The outward path : the wisdom of the Aztecs / Sebastian Purcell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Purcell, Sebastian, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Aztec philosophy.

Genre:

Self-help publications.

Physical Description:

x, 292 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : W.W. Norton & Company, [2025]

Summary:

"The Aztecs were a philosophical people who held that the top goal in human life is not happiness but the pursuit of what they called 'neltiliztli': a life in truth. Our world, they held, is a 'slippery' one - a place where it is easy to make mistakes and be unwell. A true life avoids slipping by pursuing a communitarian solution, beginning with the formation of relationships and growing deep roots and later moving inward to still the mind. This outside-in approach is the outward path. In 'The Outward Path', Sebastian Purcell carves out a place for Aztec philosophy in popular culture, alongside the ancient Greeks, the Stoics and the Buddhists"-- Provided by publisher.

"During the twilight decades of their empire, the learned ones among the Aztec filled numerous volumes with philosophical and ethical thought in testimony recorded by Spanish priests. However, these have been largely overlooked and Westerners often see Aztec culture as a matter for history, anthropology, and archaeology -- not the elevated realms of philosophy...The Outward Path refers to the central insight that our true desire as human beings is not really for "happiness," a fleeting mood. No, what we really want is a rich and worthwhile life, which we can only achieve by pursuing an outward path of engagement with other people. Wisdom is not a matter of "thinking for oneself," but comes through deliberating well in concert with others. Stoic and Buddhist philosophies will teach you to still your mind to address the outside world; but according to the Aztecs, we should cultivate healthy relationships first and then use those to forge a path forward. This "outward path" offers an alternative to the presumptions of our highly individualistic, competitive Western culture...Aztec self-help for the modern world, The Outward Path is the first book in any modern language to present the core ethical principles of the Aztecs."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

You don't really want to be happy, you just think that you do

What makes life worth living also makes it fragile

Success is uncertain, slipping is not

Spiritual exercise I. The kinder words practice

All are born unbalanced, some stand for a time

Spiritual exercise II. The truer words practice

A good life is a rooted life

A rooted life is not a product, but a performance

Great courage concerns small things

Spiritual exercise III. The social vulnerability practice

The wise don't think for themselves

Spiritual exercise IV. The personal vulnerability practice. Willpower is three things, not one

Spiritual exercise V. The consistency practice

Justice is a path; fairness is accounting

Spiritual exercise VI. The intensity practice

Love is what you do, not what you feel

Spiritual exercise VII. The craving practice

You cannot prepare for tragedy, but you can learn to live after it.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 239-275) and index.

Other Format:

ebook version :

ISBN:

9781324020561

1324020563

OCLC:

1528652513

Publisher Number:

CIPO000252831