AN EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY AWAKENING

A Memoir

SYNOPSIS

An Extraordinary Ordinary Awakening is a memoir of self-discovery, an open and relatable story of awakening interwoven into the fabric of everyday life—doctor’s appointments, work, and the chaos of raising children.
Despite seemingly having it all, a loving husband, a comfortable home, and a successful career, Lara Charles grapples with a persistent sense of incompleteness. She often ponders, “Everything is great, so why am I restless?” She longs for more.
Throughout Part One, life’s unexpected challenges—traumatic childbirth, cancer, and a surprise twin pregnancy—compel Lara to turn inward and face her longing head-on. With the help of a determined psychotherapist, she confronts her vulnerabilities and relinquishes the façade of perfection, all while embracing a singular theme: letting go of control.
In Part Two, Lara is guided by the empowering insights of the divine feminine and a sage in ancient Indian philosophy. She takes readers through the fear, anger and transformation of her awakening as she peels back the layers of her identity, confronting ingrained beliefs, societal expectations, and personal demons along the way. In doing so, she unearths a profound truth: true wholeness lies within, found by integrating the feminine that culture had long suppressed. Her journey is a powerful challenge to the patriarchal norms that had shaped her worldview and stifled her true self.
For the woman who dreams of an Eat Pray Love journey but is committed to her home and children, this memoir is a poignant reminder that sometimes the most extraordinary discoveries are found in the most ordinary places. Through Lara’s wise and witty narrative, readers will be inspired by the transformative power of turning toward our longing, even amid the peaks and valleys of life, to not only change ourselves but also our families and the world.

Praise

"I’m filled with admiration for the dedication you’ve made not only to the craft of writing but to the art of being."
Betsy Rapoport
Book Editor, New York
"I enjoyed this book so much. It is a self-help book, also for people who don’t like self-help books, which is, in the end, the best type of self-help."
India Lopez
Book Editor, New Zealand
"Lara’s book is beautifully written and her unique voice shines through right from the start. It’s equal parts humorous and poignant but always unflinchingly honest. It is not only a cancer survivor’s story but a powerful story of her inner journey, which is the journey we all have in common, whether we have cancer or not."
Petrina Hargrave
Co-Founder, Thrivers Ark
"Lara's knowledge is no longer conceptual. It is no longer borrowed knowledge from spiritual teachers or teachings. Lara has taken a dive into herself in a true and deep way. Her writing reflects her special inner light of awareness, a light that many can benefit from its clarity in how to live with true purpose and in happiness."
Shikhaa
Spiritual Teacher and Co-founder of the Wisdom of Meditation Centre, New Zealand
"For me there was kindness and humility that came across in the book's message to the reader - no grand or daunting notion or achievement to aspire to, but rather an opening of possibility, an attainable way to deepen everyday experience despite the demands of day to day life. Lessons in integration, rather than seeking transformation through overhauling my whole life and being. In that way it was inspiring."
R Read
Beta Reader, New Zealand
“This book captivated me from the start and I could wholeheartedly relate. It is beautifully written - emotional, raw and real."
S Herring
Beta Reader, Australia

coming soon!

The memoir is in its final editing stage. It will be ready for publication in 2024. Sign up below to get book excerpts and my popular newsletter to your inbox. Or please get in touch if you're interested in a publishing partnership.

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I was thrilled to be selected to contribute to this beautiful e-book by Lori Deschene, founder of the popular global spiritual platform, Tiny Buddha. She said, 'Most people find their way to Tiny Buddha for the same reason—they’re hurting and looking for relief.
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Copyright © 2024 Lara Charles. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Professional photography by Rebecca McMillian I work across the lands known as Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. In Australia, I acknowledge the Darkinjung People and the Guringai People, Traditional Custodians of the land on which I live and work, and pay my respects to their elders, past, present and emerging. In Aotearoa, I acknowledge and pay my respect to Māori as tangata whenua (First People) of Aotearoa New Zealand.