Near Enemies of the Truth

Tantric philosopher and Oxford scholar Christopher Wallis calls out the seemingly helpful spiritual teachings dominating our current culture and demonstrates how these near truths stand in the way of a more radically free and meaningful life-and ultimately, a deeper spiritual awakening. Have you ever been told, "You create your own reality"? Have you been encouraged to "be your best self" or "follow your bliss"? Nowadays these slogans are everywhere, but what if they're doing more harm than good? After over thirty years as a scholar-practitioner of meditation and Tantric philosophy, acclaimed author Christopher Wallis (also known as Hareesh) explores the most widespread distortions of spiritual teachings present in our world today. Rooted in the Asian wisdom traditions, Wallis's book uncovers why these oft-heard platitudes are "near enemies" to the truth, often detour us off the spiritual path, and can even cause unnecessary suffering.In asking us to question what we've accepted as "truth," Wallis reveals how teachings like "become the best version of yourself" may have helped us at one stage in our journey but can ultimately lead us away from self-acceptance and compassion and cause us to prioritize an imagined ideal over true intimacy with reality. Understanding the near enemies is vital for any spiritual seeker who is ready to create a deeper, more fulfilling practice and will help you:Distinguish between truth and beliefCommunicate more authentically with loved onesSet healthier boundariesBe in greater harmony with realityPractice radical self-acceptanceNear Enemies of the Truth offers itself as a guide to the pitfalls of the spiritual life. However, it doesn't focus on the negative. In each chapter, after pointing out how a spiritual teaching can be construed in a non-beneficial way, Wallis focuses on the deeper truth and ancient wisdom underlying that teaching, which is often obscured by its popular bumper-sticker version. Each chapter contains a supportive insight for your spiritual process and/or for your everyday life, including guided meditations and reflections. Written in a gentle and encouraging tone, this book offers a wealth of insight and guidance for anyone who finds themselves struggling, reaching a spiritual plateau, or simply seeking a more meaningful way forward. This timely companion will help you think differently and see through the smokescreens to what is true....

Préface

• General Note: As mentioned in the selling points, Wallis's two previous titles have sold more than 50,000 print copies and 30,000 audiobooks without any paid marketing support, which points to a strong organic interest in his work and the potential for what the below campaign could accomplish.
• Media Campaign: Wallis is a well-respected figure in the Eastern spirituality space and regularly gets requests for interviews with publications, podcasts, and influencers like Deepak Chopra. We will leverage those relationships for potential book coverage.
• Website: Dedicated landing page for the book at hareesh.org, including a pre-order incentive/bonus offer.

• Newsletter: Dedicated e-blasts to the author's 15k email subscribers.

  • Note: The list is consistently growing and should reach 16k17k by the time of launch.
• Social Media: Three-month pre-order campaign targeting the author's 28.7k+ followers, including a promotional video for his YouTube channel, which has nearly 11k subscribers.

• Personal Network:

  • Speaking: Wallis has a robust speaking schedule that takes him around the world, and he will leverage those events for book promotion and sales whenever possible.
  • Street Team: Wallis has a great, passionate community of followersincluding a private Facebook group with over 11k+ members. We will rally them around spreading the word on social media and posting 5-star reviews.
• Digital Ad Campaign
• 3-Month Digital ARC Listing on Edelweiss

Auteur

Christopher D. Wallis, also known as Hareesh, is a scholar-practitioner with thirty years of experience, having been initiated into the practice of yogic meditation at sixteen. His degrees include a B.A. in Religion and Classics from the University of Rochester, an M.A. in Sanskrit from U.C. Berkeley, an M.Phil. in Classical Indian Religions from Oxford, and a Ph.D. in Sanskrit from U.C. Berkeley. His doctoral dissertation focused on the role of spiritual experience in the tradition of Tantric Shaivism. Additionally, he received traditional education at yoga āshrams in upstate New York and India, training in meditation, mantra-science, kīrtan, karma-yoga, and pedagogy. He currently teaches meditation, yoga darśana (practical philosophy), Tantrik philosophy, Sanskrit, and mantra-science. Hareesh is the author of Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition and The Recognition Sutras: Illuminating a 1,000-Year-Old Spiritual Masterpiece.

Contenu

Introduction

Chapter 1: Listen to Your Heart
Chapter 2: Become the Best Version of Yourself
Chapter 3: Find Your Soul's Purpose
Chapter 4: Follow Your Bliss
Chapter 5: Speak Your Truth
Chapter 6: You Create Your Own Reality
Chapter 7: You Can Choose How to Respond
Chapter 8: Love Yourself
Chapter 9: Be in the Moment
Chapter 10: Everything Happens for a Reason
Chapter 11: Everything Happens for the Best
Chapter 12: Avoid Negative Energy
Chapter 13: You Can Heal Your Energy Healing
Chapter 14: I Am My Own Guru
Chapter 15: All Paths Lead to the Same Goal
Chapter 16: Enlightenment
Chapter 17: Reality
Chapter 18: Nonduality
Chapter 19: Ego
Chapter 20: Kundalini
Chapter 21: God

Acknowledgements
About the Author
Index