About the Book
With the avalanche of information we get every day, closing down our minds and hearts seems to be the only way to survive. We close to ourselves by compulsively checking our devices. We close to each other by getting caught in echo chambers of outrage. But what if there's another way? What if being more open to life is actually what brings us sanity and happiness? In this climate of distraction and division, Nate Klemp's Open offers a path back to a way of living that is expansive, creative, and filled with wonder.
Drawing on personal stories, scientific findings, and traditional wisdom, Klemp explores why we close down when faced with stressors or threats-then reveals why training ourselves to fully engage even with discomfort, pain, and sadness leads to greater well-being in the long run. Here, you'll explore the many approaches to opening (such as psychedelic-assisted therapy, open meditation, and letting go), guidance for maintaining healthy boundaries while opening, antidotes to the social pressures that cause us to dehumanize others, practical tools for choosing to welcome any experience in the moment, and much more.
"We've made the path to a happier life overly complicated," says Klemp. "Yet each time we choose to engage instead of avoid, our mind expands. We find we can hold it all-anxiety, bliss, outrage, and feelings of genuine kindness. This is the magic of opening."
About the Author :
Nate Klemp, PhD, is a philosopher, writer, and mindfulness entrepreneur. He is the coauthor of the New York Times bestselling Start Here and the New York Times critics' pick The 80/80 Marriage. His work has been featured in the LA Times, Psychology Today, Thrive Global, and more; his appearances include Good Morning America and Talks at Google. He is founding partner at Mindful, one of the foremost mindfulness training companies, and lives in Colorado. For more, visit nateklemp.com.
Review :
"This wise and deeply relevant book guides us in navigating the seductive trance of a growingly virtual world . . . and living with our full creativity, intelligence, and love." --Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance and Trusting the Gold
"In the library of psychospiritual literature, this is a genuinely original and unique book. Strap on your seat belt for a fascinating ride through cutting-edge science, insights from the mystics, vulnerable self-exploration, powerful experiential practices, and a blistering critique of political polarization. Nate Klemp offers a master class in how to be open without being overwhelmed, and how to rest in your essential being in the juicy intimacy of every kind of relationship." --Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Buddha's Brain (with Richard Mendius, MD) and Resilient (with Forrest Hanson)
"In a time of spiraling fear and polarization, where we all have countless reasons to close our hearts and minds, Nate Klemp offers us a wise, inspiring, counterintuitive invitation to open up. His methods of dealing with a chaotic world are both pragmatic and heartfelt, grounded and elevating. By generously sharing his own experience, he offers companionship on a journey that can help us all live more freely and joyfully." --Martha Beck, author of The Way of Integrity and Diana, Herself
"Here is a truly important book about living in our intense times. It takes the reader on a deeply personal journey of learning to stay open in the face of the distractions and contractions of today's world. Read Open--it's an investment in serenity and stress-free productivity." --Gay Hendricks, author of Conscious Living and The Big Leap
"Nate Klemp's Open is a rich combination of head and heart--a book that makes an impassioned case for receiving and perceiving the world openly, while defending that emotion-laden idea with logic, reason, and research. Klemp left me convinced that embracing openness would leave my life richer and fuller." --Adam Alter, PhD, professor at NYU Stern School of Business, author of Anatomy of a Breakthrough and Irresistible
"Combining personal stories, science, and philosophy, Open offers a welcome antidote to our increasingly distracted and polarized world. The book dives into the causes of distraction, revealing how our unmet emotional needs often keep us tethered to our devices. The cure isn't just to put down the phone. It's to open--to approach those deeper emotional wounds and experience the freedom that's waiting for us on the other side." --Nir Eyal, author of Indistractable (with Julie Li) and Hooked (with Ryan Hoover)
"Dr. Nate Klemp has taken on the contemporary crisis of inner life leading to outward political divisiveness. In his urgent call for better citizenry, Klemp asks: Can we deliberately manage our interior world in such a way as to lead to civil grace and the reintegration of an ideologically diverse country or world?
"A read through Open with Klemp rejuvenates our own moral conscience to care and connect. Klemp wakes us up to the shared hunger to be bigger and deeper than merely left, right, or center politically. Now is the time, in Klemp's words, to listen to the other side." --Lisa Miller, PhD, professor of psychology and education at Columbia University, author of The Spiritual Child and The Awakened Brain
"Finally, a book that does more than just lament the problem of polarization! In Open, Nathaniel Klemp shows how our closed-minded approach to everyday interactions not only impedes our understanding of those with differing views, but also has detrimental impacts on our own health and relationships. But rather than simply defining the problem, he offers advice on how to overcome our biases and begin to understand one another. His unique approach is an essential and long-overdue contribution to the discussion about how to stop our current downward spiral of polarization." --Jason Altmire, former U.S. Congressman and author of Dead Center
"In a world that wants to close our minds and shut down our hearts, how do we reclaim wonder as a way of being? With the insight of a philosopher and father, Nate Klemp takes us on an awe-inspiring journey to reclaim our humanity. A beautiful blend of storytelling, science, and philosophy, Open will usher you into the magic that comes from living with an open mind." -- Valarie Kaur, author of See No Stranger
"Open is a unique and engaging book that is both insightful and fun to read. Nate Klemp opens his heart and mind to share his personal journey and cutting-edge insights, which connect the dots between science, meditation, and our political predicament. We are guided from initial mindfulness practices, which concentrate and calm our minds, to a more open phase that gives us more space to respond both outside and within. This book is full of practical methods, including 'political polarization tools' to help us break the habit of having animosity toward people with opposing views. Highly recommended!" --Loch Kelly, creator of the Mindful Glimpses app and author of The Way of Effortless Mindfulness
"This timely, engaging work will serve its purpose if it inspires us to turn off our screens, pay attention to the real world, and talk to our neighbors--especially those living on the other side of the cultural divide. Close your phone, open this book, and expand your mind." --Don Lattin, author of God on Psychedelics, Changing Our Minds, and The Harvard Psychedelic Club
"Open presents a compelling argument for why our quest for constant happiness actually causes us to lose sight of the things that matter most. In lucid, engaging prose, Klemp details his own at-times-harrowing journey toward openness and provides readers with a practical tool set for fashioning a lifetime's worth of habits that will help us be more present and more at home in our own minds--and could ultimately help to build a more connected and loving world." --Rachel Nuwer, author of I Feel Love and Poached
"Not only is Open a well-crafted, relatable, and entertaining memoir, it's a deft reflection on modern society that manages not to be preachy because it's just stating the hard facts about how distracted we've become. That might be depressing if Nate Klemp wasn't simultaneously showing that there's a way to break our habits and live a more connected, present life that embraces the high highs and low lows rather than running back to a phone. Refreshingly, he shows it's not easy to break free of our addiction to distraction, but he also shows the work is more than worth it. I felt myself looking at my relationships, work, and time with more appreciation, focus, and--yes--openness as I read this book. I also immediately wanted to share it with my friends and family. A genuinely liberating read that society needs right now." --Jaimal Yogis, author of Saltwater Buddha and The Fear Project
"Those experiencing social media fatigue, abuse, or addiction can greatly benefit from this book. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal
