Cosmic Consciousness: A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind - Softcover

Bucke, Richard Maurice

Softcover

ISBN 10: 048647190X ISBN 13: 9780486471907

Publisher: Dover, 2009

Synopsis

Acclaimed by William James as "an addition to psychology of first-rate importance," this pioneering work constitutes a classic modern study of the mystical experience. Author Richard Maurice Bucke, a distinguished progressive psychiatrist, explores the phenomenon of transcendent realization, or illumination. Bucke draws upon his firsthand experience of a life-altering insight to explore the theory of cosmic consciousness, an advance in mental evolution with the potential to raise existence to a higher plane.
As valuable today as it was upon its 1901 publication, this landmark survey treats illumination from the standpoint of psychology, as a rare but definite and well-documented mental condition. It cites instances of sudden enlightenment experienced by mystics, philosophers, writers, and artists throughout history, noting an increasing frequency of episodes consistent with an evolutionary trend. Numerous case studies offer intriguing, real-life particulars of people and their personal epiphanies — from Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed, to Dante, William Blake, Walt Whitman, and lesser-known individuals. A work of uplift and promise, this book offers readers a vista of extraordinary possibilities and a renewed capacity for hope and wonder.

About this title

Book Description

Bucke's account (1901) of his research and contemplation on the trend towards heightened intellectual awareness in man, through evolution, explaining his theory of the three stages of conscious development that culminate in flashes of understanding of the life and order of the cosmos, illustrated by his own and others' experiences.

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Edition details

• Publisher: Dover
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 048647190X
• ISBN 13: 9780486471907
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 416