Ebook
Many people ask, “How can I live a more spiritual life, a life that can ultimately lead to enlightenment?” And by way of an answer this book describes four of the most important steps that we can take along the spiritual path--staying open to suffering, living a generous life, cultivating mindfulness and wonder, and accepting death but affirming joy. The Spiritual Guide offers a clear discussion of basic spiritual themes. It does not assume the truth of any given standpoint, and it has something to say to all people, regardless of their religious affiliation or lack of it. Most of us are profoundly concerned with meaning-of-life issues, but academic philosophy is remote while “new age” spirituality can be impossibly vague. This book uses parables, philosophical ideas, and stories from a variety of religious and philosophical traditions to illuminate what it means to live in a spiritual way. The Spiritual Guide is both practical and theoretical, and it speaks directly to readers as students of life.
”Here is a wonderfully compact gift--a profound and refreshing
oasis in our daily desert of distraction. Professor White’s reach
is wide. Through gracefully embracing the heartbeat of major
religions, he reminds us of our spiritual core. He takes us on a
treasured journey that prompts us to awaken to who we are: pilgrims
on our intimate and ultimate quest for that which makes life worth
living."
--Michael C. Brannigan, Pfaff Endowed Chair in Ethics and Moral
Values, The College of Saint Rose
“In a time when discussions of spirituality tend to be either
grossly superficial or too narrowly specialized, Richard White’s
Spiritual Guide comes as a welcome
surprise. White’s treatment of spirituality is both profound
and accessible, grounded in stories and examples from the world’s
great philosophical and religious traditions, yet attuned to the
challenges of living in today’s technologically sophisticated and
pluralistic world. The Spiritual Guide is an
exceptionally clear book on a topic generally not known for
clarity. By focusing on four steps to a spiritual life, White
artfully manages to articulate a theory of spirituality while
focusing on the practical steps one can take to live a more
meaningful life. In this way, White recovers the wisdom of ancient
traditions, namely, that the quality of one’s life is chiefly
influenced by one’s understanding of the world, and that a mature
understanding is something one acquires over time by responding to
suffering with compassion, by learning to live generously, by
cultivating wonder, and by acknowledging death in order to live
with joy. This book will be well worth reading for anyone who wants
to learn more about the enduring relevance of spiritual wisdom and
also live a spiritually fulfilled life."
--Richard Kyte, Endowed Professor, D. B. Reinhart Institute for
Ethics in Leadership, Viterbo University
Richard White is Professor of Philosophy at Creighton University in Omaha. His most recent books include The Heart of Wisdom (2013), Radical Virtues (2008), and Love's Philosophy (2001).