The Voice Of Silence
A Life of Love, Healing and Inspiration
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- £7.99
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- £7.99
Publisher Description
The Voice of Silence is by an Irishwoman who has had an extraordinary life. Oonagh Shanley-Toffolo was brought up in 1930s rural Ireland where her father initiated her into the healing arts. At the age of 16, she entered a convent where she trained as a nurse, and was sent to India to look after the elderly (and knew Mother Teresa). Here, she felt it was the young, rather than the old, who needed more help and so she left her order and trained in midwifery. Later, in Paris, she was asked to nurse the Duke of Windsor just before he died - and many years later was introduced to Princess Diana and became her weekly confidante. In between, were bouts of serious illness, studying acupuncture in China - and being photographed by Snowdon. The Voice of Silence is the life story of a very unusual woman who has learned far more than most from all the remarkable things that have happened to her. It is also the author's thoughts on healing, spirituality and love - and how closely the three are intertwined. Full of feeling, poetic vision and insight, this book cannot fail to touch the heart of the reader, and inspire.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Shanley-Toffolo, whose quiet 1930s childhood in rural Ireland yielded an illustrious career as spiritual healer and confidante to the rich and powerful, uses a gentle voice and subtle pacing to produce a plausible, reflective and unforgettable memoir. At the convent she entered at age 16, she learned the art of healing and the power of silence, two attributes that infiltrated many aspects of her life and powerfully infuse her memoir. Shanley-Toffolo's eventual separation from the cloistered life led her to a deeper knowledge of her profession and to broader travels, including a stint as a nurse in Calcutta. An appointment to a convalescent hospital for the wealthy in Paris brought many friendships and inquiries from such people as the former Duke of Windsor, his wife, Wallis Simpson, and Princess Diana. The author's heartbreakingly human portrait of the dignified and suffering duke leaves a vivid impression. Through grief and pain, Shanley-Toffolo never relinquishes her ability to revel in silence and her trust in the almighty "Author of Love." She proudly states, "A quest for self-discovery, the pursuit of love in all its forms and the recognition and development of my capacity for healing have been clear themes of my journey... More than anything, one needs to be 'wounded' oneself in order to truly help others." Lovely photographs, including candid shots of the royal family, complete this affecting work.
