Leaning into Curves: Trusting the Wild Intuitive Way of Love

by Linda Sandel Pettit ED.D

"Beautifully written...a wild ride 

through the curves of love and loss, into a clearing of spiritual light...”

Steve Chandler, Bestselling Author

International Speaker, author, and mentor, Dr. Linda Sandel Pettit has written a memoir, a compelling tale of an intuitive intelligence that guides us through life -- mystical, magical, and practical.

Leaning into Curves is, first, a love story. It is a poignant tale of forbidden love between a 24-year-old woman and a Catholic missionary priest twice her age; of two souls who crossed the boundaries of religious beliefs and dogma to honor their hearts. 

It is a tale of crushing loss when a tragic car accident on Christmas Eve ends their earthly relationship. It is tale of one woman’s trust in the spiritual wisdom unfolding from her soul to guide her through suffering and death to a new love. It is an otherworldly tale of a chance meeting with a Hawaiian Kahuna who forecasts that she will soon be handed the mystical keys to love by a “teacher of THOUGHT.”

It is one woman’s search for the sacred feminine, divine female power. It is a candid, insightful and lyrical story of transformation that

judgment and forgiveness; separation, and connection; desire and surrender, mystery and miracles, intuition and synchronicity, faith and love.The author, trained as a counseling psychologist, uses her personal life story to point readers toward universal truth. 

This is story of hope that our journeys through life can be sure-footed when we listen from and follow the way of the heart, the beingness of love. It is a life raft.

“The 322 pages of Leaning into Curves create a miraculous experience, that Love IS! 

What a story! What a woman! What a masterpiece!” 

Steve Hardison, The Ultimate Coach



“...every evocative page draws us in. Read it and reap.”

Sam Horn, CEO, Intrigue Agency



“Linda touches the transcendent world with exquisite beauty and a wicked sense of humor.”

Shadrick Mazaza, Physician, Founder, African Consciousness Institute

342 pages, Paperback

Published April 3, 2024

About the author

Dr. Linda is a distinguished author renowned for her insightful work, including her acclaimed memoir, Leaning into Curves: Trusting the Wild, Intuitive Way of Love.

With over five decades dedicated to writing, four decades immersed in counseling psychology, and two decades serving as a spiritual mentor, Dr. Linda brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her mentoring practice, speaking and writing.

As a quiet yet formidable presence, Dr. Linda embodies both depth and strength. She approaches her work with a profound commitment to listening, offering presence, compassion, and understanding to all who seek her guidance. With unwavering courage, she reflects back the inherent beauty within each individual. Her aim is to help people achieve the breakthroughs they desire, to reckon with the self-limiting thinking and understanding that holds them back, and to heal into their true essence, their authentic Self.

Unafraid to delve into divine wisdom, deep feminine knowing, and intuition, Dr. Linda empowers her clients to tap into their innermost truths. Through her guidance, she inspires and facilitates the release of pure love, self-acceptance, resilience and self-expression.

Reviews

[J.B. Hollows · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed and cried my way through this book. I felt a healing and acceptance like a warm bath washing away my own judgements and fears of living a life of intuitive flow.

Each chapter holds a nugget of love wrapped in a blanket of emotion. And none are spared. But somehow I was left with a feeling of hope as she rode her way through a wild intuitive life.

[Michael Pastore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memoirs are one of the hardest genres to write, and the most rewarding to read. One of the best memoirs I have ever read (and, along with Knife by Salman Rushdie, one of the finest nonfiction books of 2024) is Linda Sandel Pettit’s personal story, Leaning into Curves: Trusting the Wild Intuitive Way of Love.
Anne Lamott, in her modern classic, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, writes:
“But so many of us can be soothed by writing: think of how many times you have opened a book, read one line, and said, ‘‘Yes!” And I want to give people that feeling, too, of connection, communion.”
If that is what you are seeking in a book — not merely entertainment and escape — instead, a starry guide to your true self, to healing, to resilience, to a deeper connection and a more meaningful life, then Leaning into Curves is the book for you.
The author writes:
“This is a therapist’s tale of finding love — at home and in my work — by listening to the intuitive wisdom of my heart. It is a tale of losing the beat in the noise of mistrust, exhaustion, resentment, and grief. It is a tale of how love, a brilliant force, uses life as medicine. It is a tale of forgiveness. It is a tale of how intuitive wisdom pointed the way around blindsiding curves and dark mountains.”
What is the experience of reading this unique book? Imagine a morning drinking coffee next to a smart and caring therapist, telling her life story with pure sincerity. A story overflowing with magical moments, mysterious coincidences, memorable scenes of love and kindness, tragedy and despair, courage and moving forward. This book is a marvelous journey, a treasure chest of revealed truths and hidden gems.
One last quote, this time from Martin Buber:
“Every journey has secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”
Linda Sandel Petit has walked the walk, ridden the wild ride, and then come back from the journey to bring us wisdom, insights, and hope. A page turner and a joy to read from from the first page to the last, Leaning into Curves increased my synchronicities, reminded me to be courageous, and made me more aware of the secret destinations through the heart of my own tempestuous life.

[Nicci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leaning Into the Curves is a humble and reflexive spiritual journey through marriage, the practice of psychotherapy, and a spiritual awakening. It tells the story of Lin’s marriage to Jim, her first love, who taught her to lean into the curves while driving and who would move tortoises out of the road. It’s also a story about Linda’s love for her daughter Laura, her days learning to become a psychologist, her eventual practice, a tragic loss, and her return to love.

Each step of the way, Linda takes a humble approach to her life, her marriage, and motherhood. She shows the reader the insights she gains along the way, her love of beauty and wild spaces, and a spiritual journey that helps her understand areas of her marriage and how she could have understood her world differently.

As a reader, I felt as though I was leaning into the curves with Linda, seeing the beauty she saw, watching the views from her home windows, feeling the snowy mountains, and experiencing the pains and losses alongside her. The imagery and emotion feel very alive, and there are moments when I feel as though I could touch a sleeping child or feel the warmth of a fire in a freezing farm house.

Although this journey of awakening is Linda’s, she is able to take her readers along with her, giving humble insights into areas of learning so that we can learn too. I too was thinking back to moments where exhaustion got the better of me, where we got stuck in a moment and thought it was symbolic of my life as a whole instead of a frustrating experience, or where I would relive past pains instead of the gifts that came before them.

This is a book to laugh with, cry with, and to feel your soul resonate to. It’s beautiful, sad, healing and extraordinary. It makes a perfect choice for readers who feel stuck or frustrated with life. If you are looking for an empathetic guide through a challenging time, Linda offers a balm to the soul.

[Jannicke Sandvik · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this beautiful memoir (-but so much more!) Linda Sandel Pettit takes you for a ride through life´s natural ups and downs. She paints wonderful images that dance in your mind as you read. And you want to keep reading, just one more short chapter, and one more. She is honest about her story, not sugarcoating it, but letting it stay relatable. So, even though this is her story, you can relate to the real-ness of a life lived, to thoughts and experiences in your own life. And through her adventure shines something even more beautiful; the tale of the spiritual truth that you are guided through life, and how you can use the gifts of the three principles (Mind, Thought, and Consciousness) to create a life with ease and joy. Approach this book with an open heart and an open mind, and you will not only enjoy the sweet ride through the author´s interesting life, but also gain wisdom on how to live YOUR best life, leaning into those curves.

[Bella Mahaya Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A twenty-something woman falls in love with a priest twice her age. This memoir chronicles their love story, which ends tragically. But the narrator’s story glitters with silver linings—and a second chance at love. Leaning into Curves is filled with spiritual and psychological wisdom and extraordinary perception. It’s easy to read and will inspire you to trust your intuition, listen within for guidance, and live an authentic, joyful life. Full disclosure: the author participated in my writing circles and received my coaching. But she went on to work with other teachers and editors. I hadn’t seen her writing when Linda sent me her book to read and review in two or three years. I am thrilled to find her formerly rough ideas developed, hewn, and polished into this sparkling jewel.

[Miss R Sheffield · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a real life example of how it looks to live intuitively, you've found it.

I couldn't put Linda's book down, each chapter drew me into the next.

This beautiful story of love, intuition, loss and growth spoke to my soul.

In Linda's sharing there is a continual sense of a deeper knowing of God, of hope and of Love.

Everything in this book reminded me how important it is to follow the intuitive way, to lean into where the road takes you.

It won't be the last time I pick this book up.

Thank you Linda.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a truthful and inspired read that had me crying and laughing in every chapter.

I loved the colorful and rich language Linda used. Very page dripped with love and understanding. I felt like I was watching an Oscar winning movie rather than just reading a book.

I can’t wait for her next one.

Thank you for inspiring me to deepen my 3 Principle understanding Linda

[Alisa Cooper Wechsler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Sandel Pettit's "Leaning Into Curves' is a beautifully written memoir. Rich in detail, it is as raw and honest as it is transformative and inspirational. I was personally at a crossroad when I read it, and it imbued me with courage to take a risk, make a difficult change, deepen a commitment, and come from a place of love and trust. I highly recommend" Leaning Into Curves" to anyone seeking a spiritual approach born of intellect, wisdom, and academic excellence.

[Victoria Benoit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This amazingly-written memoir not only peered into the life of Linda, I felt as though I was her long-lost friend and she was telling me her life story. Linda was very transparent and added humor along the way. As a counselor myself, Sydney Banks’ 3 Principles theory Linda shared, set me on an adventure myself. Highly recommended!