Twenty five hundred years ago, the Greek philosopher Socrates, boiled down his wisdom into just two words -- know thyself -- his counsel for people to pay attention to what was going on inside them -- not just their opinions, beliefs, and accomplishments.
Those two words, unlike most philosophies since then, have worn quite well, having inspired millions of people worldwide. These days, however, it seems as if Socrates' words, for many of us, have gone through some kind of modern-day makeover.
Now it's more like brand thyself, or indulge thyself, or, when that doesn't work, fix thyself.
Distracted by the exponentially expanding demands of our techno-centric age, too many of us have wandered away from Socrates' wise counsel. Our focus has become primarily outward -- thing-oriented -- with too little attention being paid to what's going on inside of us.
Prem Rawat, with the release of his new book, Your Moment, addresses this phenomenon head on -- reminding people, with insight, clarity, and a healthy dose of humor, to get back to the basics -- something he's been doing since the age of four, when he began speaking to large crowds gathering to hear his father, a respected teacher of the time.
Your Moment, a 58-page compilation of illustrated excerpts from a variety of Prem's recent talks, reminds people of the power and purpose of paying attention to what really matters at the core of their being -- what Socrates and so many other wisdom teachers, throughout the ages, dedicated their lives to addressing.
"What I talk about," explains Prem, "is not becoming better. What I talk about is realizing who you are. But don't believe a word I say. Don't. Know for your own self. Experience!"
Personally, I find this message quite refreshing -- one that cuts to the chase in today's multi-tracking, information-overloaded world. Here is someone not claiming to have the answer, but boldly asserting that we all have the answer.
In effect, with the release of Your Moment, Prem Rawat is offering his readers a kind of soulful chiropractic adjustment -- a simple way to create a whole lot more ease and well-being in their lives, no trip to the doctor's office required.
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Mitch Ditkoff is the Co-Founder and President of Idea Champions, an innovation consulting and training company headquartered in Woodstock, NY.
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