SELF-HELP BOOKS: WHERE TO LOOK IF YOU’RE SEARCHING
Since the beginning of time, man has sought to express himself, whether through cave paintings or storytelling, which has been passed down through the generations. Before they were even written down and bound in books, there were morality tales that spread wisdom. Today, we revere great tomes and hope they’ll give us some insight into the human condition and what it is to lead a meaningful life. There are countless books we can read for a relatively new trend, “self-help.”
Look to the Cosmos
Looking to the stars to learn the meaning of the universe just feels logical. It is also a celestial practice. From the great astronomers who revered science to the pseudo-science that is astrology, star clusters and formations have given us unfathomable information to ponder. From Isaac Newton to Galileo, great thinkers and scientists have shared revolutionary truths about the world. During the late 17th century, Newton gave us the theory of gravity after Galileo’s studies marked a change in the study of motion, inertia, etc. These were the men who helped to build a foundation hundreds of years ago based on mathematics and physics. We’ve learned a lot since then, especially with Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, but in order to learn and place ourselves in history, we must go back to the beginning.
Have you ever read your daily horoscope or studied your astrological sign? If you’ve attributed a certain personality trait to the time of year you were born, you are probably guided by astrology and its teachings. Whether it’s true or not, it’s fun, mystical, and always interesting.
Great Philosophers
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
–Soren Kirkegaard
If you’re searching for purpose and direction, look to the great philosophers and then decide whose doctrines align with your own.
- Kierkegaard was a 19th century Danish philosopher who invented Existentialism. This means that we, as human beings, have individualized experiences and the nature of existence varies from person to person. In existentialist belief, we make choices in our lives rather than being governed by fate, destiny, or the gods. We must choose our own direction.
- “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius is the definitive book for those interested in Stoicism as a philosophy. By the emperor of ancient Rome, these writings from the 2nd Century AD still ring true today.
- Socrates, credited as the founder of Western philosophy, was the teacher of Plato and, as far back as 2,000 years ago, claimed that the unexamined life is not worth living.
- Aristotle’s “Poetics”: Aristotle was the student of Plato and believed that human beings are rational creatures. He also believed in reason above all else.
Religious Texts: Wisdom Literature
Wisdom literature refers to writings of the ancient East “concerned with practical rules of conduct or with philosophical wisdom; including the books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament.” If you’re looking for answers or simply information about religion, go to the texts. The Bible, Qur’an, Torah (which is the Old Testament), and The Tibetan Book of the Dead (an ancient guide on Tibetan Buddhism) are all religious texts that have influenced people and their decisions for thousands of years.
Go to the Library and Get Lost in the Stacks
Long before the Internet, one had to go to the library for information. Many families acquired mail-order sets of encyclopedias or, better yet, they were sold door to door. One of the best feelings in the world for any book lover or seeker of knowledge is to go to your local library and get lost in the stacks. Look up whatever it is you’re in search of by utilizing a set of encyclopedias, dictionaries, and a thesaurus for language. If you want to brush up on your geography, spin a globe or study maps and atlases. A paper map is much more satisfying than the one on your phone. The tactile experience of touching folded paper, unrolling an enormous map, and the smell of the ink brings feelings of nostalgia, and, for some, it may be the first time they’ve ever studied an actual map. These are not only practical tools for learning about our world, but they are also beautiful art objects. Anyone interested in agriculture should seek out the Farmer’s Almanac for information on what to plant and when, the seasons, and everything related to horticulture.
New Age and Not So “New Age”
The New Age movement in the 1960s and ’70s was hippie-centric, focused on spiritualism, healing through alternative holistic means and the connection between science and spirituality. If you’re into cleansing your chakras, taking up yoga as a hobby, hanging a dream catcher, collecting crystals, studying past lives and astral projection, New Age literature may be for you!
“The freer I get, the higher I go. The higher I go, the more I see. The more I see, the less I know. The less I know, the more I’m free.” –Ram Dass
- Ram Dass was a spiritual leader who, born in America, traveled to India in the 1960s to study spiritualism. As a disciple of a Hindu guru, Baba Ram Dass became the father of modern yoga and is most well known for his books “Be Here Now” and “Journey of Awakening.” His teachings come from religions of the East and essentially are guides on how someone not born Hindu can become a yogi. His works were seminal to the New Age movement and are considered must-reads for anyone seeking countercultural advice.
- Alan Watts: “The Way of Zen” (1957) dives deep into the New Age movement.
Psychology
- Freud’s “The Interpretation of Dreams” (1899): For insight on the psyche and dreams in particular, read Sigmund Freud’s seminal work that made him a household name.
- Carl Yung’s “Memories, Dreams, Reflections” (published in 1962) is an autobiographical journey with insights on spirituality, psychological research and life in general from one of the world’s foremost psychologists and thinkers.
- Dr. Benjamin Spock was a pediatrician who studied psychoanalysis and, in 1946, published “The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care,” which became a huge sensation and one of the best-selling books of the 20th century. This was a guide on how to be a successful parent, stressing that mothers know more than they think. The main idea is that new mothers are biologically inclined to be maternal.
For the Aspiring Artist
“Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.” –Rainer Maria Rilke
- “ Letters to a Young Poet” by Rainer Maria Rilke (1929) is a definitive guide for anyone trying to be an artist or poet. Any aspiring creative will greatly benefit from Rilke’s writings and teachings that delve deep into love and the meaning of life. Writers in search of insight and wisdom passed down through the ages will love this book of letters.
To learn more about some of the books mentioned above, follow the links below. To find out more about Full Cycle Publications, their original books (for children as well as adults), and their philosophy, check out the website and read what’s on the blog.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Age-movement
https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/letters-to-a-young-poet-en
(Text about wisdom literature quoted above from work, “Man, Myth and Magic: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural” edited by Richard Cavendish, 1970.)
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