Cosmic Consciousness: A Study on the Evolution of the Human Mind (Applewood Books)

This classic book on mystical experience was originally published in 1901. Bucke's personal experience with divine illumination led to his theory that we are witnessing a continued psychical revolution of the individual. He believed that individuals like Buddha, Jesus, Spinoza, Whitman, and others were the forerunners of the beings who will eventually inhabit the earth.

Many of the great spiritual and intellectual achievements throughout history represent mankind's quest for an ultimate state of consciousness. This process of developing expanded consciousness is clearly explained in Cosmic Consciousness, one of the classic books on the mystical experience. Richard Maurice Bucke outlines the development of various intellectual and spiritual faculties in the history of man and how their development mirrors the growth of the individual. Bucke believed that "the evolution of the individual is necessarily the evolution of the race in an abridged form." Cosmic Consciousness declares that we are witnessing a continued revolution in enlightenment with people like Buddha, Jesus, Spinoza, and Whitman, to name a few, acting as the forerunners. First published in 1901, Cosmic Consciousness, is an excellent source of information for anyone interested in exploring spiritual development. From simple consciousness, to self-consciousness, and then cosmic consciousness, Bucke provides a work of profound philosophical vision. This classic study occupies a secure place in the archives of written thought.