This Naked Mind is about using the power of the conscious mind to change the way we think about alcohol by re-training the subconscious. Annie Grace proposes that we can change the way we interact with alcohol using the same process Lanny Bassham teaches in his book, With Winning in Mind, to help athletes compete and win.
For me, With Winning in Mind turned out to be a spiritual book about getting the results we seek by transforming the subconscious, consciously. This Naked Mind does the same thing with our relationship to alcohol. It is yet another example, a signpost, that validates Eckhart Tolle’s quote that “there is and always has been only one spiritual teaching.” Considering that alcohol, especially when used irresponsibly, can lead to regret, guilt, and shame, this seems an apropos time and place to point out that the word atonement can be broken into parts, at-one-ment. In other words, atonement means to become one with oneself, to become whole. The conscious mind and the unconscious co-existing together in peace and harmony.
Now, in addition to the lessons in self-mastery that this book teaches, it also raises some wonderful questions about our society at large. One of the greatest reflections I received from this books was Annie Grace pointing out that alcohol is the only drug that we have to justify NOT taking. Please think about that for a moment. We all know drugs are bad for us. We don’t feel embarrassed or have to make excuses for not using cocaine, heroin, or even prescription medication. But why is it that if we are in a social environment and choose not to take alcohol, we feel pressure to explain ourselves. We have to rationalize our abstinence by letting those we are with that we’ll we driving, or we have an important meeting in the morning, or…you fill in the blank. This is a real thing. We feel intense social pressure to justify not drinking and we are made to feel like there is something wrong with us. That’s just crazy to me and it always has been but its so commonplace that its hard to wake up and recognize that reality.
Just so you know, if you and I are ever hanging out in a social situation, you will not have to justify abstaining from drug use with me. If you’d prefer, we can just hang out and talk about personal mastery instead. I’ve put my time in with booze. Working on myself and becoming the best version of me is way more fun and feels a lot better.
I’m thankful for Annie Grace for putting this work out there. She’s my kind of person. In the first chapter, she references neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and the basic human needs which suggests to me that she is a follower of Tony Robbins, whom I greatly admire as a master of personal growth. She also quotes Carl Jung and Eckhart Tolle, both of whom are personal heroes of mine. This Naked Mind is so up my alley. Regardless of your relationship with alcohol, this book teaches a deeper lesson about waking up to oneself and recognizing we all have the power to change.
