Dead Set on Living: Making the Difficult but Beautiful Journey from F#*king Up to Waking Up

Description

Chris Grosso invites us to sit in on conversations with beloved luminaries and bestselling authors such as Ram Dass, Lissa Rankin, Noah Levine, Gabor Mate, and Sharon Salzberg to discover why people return to self-defeating behaviors-drugs, alcohol, unhealthy eating, sex, media-and how they can recover, heal, and thrive. In his recovery from drugs and alcohol, Chris Grosso has stumbled, staggered, and started all over again. In an effort to understand why he relapses, and why many of us return to the myriad of other self-defeating behaviors despite our better judgment, he went to bestselling authors, spiritual teachers, psychologists, doctors, and more, and asked them why we tend to repeat mistakes in our lives, even when we know these actions will harm us and the ones we love. In Dead Set on Living, Chris shares these intimate conversations and the practices that have taught him to be more loving, compassionate, and forgiving with himself as well as new meditation and healing techniques he learned through his journey. Unabashedly honest and inspiring, Dead Set on Living is essential reading for anyone seeking a path towards triumph over adversity, understanding the human condition, and rebuilding relationships after promises have been broken.

Chris Grosso is a writer and public speaker. He is the author of Indie Spiritualist and Everything Mind and writes for ORIGIN Magazine, Huffington Post, and Mantra Yoga + Health Magazine. Chris speaks frequently at conferences and festivals and is passionate about his work with people who are in the process of healing or struggling with addictions of all kinds. He is a member of the advisory board for Drugs over Dinner and hosts The Indie Spiritualist podcast on Ram Dass's Be Here Now Network. Drawn to finding the sacred in everyday things, Alice Peck's books include: Be More Tree; Bread, Body, Spirit; and Next to Godliness. Her writing has appeared in Center for Humans & Nature, Spirituality & Health, Rewire Me, Prime Mind, Daily Good, and Mountain Record. As an editor, she focuses on mind and spirit. She collaborates with Zen teachers, Tibetan Buddhist psychotherapists, and mindfulness instructors, and edits memoir, fiction, and anthologies-recently Dharma of Dogs. Before focusing on publishing, Alice acquired books and developed screenplays for film and TV. She lives in Red Hook, Brooklyn with her family.

"Chris's books have been a significant source of inspiration in my own healing journey, and his newest work, Dead Set On Living, is no exception. Anyone looking for something real; something raw, ragged and authentic won't be disappointed. I believe anyone who reads Chris's honest and unabashed words will truly benefit. This is very, very real shit." -- Bam Margera, Professional Skateboarder, actor (Jackass/CKY), and musician (Evesdroppers) "Dead Set on Living offers a deep, intimate look at why we continued disparaging ourselves. This is essential reading for anyone looking to finally break the ruthless cycle." -- Richard Rohr, OFM, Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation "Chris Grosso's Dead Set on Living is an awesome work, the totally honest account of a man seeking the realities of life and death, compassion and indifference, sorrow and joy-as if they really mattered. He tells his own moving story, holding nothing back, consults with many amazing people who work with depression, addiction, etc., and shares with us his process of integrating their teachings and advice in a vivid and beautiful way. If you and your loved one's struggle with life in an existential way, you will love this noble book-it will bring you courage and many blessings." -- Robert A.F. Thurman, author of Man of Peace: The Illustrated Life Story of the Dalai Lama of Tibet Chris Grosso is a Warrior of the Heart. With humility, honesty and courage AS his weapons, he does battle with the shadows in the dark corners of our hearts. -- Krishna Das, Grammy Nominated Kirtan Musician "This inspiring compendium of spiritual friends can guide us as we navigate the way through our own hell toward the light of love." -- Alex Grey & Allyson Grey, Visionary Artists "Chris Grosso like myself is a searcher. He is on a quest. He is thirsty. For what you might ask? Wisdom! It is so rare these days to want to know truth, that people who seek it are thought of as odd. Out of the norm, or naive. Hunter once said "when the going gets weird, the weird go pro." We are well beyond weird now. We are in the twilight zone of reality. We need the Chris Grosso's of the world to tell us what they've seen n where we are. Read it!" -- Bob Forrest, author of Running with Monsters, TV Personality (Celebrity Rehab/Sober House) "Chris Grosso comes at us with a deeply intense and personal sharing of his life journey reminding us that you don't have to be a goody-two shoes to seek goodness and a spiritual life. It is often working through our darkest depths that we learn to become the light. Laying out some really easy practices we can all apply to our daily lives and advice from notable teachers of all lineages for all levels, this is a must read." -- Jessica Pimentel, actress Orange Is The New Black, Tibetan Buddhist, and singer of Alekhine's Gun What a read! What a ride! Chris Grosso shares his journey and brings in a team of others who tell the truth, give us hope, light and direction. This is spirituality in action. Thank you for this valuable contribution. -- Raghunath (aka Ray Cappo) International yoga teacher, speaker and singer of Youth of Today and Shelter "Chris Grosso seamlessly blends the ideas of individuality and spirituality in a way that is selfless, easy to read, and inspiring. He can help you find a purpose and be proud of yourself." -- Tony Hawk, skateboarding icon "By sharing his life's journey, Chris Grosso shines a light on our own." -- Jeff Bridges, Academy Award (R)-winning actor "Dead Set On Living, gets down to earth in dialogues that bring light to depression, addiction, and journeys through the dark night of the Spirit. Chris Grosso is an authentic voice of a new generation of meditation teachers. If you're ready for a book that does not shy away from important issues that are not often addressed by spiritual teachers, read this one." -- Loch Kelly, Author of Shift Into Freedom: The Science and Practice of Open-Hearted Awareness Chris Grosso comes from a place of compassion to bring hope to people who are suffering. He's been through it all and the result is a quality of empathy that makes Dead Set on Living such a valuable book. We need a fresh view on the way to recover and this remarkable gathering of voices from all sorts of perspectives-traditional to innovative to experimental-opens myriad doors to integrated healing as it guides readers toward their individual path to wholeness. I've personally seen Chris work with many of the young adults at one of my facilities over the last three years and he has a special way of making deep and authentic connections quickly. I believe this book will create a similar experience with its readers." -- Jamison Monroe, Founder and CEO of Newport Youth Rehabilitation Facility Chris Grosso has assembled a team to help aid in solving the addiction crisis in America. It's not a new Drug Czar, and expensive ad campaign aimed at the youth, or resuscitating the half century long War on Drugs. The solution is an integrated treatment plan in which each individual is a participant in their own inner and outer healing. We have suffered too long through the darkness and despair of mental illness, trauma, material craving, and spiritual emptiness. Thankfully a new recovery community has surfaced with a road map to personal and social wholeness. -- Eben Sterling, Thrasher Magazine, practicing yogi, recovered addict of twenty-one years "Chris Grosso is an honest and engaging young teacher and his work is both clearly expressed and inspiring." -- Andrew Harvey, bestselling author of The Hope "You awaken your True spirit by way of the broken heart: ragged, vulnerable, fierce and finally compassionate. Chris trod this rough way and shows honestly how it can be done." -- Jack Kornfield, bestselling author of A Path With Heart "It is too easy to assume that America's young rockers and hipsters are all casually nihilistic, but Grosso taps into the deep yearning for authentic spirituality-questions allowed." * Library Journal * "[Grosso] writes with refreshing wit and candor, deeply and broadly reflecting on what it means to be human, personally and collectively." * Publishers Weekly * "This book is priceless because of the sheer volume of information and techniques included... This is a primer on how to deal with the stress and discomfort inherent in being human." -- Dana Gornall * The Tattooed Buddha *