If you steer close to questions about metaphysics and spirituality, I highly recommend stepping outside the western paradigm. A lot of our philosophy is saturated with Christianity-influenced background assumptions, way, way more than people realize. Reaching all the way to modern psychology. It was very fascinating to recognize (and discard) them in my own thinking - and I was a basic intellectual atheist with what I incredibly naively thought was 0 Christian influence in the way I viewed the world.
These are more accessible modern works that point you to more classical works if you’re interested:
Tantra Illuminated by Christopher Wallis
Roots of Yoga by Jim Mallinson
Three Pillars of Zen by Philip Kapleau
The World of Tibetan Buddhism by the Dalai Lama
People like to recommend the Heart Sutra and Pali Suttas, and Bhagavad Gita but I’d say it’s better to get some intro first so you can at least become aware of any prior assumptions you have about the world and realize those works come from a wildly different experience of being.
Bonus:
Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
The Hermetic Tradition in African Philosophy by Theophilus Okere
Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram
Welcome! Hope you enjoy.
If you steer close to questions about metaphysics and spirituality, I highly recommend stepping outside the western paradigm. A lot of our philosophy is saturated with Christianity-influenced background assumptions, way, way more than people realize. Reaching all the way to modern psychology. It was very fascinating to recognize (and discard) them in my own thinking - and I was a basic intellectual atheist with what I incredibly naively thought was 0 Christian influence in the way I viewed the world.
Yeah what you’re explaining is what I want to experience. If I want to know where to go, it would help to know where I came from.
Any books you recommend from the non-west?
These are more accessible modern works that point you to more classical works if you’re interested:
Tantra Illuminated by Christopher Wallis
Roots of Yoga by Jim Mallinson
Three Pillars of Zen by Philip Kapleau
The World of Tibetan Buddhism by the Dalai Lama
People like to recommend the Heart Sutra and Pali Suttas, and Bhagavad Gita but I’d say it’s better to get some intro first so you can at least become aware of any prior assumptions you have about the world and realize those works come from a wildly different experience of being.
Bonus: Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe The Hermetic Tradition in African Philosophy by Theophilus Okere Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram
This is amazing! Thank you so much:) will look into these!