Wisdom of the Idiots

ISBN: 1784790397

Author: Shah, Idries

Condition: New

AMERICAN EDITIONBecause what narrow thinkers imagine to be wisdom is often seen by the Sufis to be folly compared with deeper knowledge, the Sufis sometimes refer to themselves as the Idiots.Wisdom of the Idiots is a collection of lively and intriguing stories, narratives, and anecdotes, which illustrate the experiential philosophy used in Sufi teaching.These ancient fables from the Middle East and Central Asia, many going back several hundred years, exemplify the non-linear and intuitive thinking styles of the masters of Sufism. This type of wisdom, which transcends the limits of conventional logic,is also equated with idiots because it penetrates to a depth that is inaccessible to the merely intelligent or academically-knowledgeable.Shahs stories contain several levels of meaning and work like psychological mirrors in which readers may see themselves and Reality reflected, and come to understand these better.Wisdom of the Idiots was awarded many prizes, including two gold medals, one for Best Book in conjunction with UNESCOs World Book Year.