The Ultimate Truth, Knowledge & Wisdom by Sanjay Goel

Title: The Ultimate Truth, Knowledge & Wisdom

Author: Sanjay Goel
Publisher: Notion Press

Genre: Spirituality, Philosophy, Psychology

Publication: December 17, 2015

My Rating: 3/5

Source: Publisher on NetGalley

What is the purpose of life? Do worldly success, material comforts, health and wealth ensure happiness and peace? What are good and bad Karmas? What causes all that happens to us in this life... our karma or fate? Is there a state called death? Is there rebirth after death? Is everything preordained, or are we responsible for our doings? How can we achieve ultimate peace and bliss? These are some of the questions that we keep asking ourselves all the time... Drawing from the wisdom of ancient Vedic philosophy and personal experience, the answers to these and many more such oft repeated questions are touched upon, going on to cover the gist of the Vedantas and the supremacy of Karma Yoga, interspersed with practical tips for modern day life, such as the qualities of a good leader, who is an ideal Guru, the effects of philosophy on health, benefits of meditation, etc...

**I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

This book focuses on the most fundamental aspects of life, especially on the purpose of our existence and what we can do to live a balanced and meaningful life.

It also talks about different methods of meditation and how implementing them in our everyday life can make a big difference, even in our physical health.

I liked that the author seemed to just share his opinion on things and not that he wanted to make us understand that what he said was the truth, and that everyone else who thought differently was wrong, how it usually happens in this kind of books, sadly. It was pretty chill like "Hey, being rich doesn't make you happy, but it might still bring you happiness, since it would help you cover the basic necessities in life, and help you enjoy other things", I felt like I was "free" to choose if I agreed or not, so I appreciated that. However, I do think that in the second half of the book, this changed a bit, but I never felt like it was going on the extremes and trying to force an opinion on me.

So what's the point of this book? To help you understand the "ultimate truth" in life is that we can find happiness and lead a fulfilling life realizing that there are two sides to everything: life-death, happiness-sorrow, good-evil. Not everything is white, and not everything is black. And it is also mentioned how, to live in peace and harmony, we have to conquer our endless desires and attain a state of indifference towards all situations in life.

I really liked this concept, although I would've appreciated it better if it hadn't been mentioned every other page. But I have to admit that it made me question this theory, since, apparently, you shouldn't always be optimistic. Because you shouldn't expect good things or bad things, you should just "go with the flow" of things and, hey, see what happens. While I do like this, I also enjoy expecting great things to happen. I've worked hard on becoming an optimist.

Following the same idea, it is said that "there is nothing to achieve or lose in this world". It made me understand you have to make yourself feel numb whenever you're faced against something. Again, I do get the concept and I do agree, but not necessarily a 100%.

We can also read about certain differences between fate and karma, how religion and science can both be very important and coexist in our life. And, something I really liked reading more about, the difference between body and soul.

Overall, this was a really interesting read. Definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys this kind of topics.

Thank you for reading! ♥