I’ve read four of your 50 classics in Traditional Chinese in Taiwan. They are so great! Wonder if there is any new planning for the series? Anyway, thanks for your efforts to make the wisdom of the authors so accessible!
Thanks Adrian i’m glad you’ve enjoyed the Taiwan version! Focusing on theory of success for now (this newsletter) plus the Capstone Classics, but there may be new future 50 Classics titles
Hello Tom, a most interesting recap of your recent journeys. I found the detail on the popularity of your books to be surprising and insightful. 50 Success Classics will always be at the top of my list! :)
Thank you Bernie, glad you enjoyed the bits about borrowing and sales. Excellent re 50 Success, i had a great time writing it and hope that comes through
Thanks Marc, I'm aware of Maharshi, he is totally fascinating but I have not read anything deeper or seen those YT videos. Interesting that he was made known in the West after Paul Brunton, having first visited Ramana Maharshi in January 1931, published the book A Search in Secret India. And Somerset Maugham also apparently visited him, which may have played into his spiritual classic The Razor's Edge
I, too, enjoyed the post and am a long time reader.
what a lovely library! I just would like to come and sit.
Like a previous commenter, I did not know that they monetized book checkouts in other countries. As far as I know they don't do that in the Unites States. Interesting to see the checkout numbers for the different series.
Your books are a great introduction to so many different areas. A wonderful opportunity to check something out and see what you want to pursue further.
I call myself a non-dualist. i'm not sure what that means. It certainly means, for me, that that that is, is not separate from me. There is only this. How often do I realize that? Not very often. 🤡 I first could put words to that when I read Eckhart Tolle about the year 2000.
What fascinates me is to discover Meister Eckhart and others in Catholicism - the religious tradition I grew up in - who are also non-dualists. I know that often you are more likely to change the system by being inside; regardless, I gave up on Catholicism a long time ago. It is fascinating to find this thread of non-dualism more or less present across so many religious traditions.
I also find it fascinating that while I am intellectually curious about a lot of things (and non-intellectually curious about other things 😍); I limit my reading about non-duality. I don't want to read about it, and I certainly don't want to argue about it, I want to experience it.
I don't know if we'll ever understand or come to know for certain that consciousness is a product of the brain, or consciousness exists outside the brain; or whatever. I have some level of curiosity about that. I have some interest in reading the latest studies about that. And I can get very fatigued.
It does not change the fact that sometimes I'm there and sometimes I'm not; although I'm always there. I love the paradox surrounding this issue.
Love the letter Tom. Thanks. Looking forward to the next one. Love, Tom
Thanks for your comments Tom! Yes I am with you on things to do with consciousness and non-duality. It is such a mind spin that you can get a bit exhausted trying to comprehend it. The issue I think is that we are so used to thinking in terms of a unitary 'self' that anything contradicting this is such a challenge to our paradigms. But thanks to spirituality and philosophy - now science - we can do so... even if actual experiences of non-duality are rare for the average human being.
I've not read Meister Eckhart but yes there are lots of great sages in Catholicism. I also think of the nonlocality of Padre Pio etc, interesting cases like that. Christianity is more into the self and the soul, while the eastern traditions emphasise non-self. But they are really just coming to the same thing from different directions.
Paradox...science, for me particularly physics quantum theory, wave-particle duality, the multiverse...maybe if my field of study, psychology, could get its "physics envy" on...(-:)...scientific study is fascinating, worthwhile...and if the goal/purpose is to seek something...it is already here...
Paradox....the Buddha...Zen...Christianity...the Kabila...Sufism...monks and mysticism..."heading" somewhere...worthwhile pursuits in their own way...and "pursuits"...what are we pursuing...it is always available here and now...
Paradox...if I were "present" "more if the time," would I be responding to Tom's column...would I have read The 50 Classics...what if my child had chosen to meditate full-time, would I be pleased or panicked...can I be present and be a scientist, janitor, astronaut, truck driver...isn't that dualism...
Thouroughly enjoyed this post, Tom. Reading it felt more like a chat with you over coffee - with insights into The Life of Tom not usually shared. Thank you.
I've been living under a rock for my 67 years insofar as not knowing libraries pay authors a royalty based on the number of books borrowed.
"Money/economics" - not so surprising. It's possibly the #1 interest of most - but most keep that fact in the closet. Because "heaven forbid" anybody pointing a finger at us with accusations, "you're only interested in m-o-n-e-y!"
And finally - a segue from money to Kastrup's views on consciousness being 'fundamental to the universe and pervades it; brains are just discrete points of consciousness within the larger whole, and give us the illusion that we are separate.'
Reminds me of that now famous passage from The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles (~1910), "There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made and which - in its original form - permeates, penetrates and fills the interspaces of the universe "
Thanks Mike, glad you liked this different kind of post. I didn't know the libraries borrowing would interest anyone but so far it has, surprisingly. On the point about Wallace Wattles, 100% in some ways I came first to this view of consciousness through the old prosperity literature. The idea that "God is the source of my supply..." etc resonated so I tried it out myself and will write more about this in the future!
Hi Tom,
I’ve read four of your 50 classics in Traditional Chinese in Taiwan. They are so great! Wonder if there is any new planning for the series? Anyway, thanks for your efforts to make the wisdom of the authors so accessible!
Thanks Adrian i’m glad you’ve enjoyed the Taiwan version! Focusing on theory of success for now (this newsletter) plus the Capstone Classics, but there may be new future 50 Classics titles
Hello Tom, a most interesting recap of your recent journeys. I found the detail on the popularity of your books to be surprising and insightful. 50 Success Classics will always be at the top of my list! :)
Thank you Bernie, glad you enjoyed the bits about borrowing and sales. Excellent re 50 Success, i had a great time writing it and hope that comes through
Hi Tom
Just checking if Ramana Maharishi is perhaps on your list?
I discovered him recently, and am watching a lot David Godman's YouTube videos explaining various aspects.
https://www.amazon.com/Teachings-Bhagavan-Ramana-Maharshi-Pocket/dp/8182881137/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1
Regards
Marc
Thanks Marc, I'm aware of Maharshi, he is totally fascinating but I have not read anything deeper or seen those YT videos. Interesting that he was made known in the West after Paul Brunton, having first visited Ramana Maharshi in January 1931, published the book A Search in Secret India. And Somerset Maugham also apparently visited him, which may have played into his spiritual classic The Razor's Edge
Yep there was a video specifically mentioning Somerset and the book. Pretty much how they just sat in silence the whole time....
Yeah that seemed to be his main method of transmission or teaching
If it’s of interest, I can post a summary of it when I finish it.
Yes please, Tom
I, too, enjoyed the post and am a long time reader.
what a lovely library! I just would like to come and sit.
Like a previous commenter, I did not know that they monetized book checkouts in other countries. As far as I know they don't do that in the Unites States. Interesting to see the checkout numbers for the different series.
Your books are a great introduction to so many different areas. A wonderful opportunity to check something out and see what you want to pursue further.
I call myself a non-dualist. i'm not sure what that means. It certainly means, for me, that that that is, is not separate from me. There is only this. How often do I realize that? Not very often. 🤡 I first could put words to that when I read Eckhart Tolle about the year 2000.
What fascinates me is to discover Meister Eckhart and others in Catholicism - the religious tradition I grew up in - who are also non-dualists. I know that often you are more likely to change the system by being inside; regardless, I gave up on Catholicism a long time ago. It is fascinating to find this thread of non-dualism more or less present across so many religious traditions.
I also find it fascinating that while I am intellectually curious about a lot of things (and non-intellectually curious about other things 😍); I limit my reading about non-duality. I don't want to read about it, and I certainly don't want to argue about it, I want to experience it.
I don't know if we'll ever understand or come to know for certain that consciousness is a product of the brain, or consciousness exists outside the brain; or whatever. I have some level of curiosity about that. I have some interest in reading the latest studies about that. And I can get very fatigued.
It does not change the fact that sometimes I'm there and sometimes I'm not; although I'm always there. I love the paradox surrounding this issue.
Love the letter Tom. Thanks. Looking forward to the next one. Love, Tom
Thanks for your comments Tom! Yes I am with you on things to do with consciousness and non-duality. It is such a mind spin that you can get a bit exhausted trying to comprehend it. The issue I think is that we are so used to thinking in terms of a unitary 'self' that anything contradicting this is such a challenge to our paradigms. But thanks to spirituality and philosophy - now science - we can do so... even if actual experiences of non-duality are rare for the average human being.
I've not read Meister Eckhart but yes there are lots of great sages in Catholicism. I also think of the nonlocality of Padre Pio etc, interesting cases like that. Christianity is more into the self and the soul, while the eastern traditions emphasise non-self. But they are really just coming to the same thing from different directions.
Paradox...science, for me particularly physics quantum theory, wave-particle duality, the multiverse...maybe if my field of study, psychology, could get its "physics envy" on...(-:)...scientific study is fascinating, worthwhile...and if the goal/purpose is to seek something...it is already here...
Paradox....the Buddha...Zen...Christianity...the Kabila...Sufism...monks and mysticism..."heading" somewhere...worthwhile pursuits in their own way...and "pursuits"...what are we pursuing...it is always available here and now...
Paradox...if I were "present" "more if the time," would I be responding to Tom's column...would I have read The 50 Classics...what if my child had chosen to meditate full-time, would I be pleased or panicked...can I be present and be a scientist, janitor, astronaut, truck driver...isn't that dualism...
I digress...
Hi Tom, I been reading your books for some time. It has helped me very much. Thank you.
Thanks so much Jose!
Thouroughly enjoyed this post, Tom. Reading it felt more like a chat with you over coffee - with insights into The Life of Tom not usually shared. Thank you.
I've been living under a rock for my 67 years insofar as not knowing libraries pay authors a royalty based on the number of books borrowed.
"Money/economics" - not so surprising. It's possibly the #1 interest of most - but most keep that fact in the closet. Because "heaven forbid" anybody pointing a finger at us with accusations, "you're only interested in m-o-n-e-y!"
And finally - a segue from money to Kastrup's views on consciousness being 'fundamental to the universe and pervades it; brains are just discrete points of consciousness within the larger whole, and give us the illusion that we are separate.'
Reminds me of that now famous passage from The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles (~1910), "There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made and which - in its original form - permeates, penetrates and fills the interspaces of the universe "
Thanks Mike, glad you liked this different kind of post. I didn't know the libraries borrowing would interest anyone but so far it has, surprisingly. On the point about Wallace Wattles, 100% in some ways I came first to this view of consciousness through the old prosperity literature. The idea that "God is the source of my supply..." etc resonated so I tried it out myself and will write more about this in the future!
Thanks Tom, this was fun to read! Excited for Capstone crossing 1 mil this year. Look forward to more updates :)
Thanks Jash, glad you enjoyed it! And thank you re. the Capstone series