Socrates, Death and Self-Transformation

This book presents a refreshing, meaningful and profound interpretation of Phaedo by Plato.

It is based on a series of meetings in which Shai Tubali taught and interpreted the text in terms of what he calls “philosophy satsangs.” These are meetings that combine practice, guided meditation and other teaching elements in order to provide an experiential learning journey through philosophical texts, which are actually texts of liberation.

As a philosopher and a spiritual teacher, Shai weaves a thread between philosophy and spirituality, between the East and the West. He presents an approach that is inclusive and open. Often, when we want to learn about spiritual enlightenment, we turn to the traditions of Buddhism, yogic knowledge, Sufism, the Kabbalah or Christianity. Rarely do we realize that we could simply take a closer look at one of the birthplaces of Western culture: ancient Greece. There, among the philosophers, we can find teachings that are deep, radical and truly astonishing. Importantly, these teachings frequently talk about enlightenment and the path to spiritual liberation. In the teachings of Plato, we can find treasures of spiritual guidance and spiritual practice that have the power to change our experience and our perception.

This book explores Plato’s Phaedo. It is a dramatic text, in the sense that it actually documents the last conversation between Socrates and his students, just before the former drinks poison hemlock and executes himself. This text teaches us about the preparation for death, the act of “meeting” death and the question of what lies beyond it. It is a reflection on the meaning of life and our deepest and truest identity. It also speaks about the meaning and purpose of philosophy, as well as mysticism.