Ah, the big questions. Socrates, the mentor in Way of the Peaceful Warrior, and his student Dan, by the time the book finishes, have a clear point of view on life, consciousness, and existence. They say we need to let go of our stressed-out minds and understand we are, each of us, one with all of existence; we are an eternal, changing Consciousness. Our mortal lives are unimportant and humorous, just brief moments when Consciousness has forgotten itself. Take a look-see at this philosophy, since it's quite different from more familiar ones.
Questions About Life, Consciousness, and Existence
- In what sense are we mortal and in what sense are we immortal, according to this book?
- Explain what Dan means when he refers to Consciousness with a capital-C. How does that differ from the general use of the term consciousness?
- What is the mind, according to Socrates? How does he distinguish between it and the brain or the intellect? Is his distinction a fair one or is it just convenient for his point of view?
- Dan says death is an illusion not to be feared and life is nothing more than a humorous incident. Contrast his view with that of another writer, philosopher, or religious figure.
Chew on This
The right thing is to do away with the mind and its stressful thoughts, finding relief in the big picture that everything dies and changes, and we are that everything in a grand cosmic sense.
The right thing is to figure out some goals and implement them to alter this world somehow, taking our lives very seriously even if it stresses us out.