Stewart Dixon, award-winning, best-selling humor and self-help author of Spirituality for Badasses has a bone to pick with conventional therapy and pharmaceutical companies concerning our collective bounce back and healing from the stress, anxiety and depression of Covid-19.
Asserts Mr. Dixon in the introduction to his book: “So you see…I really do get it. I used to be depressed, anxious, too smart for my own good, opinionated and unhappy…a real loveless, badass-hole. But now I’m just a spiritual badass. Spirituality removed the hole. I transformed. I changed. I grew up. I learned some hard lessons. And I did all this without ever losing my cool, integrity, smarts, libido, sense of humor or soul. And that’s just what this book is going to help you do. “
Kirkus Reviews – the prestigious book review media outlet wrote this about the book: “A motivational work blazes a spiritual path for those who consider themselves too cool for such things. A jokey yet earnest and useful guide to enlightenment for badass readers.”
On a whirl-wind virtual tour of radio station and podcast interviews J. Stewart Dixon has been offering his “calm island in the middle of the hurricane” solution to eager hosts such as celebrity chef Pete Evans from Perth, Australia and sportscaster i-Heart radio-DJ Ken Broo from Cincinnati, Ohio. “It’s about noticing that part of you, which hasn’t changed your whole life. If you can notice and nurture this inner badass part, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by its’ ability to heal, help and restore.”
Mr. Dixon knows first-hand about finding an inner badass, as he suffered from years of depression during his early adulthood. “I didn’t throw myself into spirituality to become a saint or a purist– I did it because I was hurting and in pain. I did drugs and alcohol. I tried therapy and Prozac. None of it worked. I was dragged kicking and screaming into spirituality and mindfulness practices and what I found was that, lo’ and behold, this sh%# works.”
A common question Mr. Dixon receives is, of course – Why all the swear words and humor? “I love the title Spirituality for Badasses because it instantly disarms any preconceived notions about spirituality and renders it friendly, approachable and down-to-earth. I think many of us are burned out by absolute truths, cures and opinions right now. So– I’m simply offering an alternative non-pharmaceutical “cure” that worked for me. As a bonus, I’ve thrown in some humor, and to keep it real, a few swear words.”
Mr. Dixon’s background as an engineer and business owner has also shaped his opinion about spirituality and mental health. “As an engineer most of my adult life, I’ve been hired to reduce complex systems into bite-sized, manageable portions. In Spirituality for Badasses I do the same: Mental health and spirituality is, to say the least, complex. I spent decades sifting through and integrating it, and what I came up with – which I’m proud of and grateful for today- was a process that worked both for myself and the thousands of readers who are now finding their own inner badasses.”
FAVORITE QUOTE FROM FIRST CHAPTER:
Simply put, you must place your attention on the very thing that invited you to open this book in the first place - however minor: anxiety, depression, frustration, suffering, unhappiness, lack of meaning, angst, something's missing, etc. (Of course, paying attention to this shit is exactly what most people - yeah, you included - loathe to pay attention to the most.)
BOOK COVER:
I gotta be real honest here...I LOVED THIS COVER. I've seen a lot of covers in my day but this one takes the gold medal for best book covers.
FIRST CHAPTER REVIEW:
Okay now I see the significance of the cover. Reading this first chapter I felt like I was on the open highway. Going fast. J. Stewart Dixon excellently revealed his quest for something more in life. He's a badass. I think badasses go places. J. Stewart Dixon goes grand prix in his revelations of himself as a young adult in college. No reverance for anyone but it wasn't like he wanted to be disrespectful; he just owed it to himself to get answers without any hodge modge pussy-footing around. Like I said, a badass. But he was tired of running on automatic and going too fast even though that was just the way he was. He wants more out of life but not the traditional way of thinking. He just knew that wasn't the right fit for him. Remember? He's a bad ass. Like he says, this isn't a Chicken Soup for the Soul but this first chapter has me fired up, ready to go and no turning back.
KEEP READING?
Of course I'd keep reading! This first chapter is only the beginning of a wild ride!
Amazon → www.amazon.com/dp/B08SMP9982
Spirituality for Badasses and 21 Days blossomed out J. Stewart’s life as a spiritual seeker, finder and teacher. He teaches based on his direct experience, twenty-nine years of interaction with numerous nonduality-advaita-zen-unorthodox teachers, his ongoing education / certification in modern mindfulness and a degree in communications / engineering from Syracuse University.
He has been interviewed by Rick Archer on Buddha at the Gas Pump, was the meditation editor of the mind/body/spirit blog All Things Healing, was a board member of Sevenoaks Retreat Center (a nondenominational spiritual retreat center in Madison, VA) and is the owner/founder of a tech design -install firm called Charlottesville Audio Visual Services.
J. Stewart Dixon has been a very creative individual for most of his life. In addition to two self-published books, he has written and produced a rock musical, has two professionally produced and recorded CDs with his former band Alchemy and has dabbled in abstract art.
He lives in central Virginia with his family. When he’s not working or creating he can be found cavorting with the fish, bears, and bald eagles on the local rivers with a fly rod in his hand.
Visit his website at http://www.spiritualityforbadasses.com or connect with him on Facebook.
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