Review: The Remembering by Peter Kennedy

A timely reflection on the profound and sometimes painful process of becoming who you need to be, The Remembering: A Journey Back to Self by Peter Kennedy is a reminder that personal transformation is unavoidable – and endless.

Kennedy’s story begins with an intense account of his participation in a sacred ritual – a temazcal ceremony in a traditional sweat lodge in Brazil. After being spiritually stripped bare, and concentrating on how to achieve emotional freedom, his existence feels irreparably changed, “as if a veil had been lifted.” Through the lens of his sacred experience in the jungle, he is able to better understand the choices he has made, identify the driving forces behind his actions, and adjust his mindset to an entirely new paradigm of living.

What follows is a vulnerable exploration of his entire life, from feelings of inadequacy in childhood and the discovery of true love to the blunt dissection of his behavioral patterns and essential therapeutic breakthroughs. He then embarks on restructuring his life and perspective, challenging all of the assumptions he had once held, and relinquishing control to the things that were paradoxically controlling him.

Walking readers through the emotional rollercoaster of his later career in the startup space beginning in 2015, a clearer picture of the author emerges – overworked, overwhelmed, and consumed by someone else’s definition of success. Following the sale of his company, he was stunned to find that there was no final goal that would deliver happiness for him and his wife. As this theme is expanded, his search for answers and liberation results in a number of shifting strategies, supported by a through line of resilience, curiosity, and hope.

The seamless weaving together of anecdotal reflection with philosophical musing and spiritual explanation is the source of this book’s power; in one moment, readers are aching in empathy for the narrator as he details his struggles with doubt and uncertainty, and in the next, the prose flips the mirror, nearly forcing the reader into thoughtful self-reflection. From the very first chapter, the author’s extensive introspection on issues of masculinity, control, power, weakness, wealth, intelligence, and agency makes this book feel like a work of social science and philosophy, as much as it does a work of self-help.

The book also acts as a balanced assessment of ritual and psychedelic exploration, without lavishing unquestioned praise on the mind-expanding power of these medicines, acknowledging the emotional violence and internal suffering they can bring about. In his honest and unflinching account, Kennedy surrenders to his uncertainties surrounding these substances, as well as other mindfulness practices, offering an uncut glimpse into the lifelong journey of wellness.

What most sets this self-help memoir apart from a crowded genre is Kennedy’s penchant for visceral language and immersive description. His mastery of language is entrancing, whether he is describing a transcendental out-of-body experience or the moment when a cognitive puzzle finally gets untangled. One can almost feel the excitement and authenticity pressing out of the page, as he welcomes readers into some of the most intimate and important moments of his memory, while remaining universal in his focus, so the book feels intensely personal for the reader as well.

Eye-opening, refreshing, and inspiring on multiple levels, this is far from your average memoir, taking the reader on a journey that approaches a full understanding of life’s challenges and purpose.