Introduction
If someone had told me twenty years ago that I would be writing a book on some of the most controversial topics of our time, I would have said they were crazy. After all, back then I went with the grain in so many ways. In fact, my way of thinking and my view of the world were very similar to that of modern society. I went to church on Christmas and Easter because that's what most Catholics do. I used to believe in advertising because that's what the media wants us to do. I chased after success and money because that's what people do.
Don't get me wrong, and I can't stress this enough, there is nothing wrong with any of these things or with any of the topics that I'll be covering in this book. In fact, it's my firm belief that the world is perfect exactly the way it is. I'm in no way trying to change you by sharing my view of the world. It's also not my intention that you take on my views and beliefs. As a matter of fact, there is no right or wrong way of viewing yourself and the world. It's my only hope that you may stop and take a good hard look at your own life with ruthless honesty. It's a way of living called living consciously. And if you aren't living consciously, then you're living your life in a trance, much like sleep walking.
We all take things for granted, and from the time we are born we are taught that we have to do this and we should do that. We are taught right from wrong, and above all, we are taught to think in the same way as the rest of society. The individual is lost and we become part of the herd. The real tragedy is that we actually take it all in as truth or as gospel if you will, and we never question any of it. We're so mesmerized by our beliefs that we've lost sight of who we really are. By living consciously, you are reclaiming your individuality and discovering the taste of freedom. Sure you may like chocolate mint ice cream with a side of French fries, and you'd certainly be unique in that sense, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about individuality pertaining to the larger issues in life. The question is, do you believe in something because everyone else does, or did you come to your own conclusions?
My own journey began when I was about twenty years old. At that time I began to question the little things like "Why does everyone dance the same way?" or "Why does everyone stand at long line ups to eat mediocre food?" or "Why do so many people do their Christmas shopping at the last minute when they had the whole year to do it?" I've heard it said that some people actually enjoy the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, and to date I still haven't met one of these people. Anyway, by the time I turned twenty six, I was questioning and interrogating the big issues like religion, nationality, and society in general, but most importantly, I was questioning who I was as a being. I took it to the point my whole world was busting at the seams and falling apart. I remember living in Italy at that time and I was a complete and utter mess. I was very confused because nothing was making any sense to me anymore. This lasted a few days and then came the day when I decided I had hit rock bottom and there was no way to go but up. In fact, my life became progressively better from that point on, and today I'm quite content to be where I am. By now you may be thinking that this sounds like a scary journey to embark on, and I'm here to tell you that you may be right. Everyone is different though so everyone's experience will also be different. Believe me; I'm not trying to scare you. I'm only warning you that it may be a bumpy ride for some time before it gets better. And it does get better.
By going on this journey, I was willing to face the world, and most importantly myself, with reckless abandon. The fact of the matter is that when you challenge your own belief system and your perception of the world, it can be scary because our beliefs are a large part of who we think we are. So you have to decide what is more important to you; your present state of comfort or the truth! If you do decide to go for the plunge and live your life consciously, there will come the time when you will start to experience the true taste of freedom. This I can also promise you with the utmost certainty. Remember that even the caterpillar must go through a metamorphosis before it can become a butterfly, and butterflies are magnificent creatures are they not?
Having said all of that, I must also add that I have nothing to teach you. All I'm doing is pointing out what seems obvious to me. You are your own greatest teacher. There is no need to look for mentors and gurus when it comes to mastering your own life. Of course, we have a nasty habit of exalting other people to the point we rely solely on them for guidance. The truth is you are the most qualified person in the world when it comes to self improvement and mastery. The world is full of gurus and all of them have something to teach you. Given all of the money that is spent yearly on seminars and self-help books, shouldn't everyone be as happy as 'pigs in mud' by now? You would think so but I still see a lot of dissatisfaction out there.
So, instead of teaching you something new and exciting, I am going to give you a glimpse into my own mind to demonstrate that there are other ways of thinking and viewing the world as well as yourself. The rest is up to you. All I can do is tell you what I believe to be true, but you still have to verify it for yourself. You can't just take my word on the basis of faith. Trust yourself and let your own intelligence guide you towards truth. Besides that, I can assure you that you will not agree with everything I have to say. You are not me, so why should you? All I ask is that you keep an open mind as you read through these pages so that you may challenge your own beliefs and decide for yourself if your beliefs still hold true for you.
In addition to challenging your beliefs, I also offer a lot of advice on how to make your ride through life a better one so that you may live more consciously and more self-aware. My aim is to make you more aware of your thinking and your attitudes towards various aspects of life including people, money, your emotions, love, politics, and advertising, to name a few. You would not believe how much people are affected by these issues and so I'd like to shed some light on them. And if needed, hopefully your eyes will become open to these issues and you'll deal with them on a more conscious level.
This book is the result of my living consciously and its purpose is to share with you a few of the things that have been clarified for me through my own experiences. It's not meant for you to share my beliefs and values, but to simply listen to my point of view and see if it works for you. And whether it does or not isn't important. What is important and what I hope will happen is you will begin to think for yourself regardless of what the general population is telling you. I'm not trying to start a new religion or a cult or anything like that. This book is really about being an individual, which is quite the opposite, and it's my hope that it will help you to find your own individuality.
At this point I would like to add just one more thing. As you read through the chapters, you may become somewhat uncomfortable. You may even feel anger and hatred towards me. I'd actually expect this reaction from most people because I think it's a natural response to what I'm going to say. So I'm going to warn you now. If you have a fragile ego, don't read this book. The irony is that it's the people with fragile egos who really need to read this book. And if you're looking for a book that will sugar coat your life and make you feel better, you're reading the wrong book. This book is for those people with courage and the willingness to see things as they really are.
The topics I've chosen are divided up into two categories: The Inner World and The Outer World. The inner world deals with personal issues that affect a person directly. The outer world deals with external issues that people generally deal with on a daily basis. The chapters will serve as a spring board from which you can start to question your own beliefs and attitudes towards certain topics.
I've arranged the chapters in a particular order and I would strongly recommend that you read them in that order. And before you begin, I have a few words for you to keep in mind as you read each chapter:
I am perfect just the way I am.
As you read through each chapter, you may think that I'm contradicting myself with these words. There is no contradiction. Contradictions appear only in the mind. You'll get much more out of this book if you read it with an open heart, for this is the only place where truth can be understood.
At this point if you've decided you're not afraid to face your own beliefs, and most importantly yourself, I wish you all the best, and it is my hope that you grow and become empowered by this book.