ENJOY YOUR SELF NOW!

Croce explores spiritual awakening and practical ways to embrace the present moment.

Drawing from Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sufism, each of the 66 chapters includes a dharma (teaching) and sadhana (practice) to help people shift from suffering to peace. The aim is to move from an agitated “monkey mind” and to instead “perceive what is truly happening in the freshness, juiciness, and awe of the present moment.” The book covers concepts like Buddha’s “Four Immeasurables”: mudita (sympathetic joy), metta (loving-kindness), karuna (compassion), and upekkha (equanimity). The “spirit-like Self (felt as I am)” is differentiated from the “person-like self (identifiable as I am this or that).” Croce introduces tools such as the “6-Second Sacred Pause” (to avoid knee-jerk reactions) and urges readers to exercise their “let me go muscle” to release self-centeredness. The book advises talking back to the “voice-in-the-head” or writing a haiku to interrupt it. Croce presents “RAIN” (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, and Nurture) as a way to free yourself from disturbing thoughts or feelings. Dance and karma yoga are among the recommended ways to touch the divine through physical activity, while embracing uncertainty, listening to silence, and celebrating the beauty in art are other suggested practices. Croce offers readers bite-size mindfulness advice that should be easy to implement in their lives. The author encourages self-inquiry through insightful prompts such as, “How is clinging to this negative thought and feeling working for me?” Memorable three-word mantras like “Space is Grace” or “RAIN on pain!” help readers retain each chapter’s lessons. The book incorporates stories, poetry, and quotes from legends such as Rumi, Hafiz, Pema Chodron, and Eckhart Tolle, as well as anecdotes from the author’s own spiritual journey. However, some may find questions like “Why am I choosing to suffer?” or “If I see no reason for giving thanks and feeling grateful at this moment, whose fault is that?” more reproachful than helpful.

An approachable guide to mindfulness that occasionally oversimplifies the nature of suffering.