Fascinating journey into human consciousness and the search for meaning
340223
Why does an organic compound found inside a certain species of mushroom fit so perfectly in key receptor sites on a human neuron? What does the user experience that leads to the belief of a higher purpose to the evolution of life on Earth? The author attempts to establish the connection between psilocybin, human consciousness, and the evolution of life. His argument, although not flawless, takes the reader to an endpoint of evolution that defies comprehension.

The first few chapters get the reader warmed up by covering the history of psilocybin use, an overview of several other naturally occurring entheogenic compounds, and the mechanism of psilocybin's action in the human brain. Following the basics is an attempt to explain how human consciousness works and how the psilocybin molecule affects the user. I'll have to admit that some of the concepts discussed here were heady but not surprising since little is known about human consciousness. In the next few chapters the author takes us on a mathematical journey to informational systems, DNA and evolutionary biology. He asks us to consider some fantastic hypotheses and takes the reader to the jaw-dropping conclusion about our reason for being here on Earth.

What is the purpose of life?...To be the eyes and ears and conscience of the Creator of the Universe, you fool!
 Kurt Vonnegut, Breakfast of Champions

Buy this book and stretch your imagination about life's possibilities. A thoughtful, thought provoking, and entertaining read!
3728270
A profound and important study of mystical experience.
2186658
I fell in love with this book the moment I started reading it.  I am  a visual artist  for whom  the paradoxes  of existence and consciousness are frequent themes.  As a teenager I read the works of George Ganow,  Bertrand Russell and Fred Holye. Holt's book is a  comprehensive and amazingly well explained survey of the philosophy and science of these questions. It was even humorous in parts as in where background radiation from the big bang was initially mistaken for pigeon droppings on an antenna. The book is comprised of both the history of ideas  and interviews  with living  scholars.  The style is breezy and juxtaposes idiosyncrasies and the personalities of thinkers from Plato to Hawking with their ideological and theoretical stances in revelatory ways.  Descriptions of Holt's drinks and dinners with his subjects are  great foils for the seriousness of the  matter at hand,  even if they verge on shtick  by the end. The recounting of the death of his dog and later his mother are both touching and relevant.  If consciousness is important to the creation of reality, what happens when an individual  consciousness is extinguished?  My mind raced with  such questions. For instance- what happens to the anthropic principle if the human race becomes extinct? I was so excited that I bought two extra copies which I gave to friends before I was even half done.

About two thirds of the way through I noticed something odd. Of the dozens of interview Holt conducted with scientists, writers  and philosophers of widely varying beliefs, there were none with women.  Surely there are some women thinkers who have  ideas relevant to this book. Lisa Randall and Rebecca Goldstein (who blurbed the book)  immediately come to mind. The only reference I can recall is a brief one to  Simone DeBeauvoir. My wife is currently reading "The Apprentice" by Iris Murdoch. This novel  is as passionately concerned with ideas of existence  as anything by John Updike,  who figures prominently Holt's text. I don't quite know what to make of this. Holt is an absolutely  terrific writer and has brilliantly succeeded in  presenting complicated ideas with breathtaking clarity, where other authors have lost me. The book is the best of its kind that I have  ever read. Yet the omissions in seems to be a  strange oversight  to me.  He loses one star because of this.
4632879
Amazing how connections and interconnections form and become connections forever entwining and growing into "one" consciousness. I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this book but so glad that I did get to it now! A fascinating book that is clearly accessible to a layman but very well written making it a pleasure to read and ponder through with certain amazement....yet it clearly was so wonderful to realize that it actually verified those "opaque distant-reality ideas of certain type connections" that I somehow had thought or questioned within my mind on and off for many years! I Loved This Book and it resides in my "keep forever" section....or at least until I read it again and also no longer feel the urge to "check again" those astoundingly remarkable passages that brought wows to my mind.
3315941
In this, his latest book, Dr. Daniel Siegel takes the reader on a journey into what the mind actually is and what it means to be human. The journey begins with Dr. Siegels own personal story and goes on to incorporate the latest findings that science has to offer on what the mind is and how it functions. The book sets out to answer the questions of what, where, why and when of the mind, and can we be both human and kind.

I found this book to be a very compelling read. I am a bit of a psychology buff, which is what drew me to the book in the first place. The material here is very dense at times and for a lay person like me, required close reading to understand all of the concepts. I believe the book is intended more for an audience of healthcare professionals and researchers, nevertheless, I was able to glean a lot of new information and understanding after reading it. I would recommend this book to mental health and other scientific professionals.
4159262
This book reveals a powerful view of humanity. I enjoyed a fascinating journey with rich insights shared through the author's focused mystic lens. I was inspired as Anodea uncovered patterns in history in a unique and refreshing way.

I was guided through dark periods of human development and atrocities yet the authors' guidance enabled me to see how we can rise from our common past to embrace a bright future brimming with new possibilities.

Easy to read and understand, I felt that this book gives us clear information and wise council to help us navigate the opportunities of this very dynamic and exciting future we are co-creating. The textured insights into the character and development of humanity through different eras are presented artfully and with deep understanding.

I appreciate the illumination of the masculine and feminine dance through time. Not only does the author reveal many fascinating twists and brilliant nuances that kept the book in my hands way past my usual bedtime, she also points the way to a brighter future that makes me want to get up early to be part of the unfolding possibilities.

Be informed and inspired with this unique literary gem. Experience a rich bath in the historical, psychological and spiritual design of our present moment. Read this book and awaken to the grand unfolding that we are privileged to share. Thank You Anodea for this awesome offering.
1115165
I have just finished reading Dr. Janet Colli's arresting book, "Sacred
Encounters: Spiritual Awakenings During Close Encounters."  This book
chronicles the mental voyages of a husband and wife psychologist team
exploring the world of Star Visitor encounters. Not only does Janet
provide rich in-depth details about experiencers' contacts, she takes
the realm of encounters research deep into an area not as well explored
previously: the spiritual effects of contact with the Star Visitors.

Dr. Janet Colli's beginning process reminds me of my own earlier steps
of placing the encounter phenomenon against the template of clinical
psychology, and trying to rule out alternative explanations based on one
or other mental aberration. And as I had, Janet and her husband Thomas
one-by-one rule out the typical alternative diagnoses, which do not fit
the real experiences which are going on.

But the most important contribution of this book is its chronicling the
gradual spiritual growth of the experiencers studied, how they are
prompted to move from meditation to out-of-body experiences to
approaching enlightenment.

An interesting aspect of this book is its thorough comparison of the
experiencer's journey with the spiritual path of the Eastern spiritual
traditions of Buddhism and Hinduism. Enlightening perspectives emerge,
which enrich our understanding of the high spiritual purpose of Star
Visitor contacts.

Dr. Janet Colli has indeed made a solid contribution to the literature
on experiencers of Star Visitor contacts and the growthful repercussions
in their lives.
"Sacred Encounters."

[...]
2005198
Beyond Perception beautifully weaves the story of one man's search to find truth, with the practical tools for readers to actively learn from his experiences. The author offers support to many aspects of our human story including relationships, religion, culture, and science through observations and reflections which not only shed new light on our common perceptions but encourages us to investigate further. He delves into the issues of spirituality, the ego, awareness and letting go with such grace and personal recognition that the reader can't help but be inspired to do their own soul searching. I highly recommend this book to anyone curious about the state of our world and their own mind.
9588
The author has written a personal account of her life's challenges by describing her journey into consciousness. She uses an enlightened perspective into Jungian philosophy, Eastern thought and other contemporary ideas that are useful in daily situations bringing a spiritual connection beyond our daily lives. We eagerly look forward to her next book!

[...]
3483882
This book was extremely fascinating, and I appreciated the parts about extraversion, instinct, considering and judging. It has some rally extraordinary and demonstrated procedures to breaking down individuals and to peruse the non-verbal communication of individuals. By and large, this was something I for one ejoyed perusing about, and I unquestionably reccomend it to individuals that wan to jump into the universe of better understanding individuals, examine the and read their non-verbal communication.
3928688
The author's personal experience provides insight into opportunities to explore the richness of energetic states and multi-dimensional states of being.  The process of exploring levels of consciousness is a must read for anyone seeking a deeper awareness in their life.  A meaningful validation of our existence as multi dimensional beings.  The book is one which I will re-read many times over.
1963412
This is one of the most enlightening books on mystical, or spiritual, experiences and their meanings I have read.  The approach Dr. Morse takes is extremely humane, sensitive, and honest.  He manages in an interesting and meaningful way to examine near-death experiences, healings, apparitions, and other unexplained phenomenon in terms of the human brain.  It seems our brains may at times function in a particular way to connect us with realities we normally are not aware of.
I had enjoyed reading Dr. Morse's previous books, where he related the stories of children's near-death experiences, and described the evidence of the transforming nature of these experiences.  In this book, Dr. Morse goes much further in developing his theory of the importance of the right temporal lobe in allowing us to experience the external reality of these experiences.
As a speech-language pathologist, I know a little something about the brain and how it works.  The right hemisphere of the brain processes information very differently from the left.  We have generally known a great deal more about the left hemisphere, which is where our language center is in most people.  However, what Dr. Morse has to say about the right hemisphere and its possible role in NDEs and other experiences connecting us to a "universal memory", or mind, makes a great deal of sense, especially to anyone who has ever had even a minor extra-sensory type of experience.
I especially enjoyed Dr. Morse's personal stories in this book.  It was brave and honest, and made the book real to me.  After all, one of the big questions raised to him has been, "What is the good in having a near-death experience, anyway?"  I appreciated that Dr. Morse attempted to apply some of the lessons he learned to his own life.  It made a poignant story.
3283272
The autonomous individual will find this book an essential ingredient in understanding the various expressions of man. A more efficient use of both sides of the brain will proceed to a more open flexible,rational way of thinking.  The book shows that the evolution of consciousness unfettered by tradition, religion or capitalism is essential for behaving effectively as citizens of the world.
4586581
Rational persons want to understand what the phenomenon of consciousness is all about.  Sam Harris explains this and spirituality in an easily understood way, but leaves some of the mystery of it all.  A fascinating attempt to explain a very deep subject.
3142173
This book is an excellent read. It's a fascinating, well thought out journey though a number of concepts that explain why we think the way we do. I highly recommend this for anyone who's ever wondered how two people can remember the same situation with startlingly different and opposing versions of the same story. It's a nonjudgmental view of how our brains work.
2313229
If you've ever struggled with the dichotomy of being science-minded and spiritual at the same time, this book is for you. Dr. Jill weaves together quantum physics, physiology and spirituality into a fascinating look at what it means to be multidimensional--body, energy and spirit.

Because of this multidimensionality, when the body is out of balance and in a state of dis-ease, we must attend to all of these aspects to truly heal. Dr. Jill gives us a road map to do just that with the Cura Healing Convergence.

You'll be taken on a journey that stimulates your curiosity and satisfies the intellectual mind, while at the same time sparking the deep knowing of the soul. A work that will open your mind, give you a pathway to health, and touch your heart. Breathtaking.
4292376
Brian Lancaster is Principal Lecturer in Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University in England and is the Chair of the Transpersonal Section of the British Psychological Society. In this fascinating book he tries to weave together an empirical, scientific approach to consciousness with the personal accounts found in spiritual and mystical traditions. He tries to bring together some of the data that has emerged from neuroscience and psychology with teachings from Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism.

The book is well organized and most engagingly written.

I very much enjoyed reading this book, but I was left with two questions that have worried me since the first attempts were made to marry mysticism and quantum mechanics and secondly the attempts that have been made to reduce mystical experiences to neural activity. First, can we be sure that we are understanding the mystical texts accurately, and second, can we reduce transpersonal experiences to neural activity?

Many writers have cherry picked the experiences that fit their model. Mystical experiences have many common characteristics, but they are by no means all the same. When authors say that they have found a correspondence between one mystical report and one interpretation of physics, it is almost like trying to fit one mystery with another. There are so many ancient teachings and many of them are quite inscrutable or ambiguous to the untrained. Experts in the various traditions frequently disagree with each other. So it is quite possible to take pretty much any current scientific theory and find mystical teachings to fit. So unless we can be sure about what the teachings are saying we cannot use them to provide evidence for or against the theories. In addition the book includes a lot of  psychodynamic theory which is notoriously open to multiple interpretations.

There will likely be correspondences between neural activity and mystical states, but that is quite different from reducing a profound and meaningful experience to the firing of neurons.

Brian Lancaster subscribes to a supernatural or dualist theory, proposing that a "transcendent reality" is needed to account for subjective experience. I think that he may well be right, but we also cannot ignore several writers, like Francis Crick and Daniel Dennett, who think that we already know enough about the brain to explain conscious experiences, and presumably therefore mystical experiences.

Despite my two questions remaining unanswered, this book provides one of the best summaries of current thinking on consciousness and I recommend it highly.