Eastern Philosophy

For “spiritual explorers” ready to travel beyond Western bounds, a beginner’s guide to Asian spiritual traditions spanning regions, cultures, and history Asian spiritual practices, from yoga and tai chi to qigong and mindfulness meditations, permeate our culture. But these practices are...

In Game of Life, Kin Lau examines disparate ideas from philosophy, psychology, and religions from both East and West that can engage the individual on a common path. The game of life is to be played in two modes. One mode is playing as a human, which is the mode we are exerting all of our time and effort. For a more complete and integrated way of living, human beings need to rediscover the other mode. The other mode is about our being, which involves understanding the nature of reality.

The goals of the budo - the martial arts and ways of Japan - lie in refining the body and spirit. These goals are not always the obvious ones - and are learned only through the guidance and direction of great teachers. The techniques, methods, and rituals of the sensei can serve as guides to a well-lived life - and provide invaluable lessons for today's martial artists.

We all long for boundless love as we long for home. But how can we find our home our meaning and purpose if we don't know our self? Wise-Love is an exploration of the self, or consciousness, guided through the meditative eyes of saints, sages, seers, and mystics. As we embark on the journey to the self, we discover that the self's most charming characteristic part of its eternal, unchanging nature is that it is a lover, a lover who can be satisfied only when ordinary love evolves into wise-love.

Sun Tzu : un nom qui a traversé les siècles. Général, stratège, et philosophe, on lui doit le plus célèbre traité militaire de tous les temps : "l'Art de la Guerre". Sa pensée a inspiré les plus grandes figures militaires, du général au dictateur, mais aussi de nombreux domaines comme l'entreprenariat, la stratégie commerciale, le contrôle des foules ou la communication politique. Nous avons sélectionné 100 citations parmi les plus influentes et efficaces de l'Art de la Guerre.

Find yourself and tune in: such is the message of Zen. Instant Zen presents the teachings of Foyan, a twelfth-century Chinese Zen master recognized as one of the greatest masters of the Song dynasty Zen renaissance in China. These simple exercises by Foyan lead you to the awakening of insight into the real nature of self and emphasize independence and autonomy, two qualities vital to seeing and acting clearly. Newcomers will find this a useful and sophisticated introduction to authentic inner Zen practices without cultural exoticism or religious cultism.

Legendary 17th century swordsman Miyamoto Musashi’s exposition of sword fighting, strategy and Zen philosophy. Required reading for any martial artist, business person or student of strategy. Includes the one hour Zen inspired soundtrack The Mysterious Sound of Wind in the Bamboo. Performed on authentic Japanese instruments.

What if true strength had nothing to do with power—and everything to do with patience? In a world that moves faster each day, where anger spreads easily and silence feels rare, the ancient Japanese virtue of Gaman (我慢) offers a timeless antidote. Gaman is the art of enduring hardship with dignity—of meeting life’s challenges with calm courage and quiet grace. It is not about suppressing pain, but transforming it into strength. It is how one remains steady when everything around them begins to shake.

This essential guide to socially engaged Tantric Buddhism reveals how modern practitioners can use the wisdom of the Vajrayana to confront systems of power and abuse. Today, a new generation of Buddhists searches for ways to adopt Vajrayana while staying true to its historical legacy. Modern...

Thinkers of the East is a collection of anecdotes and "parables in action" illustrating the eminently practical and lucid approach of Eastern Dervish teachers. Distilled from the teachings of more than 100 sages in three continents, this material stresses the experimental rather than the theoretical - and it is that characteristic of Sufi study which provides its impact and vitality.

Over the course of nineteen essays, Alan Watts ("a spiritual polymatch, the first and possibly greatest" —Deepak Chopra) ruminates on the philosophy of nature, ecology, aesthetics, religion, and metaphysics. Assembled in the form of a “mountain journal,” written during a retreat in the...

The Analects or Selected Sayings is an ancient Chinese text comprising sayings and wisdom teachings attributed to Confucius and his contemporaries, as well as fragmentary dialogues between the philosopher and his students. The Analects has been one of the most influential books in China for the last two millennia, and continues to contribute to Chinese and East Asian culture and thought.

Lost princesses, a queen who dethroned her own husband, the country that defeated Napoleon, and a dog who went to space—these are just a few of the fascinating aspects of Russian history.

For five centuries, human life has been restricted to Earth, while posthuman descendants called alloys freely explore the galaxy. But when the Earthlike planet of Meru is discovered, two unlikely companions venture forth to test the habitability of this unoccupied new world and the future of human-alloy relations. For Jayanthi, the adopted human child of alloy parents, it’s an opportunity to rectify the ancient reputation of her species as avaricious and destructive, and to give humanity a new place in the universe.

A seven-part mindfulness practice on the health benefits of Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT), rooted in Western science and Buddhist mindfulness, from the creator of the program developed at the Dalai Lama’s Compassion Center at Emory University. Former Tibetan Buddhist monk and...

You're stuck in the airport security line, late for a flight. The line isn't moving. You're angry at the security personnel for taking so long, you're irritated at the other passengers for having so much stuff, you're mad at your boss for sending you on this trip in the first place. By the time...

Since the dawn of his existence, this creature, this fierce and violent beast, has been obsessed with conflict. Like an incurable disease - an addictive drug - war has terrified, teased and taunted, repelled, and fascinated. The power of conquest, the lure and craving for wealth, has fashioned the ultimate beast of war - man. In his own words throughout the centuries, man speaks to us of war - its art, its poetic strategy, its allure, and its tragedy. Come with us now and listen to the words of our own kind as they teach us how to be warriors.

В своей знаменитой книге известный философ Георгий Гурджиев создает целый мир, в котором каждое слово, каждая фраза—это ключ к разгадке тайн бытия. Сочетание философии, мистики и древних учений делает эту работу уникальной и неповторимой. "Рассказы Вельзевула своему внуку" представляют собой серию аллегорических историй, рассказанных главным героем своему внуку, когда они путешествуют по космосу на борту космического корабля. Через эти рассказы Гурджиев создает сложную повествовательную сеть, затрагивающую фундаментальные вопросы жизни, смерти и цели человеческого существования.

The acclaimed author of Einstein’s Dreams tackles "big questions like the origin of the universe and the nature of consciousness ... in an entertaining and easily digestible way” (Wall Street Journal) with a collection of meditative essays on the possibilities—and impossibilities—of...

Sacred sound is a substantial form of spiritual nourishment. Many cultures are rich with spiritual music, but kirtan features ancient mantras—potent sound formulas of transformation and healing—that enrich and enlighten us in ways that other music or self-help methods cannot.