Auspicious Thoughts, Propitious Mind

Intriguing down to earth practical philosophy that paints a perceptive view of what much of life is all about.

About The Book

'Auspicious Thoughts, Propitious Mind'

There are days when life goes so smoothly with no issues, we can forget our woes for a while. At other times, life becomes fraught and tense, just like those stormy days when a vessel has to avoid the hazards of land, with shallows, rocks, rip-tides and collisions, or there's fog to cloud our vision. There is always a guide, a pilot book to help avoid being ship-wrecked. But how about life's hazards that we have to face to be happy and content, and avoid being wrecked? This is that pilot book, for life's voyage.

Much of our behaviour is seen as deriving from our basic animal origins and those prehistoric tribal instincts that still include the ever-present question of a belief in God. On this, our understanding is still poor, but in his book, Richard presents a logical and realistically refreshing concept of God that anyone of any or no belief or any faith can accept.

Intriguing philosophical answers to the riddles, 'What is the meaning and purpose of life?' and, 'What is love?' are proposed in this book that looks at how we behave, what our motivations might be, meaning our moral standards, our attitudes, our habits and our money. The author identifies the force of 'goodness,' which grants life and points us towards what is right and just, and is there for anyone seeking betterment, empowerment or just peace of mind.

Some of the metaphysical concepts of religious faith and Christianity have been put under the microscope, so that any man or woman in the street can see more clearly what does, and what does not, make sense to them about our existence. Beautifully presented, this book is a cheering, thought-provoking and intriguing commentary on life today that begs to be re-read, studied and retained for reference, and for others in the family to read and think about the way we live, our relationships, hopes and fears, and making decisions work, as well as asking, ‘How is it some just seem to sail through life?'
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Genre

The genre is social commentary; a philosophical commentary on life today and where it has come from, the essence of life; life with all its vagaries, challenges and mysteries, and our aspirations for achievement, contentment and understanding. The author argues the strengths and weaknesses of human relationships, our beliefs and our ethics, and rationalises Christian orthodoxies with questions about our existence, that which is suspected, but unknown, in a well-balanced way that is intriguing.
In navigational terms it is a pilot book, a book that can guide us to a safe haven.

About The Author

Richard’s perception was acquired at the School of Experience, and now at the age in his 80's ranks as a graduate of the University of Life. But in this fast-changing world, has any of that any value still? Only the reader can decide the answer to that.

In his book Richard offers to the reader a line of thinking that may be seen as akin to that ‘man-in-the-street,’ with opinions similar to and a kindred spirit with the notional 'Man on the Clapham Omnibus,' who is adopted by the courts as a legal-fiction to arrive at what is justly and reasonably expected of anyone how their dealings in life are usually conducted, being any fair-minded average person and of sound mind. That thinking is held out to be one of a common-sense, down-to-earth practicality and pragmatism; but there are times when Richard’s alter ego asks a question that neither he, nor life, as yet, have an answer.

Richard writes in a practical and thought-provoking way on a wide range of matters that will be important to many who wonder 'what life is all about.' His interest in the 'psychology of self,' and ‘what makes us tick,’ began in his 50s. He researched the subject further and began writing his book just prior to the new millennium. He is a Christian by faith but suspicious of religious practices.

With a degree of insight, Richard draws on his varied experiences of life working with people and with animals as a veterinary surgeon. Those experiences included real-life experiences whilst being an employer and founding partner in a professional partnership, that became an SME of up to fifty staff of young men and women, with all the tribulations employees bring with their worries, stresses, marriage and relationship breakdown, even, sadly life’s disasters of divorce, miscarriage, abortion and suicide; all that plus the worldly issues of employment law, and Health & Safety matters as they developed between the thirty years from 1970.

Purchase Auspicious Thoughts, Propitious Mind

Auspicious Thoughts, Propitious Mind is for those who worry or are just curious to understand life, others and themselves better, and for those whose role it is to help them achieve that.

This book can help satisfy a yearning and enquiring mind on many matters of importance in the reader’s life.

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Mindfulness

We are conditioned to want material success in life, houses, cars, holidays, leisure, pleasure, fun and more. We also want happiness and contentment, and at that we may be successful. Many will want to have a truly happy marriage and family life, and that kind of success. If we can achieve a life that gives us peace of mind, freedom from anxiety, negativity and freedom from fear, especially the fear of losing, then we will be happy and contented.

That sort of success depends on our mindfulness, and that comes from an awareness of our values and any faith that we hold, a sense of spirituality, and our wanting to know we are honest, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, diligent, honourable, of integrity, and always friendly and generous. All that is such a tall order that for much of the time we fail miserably.

Failing is no excuse or reason for giving up. We will be happier and more contented if we just keep trying, fostering our mindfulness as much as we can, despite life's exigencies, like those rough passages at sea, so tiring, so challenging, worrying and stressful. We'd rather not be 'all at sea,' but it is unavoidable that we have to live a life. We are programmed to want to be happy, and that can come from choosing to think auspicious thoughts for a propitious mind.

Only a very few special people in our life will ever be worthy of our trust. And when we have placed that trust, is all then well?

What is it, in essence, that separates us from the animals? It surely is, in all essence, ‘The gift of imagination and the means to communicate it.’

There’s a downside to just about every splendid invention, not intrinsic but extrinsic by the machinations and perversions of mankind.

We have two minds, each mostly doing their own job, but with overlap, and with an agreed position on which mind overrules the other, when ‘needs must’.

It’s best for us all if we say, ‘There is no such thing as fate, and no force for evil, and certainly no such thing as an honour killing!'

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Book data – ISBN – Copywrite – 40 chapters/preface/intro/epilogue – 500 pp. – 210,000 words - 20 years in writing