Author Description

"In philosophy courses and textbooks, Spinoza is classified as a seventeenth-century rationalist philosopher, sandwiched between Descartes, who lived in the generation before Spinoza, and Leibniz, who lived in the generation after. Spinoza, however, has more in common with Eastern thought generally, and with Buddhism in particular, than he does with either of the two aforementioned philosophers.". "This book presents Spinoza as a spiritual psychotherapist. Spiritual, because the goal of Spinoza's philosophical system is union with God; psychotherapist, because the path to this goal lies through an understanding and ultimate transcendence of our afflictive emotions.". "Healing the Mind makes Spinoza's system of thought accessible and available to general readers, and provides important and novel insights for those already somewhat familiar with Spinoza's philosophy. It is written as a sort of intellectual self-help book, self-contained, free from footnotes, and as much as possible free from jargon. A series of reflective exercises, integrated into the text, aid the reader in applying Spinoza's philosophy to day-to-day life experiences. It is only by applying Spinoza's thought to our personal lives, through consistent practice, that we may free ourselves from bondage to our lower emotions and habitual behaviors, and begin to enjoy the "continuous, supreme, and unending happiness" which Spinoza promises awaits us."--BOOK JACKET.