On the Spiritual Path Series

The Tao Te Ching was written 2,500 years ago, making it perhaps the oldest book still in print. Its longevity is due to the power and simplicity of its message. Come to know more of its simple power and allow that to transform your life. The Tao Te Ching has always had the power to transform the reader, but the reader must first be able to understand the underlying message. Phrased, as it was, by its ancient Chinese author, the language and imagery were products of that far off time and place. Not easy for people in the modern world to understand. This edition presents this timeless message in plain English for all to understand. The Tao Te Ching shows you how to create harmony in your life by finding the Middle Path. It describes a force called the Tao that operates uniformly throughout the universe and is the causal agent of everything that happens. It explains how you can develop personal power through being in harmony with the Tao.

Koans are a useful sign-post on the path to enlightenment. They reveal abstract Truth that cannot be expressed logically through presenting the reader with a paradox that can only be solved by shifting one's perspective. The venerable Koans of the past, those that have been handed down through the generations are expressed in archaic language. If you cannot enter into that archaic language the koan is unlikely to bring you much benefit. This book represents the Koans in modern language, accessible to all. It will not please the traditionalists, but it will make the wisdom contained therein accessible to a whole new generation of seeker. Each koan encapsulates a profound truth for reflection. Zen counsels the lessening of the ego, not the strengthening of it as consumer culture would urge. Instead of making a name for ourselves in society, we should listen to the voice of pines and cedars when no wind stirs, in other words become no-thing, entering instead the field of pure being that is behind the phenomenal world.

This eBook allows you to grasp the basic principles of Buddhism in just a few minutes. Much has been written about Buddhism and how to practice it. Readers will have no difficulty finding hundreds of books on the topic. It simply focuses on the essence of Buddhism, as expressed in the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold Path. It is what the Buddha first talked about after he became enlightened – this is what makes it the essence. Reading this eBook should not conflict with your existing religious belief, since strictly speaking, Buddhism is not a religion. It does not extol belief in an external God. It does not seek to replace your existing religious beliefs, only to supplement them with a practical but profound set of psychological principles. The Buddha, in all likelihood, would rather his followers describe themselves simply as Followers of The Way.

The Enchiridion (Greek for Handbook, pronounced En-ky-ridion) of Epictetus is a favourite text of the Stoic school of philosophy. Compiled by Arrian, a former pupil around the time of Epictetus’ death in 135 AD, this enduring text is a compilation of lecture notes based on Epictetus’ lessons. It has long been considered an excellent manual of practical philosophy. Epictetus (55 – 135 AD) was born at Hierapolis in what is now Turkey. Sold to Epaphroditos, who was secretary to Emperor Nero, he spent his youth in Rome. He developed a consuming passion for philosophy. With the permission of his master, Epictetus was allowed to study Stoic philosophy. Over time, as his learning and wisdom grew, he became a respectable citizen of Rome, and an esteemed philosopher. Epictetus, unlike some of his metaphysical forebears, concentrated on making philosophy practical. How it could be used beneficially in everyday life. The timeless message of the Enchiridion is as practical today as it was in ancient Greece. Perhaps this is where the Enchiridion gets its enduring power and long-life. A central theme of the work is to clearly distinguish between what we can and cannot control in life. We can control what we think, and how we act. We cannot control what others think and how they act. We must put our effort into what we can control and refuse to worry about what we cannot. Following on from this is to limit our expectations. If we understand we cannot control people, then we will not expect them to behave in a certain way, and we will not get upset or disappointed when they do something different. Another theme is to not become attached to people and things such that when they disappear from our lives, we will be upset. This idea bears a striking resemblance to the central Buddhist tenet of non-attachment to impermanence. Epictetus urges us to observe carefully the patterns of Nature and learn to live in harmony with them. This includes accepting what happens in life with grace, without resistance. It is how we think about events that makes them good or bad, not the event itself. Our beliefs create our reality. The same event could be interpreted by two people in diametrically opposed ways, according to their belief. These have been a sampler of the many practical recommendations to be found in this remarkable book. The first English translation was published around 1567, though this book is based on Elizabeth Carter’s 18th Century translation. Stoic philosophy, an Introduction Stoicism has come to have a narrow and somewhat negative meaning of being unemotional or indifferent to suffering, however this is a distortion. In a world of easy fixes, and mass consumption where pleasure is seen as the greatest good, Stoicism seems oddly archaic and irrelevant. Notwithstanding this, its real message has great relevance in the 21st Century. Influenced by the earlier work of Socrates and Diogenes of Sinope, the Stoic school of philosophy was founded around 300 BC by Zeno of Citium. Zeno taught that a wise person should not allow their emotions to rule them; instead they should master their emotions and use logic to think rationally about how to behave in life. He urged his followers to study carefully the laws of Nature and to live in harmony with them. A central point in Stoic philosophy is the active relationship between the laws of Nature that rule the Cosmos, and human free will. A wise person derives maximum benefit and happiness in life by bringing his or her will into harmony with Nature. They come to know themselves, recognising that their inner nature (microcosm) is a representation of the outer macrocosm, or universe; the same nature in both, differing only in scale. With its emphasis on duty and right action, Stoicism is therefore well-suited to the needs of those who would lead. It was used as a guide by the ruling class of Rome for centuries.

The Four Sublime States were a subject very dear to the heart of the Buddha. He spoke of them often. A person can achieve rebirth in a Brahma realm through the practice and attainment of the Four Sublime States; unconditional love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. Sometimes called the Brahmaviharas (or divine abodes) they describe an attainable divine state in which your mind, imbued with the virtues of the four states reaches out to embrace the entire world and all of the sentient creatures within it. The Four Sublime States are the best possible relationship with the world and everyone in it. They also offer the possibility of liberation from the cycle of re-birth when your time comes to leave this life. Could there be a more worthy goal in life than this? The Buddha urged people to adopt these sublime states as their habitual state of mind. This book outlines a way for you to cultivate these states of mind which have great practical value for how you relate to the world. They engender harmony and good-will with others and with society as a whole. They act as levellers of social barriers, and makes us feel generous towards others as we widen our circle of care to include everyone in the world, not just our immediate family and friends. A mind that has attained the four states is untroubled by random thoughts and petty considerations. The consciousness that flows through it is calm and majestic, like a mighty river fed from pure mountain springs. The river flows into the sea but the sea level does not rise because an equal amount of water has evaporated, become clouds, and then fallen as rain on the mountain again. This dynamic process illustrates the essence of equanimity. With the four sublime states firmly established and working in dynamic harmony, mindfulness blends with faith, courage with serenity, and insight with strength of purpose. They combine to make you an unstoppable force of nature. You are no longer prone to being trapped in the labyrinth of your own base nature, you have risen above it. Your mind becomes like a facetted jewel. The light that comes into it is reflected back out to the world as a beautiful focussed beam of light; healing, dynamic, divine.

The Bodhicaryavatara is an ancient text written in Sanskrit around 700 CE by Santideva, Buddhist monk and scholar who lived at the Nalanda Monastic University in India. The Bodhicaryavatara roughly translates to A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. A Bodhisattva is an enlightened being on their way to attaining full Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. The text has ten chapters that explain how to develop bodhicitta, or the enlightened mind. Earlier English translations of this text are accurate but difficult to understand for many readers living in the 21st Century. The mode of expression and the figures of speech are the product of that far-off time. This book faithfully re-expresses in modern day language the underlying message of the original text. Every effort has been made to preserve the underlying spirit of the message. There will be those who object to the changing of the outward form of this much-loved classic. While the author respects the beauty of the original text, the governing principle is to bring the even greater beauty of the underlying message to a whole new audience in the modern world who might otherwise find the original less than easy to fully understand. If you are embarking on the path to enlightenment, or just curious, this slim little book could be just the change agent you have been looking for. It is said to be one of the Dalai Lama's favorite texts. Chapter 1 The Benefit of the Spirit of Awakening Chapter 2 The Confession of Error Chapter 3 Adopting the Spirit of Awakening Chapter 4 Attending to the Spirit of Awakening Chapter 5 Guarding Introspection Chapter 6 The Perfection of Patience Chapter 7 The Perfection of Zeal Chapter 8 The Perfection of Meditation Chapter 9 The Perfection of Wisdom Chapter 10 The Post-Dedication

The Flâneur is an idea originating from the French poet Charles Baudelaire. In Baudelaire’s world, the Flâneur was an idly-rich dandy, who wandered about the streets of 19th century Paris seeking a remedy for ever-threatening ennui. In this book, the 19th century Flâneur is re-born in the 21st century as the Artful Traveller; a person, not necessarily wealthy or idle, who seeks an authentic experience of a city by strolling about it in an unstructured way, responding intuitively to what they encounter. The Artful Traveller remains detached, non-judgmental; appreciating the nuanced perceptions that come their way. This portrait of the Artful Traveller is painted from several perspectives; it begins with Baudelaire's original artful stroller as the outline, then the details of the portrait are fleshed out using Pyschology and Cognitive Science, with finishing touches from a Zen-Taoist perspective. Introduction. Travel is an expression of the human instinct for freedom and it is an instinct we share with every other creature on this planet. We all instinctively need freedom so we can find what we need in life. For many people living in the world today, travel is a luxury afforded once or twice a year, if at all. Living sedentary, indebted lives that keep us tethered to one place, the instinct to travel is frustrated but not extinguished. When we do manage to get away, do we really enjoy the experience? Not if we approach it with the wrong mind-set. The same journey can be a source of pleasure or misery depending. When travel is done with an open mind, it can be a transformative experience. When approached with a rigid, judgmental mind, every encounter is unpleasant. The Artful Traveller is a handbook for people everywhere wishing to deepen their appreciation of the gentle art of travelling. In all likelihood, if you are reading this, you are such a person. Read this book with an open mind. Suspend judgment long enough to absorb the message, and then decide. What people need. Today, most of the problems of survival have been solved. We live mostly sedentary lives where our needs are met by a abundance of consumer goods and services. Yet stroll about a the city streets or shopping malls and look objectively at the people around you. Notice how few of them seem happy with the abundance that surrounds them. Most walk about with a blank expression, some look downright unhappy. This is probably because while people’s basic needs for food and shelter are being met, their middle and higher order needs for a meaningful life, for self-esteem and self-actualisation are not being met. The psychologist Abraham Maslow describes this phenomenon in his Hierarchy of Human Needs model. To be happy, people need to satisfy the lower-order needs for food, shelter, sex, then middle-order needs for safety and security, then the higher middle-order needs for love and belonging. Above these is the higher-order need for self-esteem. But the highest need of all, sitting like the capstone on a pyramid is Self-Actualisation. The Artful Traveller is someone who has progressively learned how to satisfy their lower and middle order needs, and who is now using travel as a way to achieve self-actualisation. Of course travel is not the only way a person can do this; it is simply one way, and a very enjoyable way it is too.

While it is true that charisma is perceived as the result of certain outward behaviors, true charisma comes from within the heart and soul of a person who is reaching their fullest potential as a human being. This heightened level of awareness has been called enlightenment, awakening, Satori and many other labels. But these have connotations of mysticism that people in the 21st century may be uncomfortable with. So let us call it self-actualization, the name given to it by humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow. Charisma can be thought of as a subtle light that shines from within a person who is living their life to its fullest potential. People respond to this light and want it for themselves so they are drawn to that person as a leader. They perceive instinctively that here is someone who has reached an advanced state of self-realization and it is natural that they, the observer, should want that for themselves. It is after all a human need to become the fullest expression of your human potential. The qualities of a charismatic person can be summed up quite simply; they are positive (infectiously so), they see the potential in people and want to help them to achieve it, they envisage a bright future, and they are generous with their time and energies. While you might begin now to emulate these qualities, you should understand that they are a by-product of a larger process of personal development called self-actualization, a broad term covering many aspects of personality (this will be explored in detail in a later chapter). Being charismatic relies on a person having the emotional intelligence to know how to communicate with people at an emotional level, making a deep connection that is not possible at a purely rational level. Easier said than done, emotional intelligence is a difficult skill to master for people who operate principally in the intellectual zone. It involves understanding one’s own emotions, how to harness them to solve problems, and how to manage and regulate one’s emotions and those of others. In our evolutionary past, going back hundreds of thousands, even millions of years, our primate ancestors operated on the emotional level. Emotions are generated by parts of the brain that existed long before those areas that evolved more recently which allow us to think rationally. Perhaps this explains why we are so prone to being influenced by our emotions.

Strategic non-action is a powerful yet under-rated method of influencing worldly affairs. In cultures where action is favoured over inaction, like in many western countries, direct action is considered a virtue while inaction is little more than laziness or cowardice. Let us be more subtle and nuanced in our understanding. There is a time for both action and inaction. Non-action gives access to a deeper intuitive awareness than that gained through action, since knowledge that comes through action is obscured by situation-specific reactions. Non-action can be understood as an aspect of going with the flow, not resisting the larger forces that govern a world of which you are a small part. Non-action acknowledges that events are governed by the laws of Nature, and it is often best to simply allow those laws to operate and play out in their own time, in their own way. Taking action often amounts to interference which creates its own problems. Non-action can help us towards our goals by encouraging patience and taking the long-view. Humanistic Psychology says that it is within our reach to create the life we want for ourselves. As we think and believe, so we create our world. This is indeed true, but only up to a point. We can transform our lives in goal fulfilling ways, but the transformation is relatively slow, its progress measured in months and years. We know that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; at least we know this is true in Physics if we did not sleep through that class in school. Less recognised is the truth of Newton’s Third Law of Physics in human affairs. Just as in the world of inanimate objects, when we do things to people, we get a reaction. This then causes its own reaction, and a pendulum-like cycle is set up. Think of how people and tribes get into feuds with each other. Strategic non-action recognises the danger of this pattern of behavior and offers the only means of avoiding it. Non-action gives others nothing to react against. The ideas in this book derive from the ancient Chinese concept of Wu Wei, as expressed in Lao Tzu’s classic Tao Te Ching*. First published around 2,500 years ago, it is probably the oldest book still in print, a testimony to the force of its message. Wu Wei literally means without effort. It describes natural action that occurs without contrivance or effort. It simply happens. Think of how plants and animals grow, rivers flow and planets orbit. No-one makes them do this, it just happens without effort or control in accordance with the laws of Nature. Such action is what we should strive for, while avoiding the kind of action that causes counter-reactions.

Happiness is an elusive quality for many people in today’s complex, often stressful world. There is however a powerful but little known secret in the pursuit of happiness. It can take a moment to learn and a lifetime to perfect. It is simply this; to not mind what happens and not react. The key to not minding what happens is to learn the gentle art of not taking offence at the things that happen to you in the course of your daily life, and not reacting to the provocation. Seen from another angle, the idea is to have low expectations. In a world where many people grow up with a sense of entitlement, this is much easier said than done because we have base-lined our expectations at a high level. Adding to this is the commercial world that sets a high standard of customer service as the necessary price of selling you something ahead of their competitors. We all enjoy good customer service, and feel we have a right to it, but consider how this might be distorting your perception of reality. They are only being nice to you so you will give them some money. The world is really not that nice in actual fact. Some of the time, even most of the time, our high expectations are met. But there will always be times when they are not met, and then you will be offended and aggrieved and trouble will inevitably follow. How dare you treat me this way? On the other hand, when your expectations are low, you are seldom disappointed and often delighted. There is an enormous pay-off for people who manage to not take offence. Not only do they not go through life feeling angry and aggrieved, they start to see the world in a much more positive light. When you allow the world to be what it is without trying to change it, you access an enormous wealth of intuitive knowledge that you can enjoy and use to live a happy, harmonious life. This is strategic non-action, and it is a powerful yet under-rated method of living and being effective in the world. In cultures where action is favoured over inaction, like in many western countries, direct action is considered a virtue while inaction is little more than laziness or cowardice. There is an advantage in being more subtle and nuanced in our understanding. There is a time for both action and inaction. Non-action gives access to a deeper intuitive awareness than that gained through action, since knowledge that comes through action is obscured by situation-specific reactions. Settle in for the ride as I reveal to you the secret of strategic non-action in the pursuit of happiness.

'Every Moment is the Best Moment' is for anyone seeking a richer, deeper experience of life beyond our pre-occupation with material wealth and consumerism. There is nothing wrong with having a good standard of living, but when wealth and status becomes an end in themselves, we have lost sight of what is most important in life. This eBook is a short how-to guide that can help you to cultivate a higher awareness while continuing to live in the world. The phrase 'every moment is the best moment' is the essence of Enlightenment. It captures the feeling you have when you are so fully engrossed in the moment that you have no thought for anything else. The barriers between your inner and outer worlds dissolve and you feel a sense of connectedness with everything. Every moment is the best moment because it is the only moment. Moments recalled from the past, or anticipated in the future are products of your imagination. They have no substance in the outer world. The challenge is to feel this way about the ordinary things in your life, the things that many would consider mundane or even unpleasant. The enlightened person learns how to take great satisfaction in doing one thing at a time, focussing their full attention upon it and getting into a state of ‘Flow’ (discussed in more detail later). They understand that the virtue is not so much in what you are doing, but how you are doing it.

Loneliness is a painful condition that afflicts everyone from time to time. It is a sad situation that in the modern world, loneliness is at epidemic proportions. Despite technology making it easier than ever to connect and communicate with people all over the world, never have so many people been so lonely. Being Alone is aimed directly at helping you to transform the experience of being alone from a negative to a positive one. If you already enjoy solitude, it can show you how to deepen the experience to be even more rewarding. If you are alone and not enjoying it, it shows you how to change your thinking so that you experience a rich inner life that is more than a substitute for the company of others. There are of course many reasons why people find themselves alone. It is unavoidable sometimes. Other times we are alone through choice or circumstance. This book is for everyone who is suffering from loneliness and would like to know how to feel better about being alone. Knowing how to turn loneliness into enjoyable solitude is something you can learn. This book takes a positive therapeutic approach to the treatment of loneliness. It does not give the standard advice of ‘join community groups’ and other motherhood suggestions, though this is good advice. This ground has been well covered already. Instead, we take the approach of helping you to understand the underlying nature of loneliness followed by a series of suggested ways that you can change your thinking around this whole area. At the risk of over-simplifying the situation, there is a dynamic tension within all of us. It is created by the competing needs for solitude on the one hand, and for company on the other. We all have these competing needs, though the degree differs between individuals. Sometimes we are able to get the balance just right. Other times not so much; we might feel the need to be alone when we in company and of course times when we are alone and crave company. We cannot change this aspect of human nature. It is hard-wired into us at a fundamental level. What we can do is learn live constructively with it. That is what this book aims to do, show you how to turn painful loneliness into enjoyable solitude. LONELINESS & SOLITUDE There is a world of difference between loneliness and solitude. Solitude is when you are alone, but not feeling lonely; not sad, not depressed. It is a positive state of mind in which you are experiencing some aspect of your inner life. This introspection can lead to intuitive insights about yourself or your life that can be very rewarding. Loneliness, on the other hand, is a state of painful social isolation in which you might want to be in the company of others, but for a variety of reasons are unable to. Remember, what you experience when you are by yourself is something you control, or at least have the capability to control once you learn how. It really depends on your attitude, on how you are thinking about the situation. As Shakespeare’s Hamlet wisely observed; there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.

The Dhammapada is a foundational text of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. It is a collection of 423 verses, grouped into 26 themes that the Buddha was fond of telling to those who would gather around and listen. They are the oral teachings of the Enlightened One. How delightful it is to imagine him under a shady tree with a group of people around him, telling these gems of spiritual instruction. The collection of verses was compiled soon after the Buddha’s death. Interested parties and disciples met and agreed that the oral teachings of the Buddha should be recorded so they would not be lost or corrupted in the absence of the author himself. The Dhammapada is the result of that worthy effort. The original text was expressed in the language and idiom of an ancient time and place (2,500 years ago in Northern India). After all, the authors wanted to reach the audience that was alive then and there, not at some far distant future world whose language and customs would be very difficult to understand. This edition with a commentary expressed in 21st Century language to make it accessible to a wide range of modern readers, is based on the work of Friedrich Max Müller (1823: –1900) at Oxford University. Müller, who was born in Dessau, Germany, was an notable scholar of comparative religions. While the Dhammapada has been translated many times in the centuries since it was written, Müller’s version is considered one of the best. Every effort has been made in the writing of this commentary to preserve the underlying message that the Buddha wanted to convey. This has been done through careful study of not just the Buddhist writings, but those of other major religions and philosophies. This study has been performed by the author over four decades, the objective of which has been to identify and understand the sub-text, the common underlying message that all religions express regardless of the language in which it is expressed. If an idea, such as the Golden Rule of doing unto others what you would have them do to you exists independently in every religion, regardless of time or place, then we have what is arguably an absolute truth, at least in relation human beings. There are many such truths to be found across various religions. Each verse has a heading and commentary that expresses in 21st century language the essence of the verse. Müller’s translation of the verse then appears in italic script, complete with verse number. Readers are therefore able to easily compare and contrast the verses in this edition with those in other renderings of this classic work.

Thirty-seven Practices of a Bodhisattva is an ancient text written in the 14th Century BCE by Tokme Zangpo, a Buddhist monk and scholar who was born in Puljung, south west of the Sakya Monastery in Tibet. Thirty-seven Practices seeks to make clear the day-to-day behavior of a Bodhisattva (an enlightened being on their way to attaining full Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings). It serves as a practical guide for those people seeking to travel the path of enlightenment. Though short in length, a person could spend a lifetime perfecting the practices. The work can be seen as a companion to Santideva’s classic work the Bodhicaryavatara. While there are English translations of this text, they are a little difficult to understand for many readers living in the 21st Century. The mode of expression and the figures of speech are the product of that far-off time. This book faithfully re-expresses in modern day language the underlying message of the original text. Every effort has been made to preserve the underlying spirit of the message. While I respect the beauty of the original text, my greatest wish is to bring the even greater beauty of the underlying message to a whole new audience in the modern world who might otherwise find the original text less than easy to fully understand. Tokme Zangpo dedicates the text to: The Bodhisattva Lokesvara whose compassion extends to all sentient beings and whose example inspires me*. - Those who perceive that the physical world is but an illusion and have entered the path to enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. - All the venerable mentors who have shown me the path to enlightenment. - All the realised Buddhas. To achieve the fullest realisation of the Dharma, one must live in full awareness of the correct practices that lead to such realisation. This text humbly attempts to explain what any Bodhisattva has done, and any would-be Bodhisattva must do in order to achieve enlightenment. * Throughout this book, the first person “I” “me” and “my” refers to the author Tokme Zangpo. Sample Practice (20) Our inner demons are our most formidable enemy, greater than any external enemy. Struggling with our inner enemies makes them stronger and greater in number. This is not the way to defeat them. Until and unless we learn to master our inner enemies they will continue to thrive and they will open the way for negative forces outside of ourselves to invade us. These enemies can only be mastered through mercy and love; therefore we work to cultivate these. When negativity arises in our mind-stream, we are mindful of its rising and immediately neutralise it with love. This is the way of the Bodhisattva. Commentary: The mental afflictions that derive from unevolved behavior can be neutralised by noticing when they arise, and mindfully replacing them with kindness and a loving attitude generally. The unevolved behavior mentioned here is how our distant ancestors behaved in a savage, uncivilised world. Being proud and competitive, fighting over sexual partners, property and land was once a helpful way to survive in the distant past. Have you noticed how many people still act this way today when it is unnecessary? This might be our instinctive behavior, but it is no help whatever for the one travelling the path to enlightenment. You must transcend this “normal” behavior and in the process transcend your base self. Identify with your highest self, not your inner caveman.

For thousands of years people have tried to understand the elusive quality of Leadership. Still no consensus. What it means to be a leader differs according to the circumstances. This book examines the timeless, underlying qualities that must be present in a person if they are to be perceived as a leader by those around them. The distilled the essence of leadership is then formulated into a simple, easy to use process model for anyone to use, whether they be project managers, team members or simply people wishing to become the embodiment of those leadership qualities. Leadership and the Tao is a fresh take on the timeless question of "What is Leadership?" Read what the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu had to say and marvel at how up-to-date is this 2,500 advice when seen in comparison with what modern day experts have to say. Come to understand Leadership as an aspect of the self-actualising person; someone who is in the process of expressing their fullest potential as a human being. This book combines the distilled wisdom of modern day thinkers like Peter Drucker and Warren Bennis with the timeless wisdom of the ancient sages. You might be surprised how useful this book turns out to be.

If you can observe your thoughts, who exactly is doing the observing? It is not the ‘I’ that has a name and a life history -- your egoic self. This simple question is at the centre of the great religions and spiritual traditions in the world. Mindfulness in the Buddhist tradition is one source of answers. Beyond the spiritual benefits, there are numerous health benefits for the mindfulness practitioner. At the physical level, mindfulness has been proven by recent research to help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, treat heart disease, reduce chronic pain, help you sleep soundly, alleviate gastro-intestinal problems to name a few. At the mental level, psychotherapists are using mindfulness as an effective therapy. It is showing good results in helping with depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, relationship conflicts, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The techniques outlined in this concise, plain-language eBook are easy to understand. You have nothing lose and everything to gain by learning this ancient healing technique to help you towards a happier, healthier life. It is surprising how many folks in the world around you are operating at a largely unconscious level, which is to say they are driven by habit and instinct; displaying the same stimulus-response behavior time after time. I am not suggesting that people are unconscious in the sense of being asleep. If they are driving cars and walking about, they have enough awareness to avoid accidents -- most of the time. They are unconscious in the sense that they allow their social conditioning and innate drives to determine how they live and act. When something happens, they react in their usual way without much awareness of what they are doing. This explains why people make the same mistakes over and over. In this habit-driven state, a person is unlikely to be aware of the web of cause and effect in the world around them. They are unaware of how their actions in the past have created their present circumstances, so they have little sense of control over their lives. Mindfulness changes all of that, allowing you to consciously choose your actions, moment by moment, in order to create the future you want. It confers on you that uniquely human privilege of free will; the ability to transcend the primitive instincts that still reside not very far below the surface of your otherwise civilized life. Mindfulness opens the door to higher consciousness. For the traveller on the spiritual path or simply someone who want a higher quality life, this eBook can help.

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is a perennial, belonging to a very special category of book that has but a few members out of the millions of books ever published; longevity. It has a simple, powerful message that is as fresh and useful today as it was nearly two thousand years ago. The greater the Truth, the more simply it can be put. The original book states a few great Truths, and states them very simply. That alone makes it worthy of careful study, but it has more to commend it than that. The greater the Truth, the more simply it can be put. The original book states a few great Truths, and states them very simply. Meditations is basically the author’s personal journal, written in private over a ten year period. It is doubtful whether he intended it to ever be read by others. It was a way for him to remind himself what he recognised as being most important to remember about Life. As a result, there is much repetition of ideas. A few big ideas are constantly discussed, these being uppermost in the author’s mind as the months and years rolled by. Therefore this Primer provides a summary of the recurrent ideas of Meditations, and does so in 21st Century language, easily accessible to modern readers. It presents the first five books as being representative of the entire twelve books. This is sufficient to grasp the essence of the original. In Meditations you come to know the real man, and to the reader this can seem an extraordinary privilege. But the man was also an emperor, and no ordinary emperor, one of the finest in Rome’s illustrious history. A truly remarkable man by any standard, but as you will see, a modest, even humble man. Even today, Meditations stands tall as a guide to staying calm under pressure when there is a difficult job to do. Marcus Aurelius might have been a Roman, but his thinking had been shaped, like so many educated Romans, by the classical period of ancient Greece. Indeed, Meditations was written in Greek. Even today, classical Greek thinking still permeates the foundations of Western civilisation.