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We live in stressful times. Some say that this is the most challenging time in history, it is fueled by ego, competition, injustice, and anxiety. Just glancing at news headlines each day is enough to cause alarm.
Mental health experts, psychologists, therapists, and counselors have reported the rising levels of stress, depression, anxiety, worry, and fear, year after year, for the last two decades.We can either wring our hands and doom-scrolling, or we can do something about it.
Brave New Mind offers ways to:
- Handle increasing stress in all areas of our lives.
- Join the powers of serenity and alertness of oneself.
- Cope with depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental illnesses.
- Find renewed strength and motivation we have lost.
- Make new meaning and find our life purpose.
- Create a brave new mind equal to this moment.
Dr. Eric Maisel’s work as a retired psychotherapist provides ways to deal not only with the extreme tension of today’s existence but a path forward. Instead of relying only on medications, readers are guided to fortify and reinvigorate the mind. His optimistic approach redefines the worry of the world. Dr. Maisel has devised this practical, approachable, and inspiring way to face the struggles with calmness and serenity.
“Living in a turbulent world creates turbulent minds, but in Maisel’s latest book, he lays out a map for navigating such a world with integrity, ease, and serenity. If you want to rid your life of frustration and chaos and discover joyful days again, this is the book for you. Maisel puts forward ways in which we can respond positively to our new realities and preserve our calm and sanity. A life in support of both serenity and action is the goal, and the plan for this is on offer in Brave New Mind.”—Roccie Hill, bestselling author of The Blood of My Mother and author of the forthcoming The Wounds of My Father
“If you find yourself overwhelmed by the frenzy of modern life or yearning for a deeper sense of purpose and calm, this book offers both intellectual clarity and emotional sustenance. It doesn’t promise to make life easy—rather, it offers something far more valuable: a way to bring meaning and purpose to your life, even in turbulent times. Brave New Mind isn’t just a book; it’s a trusted companion, providing the tools to face reality with courage and to cultivate serenity without escapism.” —Stacy Giguere, PhD, Professor of Psychology
“How do you stay sane in the modern world? Maisel has an answer. In an accessible style, he combines his wide reading of philosophy with his experience as a psychotherapist in a truly valuable synthesis. It is not a plot spoiler to say that he advocates what to some people may seem an impossible paradox: that we need to cultivate an inner serenity at the same time as a readiness to act. If we do this, we will be able to maintain our sanity and our integrity.” —Martin Adams, existential psychotherapist, author of An Existential Approach to Human Development: Philosophical and Therapeutic Perspectives
“Brave New Mind by Eric Maisel is a thought-provoking exploration of the mental resilience required to navigate the complexities of contemporary life. With a blend of philosophy, psychology, and cultural critique, Maisel presents the concept of "serene readiness"—a state of mind that embraces both acceptance and proactive engagement with life's challenges. Maisel's writing is both incisive and urgent, calling readers to develop a mindset capable of withstanding the pressures of an increasingly fragmented world. Brave New Mind is a profoundly introspective and timely work, offering readers practical tools for fostering clarity, resilience, and a renewed sense of agency in their lives.”—Juliana J. Bruno, Transformational Coach, podcaster, and author of Reasons to Live
“With the kind of page turning usually saved for great dramas or thrillers, I just finished reading Brave New Mind. Maisel presents a picture of the dire realities we’re facing in today’s world, along with proposals for how we can not only survive but thrive, in a style that is both gentle and hard-hitting, with just enough humor to make the deep material comprehensible and entertaining. As is the case with many of Eric Maisel’s works, Brave New Mind is a book I can see reading over and over. It will never grow old or obsolete.” —Denise Beck-Clark, MFA, MSW; author of Concurrent Sentences: A True Story of Murder, Love, and Redemption
“If you read only one book to help you cope and thrive amidst these complex and changing times we are living in, read this one. Make this the book the encouragement you give to yourself and to everyone you love.” —Lynda Monk, MSW, RSW, CPCC, leader of the International Association for Journal Writing
"Brave New Mind is a timely and insightful reflection on the chaos of modern life and the kind of mental resilience we need to navigate it. Maisel makes a compelling case for why cultivating 'serene readiness' is more important than ever. This book is an invitation to think differently and to approach life with a deeper sense of awareness and purpose." —The Fio Bros, hosts of the BestSelf University podcast
"Eric Maisel's latest asks us to look at how we are using our minds in these difficult times and invites us to meet our current challenges with 'serene readiness,' a brand-new paradigm with the power to save lives.” —Risa Williams, author of Get Stuff Done Without the Stress
“Thought-provoking and original, Eric Maisel takes the reader on a philosophical journey through 'mind,' with much to reflect on along the way. Recommended.” —Derek Summerfield, psychiatrist, Kings College London and London Institute of Psychiatry
"Brave New Mind is a powerfully insightful and highly instructive manual not only for surviving in today’s brave new world, but thriving in it. Instead of presenting mere ‘coping’ mechanisms for dealing with the fast-paced, oppressive nature of modern reality, Maisel shows us in a very practical way how we can hone our minds to be serenely ready for whatever comes at us. Doing so transforms the depression, anxiety, and general unhappiness that our world causes into a strong, joyful, and creative life.”—Adam Zwig, psychologist and touring musician
“Brave New Mind is an essential and timely work. Dr. Maisel masterfully unpacks the psychological pressures of modern life and offers a compelling path forward through serene readiness. His insights challenge conventional thinking and empower readers to reclaim their mental clarity and purpose. Thoughtful, engaging, and deeply relevant, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking a more intentional, self-directed life. I highly recommend it!”—Randy Cima, PhD, psychologist and child advocate
“Brave New Mind came to my awareness at the perfect time. Maisel’s concepts of ‘serene readiness’ and ‘prime directives’ read like meditative life preservers. At this very difficult moment in human history, a new paradigm of thought is called for, and Maisel has just the intellect to create it for us. I encourage any thinking person to add this book to their mental/literary arsenal immediately!”—Rahti Gorfien, author of The Five Emotions that Stop Success in Coaches, Clients, and Creatives
Contents
Other Books by Eric Maisel xv
Author’s Note xix
Introduction to Brave New Mind 1
1. Exchanging Minds 5
2. Serene Readiness 8
3. Dante Today 11
4. To the Lighthouse 14
5. That One Monkey 17
6. By the Numbers 20
7. Metaphors and Analogies 24
8. Dynamic Succession 28
9. Monitoring the Succession 32
10. Hall Monitor 36
11. Succession, Attention, and Stimulation 39
12. When You Need a Lot of Neurons 42
13. What controls? 46
14. The Story of Prime Directives 49
15. Your Prime Directive(s) 52
16. Why Now? 55
17. The Shoe Shop Down the Block 58
18. Our Version of Soma 61
19. Poverty, Scarcity, and the Shrinking Middle Class 65
20. Trending Fascism 68
21. Digital Nomads as Mental Model 72
22. Retreat into Mindless Trance 75
23. On Declining Empathy 78
24. The Collapse of Others 82
25. Aristocrats, Mountain Men, and Liberated
Women 85
26. Peaceful Thoughts Abound 88
27. Serenity and the Body 92
28. Ordering Up Serenity 96
29. Four-Legged Stool 99
30. The Zen of Zen 102
31. Stoicism Today 106
32. What Do You Believe? 110
33. Nine Reasons Why 113
34. Your Psychology of Life 117
35. Developed…or Undeveloped? 120
36. Points on a Map 124
37. Social Serenity 128
38. Socrates and You 132
39. The Whole and Its Bits 135
40. Tools for the Van 139
41. Serenity Sooner Rather Than Later 144
42. Serenity as a Practice 147
43. Serenity as Prime Directive 151
44. Ready for Readiness 154
45. Ready or Not 158
46. Getting Ready and Being Ready 162
47. Readiness and Release 165
48. A Shallow Dive 169
49. What Is Readiness? 172
50. High Noon 175
51. Ready to Create 178
52. Entrepreneurial readiness 181
53. Ready to Relate 184
54. Sexual Readiness 187
55. Ready to Resist 190
56. Ready to Steward 193
57. Ready to Leap 196
58. Ready for Red 199
59. The Terrible Diagnosis 202
60. Ready for Freedom 205
61. On Loyalty Oaths 208
62. Ready for surprises 211
63. Some Other You Is Lurking 215
64. Acquiring Serene Readiness 219
65. Safely Not Paying Attention 223
66. The Siren’s Call to Oblivion 226
67. The Ambition to Be Human 229
68. A Certain Hope 232
69. Prime Directives Revisited 235
70. Picture Yourself 239
About Eric Maisel 243
About the Publisher 245