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'

def: auspicious, propitious - likely to turn out well, on track, promising.
This is a beautiful book. It is enchanting and enticing. Its vocabulary is a joy, with meaningful sentences in beautiful prose, sometimes with satire, allegory, similes or metaphors. It can stir the soul and feed the senses; it is heart-warming and encouraging of hope for all that can be best in humankind. It is about how we can view life, have an awareness of our spirituality and a rational understanding of our emotions, with a sound mind, fair, reasonable and principled, and truly know what it means to accept responsibility for all our actions.

The subject matter ranged over is wide, from discussing the origins of life itself, to how aspects of our tribal ancestors continue to be manifested in humankind today. Included are thoughts for the concerns many have about an after-life and those who ask if God exists, and if so, what form, nature and power does God have? The meaning and purpose of life are defined and discussed as well as love as a human characteristic, our mortality and our inevitable ageing body and mind. The author focuses on relationships and bonding and how we are all interdependent, even internationally interdependent. Acknowledging most folks are peace loving, matters of faith, religion, morals and ethics feature largely in this book, together with an examination of some of the major tenets of the Christian faith.

Here is encouragement for our opinions to be flexible, to be wary of causes and cults, and to be more accepting of people, and of peoples. Richard Camden says how we look at our uniformed forces is important, and that issues of honour, truth and trust as well as hate and violence are put under the microscope. He recommends we give due and serious attention to our physical body as well as our earthly wealth, else, like the good time on the 'council boating lake of life,' the attendant will call us in sooner than seems fair.

The success indicated in the book's title is that natural desire in us to be happy, but it takes some effort on our part to bring that about. The wide coverage here will help with those expectations, such as considering what we'd hope would be said about us at our funeral. It is not a book to be rushed, but studied rather than read. Each paragraph makes a point, each of the forty chapters is a subject on its own, and each of the seven parts could be a book in itself.
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Genre

The genre of books is more important to some than others, and if we must have genre, then, in its simplest form, there is either fiction or non-fiction, which latter is usually regarded as fact. When an author sets out to write their interpretation of supposed fact, supported by documents, anecdotal evidence and hearsay, and to draw conclusions and inferences from whatever has been generally regarded as fact, then the author's thinking can be rated as imagination, suspicion or the application of reasoning and logic. So, in other words, not fact but fiction.

Many books, history books and biographies have this head-mix of fact and fiction and Richard Camden's book is the same. Known facts, general facts rather than specific instances are interpreted based on the author's patient observations, people experiences and outcomes, reading and study.
Welcome to Auspicious Thoughts, Propitious Mind. Happy reading.

About The Author

Living near London as a child, Richard experienced the blitz of WW2, followed by his education at an 800 yr old public school. Before his National Service in the R.A.F., he gained experience working on a Cotswolds farm. After 5 years at The Royal Veterinary College, London, he was awarded his degree in veterinary science and his career was working with people, their animals and pets as their veterinarian.

During his 35 years in practice, many of his life-experiences came from being an employer. He became the founding partner of a professional partnership that became an SME with over 40 staff of young men and women. He was able to work with many very pleasant and wholesome personalities, but was also a witness to their tribulations, worries, stresses, marriage and relationship issues, and, sadly, to life's disasters of divorce, miscarriage, abortion and suicide, all while coming to grips with the then new legislations of Health and Safety and Employment Laws.

Richard's interest in logic and fulfilment and the 'psychology of self' began in his late 50s. He studied the subject further and began compiling notes from his researches. This book was published some 20 years or so later in 2019.
His home is in the South of England where he is happily married, and enjoys family life. His enthusiasm is still for yachts, but he also takes an interest in home and world affairs. With his wife, he has sailed up the Thames to London, over the English Channel to France and the Channel Islands, and over the North Sea to Belgium and Holland. He has visited European and Mediterranean countries, and others, included are Israel, Egypt, South Africa, USA, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Canada. He now has time to enjoy his garden, reading and viewing quality dramas. Although a Christian by faith, Richard says he remains deeply suspicious of religions and religious practices.
He is on Facebook and Messenger. While not an avid user, readers are welcome to follow and share his posts. There are links here .

Read 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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Postscript -

Intrigued readers may want to pause and reflect on the five themes that run through the chapters.

The first is the nature of God; Is there an afterlife? And why personify the deity?

The second is know the animal within us; Why refute the animal we are and in doing so kid ourselves we are so much better?

The third is to be awake to our spirituality and mindfulness, our meditation: Why are we so competitive, selfish of all our needs, both physical and emotional?

The fourth is our values and the lesson of the numbers; Why do we want to conquer and rule others? Why can't we just live in peace? What are the fears that make humans go to war?

The fifth is our self-belief and being wary of causes and sects. We plough our own furrow. How do we come to terms with our fallibilities and then our own mortality? Why do we let others’ imaginations run away with us and bring scorn on ourselves as we persist with their bizarre, crazy perversities they expect the world to accept.

Our vessel is driven along – remorselessly by time until the approaches of the next waypoint, avoiding the hazards that come with the haven earnestly sought.

Not too much looking back, but resolve to steer a straighter course, and to look after the vessel that is us - maintenance and repair, and our crew, if any.

Then, as we move on, when hailed, “Where bound?” We can answer, “Nirvana!”

“Where's that?” “In Utopia!”

“Is that far?” “Plot the course for the ‘Sun Kissed Uplands of life!"

“Right on, Skipper!” and “Bon voyage, mon ami!”

“Can we cruise in company?” “Affirmative!”

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