What Readers Have Written About The First Edition:
A fine book to help raise consciousness,
Many thanks to River Smith for writing this visionary book. It integrates and helps us see the deeper patterns behind the problems we have…. an empowering and enlightening read - definitely recommended for those of us who are still open-minded and teachable!
Will Tuttle-- author of Amazon #1 Bestseller, World Peace Diet: Eating for Spiritual Health and Social Harmony
Treasure trove of wisdom for living life, Dr. River Smith has generously gifted us with a book chock full of treasures. Wisdom, not only his own vast store, but from a diverse wealth of the world’s greatest and deepest thinkers, abounds. I am a believer in daily inspiration as soul food and I felt satiated with every page…. Dr. Smith combines his historian perspective with his long background in clinical psychology and education to produce one of the best overall personal growth books I have ever read. As a therapist, I will recommend it to every client and, as a mother, to all my grown children, and as a fellow human to all those who will listen! Thank you, Dr. Smith, for your carefully crafted gift to us all. Marilyn Wise—Director at Astara Holistic Addiction Recovery.
Terrific for the therapist's lending library A great graduation gift. A self-help guide that really helps. I am delighted to have A Conspiracy to Love on my bookshelf. It is an unusual book in many ways. It is a disarmingly welcoming and easy to read book. ... Smith's simple formulas for helping us to get intimate with our own needs and wants and pursue them with tact, honesty, courage and self-acceptance are exactly the kinds of tools and life lessons that I have usually learned the hard way, through painful trial and error…. As a counselor, minister and healer, I feel empowered to guide people in simple, gentle paths to a better life with this book.… The kind, unflinching truthfulness and love that shine through the pages … have changed my life.
Victor L. Lewis—Director at Radical Resilience Institute.
This book is a treasure for survivors, and for anyone who is looking for comfort and support in finding the parts of life that stimulate our gratitude to be alive. It is accessible for nearly everyone, and that is what I love the most about it…. In my program we give a copy of this book to every adult person who passes through our residential facility, and also make it available to all support group participants. Rose Garrity-- Director of a regional domestic violence program for over 25 years.
Awesome! I have known the author for several years as an activist, but was not aware -- until finding this book -- of his work to integrate the work for social justice at the community and global level with the work for spiritual wholeness at the personal and interpersonal level. I'm not usually a proponent of the self-help genre, but I found this book to be personally healing as well as politically inspiring -- a must-read for everyone! Nozomi Ikuta--Activist and Minister
Dr. River Smith produces a wonderful mental health guidebook. This is a gentle, practical, inspiring and understanding guide to personal growth and recovery. Every therapist should have copies on hand to give to clients, and for our own challenge and renewal. Margaret Grevatt--Therapist
A how-to for the wounded, this is basically a self-help book for the wounded, i.e., all of us. It encourages a self-reflective life, rooted in generosity towards oneself and others. Most importantly, it offers tools to allow one to live with eyes open to the pain, suffering and oppression around us and in us, and still come out with a sense of joy through connection…. River draws on the writings of healers, psychologists, social scientists and philosophers to lay out a path towards healing and connectedness, despite a culture grounded in fear, scarcity and violence. It helped me. Mary O’Shea--Community Activist
River Smith has written a sparkling manifesto of living, loving, and learning. He presents many tools to learn how to create a life of generosity and peace. He writes in a simple and straightforward style. He uses many thought provoking quotes. In a market of many self-help books, his stands out as a book with a political conscience. This book is well worth the money. Judy Beckman--Former Chemical Dependency Treatment Program Coordinator
Clear caring writing. River Smith' s intellect is much needed in this world. This book is thoughtful, clear, and loving.
Maxine Yaged—Midwife.
A
CONSPIRACY
to
LOVE
Living A Life of Joy, Generosity, and Power
(Revised Edition)
By River Smith
This book is dedicated to my great-grandmothers Bertha Parker, Maggie Murphy, Chayah Baylie, and Julia Montenaro. It is dedicated to my grandmothers Anna Brezinski and Minnie Bell Walling. This book is dedicated to my grandchildren Caroline, Tom, and Suzanne.
This book is also dedicated to the Pettit Kids, Rosie, Millie, Al, Lena, and Fred, who tried so hard.
(Revised Edition)
Copyright 2012, C. River Smith
Copyright 2009, C. River Smith
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0772-2
All non-original material utilized under the fair use doctrine.
All rights reserved. Copying of original material is encouraged, as long as author is informed of use.
Satyagraha/Liberation Brew
P.O. Box 770230
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216/651/1302/www.AConspiracytoLove.com
THE FIRST STEP IS SIMPLE:
Be Generous with Yourself;
Be Generous with Others.
Simple, yes.
Easy?
Not Necessarily.
Author’s Notes
I would like to thank the many readers who gave feedback regarding the first edition of this book. I hope I have thoughtfully considered your comments, and responded within, in a manner that will please you.
This revised edition expands most of the sections of the book, adds more wisdom from some extra-ordinary spirits who have graced our planet, and includes some clarifications regarding my own ideas. I have retained the basic layout that so many of you appreciated.
All clients mentioned in this book either gave ex-pressed, written consent or their identities and stories have been altered for their privacy.
River Smith
Cleveland, Ohio
IN THE BEGINNING there was JOY
CREATION THEORY
If there is a beginning, I know it is flooded with joy.
Why is it so hard to believe if there is a design,
that it is etched in love, thrown on a wheel of possibilities,
bathed in a brew of pleasure?
Why else would our skin be so large and receptive to ecstasy
if it's not our destiny?
Why else would our souls sing so loudly
when we stumble upon each other?
Why else would our muscles long for the deep touch
waiting in the fingertips and strong hands of a
brother-sister-lover?