THE BIG UNRAVELING

A Far Eastern–flavored prescription for personal reinvention imbued with poetic beauty.

At first blush, the title of Naimi’s book might sound like another dire warning about an impending societal apocalypse. In reality, Naimi is offering the opposite: a pathway to personal fulfillment at the most elemental level. This journey to enlightenment is not without pain, however. “Unraveling” refers to a process that brings about “a pause in our thinking…and [an] unwinding of the movements that take us nowhere and bring us no joy.” But, as the author points out, trying to unravel a finished article of clothing is a tough proposition. Fortunately, although the author has a New Age resume steeped in shamanic training and heavy on the mind-body-spirit connection, he presents tips that are surprisingly down to earth. His metaphysical tutorial on personal reinvention hinges on three basic questions: What do I want? How do I get it? Am I making any progress toward getting what I want? Readers are expected and encouraged to devote some time to each of these questions, since, as Naimi points out, it often takes a person as long to get well as the person was sick. He writes that the three questions might smack of egocentrism, until one peels back the layers and discovers that the best questions one can ask are those that appeal to a higher level of consciousness. One may ask, for example, “How can I be more successful at my job?” But one could also ask, “How can I be of service to more people?” or “How do I become a more loving partner?” The author is a poet, and the fine verses he offers at the end of many of these chapters serve to enrich and deepen the text.

An illuminating, practical guide to spiritual transformation.