# 8 Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert 2006

While in Indonesia, Liz's friend the medicine man happened to tell her about a spiritual presence everyone has. He calls them the Four Brothers and says that they are with you from birth to protect and look over you. I loved the idea that you always would have these guardian angels, these brothers, to watch your back. Excited at the idea, I closed my eyes and tried to reach out to my four brothers. I felt their presence very easily, as if they wanted to be found. It might have been my overactive imagination, but I hope that it wasn't. I liked the idea of my own guardian brothers. I rather felt as if each had their own personality: the strong one, the sensitive one, the wise one, and the comedian.

The medicine man told Liz that she must have a special name that she referred to herself as when speaking to her brothers so that they would always know it was her. I followed his advice and made myself a nickname too. For personal reasons I do not wish to divulge it, but lets just say it is the equivalent of "Small Birdie". Having given myself this name I felt my brothers should have names too. I almost immediately dismissed the idea. Who was I to choose the names of my angels, and even if I did I probably would not have been satisfied with them. The names would have to be meaningful so that I would not forget. A while after giving up the search of names the names came to me: Charlie (the comedian), Sam (the sensitive one), Rodney (the wise one), and Mick (the strong one). Once again I do not know if this was due to a divine presence or my subconscious, but I really hope it is the former.

P.S This will be my last blog on Eat, Pray, Love. It has been a great book and I recommend it to anyone who really wants to believe in something, even if that something is just yourself.