Publisher's Synopsis
We are frustrated and angry about the life we make for ourselves and the life others impose upon us, but we do not find the courage to think and behave differently. Youth, in particular, must make decisions about many life dilemmas and struggle with their torturous doubts. In addition, if they ever arrive at the intersection of wisdom paths, they must decide whether they wish to change their ways of thinking and living for transcendence to the real world. It would be by far the hardest decision that any individual faces in his/her life. That is, can s/he, and how, rid him/herself from the rituals and rewards of our societies? With compliance, one receives tangible rewards of wealth, love, status and social recognition, or at least a perception of achieving these goals. None of these alluring, materialistic incentives is available to him/her once s/he steps on a new path outside the path of conformity. It would be extremely difficult, if possible at all, for most of us to ignore the temptations of social extravagance, greed, ego, attachment, and power. On the other hand, a courageous decision at this intersection would free us from our crooked habits, social conundrums, and negative doubts, while we build a solid life philosophy according to our positive doubts. Our beliefs and boosted spirits turn these doubts into plausible questions about the validity and value of our existence in the perceived world. We still have to tackle many questions, but they would not be so stressful and overwhelming, but only challenging and natural. Deciding to look beyond the illusions of the perceived realities, we find our true convictions and life philosophy within the realm of the real world, we redeem our soul to be our guide, and let a higher wisdom help us in all the forthcoming crucial decisions, to minimize our conflicts and sufferings in our journey of life. What is the right way of living? We are hoping for a society where people set their priorities according to sacred criteria and thoughts, which are moral, 'self'-actualizing, and at the same time unselfish. That is, while everybody seeks inner satisfaction through utilization of his potentials, he also considers himself as part of the whole humanity, feels the global sufferings, and shows some compassion. He is in touch with the reality of the universe and in love with Nature, rather than driven by the conditioning forces of the perceived world to exploit Nature and others, satisfy his greed, lust, and ego. So, while philosophy is not an exercise in spirituality, it reinforces the need for some norms of morality and humanity for our actions, emotions, and thoughts. Philosophy tells us where our detachments and attachments should be in line with the characteristics of the real and perceived worlds. In the perceived world, we get attached to material things, appearances, and pretences. In the real world, we do exactly the opposite: We devote ourselves to the growth of 'self, ' and become more united and harmonious with Nature, 'self, ' and humanity. Maybe philosophy can even help us create a religion that merely satiates our spirituality need with no need for proving the existence of God and eternity.
