Coming Alive: 4 Tools to Defeat Your Inner Enemy, Ignite Creative Expression & Unleash Your Soul's Potential

Could be read and listened to (I’ve done both) endlessly not just for the spiritual/psychological tools/ exercises provided but even more so for the wisdom and approach to life’s challenges advocated.It seems I (we) need constant reminders.

I can not thank Phil Stutz and Barry Michels enough for writing this book. Their other collab book, “The Tools” is equally as powerful.If you want to change your inner world to be the best it can be, you’re prepared to work harder than you’ve ever worked before in your life and are willing to be 100% honest with yourself; then this book WILL change your life!I am a better man, more spiritually and emotionally mature and overall a better version of myself because of the teachings inside of this book!It requires of all of us to dig as deep inside of ourselves as we can to face our fears, work through them every single day and find the joy of helping others as the key to our best life.That is my take on it and I will continue reading this book over and over again until I am one with its teachings.Eternally grateful to Phil Stutz and Barry Michels.Never happier about an Amazon purchase.Thank you!!!

The kindness and compassion of the authors shone through the stories and examples in this book. Just feeling that made this book well worth the purchase price! However, because of said kindness and compassion, I know that what’s most important to the authors is that I use the Tools in this book to live a life which brings me ever closer to my true potential- a life of wonder, awe, and joyful service.You can check out the Tools from this book for yourself, as the authors have listed them and the Tools from their first book for free on their website- (I don’t know if Amazon will allow me to link in a review, so you can just google them.) I used that site to make a voice recording of the Tools to practice with. I’ve been using the recording to practice the tools almost daily for a few weeks now, as well as a few times implementing them according to the indications they’ve listed.I’ve noticed an increased ability to recognize “lower forces” when they arise (laziness, resentment, hypocrisy, rationalization, craving, etc) and as I’ve practiced them I’ve been better able to remember to use a tool rather than immediately caving in to the lower force, and sometimes to transcend it, which is progress!The authors repeat again and again that practice is necessary, and that progress is to be celebrated. The stories and examples in this book about this are really helpful in this regard, because another way that the self-destructive forces can manifest is to create huge unrealistic expectations- such as “I should be able to perform each of the tools once and never behave unskillfully ever again, and then live a blissful life free from any difficulty.” Sounds absurd written here, but in my head, surprisingly powerful.I found the tools in Coming Alive to be a tremendous addition to my spiritual toolbox. I will keep using them!

First, I want to be very clear. I am extremely biased. I loved The Tools. It’s at least tied for first for my favorite book ever. I bought copies of that book for countless people. Since then, I have worked 1-on-1 with Phil and have experienced profound changes in my life. So, I’ve been eagerly awaiting this book. And, I loved it.If you’re interested in (as the title and sub-title suggest) coming alive by defeating your inner enemy to unleash your soul’s potential, I think you’ll love the book as well.But, and I smile as I type this, note that “defeating your inner enemy” is not an easy path. And, Barry and Phil make no attempts to pretend otherwise. It’s HARD WORK to actualize our potential.(I’m reminded of Epictetus who told his students that “the lecture-room of the philosopher is a hospital; students ought not to walk out of it in pleasure, but in pain.”)The good news is that Barry and Phil have been in the trenches (for over 70 years between the two of them) working with people to help them win their inner battles.In this book, they present four new Tools to go along with the five foundational Tools they cover in their first book. Each Tool deals with a different facet of how “Part X” (their name for the part of us that’s constantly at war with us) tries to cut off our Life Force.If you’re up for the wonderfully confronting and equally energizing opportunity to meet Part X head on, I think you’ll love the book as much as I did. I highly recommend it and The Tools.

Great book filled with tools to help you figure out your passion. I got it for my daughter who is in college and it really inspired her to narrow her focus and select a major.

Simply one of the best self-help books I've ever read. It will be on top of the stack I keep on my nightstand, and I will be giving copies to all my friends as this years holiday gift.I loved the first book, The Tools, and implement the techniques I learned there every day. But this book, I don't know, it spoke to me on such a deep level. Particularly "The Mother" tool. I've been feeling increasingly crushed and hopeless lately--(feelings instigated by current world events along with personal issues like the recent death of my beloved father) and this tool lifted me up. It gave(gives) me a feeling of hopefullness and possibility. It reminded me that I'm in charge of my mood. Outside events will of course affect me, but ultimately it is my responsibility to pull myself up so I can once again be contributive in the world.The thing that sets both The Tools, and Coming Alive, apart from most other self-help books, is that they don't just present concepts, but give you techniques you can put into action. You can do a Tool in a few seconds, in-the-moment, and feel it.Life-changing stuff. I highly recommend.