part of the experience of finding peace, I struggle with someone indicating that their book is “not” something, and then continuing to reference that thing which it supposedly is not about.
Throughout the book, the author also makes comments that show his white male advantage/entitlement. One in particular is a conflict at a grocery store, where the author notes that he might have had an easier time handling the conflict and his emotions around it if the offending party was a beautiful super model (ugh).
Yes, we can learn not to worry, but these stories exemplify the author’s inability to understand the way that the “game is rigged” for many of us. The sad reality is that there are things that those of us who do not have the advantages of the author DO need to worry about (such as an old white male feeling entitled in a parking lot and judging my physical appearance in terms of how he is going to handle the situation) in order to keep ourselves safe in modern society. Has the author ever had to carry his keys between the fingers of his closed fist as he walks to his vehicle after work?
While the book is short, and he may resolve some of these things later on, I just cannot bring myself to spend my time reading it any more. Reading it is taking me anywhere but to a peaceful place.
November 6, 2017
I have read hundreds of books in my life, and only 3 or 4 that I've re-read. I've read this 3 times and I re-visit it often. As a professor, an author (It's Not a Crisis! It's an Inconvenience), and an avid reader, this book left me with one resounding reflection... the older I get the more I realize that the most important things I learn in life are often not in the things I take in, but rather the things I let go of. Thanks Hugh.
July 12, 2007
I have learned so much from this little book; I have learned to let go of fears, needless worrying, dependancy, and other things that have lead me to harbor unnecesary resentment and anxieties. It is a little bit religious, but I replace the word "god" with peoples names that I admire. Great self help book.
February 11, 2011
A little too preachy for me -- but some of the release exercises helped.
January 30, 2024
There is some useful information there, but most of it is vague and written in a way that is challenging to implement. For example, we are told honesty isn't always the best policy, but to strive for truthfulness instead. The author talks of a girl he doesn't want to risk being alone with, but to be honest with her means she won't trust him, so instead of being "honest" he says, "I'd like to get out of this office. Why don't we walk over to the park?" (where there are lots of people).
What if there's a policy that you can't leave the office? What if you walk over to the park and find you're alone? What then?
The book (like most books) assume you're going to be able to think of something you never considered, simply because you now love yourself, and don't take things that happen personally.
The author deems thoughts of fear or lack of survival as "irrational" and that any trait you dislike in others is because you have those same traits, you are just unaware of them. The one redeeming caveat the author added was to say, "Obviously it's not helpful to have individuals around who are a threat to us" - but also doesn't go into navigating how to survive when we are surrounded by individuals who are a threat to us, except to picture them standing in front of you and then have Jesus enter them, so you only view them with love.
I'm filled with love to be able to Let Go of this book.
What if there's a policy that you can't leave the office? What if you walk over to the park and find you're alone? What then?
The book (like most books) assume you're going to be able to think of something you never considered, simply because you now love yourself, and don't take things that happen personally.
The author deems thoughts of fear or lack of survival as "irrational" and that any trait you dislike in others is because you have those same traits, you are just unaware of them. The one redeeming caveat the author added was to say, "Obviously it's not helpful to have individuals around who are a threat to us" - but also doesn't go into navigating how to survive when we are surrounded by individuals who are a threat to us, except to picture them standing in front of you and then have Jesus enter them, so you only view them with love.
I'm filled with love to be able to Let Go of this book.
March 15, 2010
This is my favorite quote from the book:
"There are only three things you need to let go of: judging, controlling, and being right. Release these three and you will have the whole mind and twinkly heart of a child."
I come back to this book whenever I need a reminder of what it takes to have peace of mind.
"There are only three things you need to let go of: judging, controlling, and being right. Release these three and you will have the whole mind and twinkly heart of a child."
I come back to this book whenever I need a reminder of what it takes to have peace of mind.
April 27, 2010
Really REALLY useful book. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone and everyone, especially anyone who experiences anxiety and/or depression- or just struggles with thoughts.
Just such a nice tone to the writing, includes exercises ("Releases") you can do, and really does help to lift one out of the clutter and clogging of one's mind. I am really impressed.
Just such a nice tone to the writing, includes exercises ("Releases") you can do, and really does help to lift one out of the clutter and clogging of one's mind. I am really impressed.
October 6, 2020
I did not like this book. I don't see the benefits in the material. I think there were well intention, however, something important was missed. I'll happily add this to my lending library, perhaps another reader will get more out of it than I did.
November 2, 2007
This is a very pratical book - excercises everyday (have to admit I did not do them all!
Little too wordy for my taste and I disagreed with some of the thoughts. It was helpful.
Little too wordy for my taste and I disagreed with some of the thoughts. It was helpful.
June 9, 2011
My therapist recommended I read it. If you have issues with letting people places and things run your life, you may want to try this one. Very eye opening!
January 27, 2016
3.5 for helpfulness and concept
March 11, 2021
Great book
December 2, 2020
In the ‘70s I had Hugh Prather’s book, Notes to Myself. It was a staple of the times.
Imagine my surprise that after midway through, “The Little Book of Letting Go” the connection was made.
Maybe at a scant 200 or so pages it is a “little” book. But it is so full of insight and directives to look at life and instances in a different way that moves our egos to the back seat. This book goes a few steps beyond Its Not About You and is encouraging with release exercises to let go of much of our human failings and self-absorption.
A book to think through, more than just read. Something for everyone as we all carry different baggage.
Imagine my surprise that after midway through, “The Little Book of Letting Go” the connection was made.
Maybe at a scant 200 or so pages it is a “little” book. But it is so full of insight and directives to look at life and instances in a different way that moves our egos to the back seat. This book goes a few steps beyond Its Not About You and is encouraging with release exercises to let go of much of our human failings and self-absorption.
A book to think through, more than just read. Something for everyone as we all carry different baggage.
June 12, 2017
I thought it would be about letting go of things because the binding only had the first part of the title.
I found it to be good in parts and not so good in others. Sometimes he goes on and on and I get a bit lost. Audio would have been better. But I did highlight many things and I am holding on to the book so I can refer to them. Ex: "We have a profound tendency to confuse what we see with how we are looking. Those who remain unconscious of how their thoughts characterize themselves and the ones they love simply miss life altogether."
The ending is lovely--about God and love.
I found it to be good in parts and not so good in others. Sometimes he goes on and on and I get a bit lost. Audio would have been better. But I did highlight many things and I am holding on to the book so I can refer to them. Ex: "We have a profound tendency to confuse what we see with how we are looking. Those who remain unconscious of how their thoughts characterize themselves and the ones they love simply miss life altogether."
The ending is lovely--about God and love.
November 26, 2018
A self-help book, the author Hugh Prather outlines a step-by-step process for letting go of prejudices, preconceptions and prejudgments. By doing so, he explains that you will be able to live a happier and more fulfilling life. At the beginning, he explains why it is important for readers to learn the power of letting go. Then, he provides readers with a 30-day play for understanding your thinking habits in order to let go of our need for control.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who has had experiences with anxious thinking and an overactive mind. The step-by-step guide makes it very simple to identify specific ways to let go. I found myself applying the author’s suggestions to my everyday life and have really benefited from it. Some self-help books can be too preachy but this book was very straightforward. At times I might have wanted it to go a bit more in depth. It was a great reminder of what it takes to have peace of mind.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who has had experiences with anxious thinking and an overactive mind. The step-by-step guide makes it very simple to identify specific ways to let go. I found myself applying the author’s suggestions to my everyday life and have really benefited from it. Some self-help books can be too preachy but this book was very straightforward. At times I might have wanted it to go a bit more in depth. It was a great reminder of what it takes to have peace of mind.
April 4, 2024
Chose to let go of this book after a chapter and a half. The first chapter sounded quite judgemental and clearly came from a place of extreme privilege. The second chapter was promoting pseudoscience as a reason to get behind the idea of "cleansing the mind" which I was actually interested in until he compared it to vitamins that are marketed to do things they don't, and using soap that has been proven to do more harm than good. He talked me out of reading the rest of the book.
June 22, 2022
I feel like this should be on the list of books everyone should be required to read! Has a few hints of religion but it is NOT one of those books that tells you it's impossible without the power of god
October 23, 2024
A good enlightened reading after a long time. Practical advice on releasing the mental blockages, pain, grievances and wrong beliefs. I bet this book makes your heart lighter at the end. The releases experience can be reread and relaxed.
October 6, 2022
Restorative book, will make you feel that it’s ok to just let go
November 28, 2023
Not for me.
April 25, 2024
Inspirational book but it was got boring towards the end
August 27, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
it’s got practical steps but i didn’t do them so it wasn’t so helpful but i should do them hehe
it’s got practical steps but i didn’t do them so it wasn’t so helpful but i should do them hehe
March 16, 2009
I enjoyed this book. The lessons were like a refresher course in stepping away from the problems in the world, and taking a fresh look at life. It reminds you that you don't have to worry or carry unnecessary stress in your life. Parts of the book were a bit slow for me, but many good ideas were included in this little self help book.
March 23, 2010
I love this book and one of Hugh Prather's others, "How to Live in the World and Still Be Happy." They are simply, smartly written books giving profound insight about living from your peaceful core rather than responding to life from your wounded, insecure ego. And they make you laugh! Now, from reading to doing...
March 4, 2019
Truly a waste of time. The author obviously needs to do a little more research and should probably seek out guidance himself. The title of the book and what the book is actually about is a total contradiction. Funny enough it started out ok but it ended with nonsense. I want to know why it was on the library shelf but thank god I can send it back. Anyways, not worth the time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews