What is real philosophy? The original word literally means, 'love of wisdom', first presented in Plato's great work, the 'Symposium'. The original meaning of that expression did not actually involve our present-day speculative, abstract endeavor, but was instead a means for understanding the way to live. It was also regarded as a way to find the 'good life' and explore the significance of daily living. It's what is referred to now, as 'conscious awakening', often characterized in such expressions as 'being in the moment', 'cultivating awareness', 'letting go of the ego', and other catch phrases used nowadays.
True philosophy is something that we 'do'. It's a way of living that allows us the ability and eventually the 'skill' to find meaning, value and significance or what the ancients referred to as 'wisdom', in our daily life. Therefore, it involves a specific form of 'work' or 'training', not the act of standing back and 'philosophizing' about life, utilizing abstract speculation. Instead, it involves coming in direct contact with experience, thus connecting with it, and subsequently, learning how to derive meaning from it. To that affect, life consists of a series of experiences that are a 'field of meaning' allowing the potential to 'locate' it in the midst of many of the imperfections we see all around us and inside of us.
Furthermore, this ability depends upon developing in a way that surpasses our capacity to construct complex abstractions, but in addition, involves the way we feel, act, behave, physically move our bodies, and even construct our identity, throughout the day. This will allow a personal transformation that allows the individual to realize that life is inherently a Journey meant to explore meaning, value and significance in all varieties.
In order to facilitate this, I have constructed a very precise formula or process, which I call the Value Grid, which is essentially the formula (or philosophical 'algorithm' or 'mandala') in which the person can literally 'locate' and then 'construct' meaning in their daily life. Just as a person can train in a technical skill through the integration of sub-skills that, through application over time, integrates effortlessly into a complex technique, unusual as this may seem at first, this can actually be accomplished with meaning and value. The significance of life, in effect, is a literal skill, which involves a precise formula. Furthermore, anybody can train in manner allowing discovery of the richness of life regardless of present conditions, social status, level of education or even requiring the readings of any particular philosopher. In other words, you don't have to be 'intellectual' to do 'real' philosophy.
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