· 2014
"After years of heavy addiction, Chris Grosso found himself at the age of 25 literally on his knees utterly lost and broken. If he was going to live, he needed to find a new way to approach life. But he battled with how to wrangle a spiritual path with his alternative, eclectic lifestyle. Drawing upon his punk rock roots and question everything mindset, Grosso offers a collection of stories and musings on his own no bullshit exploration of spirituality that are brutally honest, and many times, bitingly humorous. A guidebook for today's generation of non-religious spiritual misfits, who crave a truly dogma-free path. Through his own self-inquiry and meandering journey, Grosso shows readers that spirituality is not something that only happens on meditation cushions or yoga mats, in sanghas, churches, mosques, temples, or synagogues. It's not always peaceful and quiet. A tattooed, independent culturist, recovering addict, spiritual aspirant, and musician, Grosso wanted more than what conventional religious or spiritual doctrine could provide. Rejecting the trappings, hypocrisies, and judgements, Grosso empowers readers to accept themselves as they are, in all their humanness and imperfect perfection"--
· 2018
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.
Based on very real and practical commentary, life experience, and occasionally, tongue-in-cheek-misfortunes of horror legends, Necessary Death explores how the horror genre, its motifs, and its characters offer individuals a unique opportunity for insight and understanding of their own lives. Necessary Death looks back on several iconic horror films and finds that maybe the genre wasn’t ever really just about men in hockey masks chasing good looking coeds through old dark houses. Even a cursory examination of the horror convention will reveal a plethora of stories from recovering addicts, survivors of trauma and sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and minorities. So what, then, can this genre so concerned with death teach us about being alive—and how can we apply those lessons in our day-to-day existence? Using some of the most quintessential movies in the genre, Chris Grosso and Preston Fassel invite readers to an in-depth examination of the human condition—its fears, anxieties, hopes, joys, sorrows, and everything in-between—and how it’s all grist for our personal and collective evolutionary mill. A hallmark of the genre is how horror films force their characters to find some semblance of inner strength and wherewithal in order to stand up to the monster, ghost, or villain that is trying to take their lives. Through fascinating discussion of this and other elements, Fassel and Grosso relate these films’ dark subject matter and characters to real world issues people face every day, showing that there’s something deep within us that, if even just metaphorically, can relate to the pain in these stories. This sharp analysis is complimented by exercises that prompt readers to consider gratitude, forgiveness, determination, and bravery in the face of adversity. An unusual mix of film study and self-help, Necessary Death might surprise or even shock readers, but it will also enlighten, educate, and most importantly hearten those looking for an unexpected source of inspiration.
· 2015
“I’m not a yogi from the Himalayas, a preacher from the pulpit, or a guru with dollar signs in my eyes,” says Chris Grosso. “The truth is, as a result of years of heavy drug and alcohol addiction, I’ve been to some extremely dark places that resulted in a literal life-or-death search for something more.” With Everything Mind, this emerging voice of the spiritual counterculture presents a riveting and insightful book about meditation, the search for deeper meaning, and the life-changing (and life-saving) process of waking up. “Everything Mind” means it’s all part of the path—dark and light, sacred and profane, serious and goofy, tragic and joyous. Each experience is unique, each has something profound to teach us if we open ourselves and let it in. Sharing hard-won wisdom and the spiritual practices that helped him through his darkest times, Chris invites you to discover: • Spirituality—how something that doesn’t fix your problems or change who you are can still revolutionize your life • Why well-worn ideas like “love everyone” and “anything is possible” are much more than just wishful bullshit • The perils of railing at fundamentalism—how to put down the pitchfork and practice compassionate spiritual discernment • The mystery of “interbeing”—convincing your head, heart, and gut that you’re actually connected to everything • Expressing your truth through service, meditation, sports, relationships, punk rock, skateboarding—or just about anything done with love Finding our own spirituality is both liberating and terrifying. Liberating because we no longer have to be tied down by dogma or march off to war just because a guy in a fancy hat says so. Terrifying because it’s now totally on us to find out what’s true, what’s holy, what really matters to each of us. “Cultivating a spiritual lifestyle may be the most challenging undertaking you’ll ever face,” says Chris Grosso. “But if you stick with it, you can learn to meet allof life with an open heart—which, when you get down to it, is pretty fucking amazing.”
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· 2006
There is a school where nothing is what it seems. The staff is corrupt and the students undergo crazy mind experiments. Principal Mark Richards has to find out why. The school is named Graduate University, and for the past few years it has been losing money. Mark tries to hold contests and raffles to raise more money and bring in more students, all the while trying to find out why his students are being tortured. A bright young student named Joe Williams is the first to undergo these mind experiments and soon more follow down the line. Now, lets see how Mark Richards handles his building with the corrupt staff and the insane mind experiments perpetrated on his students
· 2019
At a time when people need spiritual substance never has substance been so hard to find.The New Age and New Thought movements have flatlined. Stunning scientific insights and uplifting spiritual information found in early break-through books and films have devolved into a smorgasbord of "feel good" social media memes and lookalike spiritual programs guaranteed to deliver overnight abundance, soulmates and enlightenment in easy 5-step workshops.Cliché has overtaken hard-won insight, perseverance, depth, long hours of contemplation and meditation and true spiritual advancement.All You Need Is Love is a much-needed antidote, breathing substance back into hackneyed topics, from desirelessness to the wisdom of seeking enlightenment, from the existence of the soul to the wisdom of posting yet one more fluffy spiritual meme on Facebook.Join us as 19 authors tell the tales of how they learned to go beyond pat sayings and shallow interpretations of spiritual beliefs as they struggled to find their way to greater and more meaningful lives. The AuthorsSharon Ballantine ¿ Susie Beiler ¿ Marie Benard ¿ Patrick Cameron ¿ Betsy Chasse ¿ Mary Clarke ¿ Michele Cutler ¿ Cameron Day ¿ Lisa Dimond ¿ Catherine Ellis ¿ Morgan D. Hartt ¿ Cate Montana, MA ¿ Rev. Kate Rodger, PhD(c) ¿ Louise SaintOnge ¿ Linda L. Sechrist ¿ Julie Starr ¿ Parri Ulrich ¿ Christine Upchurch ¿ Trina Wyatt"A profoundly timely and necessary book, All You Need Is Love will make you rethink what you think you know and believe when it comes to spiritual "Truths." ¬- Jeff Brown - Author of "Grounded Spirituality"
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A children's book about rocking to your own beat, starring a kid just looking to focus his excitement by drumming. "Cool it, kid!" Ah, no! How's this kid's parent going to stifle him from releasing his energy? Tap tap tap...