5 comments about Heal Yourself with Medical Hypnosis: The Most Immediate Way to Use Your Mind-Body Connection.

1. I really found all of the inductions that Gurgevich uses to be very effective.



2. I'm trained in hypnosis myself. I think these guys are great. I enjoyed listening to the CD - more than once! I bought 2 of theirs...



3. I was skeptical of the whole hypnosis scene. I tried it a few times at nightclubs and there was no way I could be hypnotized. Last year I was treated for breast cancer, and although everything appears to be fine,I am still dealing with the anxiety of the whole ordeal. I have followed Dr. Weil's advise for years and find him to be solid in his recommendations regarding alternative medicine. I am in the medical profession myself, so I have done some research in this area. I wouldn't have even given this cd a second glance, but because of Dr. Weil's endorsement, I gave it a whirl. Well, one month later, I am thrilled with the progress I have made. I can easily slip into the "trance" state without any real effort and let my subconscious do all the work. The side effects that I have been experiencing from the aromatase inhibitor drugs have all but vanished. It almost seems like cheating! Hypnosis seems like its on the fringe of medicine, but the proof is in the pudding. It certainly cant harm you and is well worth a try.



4. Leave it to Dr. Weil as a trusted source to open your mind and provide a great introduction to the concept of medical hypnosis. I was in a lot of pain last year and willing to try just about anything, so being a long-time fan of Dr. Weil's work on other aspects of healthy eating and living, I figured, why not give it a try? Boy am I ever glad I did, because from the reassuring and valid points that Dr. Weil's friend and colleague Dr. Steven Gurgevich made, it got me to actually try the sessions included in the audio. I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed them, and since then, searched out more of Dr. Gurgevich's work and now have 5 of his own audios which have helped me improve to 90% better in the last few months I have been using them. Check out my favorites Healing Mind: Healing Body, Pain Relief, and Stress Ease.
   
   --Melanie R. Jordan, author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!



5. The lecture by Dr. Weil is excellent information on the dynamics and scientific work being done with medical hypnosis. The sessions with Dr. Gurgevich on Disc 2 were a review for me having already been trained as a hypnotherapist. Therefore, this is a CD I would only listen to once and/or refer to if trying to start someone else out with hypnosis. However, I did go to Dr. Gurgevich's website and order 4 of his CD's specific to some medical issues and impending surgery I am dealing with. Therefore, I do belive their information is accurate and effective.

5 comments about How Good People Make Tough Choices: Resolving the Dilemmas of Ethical Living.

1. Good information but not something I would read again. Very dry chapters and some lack any formal directions on the proposed information.



2. The book is a little confusing and doesn't offer a lot of insights on the decisions of real life ethical probelms with real life people.



3. There are no books on the market that address morality that way that this book does. Not the Bible. Not my university textbook on ethics. None. It's one thing to talk about moral issues and take sides with them, but it is another thing entirely to talk about solid moral principles that can guide you in making moral decisions based on reason instead of blind faith. This is a book that does the talking.
   
   If you want to find out what a religion or a moral philosophy is really made of, nothing will put it to a test more than a moral dilemma will, and this book is chock full of examples of real life moral dilemmas. Some of those moral dilemmas are things most people wouldn't even think of as moral dilemmas -- justice vs mercy for example. One dilemma I like (to paraphrase) was the one about the highway patrol officer who comes upon a truck wreck where the driver is irremovably pinned down in the cab and a fuel-fed fire is starting to blaze out-of-control. The driver asks the officer to kill him before he is fried alive. What would you do and how would it be a moral decision?
   
   It is not a perfect book, for example, there was the issue of what is truth. Truth and fact are not the same thing. Truth is whatever people *believe* to be fact, whether or not what they believe in really is a fact or not. Truth is not a reliable yardstick by which to gauge morality by. That might seem like nitpicking with words, but the most common cause of distress of clients in counseling is confusing facts with truth. Knowing the difference between the two is important to making proper moral decisions, otherwise you might be basing your decision on an illusion.
   
   It also didn't cover the issue of punishment. The topic of punishment often comes up in moral discussions as a deterrent from being immoral. If a person needs to be deterred by force from being immoral, does that deterred person become a moral person then, or are they a person only putting on an act of being moral, only to resort to immorality in private when nobody is looking and they can be the "real me"? So is there no other purpose of punishment, besides being a poor deterrent? Most philosophies of punishment I've heard have very immoral reasoning at their cores and therefore should be discussed in every discussion on moral or ethics. Therefore any religion or moral philosophy based on deterrent is an immoral religion or philosophy.



4. This is a book that I purchased for one of the HR Supervisors at my job, he attended a conference where they were quouting from the book and he was so enlighted by what the speaker was refrencing that he had to go and get a copy. So far he enjoys the book and encourages people to get a copy for themselves, so overall I say this is a good investment for those in doubt of purchasing.



5. Rushworth Kidder is a wonderful writer and thinker and has devoted 20+ years to promoting ethics and integrity. This book does a wonderful job presenting dilemmas, getting you to think about how you might handle them, and providing clear advice on how to evaluate such issues. That's all good. The problem is that it was written almost 15 years ago and it shows. While much of the information is timeless, many of the studies cited are from the early 90s. This would be fabulous if updated.

5 comments about DailyOM: Inspirational Thoughts for a Happy, Healthy, and Fulfilling Day.

1. I read a couple of pages I will probably read more but I'm not captivated by it.



2. As the writer of a daily Inspirational newsletter, I read Madisyn Taylor's Daily OM for its inspirational holistic approach to living.
   It is an excellent daily read or a read as you chose book that helps develop your spiritual awareness and growth while providing support as you face life's many challenges.



3. I enjoyed the book so much I send it out to friends that I believe need a little inspiration in their life at that time. You can read a chapter and think about it and let it sink in. Victoria



4. I have faithfully followed all of the offerings presented for the daily OM, and also signed up for several of the special courses. I print out the lessons and allow those I sponsor to read over them, make notes, ask questions, or write answers for themselves. I work primarily with recovering alcoholic/addicted women, and after the initial period of abstinence and detoxification, in order to continue any measure of growth, it is imperative that each person finds new spiritual direction. Daily OM meets these needs in a special way.



5. This book is a great way to start everyday! AWESOME! Buy a few for your friends.

1 comments about Sixty Things to Do When You Turn Sixty.

1. Gave to my big brother for his 60th. I believe he really liked it. His wife read it before he did . She liked it and she is only 49! Makes a nice little gift.

5 comments about Success Is a Choice: Ten Steps to Overachieving in Business and Life.

1. Rick Pitino is a coaching legend in basketball. He led the University of Kentucky Wildcats to an NCAA championship in 1996 and he has the distinction of being the only coach in college history to take three different schools to the Final Four in playoff competition: Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville. He has also served as head coach of the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in the NBA where he helped to rebuild the programs at these two professional basketball franchises.
   
   Pitino wrote this book in 1997, following the national championship season with the University of Kentucky Wildcats. He wrote this as a self- help guide intended to help individuals overachieve and reach levels of success they never thought imaginable. He lays out his plan in a ten step process, emphasizing the fundamentals that must be in place if one has any hope of achieving lofty goals.
   
   Most of what Pitino talks about in this guide is common sense and it's the type of motivational material we have all heard countless times before. We all know, for instance, that a positive attitude and sound communication skills are critical on the path to success. We also know that persistence and learning from mistakes are important components of success and that anyone who fails in these two endeavors isn't likely to make it very far.
   
   Self- help and motivational guides are usually very dry and ordinary, but while some of Pitino's words certainly fall under this designation, other things he advises are more unique and offer a fresh perspective. I haven't read a large number of self- help guides, but certain parts of Pitino's advice do manage to step outside the box. One thing that stands out the more than any others is Pitino's advice (warning is more like it) not to readily embrace success. When I first read this, I wasn't sure what he was talking about and it seemed very nonsensical. But after reading more, I can understand where Pitino is coming from. What he is talking about is the tendency of successful people to become very lax once they reach a goal. We have seen it happen many times before- both in business and in sports competition- where someone reaches the goal he/she set for himself/herself and then decides to step back, take it easy, and bask in the limelight. Pitino feels that "embracing success" is the greatest poison of all because if one does this, he/she will eventually be trampled over by others who have decided to continuously learn and who are striving to overtake those who are currently on top. This is good advice and it makes sense when you read it. But it is surprising how many people adopt this contented attitude and end up flat on their faces a short time after their goal has been achieved.
   
   Another piece of advice I like in this guide is the importance of continuous improvement. This stems from the advice about embracing success and it takes it a step further by recommending that we constantly strive to better ourselves regardless of what we have currently achieved. Pitino feels that change is inevitable and it must be embraced if one expects to continue to improve and achieve goals. What worked last year likely will not work anymore because the methods that led to previous success are already known and are likely to be emulated by aggressive individuals who want the same taste of victory. Pitino parallels this with his coaching career, showing how other coaches quickly discover what makes another coach successful and proceed to imitate the winning coach's strategy. Thus, to continue to succeed, new methods must be constantly sought after and embraced.
   
   Another thing I like about this book is the way Pitino stresses hard work as the main foundation of success. Like Pitino says, too many people nowadays are looking for that "quick fix" in life. They want to reach the goals they set overnight, without working for them and without any plan of action in place. Rarely does this type of achievement become reality, and Pitino is correct when he emphasizes how critical it is to work hard toward a goal. The one in a million chance of becoming successful in a couple of days or weeks is too rare to worry about. Just work hard, as persistently as possible, and the rewards will follow over time. Pitino's own success in coaching came about this way, and it can work for anyone, regardless of profession.
   
   Speaking of coaching, Pitino makes mention of his coaching success throughout this book, and this is to be expected. Basketball coaching is, after all, where Pitino has achieved his greatest deal of personal success. But Pitino is quick to point out that what works for him on the basketball court can also apply to business and other professions. These steps toward success- sound communication, positive attitude, persistence, adapting to change, etc.- are universal and following them can help lead any person toward greater personal achievement.
   
   Each chapter in this book is easy to read in follow. And each one ends with a quick summary of the key points discussed for easy reference. At the beginning of each chapter is a short piece written by someone who has been influenced by Rick Pitino in one way or another- either through working with him as an assistant coach or by playing under him as a member of one of his teams. Some of the contributors to these intros include Jim O'Brien, Glenn Consor, Bernadette Locke- Mattox, Donnie Brown, and others.
   
   I have read several self- help type books in the past and have found most of them to be rather monotonous and common- sense oriented. Is Pitino's book any different? In many ways, it does contain common sense advice but in other ways, it sheds some new light on the attitudes and practices necessary to reach the highest levels of one's profession. It doesn't get unrealistic like other self- help guides. It maintains an element of practicality and realism as it discusses ways to reach for the stars. And it does this while continuing to emphasize the importance of hard work and taking incremental steps toward the highest goals.
   
   Reaching important goals and overachieving in life are two areas where basketball coach Rick Pitino has excelled beyond the level of most of the competitors in his field. Even if you don't have an interest in coaching sports, the advice given in this guide can come in handy. It can apply to anyone in any profession and while the book may be several years old now, the advice it gives is timeless. It shows how you, the average Joe or Jane, can reach your personal and professional goals and outperform the competition. All it takes is discipline and determination to set you on the path toward greater success.



2. Did you know Rick Pitino beat up the starting point guard while he was at UMass in practice? A few weeks later, he got into a fight with the backup point guard and thought, "Now that these two guys are out of the way, I'll be a starter."
   
   His coach suspended him a few moments later.
   
   Such is an example from Pitino's guide to success. He's honest and shows us a glimpse of what exactly goes on in that tenacious mind of his. His methods are similar to most, but his examples and life lessons are quite intriguing, including how he was forced to take a step back after the death of one of his children while he was coaching Providence. Pitino is selling no gimmicks. He's offering a taste of what it was that made him successful, and upon reading this book, you'll see how he scarcely took no for an answer and outworked everyone else while you ask yourself, "Success might be a choice, but it will cost me greatly." Once at the top, he stresses a changing in methodology in an effort to keep ahead of those who would otherwise mimic your success. He also hones in on the importance of communication and the ability to admit failure and move on.
   
   Perhaps more than any other point was the idea of not embracing success. Pitino says this happens to far too many individuals upon realization of their goals, and they then tend to loaf and take it easy.
   
   I enjoyed Pitino's book and have employed a few steps of what he has to say. His views on time management, organization, communication, and decisiveness make for worthwhile reading.



3. I have read this book over and over at tough times. So simple, logical, basic and easy to read. It's very good.



4. What does this book have what Phil Jackson's and Pat Riley's don't have? Talent, just unspoiled talent. This book deals with the basics, the players who are not stars yet but have the potential to emerge to one. Besides that, it deals with business and not only sports. Especially useful as many of the readers earn their money in business, not in sports.
   
   Pitino's gameplan is simple and pure. When you read about it you can instantly apply it to a situation near your work or at home. It also drives you in a motivational way and sucks you into a story teaching about succes, not bragging about it.
   
   Definitly the best book written by a coach when you're still in the minor leagues yourself.



5. When looking for books to assist my role as a Learning & Development consultant Rick Pitino's book wouldn't have caught my attention. However, my child had studied at UofL and recommended him. I am so pleased I did. This motivational book on the 10 steps to overachieving discusses strategies for use in careers and life. It is an easy read with many relevent examples. The book sits on my self with many a highlighted and tagged page. Page 172... Don't let people tell you what you can't do. I advise you to read ths self improvement book.

5 comments about Ten Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Went Out into the Real World.

1. Maria did have some excellent points. The majority of the book is just an autobiography, though, and I skimmed through those parts. My advice would be to stop by the book store and look at the table of contents and then the very end where she gives a list of some other things she wishes she knew, because they explain themselves. A lot of her things I already knew, and she points out that she's not trying to help us avoid those things, just let us know we're not alone. If the great, talented Maria could get through life, then we can too! That was sarcasm.



2. I bought Maria's book "What's Heaven" for my Granddaughter when her Grandmother (my mother) died 6 years ago. Now my Granddaughter will graduate from high school next year and Maria has followed her to college, with her last 2 books. Next I will buy my Granddaughter the Marlo Thomas books. As a Grandmother I believe it does take a Village. My Granddaughter will take 2 real good role models with her to college and now we have to set her free.



3. I am 56 and had I had this book to read in 1968 when I graduated high school I might have had the tools to do things a little better through my 20's and 30's. She gives you a rundown on what realistically to expect out of live, love, career and everything in between. I may have even been able to avoid my ex-husband!!!
   
   This is a must gift for any young person, maybe even younger than a high school graduate. It could actually put a kids expectations into the realm of reality without putting a damper on any of the joys of life. This is not a book that a conservative religious advocate would have to avoid. It contains simple comman sense about life and how it differs from what kids would often see on TV, movies, or any other media they would encounter. It doesn't tell you what belief system is best, just what life is most apt to hand you on any given day.
   
   It is easy reading and not very beefy, so even non-readers would benefit. They could use it as a reference book for a specific situation.
   
   Great Birthday or Graduation or Holiday gift and reasonable priced, too.



4. This book would make a wonderful graduation gift. I wish I would've read it back when I was eighteen-years-old. Although I purchased this book over three years ago, I still come back to it from time to time. She offers so much insight and wisdom, but she also humanizes herself as a woman and teaches her readers that even she has experienced self-doubt and has strived to reach 'perfection' (something she teaches you not to do). She writes about how important it is to start at the bottom because it's where you learn the most and gain character. I especially liked reading about her husband and children. She and her family are so much more normal than anyone would ever think.



5. This book talks about the problems and difficulties you face when you hit adulthood. It also tells you things that might help you get through it all.
   
   I liked this book for several reasons. I liked it because I thought it was very educating. Also because I believe this book can help people start preparing for their future. Ten Things I Wish I'd Known-Before I Went Out into the Real World is a book that I think can help people on their way and to understand the point or meaning of life.
   
   In the end it's a very good book altogether and I recommend it to anyone and everyone who has troubles with preparing their future

5 comments about Why Good People Do Bad Things: How to Stop Being Your Own Worst Enemy.

1. I always hate reading a book that is so vague that when I put it down I have no idea what I just read. NOT SO with Why Good People Do Bad Things: How to Stop Being Your Own Worst Enemy.
   
   In this book, Debbie Ford gives you signposts of disaster and antidotes to help you heal. I so appreciated the practicality of this book!



2. This is critical book in these turbulent times to make it through the demanding issues we all face both in our external world and our internal world. This book has all the pieces to help you make sense out of complicated emotional and spiritual issues.The "Antidotes" were just what I needed to help me deal with my problems.My "Mask" was such a cover-up for so much of my real self.
   
   This is a life changing book that anyone who wants to change their life would have to read. Don't miss this book!



3. I tried to get into this CD - I really tried to listen and learn. Yes, I could relate to a lot of what she was saying but it was so harsh, dark, and negative. I felt my heart sinking and my soul sinking as I listened. On the first two CD's at least, she made everything sound so hopeless and like at any minute each of us WILL go "postal." It wasn't even very original - who wasn't already aware that a troubled childhood might lead to a troubled adulthood until you start coming to terms with it? I also ended-up feeling so guilty for the times I had scolded my children for inappropriate behavior. Life is hard enough - I had to stop listening at a certain point and listen to other authors who inspire hope while at the same time helping you deal with your emotional challenges. Try Mary O'Malley's books and CD's.



4. I love Debbie Ford. She writes in a way that completely resonates with me. While reading this brillant book, I had a major "aha" moment. You know when you try to hold a beach ball under water for any length of time, and you take your attention off the ball for just one second...it comes blasting up to the surface. Well, I realized that is exactly what I do when I try to hide, or pretend parts of myself don't exist. As soon as I look away, all those so called horrible qualities come blasting up for all to see. Debbie does a beautiful job of explaining this and much, much more in her latest gift to the world.



5. Being a not so avid reader, this latest book by Debbie Ford has proven to keep me reading. I truly wanted to know how to stop being my own worse enemy, and i did! My favorite part is where she goes into detail on the different "masks" that people wear to hide who they truly are. From the "entitled supporter" to "Mr. Cool", Debbie never lets us down in tearing away at the different personas we have. If you do nothing else, buy this book for the stories of Private & Public acts of shame that lead up to our own sabotage & destruction.

5 comments about Happiness Now!: Timeless Wisdom for Feeling Good FAST.

1. I loved this book, it was the most freeing book ever! I saw Robert Holden on the Oprah Show. I really wonder if she actually read it, because she didnt touch on the true the essense of his message. Which was profoundly, "we need to stop 'trying' to fix ourselves". This is the missing link to benefiting from using the Law of Attraction to enhance your life.
   
   If you read this book and really get the message, you will not try to fix yourself or anyone else, again.



2. I loved this book. I actually bought it for a friend, started reading it when it arrived, kept it for myself and bought several more copies for my friends. It's a book everyone should read from time to time. It's a really simple lesson we all forget to enjoy the 'now'. Many of the statements are wonderful and I find myself thinking about them often when hearing about people's everyday troubles or worries. Love the book and would recommend it to all. Read it and scatter happiness.



3. This book is an easy to follow and easy to read book. It is filled with so much common sense that just "clicks" in your mind -- As if you already knew this and why aren't you doing this. It is a great reality check on being happy and not waiting until life has passed you by. Enjoy the journey.



4. Robert Holden is a terrific author. "Happiness Now" and his book "Shift Happens" are both masterpieces. As a huge fan of self-help, I think his work really brings it all together.
   
   The title really says it all, and it's amazingly simple... that's the beauty of this philosophy. And it's really more of a philosophy than an action plan for happiness. It's all about letting happiness in. Holden has an amazing way of bringing this across to the reader!
   
   This book will change lives, it has definitely changed mine for the better.
   
   Amazing book! I wonder what society would be like if this was obligatory reading in school. :)
   
   Paul



5. This book was so enjoyable, I read it non stop. I am now in the process of reading it again. This time, taking it slowly while I reflect on each sentence. I am engulfed with happiness as I am reading this book. I want to continue feeling this free, one moment at a time.

5 comments about The Edgar Cayce Remedies.

1. This book describes all the marvelously subtle systems of the human body, and how they interact to cause illness when any area is not in balance. You can get healing, invigorating, relaxing, regenerating tips based on general techniques Cayce recommended for specific illnesses. The advice on food and diet is as contemporary as today's headlines--such as the benefits of olive oil, red wine, less red meat, no deep fried foods, steel cut oats. This book helped save my life. I recommend it



2. Edgar Cayce was, and still is, a force of nature. Not being old enough to remember the man myself, I have found a lot of the information in the book was in common usage in the days of my grandparents. Perhaps his influence at that time was more widespread than I ever knew and now, with the modern medical machinery in place, his knowledge is resurfacing out of need. I found the book fascinating, educational, common-sensical, and opportunistic in it's availability to me when I needed to investigate other avenues of medicine. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially those who believe that a little TLC, some positive affirmations, and a more nature-driven potency can, and will, cure or alleviate ailments on more than one level.



3. This is a good book. I like that it not only describes Edgar Cayce's trance suggestions and philosophy of healing but that it is written by Dr. William McGarey who used to be one of the founding doctors of the medical clinic in Phoenix, Arizona that used the Cayce readings when appropriate to cure many illnesses, even those considered incurable.
   
   However, because of the title of the book, I expected it to be a listing of various Cayce remedies such as herbs, lotions, foods. Instead, it lists remedies to undertake for various types of ailments. It's written in three parts. The first describes the functioning of the human body. The second sections lists various types of healing regimens suggested in the Cayce readings such as castor oil packs, prayer and meditation, and consulting dreams plus more conventional types of healing regimens such as diet and nutrition, exercise, manipulation, and massage. The third section is the best because it lists various body systems such as the digestive organs, the skin, and the heart and vascular system, and describes how to get that system healthy and keep it healthy.
   
   I find it very helpful to get a sense of how the body works from Cayce's very holistic perspective. However, I would have preferred that when Cayce readings are mentioned, that they be quoted and the numbers of the readings listed as they are in The Edgar Cayce Handbook for Health Through Drugless Therapy.
   
   If you are interested in listings of various healing regimens, there's Edgar Cayce Encyclopedia of Healing (Edgar Cayce) that lists various ailments and their cures and An Edgar Cayce Encyclopedia of Foods for Health and Healing, which lists foods and food combinations suggested to heal various physical incoordinations, plus Edgar Cayce on Healing Foods for Body, Mind, and Soul, another books on the foods and food combinations recommended in the Cayce readings.
   
   A good book but I'd choose The Edgar Cayce Handbook for Health Through Drugless Therapy first because it is a "how to" of the Cayce remedies and it quotes the readings directly including their reading numbers.
   
   By Carol Chapman, award-winning photographer of the ONLY Edgar Cayce calendar Divine in Nature: With Quotes from Edgar Cayce and author of When We Were Gods: Insights on Atlantis, Past Lives, Angelic Beings of Light and Spiritual Awakening.



4. This book is a wealth of information for either the everyday person or avid seeker of holistic remedies. There is a remedy for almost everything in here and they all work!
   
   Heated castor oil packs (worked for coughing up vocal polyps and getting rid of cysts) and apple cider vinegar (cured my laryngitis fast!) are among some of the simpler ones that work miracles.



5. If you've studied Edgar Cayce, the father of holistic medicine, then you'll realize what a great, handy book this is with all the famous Cayce formulas easy to find and use. A great book, written by a physician with a great heart. A must for every medicine chest.

5 comments about Mindful Recovery: A Spiritual Path to Healing from Addiction.

1. This book uses Buddhist philosophy integrated with Western science to help readers discover and define meaning and purpose in life. It's not only a book about overcoming addiction, but can help anyone to find a more fulfilling way of life.



2. An excellent book with a good line into spirituality for those with an aversion to organized religion. Those working in the recovery often have a block thown up when trying to get a client to release his/her preconceived ideas about manipulating the environment. This book provides an excellent approach toward the concept of spirituality as a separate entity from religious beliefs without impinging on them.



3. This is definitely a book worth reading, whether you are dealing with your own addiction (of any kind) or if someone you know is. It is written from a "spiritual" perspective, though not spiritual in the sense of any one particular religious or philosophical tradition. For example, the author looks for inspiration from Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, etc.
   
   Thomas Bien writes in a gentle, understanding and encouraging tone. This is one of those books that can be picked up and read a few pages at a time, from any point. It is worth your time and money.



4. This book is the best I have read on dealing with recovery from alcohol
   and addiction. I have read most of the classic works in this field including AA's "The Big Book," Albert Ellis's book "When AA doesn't Work for you," "Sober For Good....." and work as a volunteer group facilitator for SMART Recovery, a self help group based on Ellis's REBT and Cognitive Psychology that has an astounding success rate in a very short time span.
   
   
   The book is very sensitively written, and contains much wisdom and practices on dealing with this devastating social, psychological epidemic, which is spreading rapidly due to the increasingly stressful aspects of modern life. I particularly liked what the author says about the importance of living in the movement and the 9 doors of recovery.
   
   There is a westernized, non-religious, Buddhist ideological foundation based on compassion, mindfulness, and living an authentic life in the "NOW." However, unlike the largely Christian based AA (which is the proverbial 1200 pound gorilla in this field, and has helped millions of people), this isn't "in your face" religious like the majority o 12 step initiatives: you can take or leave the "Buddhist Element" and get a lot out of this book. Also, unlike AA/NA, this doesn't take an "all or nothing approach." and doesn't deem the person experiencing these problems "powerless" or having a lifetime disease.
   
   Nevertheless, AA is very effective in dealing with people at all stages
   of the addiction recovery cycle, while this work is really more appropriate for people in a post abstinence phase and in preventing relapse- although it does give "some" credence to the highly controversial moderation maintenance approach for people with less severe cases of this affliction. Bien, also, gives an excellent portrayal of Diclemete's Stages of Change model for addiction and recovery, and, as I stated originally, is perhaps the most insightful contemporary book (AA started in the 1930's)for a mass audience in this domain. Also, Ellis, before his passing last year, was rumored to be working on a book linking cognitive (in his case rebt) thought and mindfulness, a noble and, perhaps, necessary global synthesis. Finally, I know my statements could draw some ire from AA diehards, where I think that their general inability to tolerate criticism, like some world religions, is one of their greatest weaknesses.



5. I can't pretend to be interested in or enthusiastic about the zen, meditation, Eastern talk. But I can say, as a recovered A.A., that "thinking"--which is often deplored in A.A. meetings--is a matter of what the restored, brain damaged mind chooses to put in it. Early AAs liked the Book of James very much.The James Club and the Original A.A. Program's Absolute Essentials. And James 4:7 declares: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Romans 12:1-2 was often quoted, particularly by the wife of A.A. cofounder Dr. Bob.Anne Smith's Journal, 1933-1939: A.A.'s Principles of Success. It stresses avoiding being "conformed" to the world, but being "transformed" by the renewing of your mind. Sitting in recovery meetings, listening to tales of woe, sharing tales of woe, and leaving with a pity pot are not part of a sane and healthy recovery. Filling one's mind with the Word of God is.Cured! Proven Help for Alcoholics and Addicts And, to the extent this book stresses the mind focus part of spritual recovery, it has merit--even for the Christian reader.The Good Book and the Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible (Bridge Builders Edition)