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INTRODUCTION
WHY YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK?
There are many popular books which tell you what to do and how to
live your life. They show you how to become rich, be healthy, how to love
and be successful and many other “how to” secrets.
But do these books really tell you who you are, and why you are on
this planet? Have you ever asked yourself the question, “What is this
earthly life all about?” “How do I fit into all of this?” Maybe some books
answer these questions to a certain extent. Perhaps they reveal certain
aspects of the total picture of this life and your personal place in it. Very
often, however, a correct aspect is taken out of context and is mistakenly
considered to present the whole picture. If you believe that you have
grasped the totality of your situation, when in fact, you have only one
aspect of it, somewhere along the line you will likely end up dissatisfied
and disappointed.
We all have tendencies to believe a certain part of the whole to be the
whole in itself and of itself. Ultimately such tendencies bring us nothing
but trouble, and yet, we continually do it to ourselves. Have you ever
wondered why, and how, we so often manage to get ourselves into all
kinds of trouble?
The major problem with books on “How to do this, or how to do that,
or how to be this way or that,” is that their authors are preoccupied with
too much of the outward, external aspects of one’s life. Their books tell
one how to be successful in one’s business, in one’s family life, in love
matters and in many other related external matters. Although they are
important for successful living, nevertheless, these external matters are
only the end product of something that does not originate in this world or
from one’s conscious efforts.
If this is true, and if our conscious everyday efforts in themselves
and of themselves are not the originators of our success, happiness,
contentment, satisfaction, good health, riches and all other positive
things, if they are not the originators of our miseries, sufferings,
problems, illnesses, diseases, failures, or whatever, then where do they
originate? Are we being unintentionally, or, maybe in some instances
even intentionally, mislead into believing that our everyday conscious
effort, striving and labor to achieve success, happiness, joy and
everything positive in our earthly life is all that we need in order to
accomplish our goals?
This book is an attempt to answer these and other questions which
often plague one’s life without ever being properly answered.
Here, you can justifiably challenge the author of this book: How is it
that you know all the answers? Who are you anyway?
So you see, we inadvertently end up by asking that crucial question,
“Who are you?” Yes, you, now reading these words ask: “Who are you?”
But do you really know who you are? Can a satisfactory answer to
this most vital, crucial and important question confronting humankind
be found?
I can assure you one can find a way to answer all such vital
questions, to the extent that they can be answered, that is, within the
limitations imposed on us by the nature of the physical universe and our
physical bodies. I was shown the way to find solutions to these crucial
questions. If you want to find out if this is true and to answer your
question, “Who am I?”, you will have to read this book. Thus, when you
find out who you are, then you will know who I am.
But, why do you need to read this particular book? Is this book in any
way better than other books dealing with similar topics and issues?
There are several reasons why you should read this book from your
own free will and by your own free choice. By so doing you will determine
for yourself whether the ideas in this book are in any way better and
different from concepts presented in similar publications.
These reasons are as follows:
1. YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU HAVE IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
As a unique human being, unlike anyone else in the entire universe,
you are the most important thing that you have in your life. Has it ever
occurred to you, that you yourself, are the most important, significant
and crucial thing you have in the entire universe? And that, as far as you
are concerned, you can relate to life, to others, to yourself only from, by,
through and with your self? Do you know that you cannot be other than
your self, or step out of yourself? It is impossible for you to cease being
your self in order to relate to others or any other thing.
If this is true, and objective observations have shown that it is true,
then you owe it to yourself to know yourself better, to understand
yourself better, to treat yourself better and to rule your own universe in a
much better way than you have ever done before.
If you are the whole universe, then you are the only one who can rule
that universe, for you are the center of your own universe. No one else
can rule your own universe for you. In order that you rule your own
universe effectively and successfully, it is of vital necessity that you know
that universe. Otherwise, you may go through your life continuously
blundering and wasting it, blindly bumping against things, never
properly seeing, knowing and experiencing what it is that you are
dealing with or stumbling against. How can you be successful, happy,
content, satisfied, healthy, rich, accomplished, et cetera, if you do not
properly know who you are or why you are here or what the purpose is of
all those things and events which take place in the process of your
earthly life?
As you know, things often happen in your life which are seemingly
beyond your control. This is especially true when something catastrophic
happens to you, such as a serious illness or when other misfortune
unexpectedly strikes at the most inopportune time. And what is the most
common reaction that we have to this kind of situation? We all exclaim,
“Why me? Why is this happening to me?”
Well, if you want to know some of the answers to these and other
questions — read this book!
2. YOU DID NOT CREATE YOURSELF.
Has it ever occurred to you that you did not give yourself birth? That
you did not originate yourself? Yet, here you are, very special, very
unique, unlike anyone else, a human being having many qualities all
other people have, having many qualities some people have and having
many qualities no other person has in the entire universe.
How did all this come about?
Who made the decision for you to come into this life to be and exist
exactly the way you are? Did that One, who made such a decision, ask
you if you would volunteer to be the way you are? Were you consulted
about all these matters? Is it possible that you could have been asked or
consulted about these life-important issues, even before you existed the
way you are right now? Before you came into this world, did you have an
opportunity to choose the style of life which you have been living, one
embracing all the details of your life, including any luck or misfortune
that befalls you? Is it all mere chance or accidental occurrence over
which you have no control whatsoever?
What is the real truth about all of this? Who is your real creator? Are
the two people whom you call your parents, your real creators? If they
are, then how is it that they did not create themselves, being originated
through someone else, and that someone else was originated through
someone else? It can go on like this without any end. Do you see what I
mean?
Now, if you positively wish to receive enlightenment, or some solid
and true knowledge about these and many other important matters
concerning your life, then you should read this book.
3. THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE WAY THEY SEEM TO BE.
Have you ever asked yourself whether what you see with your
physical eyes, hear with your physical ears, smell, taste and sense with
your physical senses is really the way it appears to be, just because your
senses tell you that it is so? And most importantly, have you ever
wondered if you are truly the person you think you are, or who other
people think you are? Moreover, are other persons what you think, and
they think that they are? Have you ever reacted to someone or something
in an unexpected and surprising manner, or even aware that you were
capable of such behavior? The same thing could be true about other
people that you thought you knew so well, when they suddenly react in a
manner beyond your expectations of them?
Have you ever wondered if things are really occurring in the way they
seem to be happening with you and others around you, and what the
meaning and purpose is for all of this? Is there really any meaning and
purpose to all of this or is it all meaningless, with no sense? Are you
satisfied with the explanations you receive from mass media, scientific
types of books, from various religions or similar sources as they are now
presented to you? Have you ever wondered if the visible universe and all
things in it and all things on this Earth are truly the way they are
supposed to be, or seem to be?
If you have ever seriously considered these and related questions,
then you are strongly advised to deliberate on what follows in this book.
As you know, in order to seriously ponder the contents, you need to know
what is written in this book.
4. ASKING THE WRONG QUESTIONS FROM THE WRONG
Have you ever wondered why no one so far has been able to give you
satisfactory and exhaustive answers to any of the above questions;
questions that seem to be the most vital, crucial and important of all?
Neither science, history, psychology, nor religion (in its present form),
nor other sources known, have ever entirely agreed upon these issues.
Their sources are full of contradictions, disagreement, guesswork,
tentative conclusions, and superficial knowledge upon which one can
never fully rely. Nor can one fully trust these sources without
experiencing eventual disappointment, or being misdirected. A dire need
for change or correction is frequently necessary somewhere along the
line. Why is it so often difficult or seemingly impossible for all concerned,
to fully agree on anything at all? Why is it that there are so many views,
opinions and stances opposing one another, for which people will even
kill, trying to prove that they are right and everyone else is wrong?
Is there any way to find out why this is so, and why all of our present
knowledge about these issues is so unstable, unreliable and
unsatisfactory? Is there any method by which we can find answers to all
of these and similar questions, answers capable of satisfying everyone in
a way in which all can agree? Has it ever occurred to you that science,
psychology, history, philosophy, religion (in its present form) and all
other sources of knowledge perhaps ask the wrong questions? Or
possibly, these sources have been answering these questions in the
wrong way? Has it ever occurred to you that they are looking into the
wrong sources from which they are trying so desperately, to find answers
to these and similar questions? Is it at all possible for a limited human
being to find answers to these profound questions? If it is, how do we go
about finding them? What is the true source of human knowledge? What
are the forces that cause us to be the way we are, as we are, on this
Earth?
If you are seriously interested in these mysteries then you have a
good reason for reading this book.
5. LIFE IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS.
Have you ever been interested in finding out why there is so much
negativity and evil in existence on planet Earth? Why do people hate one
another, so much that they even come to the point of killing one another
through the means of wars, accidents, catastrophes; in the commission of
crimes and in so many other ways? Why is it that humankind on planet
Earth developed such devastating weapons, destructive devices with
which they can annihilate all life and destroy planet Earth within
minutes? Have you ever asked yourself why there is so much illness,
disease, perversion, nastiness, ugliness, misfortune; all kinds of
dangerous things, poisonous plants and venomous insects, vicious
animals and all other kinds of negativity which one encounters on every
corner of this planet, and in one’s life? What is it all about? Is any useful
purpose served? Are we to consider this a natural state of affairs,
believing that this is just the way life is? Does life really have to be this
way?
Is there, perhaps, a different, much better way of living? Why are all
these negative things permitted to come into being and existence? If
there is a Creator of all things, did He/She really create all these
abominable negative and evil things that we experience on planet Earth?
What is the real truth about all of these issues? How does it relate to you
personally, and what is your role in all of this? Why do you participate in
life on this planet where there is so much negativity, evil, instability,
misfortune and all kinds of dangers? Is this what life is all about? Do
scientific, historical, psychological, religious or any other traditional
explanations of life, and its purpose, give you a true picture of all life,
including your own?
Now, if you sincerely wish to find out whether you live a true life,
whether your understanding of life is proper and right, and to a certain
extent, what true life is all about and how to find your way back to true
life, then you have a good reason for reading on, carefully considering
everything presented. You don’t have to agree with all of it. But you will
be shown the way to check it out in a step-by-step procedure, and you
will know if it is really true, or just a mere fantasy of the author.
In conclusion, I would like to briefly mention why this book is based
upon a spiritual approach, as indicated by the title. What is a spiritual
approach? First of all this approach is neither scientific, historic,
psychological or religious, nor is it to be confused with any other
traditional approaches advanced by science, history, psychology, religion
or any other areas of human knowledge. As you noticed earlier in this
introduction, it was stated that there is too much contradiction and
uncertainty among the scientific, historic, psychological, religious or any
other traditional knowledge concerning these issues.
Therefore, we cannot rely upon, or derive truth from this knowledge,
because we would end up in the same predicament, that is, with the
same uncertainties and contradictions as that knowledge has. This would
lead us nowhere, in exactly the same manner that traditional
“knowledge” does. Therefore, it has been necessary to seek out a different
source which, in my opinion, is more genuine and reliable than anything
traditional and customary. It is obvious that, if a traditional and
customary approach cannot give you reliable and dependable knowledge
about “Who are you and why are you here,” then one must disregard
everything traditional and customary and look for something else
entirely different. Why not go to the very source of life and to your own
substance, your essence instead, and ask these questions? Then see what
happens. That is what I did. I was amazed by the answers received. They
were so different from anything else made available through scientific,
psychological, philosophical, historic, religious or all other traditional
sources. I also realized that one of our problems is that we tend to rely
too much upon answers given to us by so-called authorities on these
issues, including esteemed scientists, philosophers, psychologists,
historians, ministers and so on. We tend to believe their claims without
carefully questioning that what they say is truly so. Somewhere along
the line of our life on this planet, we have forgotten about the most
important, and, in my opinion, the most reliable source of all knowledge
— ourselves. When we go within, we suddenly make a tremendous
discovery — the presence of the real Source, our Creator and all
Creation. We know this Source by many names: God, the Lord, Jesus
Christ, Vishnu, Krishna, Manitou, Great Spirit, Allah and by many other
names used by people on this Earth. From this Source we can find more
appropriate answers to all of the vitally important questions related to
the topic of this book, “Who are you and why are you here?” This Source I
call a purely Spiritual Source. From It derives all else in life, and life
itself. This is the reason why the methodology of this book is designated
to have a spiritual approach, that of going inward, to your Inner Mind.
If you are seriously interested in finding your own way into yourself
and making a permanent contact with God within you and opening up
the unlimited treasure of profound knowledge and wisdom about God,
about life and about yourself, you are advised to study this book very
carefully, because it gives you (among many other things) a step-by-step
procedure to accomplish this important task. In addition, it will show you
how to find answers to all of your questions. If you truly love yourself,
you owe it to yourself to be open-minded, flexible and mobile. Then you
will be blessed.
Dr. Peter D. Francuch
Hanalei Bay,
Kauai, Hawaii
Source: FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN SPIRITUALITY
