Publisher's Synopsis
The true nature of man is pure, peaceful and inseparable from the universe. However, this pure nature can gradually be veiled by a mask of personality or ego through a lifetime of interaction with the environment and social institutions. This mask of personality not only veils man's inner world, but also man sees the outer world of form, matter and social relationships through this mask. When this happens many outer world realities and illusions appear to man as acceptable or inevitable while many of these realities are contaminated by illusions and they are far from truth. This is a form of unconsciousness that has nothing to do with man's level of intelligence, success or social status. This form of unconsciousness with its delusional components pushes man to egoistic or unconscious way of living in societies. The result of this unconscious living is twofold; individual suffering and collective suffering on the planet level.
Individual suffering includes overthinking, emotions, unaware behaviour and actions, missing to feel the real taste of life and living life fully, unfairness towards others, inflicting suffering on fellow humans and damaging the planet.
But suffering does not end at the individual levels, because it is the individuals and their life styles that constitute social systems. Therefore, individuals and their life styles from the base of the social pyramid propagate to the apex of societies and shape world's social systems, decision making institutions and political systems. It is the apex of this social pyramid, its decisions and policies that is fed back to the societies, individual lives and the planet. This kind of arrangement makes two circles of vicious suffering; individual circle of suffering and the planet's circle of suffering. An unhappy life is included in former and the world's problems such as wars, disproportionate distribution of wealth and poverty and the planet's pollution and global warming are part of latter.
Spiritual awakening is the key to end individual and collective suffering. However, the path to enlightenment should not be limited to a set of meditation practices and inner knowledge. Man's inner dimension is connected to and is a part of nature and the universe. We can acquire a great deal of knowledge by observing nature more deeply and learn about universal mysteries and truth that science reveals. Today, through theoretical physics, we know a lot of amazing facts in the microscopic world, mostly in quantum mechanics. In cosmology, science shows us how unfathomably our universe goes to infinity in the macroscopic world. When we realize the vastness of this ocean of existence as much as possible and reach the conclusion that we are a droplet in this ocean and do not feel separated from it, then this knowledge contributes to our awakening, enlightenment, happiness and ultimately end suffering both at individual and the planet levels.
In addition to above-mentioned knowledge of the two worlds, readers will find detailed information about faculty of mind and consciousness both from scientific and spiritual points of view. Furthermore, readers will enjoy and benefit from wisdom available through philosophers, mystics and poets such as Rumi, and use them towards their enlightenment. These wise words, poems and quotes act as a bridge between man's two worlds.
