The Mindful Addict: A Memoir of the Awakening of a Spirit

The enlightening and worldly journeys of a once hopeless addict whose life was profoundly changed after a chance meeting with a nomadic spiritual healer. In the mid-sixties, Tom Catton searched for meaning by experimenting with pot, LSD, and other drugs popular then—but instead of the spiritual connection he sought, Catton found himself hooked in the web of addiction and consumed by feelings of separation. In this earnest, insightful, and wonderfully written book, Catton, now in long-term recovery, describes how he transcended his challenges through the study and practice of meditation and introspection.  Along the way, he journeyed across the world, from the beaches of Hawaii to the streets of Kolkata (Calcutta), meeting remarkable "teachers," like the magnetic Flobird, who became his mentor, his spiritual guide, and his friend. She inhabits the pages of this book, along with other singular world figures Catton met in his sojourn—like the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa. They are all here, in The Mindful Addict, and their lessons and love infuse these pages with wisdom and heart.