Books

Befriending your Stranger:
An Active Journey to Inner Joy

BY ARNIE FREIMAN

I wrote a book for you. It’s an invitation to healing. It’s also all my love in 200 pages. My hope is that it’ll guide you home to a life of complete joy.

READ AN EXCERPT

Genre: Self-Help / Spiritual / Memoir
Imprint: Sophus Press
Publication Date: September 1, 2019
On Sale: Now
Page Count: 200
Paperback Price: USD $17.99 CDN $24.00
Ebook Price: USD $9.99 CDN $13.14

ISBN CODES

Print ISBN: 978-1-7336739-0-7
ePUB ISBN: 978-1-7336739-2-1
Kindle ISBN: 978-1-7336739-1-4

Dear friend,

Does it ever feel like you’re living a life that’s not your own?

At first we just want to make our parents happy, avoid punishment, or fit in.
We want to get the job, keep the relationship, or make it through the day. Slowly, we hide a little bit—we give away a little bit—until we realize we have
been living another person’s life. Some crisis, breakdown, depression, anxiety,
or bad relationship has led you here.

It’s time to meet your Stranger. Your Stranger is who you were before you
hid or bargained yourself away. Your Stranger is your truth, your connection
to the Divine, and the shared spark with every person you meet.

Through years of study, travel, trial, error, and hard work, I have developed
a process to awaken your inner balance, drive, and intuition called the
Eight Qualities of the Heart. Each chapter contains a description of the quality,
as well as philosophies, stories, poetry, and exercises to help you explore
and implement it in your own life. There is no microwavable solution to your
problems. You can’t just pop in a self-help book and wait until you hear the
“ding” of inner contentment. But you can start your journey here.

Love,

REVIEWS

Dani Nicholson

Advanced Reader

“I absolutely loved Arnie Freiman’s book! I’m not always into self-help titles, but Freiman’s book was accessible, grounded, and truly made me think differently about my life. I especially liked that he didn’t focus on a particular religion or deity; Freiman’s book works for anyone, whether you believe in some sort of higher power or not. If you want to become more connected with your inner self, I highly recommend this book.”

Brennah Hale

Book Marketer

“Befriending Your Stranger is a fantastic, inspiring self-help book. I had the opportunity to get my hands on an early reader copy and ended up falling in love with the different teachings this book has to offer.

This self-help mix with memoir dives into spirituality and self-connection guiding readers to their truest self. Arnie takes the reader on a journey through the Eight Qualities of the Heart, while incorporating tidbits of his own life experiences, giving personal examples of ways in which we can improve our happiness in day-to-day life.

In my own life, I often question why my life has taken a certain path and not always where I want to go. But, Befriending Your Stranger took me back down to Earth, reminding me to take my life and happiness into my own hands. Overall, it’s a really great, and quick, read. If you’re looking for a hybrid genre between self-help and memoir (and even some poetry!) that takes you on a unique journey to self-connection and happiness, I highly suggest picking this one up.”

Helen Rosenau

Author of The Messy Joys of Being Human

“Befriending Your Stranger is a cogent and reliable guide for your journey of healing. It is a wise and well-written handbook for clearing emotional baggage and setting a baseline for balance and equanimity. Arnie covers a lot of spiritual territory, and he shares not just his story and roots but what he learned on his own journey. It’s not so much that his messages are new, as that they are framed in an invitational, compassionate voice. The meditations and exercises are interesting and useful, and they come the way a comma might in a sentence: to offer respite and a chance to integrate. It’s like making a great new friend and that friend is you. This is not a book to be swallowed. As Arnie would say, Take a breath. Then settle in to do the work that your soul is asking you to do. Your Stranger will be a stranger no more.”

Robyn C.

Marketing Consultant

“It’s a tough time to be human right now. I’m grateful that people like Arnie and books like Befriending Your Stranger exist. I read an advance copy of this book, and it has helped me with my anxiety and depression. Arnie shares personal stories, poetry, skills practice, and gentle advice rooted in many spiritual traditions. One of my favorite quotations is from Chapter 4: Listening:

So, what do we hold on to when the struggle or darkness or confusion returns?We return to ourselves. We gain the understanding that magic is always available, that the opportunity to listen is always there. We remind ourselves that our anxiety and addictive tendency to run away is something we have learned and practiced our whole lives, and we must proactively pursue the deeper truths we know exist within us that connect us to one another and to ourselves.

This book works read beginning to end, and it also works to dip into as a particular chapter calls to you.”