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In this wise, illuminating book, award-winning author Mark Matousek reveals how Emerson’s timeless wisdom can help us with the problems we’re facing today. America’s ‘original Stoic’ confronted many of the issues before us, from polarization to fake news, from crooked politicians and rampant materialism, to the scourge of racism.

Throughout history, there have been rare individuals who transcend what most of us believe to be possible: enlightened beings who have access to experience and knowledge most of us do not have. The Indian-born avatar Mother Meera is such an individual. Born Kamala Reddy to an illiterate family, she was, from a young age, observed to be different from other children - she would sit in the forest for hours on end without moving or uttering a word and soon began attracting a following of devotees who would arrive to sit in her presence.

Are there universal human ethics? Mark Matousek discusses his research on the subject of ethical wisdom through interviews with social scientists, spiritual leaders, ex-cons, altruists and philosophers. He describes the five innate moral and ethical categories he finds to be hardwired into humans, and how our emotional impulses effect our ethical behavior.

How do we make the judgment call between self-interest and caring for others? Drawing on the latest scientific research and interviews with social scientists, spiritual leaders, ex-cons, altruists, and philosophers, Matousek examines morality from a scientific, sociological, and anthropological standpoint. Each chapter features a series of questions, readings, interviews, parables, and anecdotes that zoom in on a particular niche of moral inquiry, making this audiobook both utilitarian and fun.

If we believe that the only thing that keeps us afloat is our struggle, then we live in a constant state of fear. How do we find perspective and courage to detach from this trance? How can relieving ourselves from this constant weight of the world free us – body, mind, and spirit?

Who am I? What do I believe? What do I fear and also desire? What are my secrets? Where is my shame? When do I feel most alive and authentic? Where does my true voice come from? What is my genius? What do I love? How can I update my story? These are some of the questions Mark Matousek presents in these seven informative, accessible lessons for writers and nonwriters alike. As a teacher and author, he brings three decades’ experience to guide you on your path to a more authentic life.

The act of slowing down time carries enormous importance in our lives, adding pause to our days typically filled with push, push, push. Experience the gifts that only idleness can bring and discover tools to help you integrate this valuable "you" time to your daily life.

A beginner’s mind is an open mind, a ready mind. What if we become open to the truth that in every moment, there’s something new to discover that can make our lives fresh, interesting, and more alive?

Our lives are defined by the quest for meaning. The ability to identify our particular purpose – our unique significance as individuals – determines not only the quality of our lives but, during difficult times, our very survival.

Our expectation levels surrounding friends can be a bit nebulous, and often, so is the way we deal with the natural movements of friendships. How do you handle gossip? Betrayal? The telling of secrets? Ethical Wisdom for Friends is a simple, edifying, and entertaining look at these concepts for seekers who are interested in hands-on advice to navigate common relationship dilemmas.

Many of us search outside of ourselves for validation because we fail to see our worth or our own capacity for enlightenment. You only have to look deep inside yourself to realize how lucky you are simply to be alive and able to give and receive love.

The human dilemma is that we’re very often divided against ourselves. This conflict is the source of much suffering and confusion. Why is it that we so often fear what we want and want what we fear? Begin the journey to your true life while gaining an authentic sense of your desires.

“Love your crooked neighbor with your crooked heart," Auden suggested. We are all crooked creatures – perfect in our imperfections – loving with our crooked hearts. The struggle is the point, not the destination. Love is something we prove by our deeds and demonstrate by our intentions. It comes from a spirit of play more than a spirit of work or duty. We don't contain love, it burns through us; it's intimate but doesn't belong to us. It’s close and available, but its own master. We are not the source of love; love is the source of us.

Each of us is born with a unique gift, an authentic voice waiting to be heard. Regardless of the work you do, this creative power is your genius. Once you learn to tap into this power, and tell the truth about who you are, your life can be transformed. Find your connection between desire, creativity, and spirituality, and how together they can be forces of productivity, self-awareness, and transformation.

Our lives are far too responsible. We're entirely too grown up too much of the time, and unplugging is a chance to play, live younger, and as statistics say, live longer. "We are poor, indeed, if we are only sane," wrote Winnicott. But how do we unplug from our hyperventilating lives? Even if we're not outwardly busy, we’re often very busy inside our heads - worrying, planning, clutching at order.

We often make our life choices by default, taking the easy or well-traveled path, obeying the voices of practicality and conformity, over the siren call of freedom. By asking ourselves which aspects of the self we wish to change, and being specific about our desires, we empower ourselves to make creative choices.

What does it mean to be a practicing spiritual person in the world? How do we bring sacred values into our daily lives? How can we live a spiritual life and maintain a regular practice while dealing with things like money, relationships, career, and ambition? It’s easy to have love for humanity when you’re sitting on a cushion in a monastery, but when you are in the world, it gets a lot more complicated.

Although we're taught to believe that insecurity is something to be avoided, the more open you are to the truth of insecurity, the stronger you become. The Wisdom of Insecurity will help you to embrace this ubiquitous humility of life more fully.

Passion is the lifeblood of a creative existence. How does it operate in your current life and where might you be tamping it down, missing out on opportunities for increased enjoyment and personal freedom? Passion and Abandon explores the topics of pleasure, surrender, self-trust, repression, risk, and our attitudes toward the desires and passions that burn within us.