The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you want to be more aware of your surroundings? What’s the key to achieving mindfulness? Strong concentration is half of mindfulness—the other half is strong background awareness. In The Mind Illuminated, you’ll strengthen your background awareness while still maintaining strong concentration on your breath. Check out how to achieve mindfulness by staying in touch with your present self.
Are you worried about the decline in traditional values? Can anything be done to preserve them in today’s climate? In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman claims that traditional Christian views have become stigmatized as immoral, irrational, and bigoted. He considers modern cultural changes a disaster, as they undermine the traditional Christian morality that forms the foundation of Western culture. Continue reading to learn Trueman’s advice for Christians in today’s society.
How do you mentally and physically prepare for meditation? What type of mindset should you be in to meditate? While meditation is a relaxing practice, it still requires preparation like any other exercise. With the help of The Mind Illuminated, you can learn how to prepare for meditation by getting into the right gear, physically and mentally. Let’s look at what you should do before getting on the mat.
How should a relationship push you to be a better person? What are the benefits of practicing mindfulness in relationships? In How to Be an Adult in Relationships, David Richo says that mindfulness creates relationships that are not only strong but also continue to help you heal and mature. Also, mindful love helps you navigate the changes that occur naturally over the course of a relationship. Discover how mindfulness can improve your relationships so you and your relationship can grow.
When and how did the LGBTQ+ movement start? Does it spell the end of Christian culture in the West? In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman analyzes how our sense of the self has undergone a revolution in the last few centuries. He discusses how the modern self shaped the LGBTQ+ movement, transgender identity, and modern understandings of marriage. Keep reading to understand Trueman’s analysis of the LGBTQ+ movement and how it came to be.
Do you want to get into meditation but don’t know where to start? What’s the easiest meditation routine for beginners? Meditation can seem intimidating at first, but there’s nothing to be scared of. It’s one of the most relaxing exercises around, and practicing it every day creates a better life and atmosphere for you. Below, we’ll look at The Mind Illuminated‘s meditation routine for beginners to get you started.
When and how did the idea of cultural gender, distinct from biological sex, come about? How does it rely on the modern sense of the self? Just a few short decades ago, the traditional biblical understanding of gender was mainstream throughout Western societies. Most people espoused the view that gender was inseparable from biologically determined sex. Carl Trueman discusses how mainstream thought is changing. Keep reading to learn about the origin of the debate about cultural gender vs. biological sex.
Have you been stressed out and burdened by anxiety recently? What’s the key to meditating effectively? Meditation is one of the best ways to reach a peaceful state of mind. In The Mind Illuminated, you can learn how to meditate effectively by embarking on a stress-free journey that anyone can take. If you want to master the art of meditation, keep reading.
What are the benefits of spiritual awakening? Why should everyone strive to become enlightened? In your meditative journey, you experience what the authors call insights (vipassanā): epiphanies that dispel your illusions about life, revealing how it really is. These insights, which The Mind Illuminated calls “realizations,” enable you to reach enlightenment. Once you’ve reached enlightenment, you and everyone else around you will experience the benefits listed below.
What is enlightenment meditation? What are five things you need to understand in order to be enlightened? Enlightenment is the ultimate goal of meditation. In the same way that mindfulness requires strong concentration, enlightenment requires strong mindfulness. Keep reading to learn how to practice enlightenment meditation, according to The Mind Illuminated.