The key to ongoing freedom from alcoholism or any other kind of addiction is right before us, here and now, in the ordinary and perfect present moment. The problem is that addictions are often the result of our efforts to escape living in the present in the first place. Bill Alexander's unique approach uses mindfulness, story, and meditation to help alcoholics and others learn to come back to the moment and to find healing there.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"As unpretentious and profound as a drink of cool water, Alexander's book shows readers that simple awareness itself has the magical power to heal."— Publishers Weekly
"Cool Water is sure to be enthusiastically embraced by the countless people who thirst for authentic experience and a trust worthy voice."—Mel Ash, author of The Zen of Recovery
"Cool Water is sure to be enthusiastically embraced by the countless people who thirst for authentic experience and a trust worthy voice."—Mel Ash, author of The Zen of Recovery
About the Author
William Alexander is on staff at the Harzelden Foundation in Minnesota, where he teaches meditation and leads workshops in Ordinary Recovery nationwide.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
As tattered and marked up as my Big Book and Twelve & Twelve,
By A Customer
This review is from: Cool Water: Alcoholism, Mindfulness, and Ordinary Recovery (Paperback)
The miracle of everyday life, lived soberly and mindfully is eloquently offered to readers of this small book. If you have had a stormy relationship with life, with addiction, with spirituality, with AA or other twelve-step programs of recovery, you may find a taste of grace here, as I did. Alexander's experience with addiction, his Zen practice, his work with other people and his mastery of story-telling with humor and metaphor qualify him to do this work. I also strongly recommend looking him up and participating in an Ordinary Recovery Workshop.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very clear, cogent discussion of our humanity,
By skeeter912@hotmail.com (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cool Water: Alcoholism, Mindfulness, and Ordinary Recovery (Paperback)
While many "self-help" or recovery books seem stilted or caught up in their own wisdom, Bill's thoughts are very elegant and illuminating... Elegant in their simplicity and comforting in their honesty and apparent truth. This book has been a great comfort to me in a time of great turmoil in my life. Thank you for sharing with us....
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book.,
By Paul Bridges (California) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cool Water: Alcoholism, Mindfulness, and Ordinary Recovery (Paperback)
I really enjoyed this book a great deal. Don't buy it expecting a detailed treatise on either AA or Buddhism, but an wonderful positive journey that shows how the two approaches each have great value. It is a very honest, brave, and heart-felt book. My experience is that many books in this genre are either too flowery, dogmatic, or impersonal to be meaningful, but not this one, IMHO.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
THE WINDS HURL GROUND FOG and snowmist around the deep snow-covered yard outside my window. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
active addiction Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Thich Nhat Hanh, New York, Ordinary Recovery, Alcoholics Anonymous, New Jersey, Short Hills Mall, Twelve Step, Bill Wilson, Plum Village, Gregory Bateson, John the Divine, North Star, Zen Mountain Monastery, Big Book, Chelsea Hotel, Hurricane Mountain, Johnny Cash, Tiep Hien Order New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
THE WINDS HURL GROUND FOG and snowmist around the deep snow-covered yard outside my window. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
active addiction Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Thich Nhat Hanh, New York, Ordinary Recovery, Alcoholics Anonymous, New Jersey, Short Hills Mall, Twelve Step, Bill Wilson, Plum Village, Gregory Bateson, John the Divine, North Star, Zen Mountain Monastery, Big Book, Chelsea Hotel, Hurricane Mountain, Johnny Cash, Tiep Hien Order New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 20
books:
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8
books
cite this book:
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- The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh on page 24, and page 107
- Steps to an Ecology of Mind: Collected Essays in Anthropology, Psychiatry, Evolution, and Epistemology by Gregory Bateson on page 31, and Back Matter
- Battle Cry by Leon Uris on page 58
- A Little Compendium on That Which Matters by Frederick Franck in Back Matter
- Ordinarily Sacred (Studies in Religion and Culture) by Lynda Sexson in Back Matter
See all 20 books this book cites
- Overcoming Sexual Terrorism: How to Protect Your Children from Sexual Predators by Jake Goldenflame on page 183, page 189, and page 202
- Overcoming Sexual Terrorism: 60 Ways to Protect Your Children from Sexual Predators by Jake Goldenflame in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Waterstained Landscapes: Seeing and Shaping Regionally Distinctive Places (Center Books on Contemporary Landscape Design) by Professor Joan Woodward in Back Matter
- The Gene Autry Book by David Rothel on page 217
- The Sober Kitchen: Recipes and Advice for a Lifetime of Sobriety by Liz Scott on page 212
See all 8 books citing this book
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