Wisdom Philosophy

Stoicism is a philosophy that was started in Ancient Greece, but this 2,000-year-old worldview is enjoying a modern rebirth. All across the globe, people are coming to appreciate the timeless wisdom of Stoicism. You don't have to suffer. You may not be able to control the path your life will take, but Stoicism teaches that you can control the way you see life. By shifting your way of thinking you can eliminate unnecessary suffering, reshape your thought patterns, and achieve that sense of calm you've always wanted.

Buddhism is a house full of treasures – practices for gaining the happiness of future lives, the bliss of liberation and the supreme happiness of enlightenment – but knowing the difference between Dharma and non-Dharma practices is the key that opens the door to all those treasures. No matter how much we know about emptiness, the chakras or controlling our vital energy through kundalini yoga, it's all pointless without this crucial understanding of how to practice Dharma, how to correct our actions.

In this book, Aaron Simmons takes us on a trip to the mountains to reflect on the meaning of life. In a world too often defined by a quest for “success” that leaves us empty, alone, and anxious, Simmons seeks “faithfulness“ outdoors with thinkers and artists from Aristotle to Kierkegaard, Sartre to Anne Lamott, and Kendrick Lamar to Donovan Woods. Simmons invites us to rethink what it means to make choices, take risks, be alone and silent while cultivating friendships, and to find our calling by facing our vulnerability.

Heroes, gods, and mortals. The Greek myths are the founding narratives of Western civilization: to understand them is to know the origins of philosophy, literature, art, science, law, and more. Indeed, as Luc Ferry shows in this masterful book, they remain a great store of wisdom, as relevant to our lives today as ever before.

What made Franklin Delano Roosevelt an effective leader? His policies and decisions changed our nation’s and the world’s history. But more than his skill as a savvy politician and progressive thinker, FDR’s ability to directly and eloquently voice his thoughts on national concerns, social change, and humanity spoke to and reached the hearts of his people. In this selection of quotes drawn from his speeches and papers, FDR’s observations and opinions cover everything from faith, war, and peace, to religion, freedom, and the very definition of what it is to be an American.

While better known in his time for his mathematical and astronomical works, 11th-century Persian philosopher and poet Omar Khayyam is best known today for his romantic poetry collected in the Rubaiyat. This selection presents 365 of the approximately 1,000 quatrains, translated from the original Persian. Khayyam’s poetry draws listeners in with its lush imagery and timeless observations on the human experience and the metaphysical mysteries of our world.

How often have you felt overwhelmed by the relentless pace of the modern world? Would you like to anchor your experiences in a philosophy that offers peace and practical wisdom? These challenges are becoming increasingly common today, creating a landscape where stress, uncertainty, and a thirst for a meaningful existence prevail. But there is still time to harness the power of ancient philosophy. Embrace your invitation to immerse yourself in the Stoic teachings and become a more resilient and centered human being.

According to Vedic philosophy, there are four eras in every world cycle. They represent a gradual decline from enlightenment (Satya Yuga) to chaos and ignorance (Kali Yuga) before it starts again. Each of these eras lasts roughly 2160 years. You're probably familiar with the four ages of Hindu philosophy: Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. The golden age is when pure knowledge is widespread, and people live in harmony. The dark age is when everything goes wrong—the World falls into chaos, and humanity descends into ignorance. But what happens next?

Insight meditation teacher Shaila Catherine offers an accessible approach to training the mind that is guided by the Buddha’s pragmatic instructions on removing distracting thoughts. Drawing on two scriptures in the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Shaila shows you how to overcome habitual modes of thinking, develop deeper concentration, and discover the insights into emptiness that are vital for a liberating spiritual path.

An early-20th-century Lebanese-American writer, Khalil Gibran instilled his poetry and art with his experiences in both the East and West. This selection of quotes, maxims, and aphorisms is drawn from such poems as "Secrets of the Heart", "Spirits Rebellious", and "Broken Wings", as well as from his autobiography and essays. Gibran’s words express a strong spirituality and mysticism and his voice offers a direct and at times optimistic view of the brotherhood of man.

"Awaken to Love" offers an integrated approach that unites diverse elements into a cohesive path towards restoring wholeness and presence. Drawing from IFS, Jungian psychology, psychosynthesis, and nonduality teachings, it introduces the "path of duonity"—a nested model that honors the distinct aspects of our being while recognizing their inseparability from the whole.

In this masterwork of an authentic spirit person (Thomas Berry), Buddhist teacher and anthropologist Joan Halifax Roshi delves into the fruitful darkness - the shadow side of being, found in the root truths of Native religions, the fecundity of nature, and the stillness of meditation. In this highly personal and insightful odyssey of the heart and mind, she encounters Tibetan Buddhist meditators, Mexican shamans, and Native American elders, among others.

The co-editors of Gnosis magazine explore the many esoteric traditions that Western culture has to offer. While terms from Eastern spiritual practices such as Zen, mantra, and karma have become part of our daily lexicon, the traditions of Western spirituality have been largely unexplored by people searching for non-mainstream routes to spiritual experience. But for those who identify with Western culture, Western religious traditions have their own wisdom teachings that are more suitable to their needs and expectations.

What's the secret to lasting happiness? How do you gain the resilience needed to weather life's inevitable storms? For ancient philosophers like Socrates, Marcus Aurelius, Zeno, and Epictetus, these questions were more than mere musings—they were key elements of a school of thought called Stoicism. In The Stoicism Workbook, you'll learn how thinking like Socrates can help you identify what truly matters in your life, and build the resilience needed to go and get it!

Ancient Romans liked money. But how did they make a living and sometimes even become rich? The Roman economy was dominated by agriculture, but it was surprisingly modern in many ways: the Romans had companies with CEOs, shareholders, and detailed contracts regulated by meticulous laws; systems of banking and taxation; and a wide range of occupations, from merchant and doctor to architect and teacher. How to Make Money gathers a wide variety of ancient writings that show how Romans thought about, made, invested, spent, lost, and gave away money.

Wrestling with fear doesn't have to be a negative experience. This book offers an approach to life that unlocks a new way of thinking and being in the world, one that leads directly through the center of the anxieties we seek to avoid. Written in the style of an owner's manual, a guide to being human, Burkett focuses on areas of pain and anxiety as they tend to manifest for modern people: feelings of unworthiness, and issues surrounding sex, money, failure, and even death.

Do you admire those who seem to have it figured out and keep their cool, no matter what’s happening all around them? Here’s how you can do it too. The fact is modern living can be confusing, physically and mentally taxing as well as emotionally draining. For everyone. Don’t worry, it isn’t just you. For millennia, Stoicism has cleared a path for practitioners through the maze of difficulties and distractions that make living such a challenge. The good news is that Stoicism is a practical philosophy. It is immediately applicable to any situation.

Agapi Stassinopoulos brings you an unabridged reading of her inspiring journey of inner exploration to reconnect with her true self. In 32 personal, heartfelt stories full of insight and humor, Agapi takes us from her mother's bountiful kitchen, where the seeds of fearless living were planted, to the London classical stage, to an epiphany on a New York City bus - and inspires us with the confidence to let go of the beliefs that bind us and come to a deeper understanding of life and love.

Beyond the fear and chaos of contemporary life, there is good news to share. A new era is at hand: the era of sustainable superabundance. In this era, the positive potential of humanity can develop in truly profound ways. The key to this new era is to take wise advantage of the remarkable capabilities of 21st century science and technology: robotics, biotech, neurotech, greentech, collabtech, artificial intelligence, and much more. This is not a vision of returning to some imagined prior historical period - to some supposed bygone golden age.

Musician, physician, humanitarian, and philosopher, Albert Schweitzer was a 20th-century Renaissance man who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his "Reverence for Life" philosophy. The Wisdom of Albert Schweitzer explores this core philosophy, which inspired one of the world’s great humanitarians. While traveling in Africa, Schweitzer recognized that all living creatures have a will to live and believed that through a "reverence for life" mankind had an ethical imperative to aid in the welfare of all living things, including the environment.