New book looks to the wisdom of the past to help solve the problems we face today

In The Power of Then Bremner applies the teachings of sages of the past, and the lessons of their lives, to the everyday problems - emotional, mental and spiritual - that continue to beset us. 

The Power of Then: How the Sages of the Past Can Help Us in Our Everyday Lives

By James Bremner

Published 2nd April 2012, £10.99 pb, also available as an eBook

-          The medieval house wife who can shed light on your mid-life crisis

-          The twelfth century German nun who can help restore your vitality

-          The eighth century Chinese poet who will bring out your inner eco-warrior

As the old saying goes, ‘there is nothing new under the sun’. Even though many of the problems we encounter today – from the midlife crisis to loneliness to coping with monotonous work - may seem to be phenomena of the modern world, they have in fact been encountered and addressed by wise men and women for centuries. In The Power of Then Bremner applies the teachings of sages of the past, and the lessons of their lives, to the everyday problems - emotional, mental and spiritual - that continue to beset us.

It has long frustrated Bremner that the wisdom of the past has not been more widely applied to the problems of everyday life. As he explains: “Sir Isaac Newton, referring to his achievements, once wrote: ‘If I have seen further it is only be standing on the shoulders of giants’. I like to think that the lives and hard-won wisdom of the sages of the past can also lift us up and enable us to look down on our difficulties with a different, more creative perspective.” We are sitting on a treasure chest of teachings formulated by pioneers of human psychology, spirituality and emotional states. Bremner argues these teachings are more than just relevant today; they might just be the most radical, effective and low-cost way of changing our lives positively.

In The Power of Then, Bremner provides helpful guidance, encouragement and reflection, garnered from some of the greatest sages the world has known: from the greats such as Plato, Diogenes, Rumi, Jung and Blake to the lesser known, such as: medieval housewife Margery Kempe (patron saint of the midlife crisis) and the twelfth century German nun, Hildegard of Bingen. Bremner acknowledges that there aren’t quick-fix solutions to all of our problems, but adds “sometimes if we change the way we think, or if we see things from another angle, a problem may seem different or more manageable, or it can disappear altogether.”

James Bremner has studied Latin, Greek, Divinity and English Literature at various levels and has had a lifelong interest in spirituality, mysticism and philosophy. He was educated at Cambridge University, from where he went on to teach English on the island of Crete, before becoming a lexicographer. He now teaches creative writing, writes on spiritual subjects, including for the radio, and gives talks. He lives in the wilds of rural Ireland.

Notes to Editors:

-          The book is available for extract and serialisation

-          The author is available to write articles on the sages

-          Article Ideas:

• As recession bites, should we replace our ‘Mustn’t Grumble’ catchphrase with the memorable words of the medieval mystic, Dame Julian of Norwich?
• A woman’s mid-life crisis? What Margery Kempe of Lynn did to solve hers in the 15th century.
• Think you’re a Superwoman? Compare yourself with Hildegard of Bingen, the medieval world’s astonishing Renaissance woman.
• Bank protesters and tented cities: why Diogenes the Dog would have been the first to criticise our financial elites.
• Scottish independence and what the modern sage J. Krishnamurti says about separatism leading to conflict.
• Reality shows and celebrity culture: what a Roman Emperor says about the fame game and nobodies wanting to become somebodies.
• With England now the most crowded country in Europe, are we forgetting the value of solitude? The American thinker Henry David Thoreau would probably have thought so.
• Climate change, deforestation and other natural disasters – how an ancient Chinese poet can teach us to do nothing … and save the planet.
• That pushy, ambitious woman annoys me to bits – thank God I’m not like her! Well, according to the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, she could be you.

-          A list of sages included:

                                Margery Kempe: The Mid-Life Crisis

                                Henry David Thoreau: The Beauty of Solitude

                                Brother Lawrence: God Among the Potato Peel

                                Plato: Prisoners in the Cave

                                Mother Julian of Norwich: All Shall be Well

                                Carl Jung: Embracing the Shadow

                                Jean-Pierre de Caussade: The Present Moment

                                Diogenes: Cultivating the Inner Cynic

                                Hildegard of Bingen: Green Energy

                                Boethius: Hostage to Fortune

                                Jalaladin Rumi: Expanding our Hearts

                                William Blake: Seeing Things Afresh

                                Li Bai: Friend of the Earth

                                Marcus Aurelius: The Price of Fame

                                St Francis de Sales: Visual Meditation

                                J. Krishnamurti: Healing our Divisions

For press enquiries please contact Jessica Crockett – jessicacrockett@hayhouse.co.uk or 020 8962 1248

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