I was hooked from the first page.
The title of the book intrigued me – Mind on Fire. I read the first page and was hooked. I had never seen the style of writing addressed in this book and found it mind bending and riveting. Who on earth has the boldness to allow their psychiatrist to write chapters in the book and lay them bare before the world? Shouldn’t alcoholism and addictions be covered up and hidden? Don’t we only want to share our triumphs?
That is not what Philip Muls did. He allowed not only his psychiatrist to paint a realistic viewpoint of alcoholism that is so deep it will snatch your breath away, but also his family. They didn’t hold back. Their being despised of his addiction is clear for the world to see. After I had my “Oh my God” moment I said to myself that only a person that wanted to help relieve the pain and struggle of someone would do this.
Mind on Fire is raw, hard, and brutal but in my mind exactly what is needed to lead someone away from a depraved lifestyle of alcoholism. It is written in, “in your face style,” and compels you to either deal with your alcoholism or keep destroying your life. However, Philip Muls desire is clear, he wants the reader to come to a point of restoration. It is an outstanding work that examines alcoholism in a very unusual way.
An Excellent Story with a Different Perspective on Alcoholism
The book is about the life of Philip Muls as told by his alter ego Paul Baer. He describes himself to be an extremely successful, world-traveling businessman living as a functional alcoholic. He lives in the glittery world of high-powered executives. The lifestyle flows with opulence and alcohol.
Over time the glitter fades and he desperately wants to be set free from his addiction. The pathway to freedom is like climbing Mt. Everest with no shoes, hat or coat. Yet, through sheer determination and destroying the demons that have haunted his life, Philip makes it to sobriety. He leaves a trail for others to follow.
I was deeply moved by Mind on Fire because I have loved ones that have suffered from alcoholism. It gave me a greater insight into what is really going on in their lives. It’s not just about drinking it is about a state of mind.
In Muls case, fear of death and an unwholesome perspective of God as taught by religion laid the grim foundation for twenty-five years of alcoholism. My heart ached because his marred perspective of God did so much harm to his life.
The Ultimatum Concerning Alcoholism
I could see God standing all around him. It was in the unconditional love of his wife. It was in the realness of his children saying in their own way, “you need to be set free.” They stood by him like sentinels on a wall. And it was the gentle spirit of his wife that said, you must correct yourself or I can no longer be in this relationship. As he describes, it didn’t come out bitter, just resolute.
That breaking point caused him to dig deep, determined to be free. You will go on the ride of your life as he journals amazing stories that led him to recovery. The stories are harrowing, full impact and will compel you to reflect on your own life. He begins to see not the God of religion, but the God of the universe, which brings him into a spiritual state of mind that transcends religion.
If you have or know of anyone that has an addiction, this is the book to read. The authenticity of it will rip pride out of your life, cause you to face yourself and be healed. Mind on Fire is one of the best books that I have ever read.
About the Author
Philip Muls is a senior business executive in a global corporation, who has been traveling on the job through Asia for the last twenty-plus years. He holds an MBA from Leuven University and has been granted various sales and management awards in the software industry. After quitting alcohol in his mid-forties, Philip started to research and experiment with a variety of recovery treatments on the level of mind and body and also on the level of his deeper self. This book blends his amazing travel stories with an authentic account of how alcohol affects the brain and how recovery from addiction can be like navigating a minefield of existential fears and obsolete beliefs. When he is not off traveling in China or India, Philip lives with his wife Natja and his two children Monika and Alexander in Grimbergen, Belgium. Mind on Fire is available on Amazon or where ever books are sold.
