What is Deep Philosophy?

What is Deep Philosophy?

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the principles and methods of Deep Philosophy, a contemplative approach to practicing philosophy. As practitioners we reflect on basic life-issues from our inner depth in togetherness with our companions. By contemplating on fundamental aspects of life, we seek to relate to the foundation of human reality. By doing so from our inner depth, we seek to give voice to our deepest personal sensitivities and yearnings. By contemplating on texts from the history of philosophy, we seek to take part in the rich symphony of human voices throughout the ages. And by contemplating in togetherness with our companions, we seek to transcend the boundaries of our individual viewpoint and take part in a broader scope of humanity.

Deep Philosophy is not a new invention. The roots of Deep Philosophy can be found throughout the history of philosophy, from the practices of ancient Greek and Hellenistic thinkers, through the philosophical-poetic writings of German Romanticists and American Transcendentalists, to existentialist thinkers and beyond. These historical roots testify that Deep Philosophy is a new branch of the age-old human tree of philosophical wisdom. It is certainly not an ultimate answer, either personally for me or for anybody else. As history shows us, philosophy is a historical polyphony of voices that keeps developing and acquiring new forms. It is my hope that Deep Philosophy will not petrify into a fixed doctrine, but will inspire other seekers to keep renewing the never-ending historical quest for wisdom and depth.

The Deep Philosophy Group is an international group of practitioners devoted to this practice. Since the group's birth in 2017, they have been actively involved in practicing Deep Philosophy, exploring new methods, and offering activities to the general public, both in philosophical retreats and in online sessions.