"Now is the need and the demand...

to sacrifice all we have to the helping of humanity" -- DK

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Suggested reading list

List-6: Avenues for learning and sharpening the mind

An esotericist is a holistic thinker who sees the bigger picture of life. Therefore, one should know how all the parts (knowledge and human experience) are interrelated to each other. Compartmentalization/specialization is an obsolete concept from the industrialization age to make the production process standardized and efficient (which unfortunately spread to all other fields of discipline). It considered workers as mere tools of production and not humans whose potentials needed to be developed. It was also used as a form of social control so that no one can fully understand life or have total control of one's own life. However, in our present knowledge society, the game is fast changing. Strategic information/knowledge is power, which requires the interrelation of information from various disciplines, giving them context, and using them to project to the future to achieve competitive advantage. Thus, a culture of love for continuous and holistic /integrative approach to learning needs to be cultivated to remain empowered in the knowledge age.

This page is a continuing work in progress. One could not possibly study all the learning resources about a given subject matter in one lifetime so we could only suggest 1 to 3 references for each just to have an adequate understanding of important fields of knowledge that we believe are essential to have a wider perspective of life (ideally, given the time constraint, one should only study the best in each field but since that is not possible, we selected references that are at least easily accessible from the web, online shops such as kindle, or public lending libraries). Please help us know if there are better resources/references on a subject so we can post them here

Contents at a glance

• Logic and Critical thinking skills
• Detecting propaganda & cults
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• History of humanity
• Philosophy of the East and the West
• Understanding world religions
• Going back to the basics of mathematics
• An overview of the basic sciences
• Art appreciation
• Classical music & appreciation
• Learning musical instruments
• World's classical literature
• International economics, politics, and governance
• Finance & entrepreneurship
• Disaster preparedness & survival skills
• Language learning
• Homeschooling your children
• Learning practical skills and other free courses from Open online learning institutions
• World betterment groups




First things first: Revisiting the rules of logic and critical thinking

• One can study through a textbook at one's own pace and timing. They can be borrowed from a local library or can be purchased as a used book to save a lot of money. Some of the most basic texts used for this purpose are:
  
  A Concise Introduction to Logic by Patrick J. Hurley
  How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff
  An Introduction to Critical Thinking and Creativity: Think More, Think Better by J. Y. F. Lau
  Why Brilliant People Believe Nonsense: A Practical Text for Critical and Creative Thinking by J.Steve Miller and Cherie K. Miller
  Logic: A God-Centered Approach to the Foundation of Western Thought by Vern S. Poythress
  Logic by Rev. Juan Jose Sanguineti
  



• Or one can enrol or join free online courses from the following institutions:
  
  Logical and Critical Thinking (from Future Learn and Univ of Aukland, 8-week course, 4hrs per week)
  Philosophy and Critical Thinking (from edX and the Univ of Queensland, 4-week course, 1-4hrs pw)
  Introduction to Logic (from Coursera and Stanford Univ, 8-weeks, 3-4hrs pw)
  Think Again: How to Reason and Argue(from Coursera and Duke U, 12-weeks, 5hrs pw)
  Analytical Problem Solving and Design Thinking in the workplace (from edX and Fullbridge Inc, 4-weeks, 2hrs pw)


Note: Logic/ rational thinking need not be incompatible with metaphysics or belief in non-physical realities. It was only with the rise of empiricism (the belief that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience or those observable by the 5 senses) around the 18th century CE that science rejected rationalism and metaphysical reasoning as a method for arriving at knowledge (thereon, any assumptions that can't be validated physically were labelled as "irrational"). But we believe that this divide is temporary because as humanity's consciousness or sensory awareness expands, he/she will begin to be aware of other dimensions or realities (especially if instruments will be invented that can validate the existence of subtle energies long postulated by ageless wisdom texts and most of the world's scriptures), then science will correct its prior assumptions and be inclusive of metaphysics once again.




Detecting propaganda & cults

• Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
• Propaganda by Edward Bernays
• Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda by Noam Chomsky
• A Synthesis of the Brainwashing Manual on Psychopolitics by David Todeschini
• Disinformation: Former Spy Chief Reveals Secret Strategies for Undermining Freedom, Attacking Religion, and Promoting Terrorism by Ronald Rychlak and Lt. Gen. Ion Mihai Pacepa
• Social Engineering: The Art of Deception, Psychological Warfare, and Mind Manipulation by Steve Smith


• Knowing how Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) works so that you can protect yourself from manipulative social engineers, market developers, salesmen, political ideologies, cults, subtle media propaganda, etc that misuse the technique:
  
  The Big Book of NLP Expanded by Shlomo Vaknin


• Useful references on dangerous cults:


• Combatting Cult Mind Control: Guide to Protection, Rescue, and Recovery from Destructive Cults by Steven Hassan
• Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves by Steven Hassan
• Freedom Of Mind : Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Beliefs by Steven Hassan
• Cults Inside Out: How People Get In and Can Get Out by Rick Alan Ross
• The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power by Joel Kramer and Diana Alstad
• Narcissistic Leaders and their Manipulation in Group Dynamics
• The Cult self-tests
• The False Guru Test
• Defining cults
• Criteria for Thought Reform
• Singer's Six Conditions
• Deception, Dependency, and Dread
• Tactics of successful persuaders
• Psychology of Totalism



Getting Help

• Freedom of Mind Resource Center
• reFOCUS: Recovering Former Cultists’ Support
• ex-cult Resource Center
• Cult Education Institute
• International Cultic Studies Association




History of Humanity

• A People's History of the World By Chris Harman
• The History of the World By JM Roberts and OA Westad
• National Geographic's Almanac of World History By Patricia Daniels and Stephen Hyslop
• A People's History of the United States By Howard Zinn
• The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany By William L. Shirer
• Revolutions: A Very Short Introduction By Jack Goldstone


• The history of the world, from Khan Academy (self paced video lessons)



If you want to become a history geek:

• The Story of Civilization Series By Will and Ariel Durant
  
  Vol.I. Our Oriental Heritage
  Vol.II. The Life of Greece
  Vol.III. Caesar and Christ
  Vol.IV. The Age of Faith
  Vol.V. The Renaissance
  Vol.VI. The Reformation
  Vol.VII. The Age of Reason Begins
  Vol.VIII. The Age of Louis XIV
  Vol.IX. The Age of Voltaire
  Vol.X. Rousseau and Revolution
  Vol.XI. The Age of Napoleon
  The Lessons of History
  





Philosophy of the East and the West

• Philosophy 101: From Plato and Socrates to Ethics and Metaphysics, an Essential Primer on the History of Thought by Paul Kleinman
• Philosophy Made Simple by Richard H. Popkin
• The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant
• Philosophy, Then and Now: A Look back at 26 centuries of ideas that have shaped our thinking by Zaine Ridling
• The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley
• The Best Guide to Eastern Philosophy by Diane Morgan



If you want to become a Philosophy geek:

• Sacred Books of the East Series, 50-volumes of Asian Philosophy writings


• A History of Philosophy Series By Frederick Copleston, SJ
  
  Volume 1: Greece and Rome
  Volume 2: Augustine to Scotus
  Volume 3: Ockham to Suarez
  Volume 4: Descartes to Leibniz
  Volume 5: Hobbes to Hume
  Volume 6: Wolff to Kant
  Volume 7: Fichte to Nietzsche
  Volume 8: Bentham to Russell
  Volume 9: Maine de Biran to Sartre
  Volume 10: Russian Philosophy
  Volume 11: Logical Positivism and Existentialism
  




Understanding World Religions

• World religious demographics (from Wikipedia)


• Internet Sacred Text Archive, the largest freely available archive of online books about religion, mythology, folklore, etc.


• The Religions of Man by Huston Smith
• Religious Experience of Mankind by Ninian Smart
• The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion Edited by John Hinnells
• The Blackwell Guide to the Philosophy of Religion Edited by William Mann
• The Essential Unity of All Religions by Bhagavan Das
• Mystery Teachings in World Religion by Florice Tanner
• Esotericism in Christianity
• The Marriage of Sense and Soul: Integrating Science and Religion by Ken Wilber
• Integral Spirituality: A Startling New Role for Religion in the Modern and Postmodern World by Ken Wilber

Understanding the viewpoint of atheism:

• The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

Going back to the basics of Mathematics




From the Free Online Learning Resources of Khan Academy (in sequential order):

• Early math
• Arithmetic
• Pre-algebra
• Basic geometry
• Algebra basics
• Algebra I
• Geometry
• Algebra II
• Trigonometry
• Probability and statistics
• Precalculus
• Differential calculus
• Integral calculus
• Multivariable calculus
• Differential equations
• Linear algebra



An overview of the basic sciences

• The Science Game by Neil McK. Agnew and Sandra W. Pyke


• A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson


• Science Alert an online magazine that features recent news and updates on science.



From the Free Online Learning Resources of Khan Academy:

• Biology
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Cosmology and astronomy
• Health science
• Quantum Physics: A Beginner’s Guide by Alastair I. M. Rae
• YOU - The Owner’s Manual: An Insider’s Guide to the Body That Will Make You Healthier and Younger by Drs Roizen and Oz
• Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food by Jeff Potter


• Science of Psychology:
  • Psych 101: Psychology Facts, Basics, Statistics, Tests, and More! by Paul Kleinman
  • An Introduction to the History of Psychology by Hergenhahn and Henley
  • Mastering the World of Psychology by Samuel and Ellen Green Wood, Denise Boyd
  • A Theory of Human Motivation by A. H. Maslow
  • Modern Man in Search of a Soul by Carl Jung
  • Integral Psychology: Consciousness, Spirit, Psychology, and Religion by Ken Wilber




Art appreciation




From the Free Online Learning Resources of Khan Academy:

• Art Basics
• Prehistoric art in Europe and West Asia
• Art of the ancient Mediterranean
• Art of Medieval Europe
• Art of the Islamic world
• Art of Asia
• Art of Africa
• Art of Oceania
• Renaissance and Reformation in Europe
• Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical art in Europe
• Art of the Americas to World War I
• Art in 19th century Europe
• Expressionism to Pop Art
• Toward a global culture




Language learning


One suggested approach is to learn first the grammar and syntax of one's chosen language. This develops one's analytical skills (left brain). Then proceed to the immersion stage and learn the conversational skills, which is a right brain activity. It is up to the learner if she/he wants to put a capstone into her/his achievement by getting a certification from any of the language learning institutions mentioned in the list at an affordable fee.

If one wants to go via the textbook route to learn the grammar of any language at one's own pace and timing, we suggest the Routledge Modern Grammars series, and their corresponding Workbooks. They are pretty comprehensive. Check your local library, used book sellers, or opt for the ebook version @ Amazon.com to save a lot of money. The Collins' Easy learning Grammar series also provide excellent self-learning materials. There are excellent online learning resources that offer the training for free. Check the institutions mentioned in our list or this website:


• Open Culture: Learn 48 Languages Online for Free: Spanish, Chinese, English & More.


To immerse oneself and practice conversational skiils, check these out (most of them offer free services or apps):
• Duolingo
• Livemocha
• Busuu
• Memrise
• BBC
• Foreign Services Institute



Classical music & music appreciation



• Classical Music for Dummies by David Pogue and Scott Speck
• Music Theory for Dummies by Michael Pilhofer and Holly Day
• Classical Music 101: A complete guide to learning and loving classical music by Fred Plotkin



From the Free Online Learning Resources of Khan Academy:

• Music basics
• Masterpieces of old and new
• Instruments of the orchestra

Learning Musical instruments

• YouTube is still the best source of free or affordable instructions on how to learn music and play musical instruments online. Just search and scrutinize each channel until you find what works for you. Make sure to thank those self-less people for sharing their skills and talents online.


• Some online learning institutions that offer free courses:
  
  Music basics (from Khan Academy, self-paced)
  Introduction to Music Theory(from edX and Berklee College of Music, 6-week course)
  Fundamentals of Music Theory (from Coursera and University of Edinburgh, 8hrs a week)
  Introduction to Guitar (from Coursera and Berklee College of Music, 6-8hrs per week)
  BBC - Learning - Music: Free resources and online courses
  


• Udemy offers both free and paid online courses on musical instruments:Udemy Department of Music
  
  Piano for all - Incredible New Way To Learn Piano & Keyboard
  


• Some blogs that give tips and reviews on where to find free online music learning:
  
  40 Ways To Learn Music Online For Free
  Learning music on a budget
  Great Websites For Learning To Play An Instrument Online




World's Classical Literature

Legit source of free classical ebooks (expired copyrights):

• Project Gutenberg
• Open Library Project
• Google books



Suggested book lists:

• World's Greatest Fictions
• The 100 greatest novels of all time (from The Guardian)
• 100 novels everyone should read (From The Telegraph)
• The 100 best novels written in English
• 100 Best Novels from the Modern Library




International economics, politics, and governance

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Current state of human development from the UNDP's Human Development Reports
• The Global Economy and Fair Trade
• Powershift: Knowledge, Wealth and Violence at the Edge of the 21st Century by Alvin Toffler
• The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas L. Friedman
• Profit Over People: Neoliberalism & Global Order by Noam Chomsky
• The Narcissism Epidemic by Jean Twenge and W.Keith Campbell
• Has Globalization Gone Too Far? by Dani Rodrik
• The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy by Dani Rodrik
• Alternatives to Economic Globalization by John Cavanagh and Jerry Mander
• The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness by Erich Fromm
• Revolutions: Theoretical, Comparative, and Historical Studies by Jack A Goldstone
• Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements by James DeFronzo
• Conflicts: A Better Way to Resolve Them by Edward De Bono
• Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation (Sacred Activism) by Matthew Fox and Adam Bucko
• Strength to Love by Martin Luther King
• Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
• Tolstoy and Gandhi, Men of Peace by Martin Green
• Creative Work: The Constructive Role of Business in a Transforming Society by Willis Harman and John Hormann
• Wealth Beyond Measure: An Atlas of New Economics by Paul Ekins and Mayer Hillman
• Another World is Possible If by Susan George
• Animal Liberation by Peter Singer
• Before Disclosure: A Primer for Students of Ufology and Exopolitics by Gerard Aartsen (A free 50-page eBook but also available in print edition)
• Exopolitics: Politics, Government, and Law in the Universe by Alfred Lambremont Webre
• Priorities for a Planet in Transition - The Space Brothers' Case for Justice and Freedom by Gerard Aartsen
• Problems of humanity study course (from World Goodwill)




Finance & entrepreneurship

• The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World by Niall Ferguson



From the Free Online Learning Resources of Khan Academy:

• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Finance and capital markets
• Entrepreneurship
• Investopedia: Website on investing, trading, markets, personal finance, and wealth management
• Entrepreneur How To's
• Kickstarter (Crowdfunding one's business venture)
• Accounting Coach






Survival skills and disaster preparedness

• Doom Survival Guide


• Survival Wellness Advocacy and the Big Win by Marshall Masters (free ebook on the publisher's website)



Home-based food production:

• Grow all you can eat in 3 square feet, edited by Kate Johnsen


• Hydroponics gardening


• How to Assemble a Homemade Hydroponic System






Homeschooling your children

• Teaching Kids to Think Critically: Effective Problem Solving and Better Decisions by Clifton Chadwick
• How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
• Teaching How to learn in a 'what-to-learn' culture by Kathleen Ricards Hopkins
• The Education of the Child by Rudolf Steiner
• The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori
• Education and the Significance of Life. by J.Krishnamurti
• Discover the World; Empowering Children to Value Themselves, Others and the Earth by Susan Hopkins and Jeffry Winters
• The World Core Curriculum -Foundations and Implementation by The Robert Muller School International Coordinating Center
• Education in the New Age by Alice A Bailey



Dealing with narcissism early in life:

• The Narcissism Epidemic by Jean Twenge and W.Keith Campbell
• Children of the Self-Absorbed: A Grown-Up's Guide to Getting Over Narcissistic Parents by Nina W Brown
• Teaching Kids to Think: Raising Confident, Independent, and Thoughtful Children in an Age of Instant Gratification by Darlene Sweetland and Ron Stolberg
• Children and Narcissistic Personality Disorder: A Guide for Parents by Cynthia Bailey-Rug



Some homeschooling modules & resources:

• Edubuntu: The free education oriented operating system for kids of all ages
• Waldorf Education Method Resources
• The Montessori Method
• Montessori Homeschooling
• Enki Education for Homeschoolers
• A World Core Curriculum For Global Education: Framework of Our Global Knowledge
• Ambleside Online: Charlotte Mason Homeschooling method resources
• Simply Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Method (official site)
• Classical Christian Homeschooling
• Well-trained Mind Classical Homeschooling
• An Old-Fashioned Education
• The Adventist Home Educator
• The Master List of Unschooling Resources
• Deschooling: Starting Out Right at Home
• The Canadian Homeschooler - Sharing and providing Canadian resources to homeschooling families
• Australia's Home Education Association (HEA)
• Great Ideas in Education
• Homeschooling Resource Guide
• THE A-to-Z of Homeschooling
• Homeschool Learning Network
• Curriculum and classes in a click




Practical skills and free courses from online learning institutions


Search their respective websites for courses that interest you. Most of the contents are free but make sure to check it out first.


• Academic Earth
• Alison
• Coursera
• edX
• Future Learn
• iversity
• Khan Academy
• Lynda
• NPTEL India
• Open2study
• Open Classrooms
• P2P U
• Skill Share
• Standford Online
• Udacity
• Udemy