Lac la Hache-based author Sherree Dee (the pen name for Sherree Zeis) published her debut non-fiction children’s book on Jan. 7 of this year. Titled Shine, she makes a good argument on why people should read the introduction book about meditation and yoga.
“With all the fastpace and stress of our world today, I think it’s important to give young children some coping mechanisms as young as possible. I think that’s what Shine will offer them. It’s one tool they can use to help create that peace and calm within themselves that will allow kids to adapt and grow with the ever-changing environment today,” Dee said.
Dee, a retired registered nurse, has been researching mental health in children after several friends who are young mothers, teachers and daycare workers spoke to her about the rise of anxiety and stress disorders in children. What she heard made her sad, which is why she started researching the subject. She discovered disorders can be diagnosed in kids as young as two years of age.
“Me, being an avid yoga practitioner myself, I thought of how that meditation helped keep me calm, centred and focused. I thought why not try to offset some of these stress and anxiety disorders that are occurring,” she said.
Shine offers a guided meditation practice using breath, gentle movements and the imagination allowing its readers to discover the power within themselves to create peace and calm inside.
Dee said she thinks when people are happy and content on the inside is when their radiance really shows and when they truly shine, hence the title.
“So much of society today is about looking for ways to make ourselves happy on the inside,” she explains, saying people tend to get caught up in material wealth and vacations to make them look happy. She said the book offers a different way, again mentioning creating the peace and calm within.
So far, Dee said, she has received a lot of positive feedback ranging from daycare centres, grade school teachers and even yoga studios. She mentioned one that is thinking of incorporating the book into their children’s yoga program.
The author retired last year but said she had been thinking of writing the book prior to her retirement but couldn’t find any time to work on it until she left nursing.
Self-published on Friesen Press, Dee said the writing part of the book was ‘very easy’ due to all her research and background - she also taught yoga and meditation for over 25 years - but the actual publishing part, as well as the promotion of the book, was the hardest part.
She, however, did credit Friesen Press for helping her on every step of the way.
She has already started working on a second book.
“Once I get this one up and going and give it a good year and a half of promotion,” she said regarding when it would be published.
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