Mindful Recovery: A Spiritual Path to Healing from Addiction

Rating:
Summary: MUST READ!
Review: I agree with the the guy below, an absolute must read! This is A great book and everyone should read it!

Rating:
Summary: Good alternative to AA and to non-chemical addictions
Review: I had been searching unsuccessfully for a book that dealt with computer games addiction. A friend suggested that the 12-Step program could help with all kinds of addictions, but I was just not comfortable with the whole religious aspect of that model.
This book offered just what I needed. I could just substitute the words "computer gaming" whenever alcohol or drugs were mentioned, and the information related ever-so-well. The author writes with a warm, non-threatening style which really helped me to be able to confront my demons. I highly recommend it!!!

Rating:
Summary: A flexible, integrated approach to overcoming addiction...
Review: Mindful recovery is a book that focuses on maintaining your abstinence from any addiction, once you have made the decision to quit: "...if you can build a happy, fulfilling, meaningful life, relapse will be much less of an issue." It's a flexible approach to recovery based on facing life with an attitude of acceptance, rather than running away from life through an addiction.

I love how Thomas and Beverly Bien integrated the spiritual concepts of the East with the more scientific ideas found in psychology: "While our approach is rooted in Eastern traditions of mindfulness...The West has its own approaches to mindfulness. Journaling, narrative psychology, insight-oriented psychotherapy, relationship work, and dream analysis...we present a blend of Eastern and Western wisdom." They also briefly touch upon the fallacy of black and white thinking, borrowed from cognitive styles of recovery. In ten "doorways," this book presents many little essays that elaborate on these themes through quotes, personal stories, and practical applications. By the time you finish this book, you will have a full understanding of mindfulness and how to use it to free yourself from addiction.

Mindful recovery, however, has a potential negative: the reader can easily become overwhelmed by the myriad of "Practices" the authors have developed to explore mindfulness in every capacity - work, relationships, dreams, and the like. The "Practices" seem to be endless. But the authors wisely predict this: "...having so many tools can also seem a little overwhelming - as though you had a lot of things to do and remember. It isn't so. Whenever you feel this way...remind yourself that there is really only one thing to remember and it is the simplest thing of all: to be mindful, to be aware."

I also strongly agree with their paradigm of change. It's a process of six stages, borrowed from James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente, who co-authored Changing for Good. And it's empowering, because their notion allows for relapse with a mentality of acceptance and learning: "...most people do go through these stages several times before establishing permanent change. For this reason, it is equally important to be able to view a slip...as a temporary setback rather than ultimate failure."

At the heart of this book are the practices of meditation and journaling. Regardless of how many Practices mentioned throughout the book, these two are definitely the twin pillars that support mindfulness. They are simple, flexible, and easy to implement in your life.

I highly recommend this book. Just make sure to stay on course with the simplicity of mindfulness, and let your intuition guide you as to how to implement it into your life.

Rating:
Summary: Good alternative to AA and to non-chemical addictions
Review: Mindful Recovery makes the breakthrough teachings of mindfulness accessible to those who struggle with addiction. It is an extremely wise and helpful book--clearly the best of its genre and written by authors who obviously know how to reach out to their audience. Mindful Recovery teaches the reader how to use meditation both on and off the cushion as the basis for a more fulfilling life--bringing calm awareness into work, relationships, and emotions. The only problem I have with the book is that its suggestions are equally helpful to those who do not struggle with addictions, yet the title and marketing do not target these broader audiences. This is a must read. As a surprisingly refreshing alternative to other approaches to addiction, I think it could easily become a classic in the field.