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THE SECRET LIFE
A Book of Wisdom from
the Great Teacher Maimonides
By Jeffrey Katz
The world we live in is relentless. Every day is filled with
instantaneous access to information and endless multimedia vying for our
attention. Consequently, our inner lives are often as tumultuous and overloaded
as our daily schedules, and we are compelled to broadcast our every move for
all to see. The pressure that this kind of existence puts upon us can feel
overwhelming and stressful. We live in an age when social media allows others
to observe and critique everything we do, say or think, so that our lives
become a sort of unintended public performance. Gone, it seems, are the days of
privacy and quiet reflection. In this world of constant contact, we have never
been more isolated and lonely, causing a plague of depression and anxiety to
sweep over humankind.
In today's society, it's hard to be open-minded and receptive to
people whose ideas are vastly different from our own. We are living in an age
of extreme polarization and political turmoil, and it can be easy to dismiss
whole groups of people whose views seem repugnant, rather than attempting to
understand their perspectives and find avenues for productive debate and
progress.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. There is
another life simmering just below the surface of this existence. This life, The Secret Life, has been available
to us all along, but we have pushed it aside in our rush to check things off of
our "to do" lists. It is a life in which we strive to discover and
develop our most noble selves, to define our sense of justice and infuse our
lives with a higher purpose.
This book of wisdom is from the great teacher who is considered
one of the wisest men throughout the ages. Since the time of the Bible, he is
the only person to be celebrated by the three major Western religions of
Judaism, Christianity and Islam. His name is Maimonides. A philosopher, rabbi,
physician, religious thinker and logician, he was truly a “Renaissance Man”
centuries before the Renaissance. His thinking on philosophy and faith and
medicine was so advanced for its day some considered him heretical. But today
this sage is considered among the greatest thinkers.
The benefits of the lessons of Maimonides in The Secret Life
are countless. Changing your approaches to giving charity, to seeking justice,
to loving others, and to believing in yourself enough to find and act on your
true calling will lead you to remarkable heights. You will find a new
resilience against the difficulties and turmoil in life, a new inner power that
will keep you focused on the things that really matter, and an inner peace few
will ever find. The Secret Life is, quite literally, life-changing.
Through this new book, you will:
· Renew your dedication to a higher purpose;
· Learn to prioritize your time;
· Feel a great sense of accomplishment and self-worth;
· Make life more meaningful;
· Make a difference in the world; and
· Be rewarded with the gifts of true self-confidence and resilience.
Whether you are 20 or 60, if you are willing to work on making
better decisions, balancing your priorities, and dedicating yourself to a
meaningful cause, you'll learn how to access a deep sense of fulfillment by
doing good for yourself and the world around you. You'll learn about:
· The secret of charity
- the highest, most ideal level of giving is the one which enables someone to
ultimately become self-supporting; the next level is anonymous giving without
expectation of recognition. Giving leads to happiness and happiness leads to
success; thus, the cycle of blessing and gratitude, pouring positive energy
into the universe, will bring about tremendous healing and change.
· The secret of justice
- to avoid judging others by gossiping, blaming, looking out only for your own
self-interest, acting out of anger, revenge or prejudice; to practice
forgiveness, kindness, compassion and empathy.
· The secret of
unconditional love - learning to love fellow human beings without the need to
receive anything in return - given without any attachment to the end result.
· The secret of a
higher calling - how to find balance in your life, develop your focus,
eliminate the clutter and commit to stop wasting time, allowing you to reach
your life goal.
The Secret Life illuminates ancient teachings that are
as relevant today as they were over 800 years ago, which will help you discover
that true wisdom and success in every aspect of life comes not from our public
persona, as so many believe, but from our secret thoughts and actions.
Maimonides shows how every person can find their true and best self, not only
deriving happiness for themselves, but spreading that bliss to everyone they
touch.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeffrey Katz is a lifelong student and teacher of rationalist religious philosophy. He has rabbinic ordination as well as a law degree and is a practicing attorney. He has appeared on national television on a broad range of issues and has lectured widely.
