Reality And Mystical Experience

Author : F. Samuel Brainard
Publisher : Penn State Press
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2010-11-01
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 0271041811

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Reality and Mystical Experience by F. Samuel Brainard Pdf

Responding to our modern disillusionment with any claims to absolute truth regarding morality or reality, this book offers a conceptual approach for discussing absolutes without denying either the relevance of divergent religious and philosophical teachings or the evidence supporting postmodern and poststructuralist critiques. Case studies of mysticism within Advaita-Vedānta Hinduism, Mādhyamika Buddhism, and Nicene Christianity demonstrate the value of this approach and offer many fresh insights into the metaphysical presuppositions of these religions as well as into the nature and value of mystical experience. Like Douglas Hofstadter's Gōdel, Escher, Bach, this book finds ultimate reality to be rationally graspable only as an eternal fugue of pattern and paradox. Yet it does not so much counter other philosophical views as provide a conceptual tool for understanding and classifying incommensurable views.

Author : Keith Michael Hancock
Publisher : BookLocker.com, Inc.
Page : 380 pages
File Size : 47,8 Mb
Release : 2019-12-10
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 9781647180942

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Mystical Experience of Reality by Keith Michael Hancock Pdf

The Mystical Experience of Reality is a well known non-biological, non-human historical phenomena that engulfed the author as a 14year-old several times every year until his late thirties, filling him with the experience of a Reality in which all things known and unknown exist at Its behest, guarding, guiding, accepting everything that exists separately, personally, individually. It is benign and uninterested in human wants or constructs such as religions, politics, ideologies. The author is what Buddhism would call a pratyakabuddha, a silent buddha whose experience of this Reality was spontaneous, without having been requested or by given human help - a mystic. He insists the experience of Reality is caught, not taught, that it cannot be evangelized or proselytized, worshipped or used. Reality rules. Its ways are not our ways. Our ways are not Reality's. Jesus failed. Religions are not spiritual, just emotional. So the book started with a Blog, mysticexperiences.net for the author to examine himself and existence in accordance with the way of Reality. Accordingly, he found nothing in humanity worth studying. This book is a summation of four years of using writing the blog to explore the awareness given him by his mystical experiences in the hope it will add to the literature on the subject, which is now being more seriously studied around the world than it has ever been by physicists, metaphysicists, philosophers, theologians, psychologists, even cosmologists - and especially Seekers, for whom the author has special messages for their unique hunger and thirst. The book also seeks to pass on Reality's message to the author: All is well.

Author : F. Samuel Brainard
Publisher : Penn State Press
Page : 411 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 2017-09-21
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780271080550

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Reality’s Fugue by F. Samuel Brainard Pdf

Science, religion, philosophy: these three categories of thought have organized humankind’s search for meaning from time immemorial. Reality’s Fugue presents a compelling case that these ways of understanding, often seen as competing, are part of a larger puzzle that cannot be rendered by one account of reality alone. This book begins with an overview of the concept of reality and the philosophical difficulties associated with attempts to account for it through any single worldview. By clarifying the differences among first-person, third-person, and dualist understandings of reality, F. Samuel Brainard repurposes the three predominant ways of making sense of those differences: exclusionist (only one worldview can be right), inclusivist (viewing other worldviews through the lens of one in order to incorporate them all, and thus distorting them), and pluralist or relativist (holding that there are no universals, and truth is relative). His alternative mode of understanding uses Douglas Hofstadter’s metaphor of a musical fugue that allows different “voices” and “melodies” of worldviews to coexist in counterpoint and conversation, while each remains distinct, with none privileged above the others. Approaching reality in this way, Brainard argues, opens up the possibility for a multivoiced perspective that can overcome the skeptical challenges that metaphysical positions face. Engagingly argued by a lifelong scholar of philosophy and global religions, this edifying and accessible exploration of the nature of reality addresses deeply meaningful questions about belief, reconciliation, and being.

Author : Marshall Vian Summers
Publisher : Society for the New Message
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2013-09-09
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781884238901

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Secrets of Heaven by Marshall Vian Summers Pdf

Author : Philip C. Almond
Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Page : 208 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2015-02-06
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9783110823981

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Mystical Experience and Religious Doctrine by Philip C. Almond Pdf

Sinceits founding by Jacques Waardenburg in 1971, Religion and Reason has been a leading forum for contributions on theories, theoretical issues and agendas related to the phenomenon and the study of religion. Topics include (among others) category formation, comparison, ethnophilosophy, hermeneutics, methodology, myth, phenomenology, philosophy of science, scientific atheism, structuralism, and theories of religion. From time to time the series publishes volumes that map the state of the art and the history of the discipline.

Author : Ralph W. Hood
Publisher : Rodopi
Page : 194 pages
File Size : 50,6 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9042013397

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Dimensions of Mystical Experiences by Ralph W. Hood Pdf

Main headings: Part 1. Conceptual issues in the empirical study of mysticism. - Part 2. The measurement of mysticism. - Part 3. The quasi-experimental elicitation of mystical experience. - Part 4. Mysticism, religious orientation, eroticism and death. - Part 5. Triggers and evaluation of mystical experience. - Part 6. The veridical nature of mystical experience. - Epilogue.

Author : Paul Marshall
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 448 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2019-03-18
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781538124789

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The Shape of the Soul by Paul Marshall Pdf

“An essential read for any true seeker."—Eben Alexander, MD, Neurosurgeon, author of Proof of Heaven and Living in a Mindful Universe When Paul Marshall began to pay attention to his dreams, he could not have anticipated the transformative experience that would follow. A tremendous expansion of consciousness exposed the insignificance of his everyday self but also revealed unsuspected depths of mind and hinted at a deeper self that holds the universe within. In The Shape of the Soul, Marshall—now a mysticism scholar—draws on personal experiences, along with a wealth of religious, philosophical, and scientific ideas, to explore this deeper self, sometimes experienced in mystical and near-death states as spherical in form. Drawing inspiration from the philosophers Plotinus and Leibniz, Marshall takes mind to be more fundamental than matter and views the basic units of nature as perceptual beings. We ourselves are such beings, striving for fulfilment in a long evolutionary journey of soul-making. Bringing together mysticism, philosophy, biology, and even some physics, The Shape of the Soul offers a deeply integrated vision of the self and the universe. Addressing the mind–body problem, the origin of the world, evolution, reincarnation, suffering, and the nature of God, Marshall delivers what will surely prove an intellectual classic.

Author : Jason N. Blum
Publisher : Penn State University Press
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2016-10-15
Category : Mysticism
ISBN : 0271070803

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Zen and the Unspeakable God by Jason N. Blum Pdf

An interpretive approach to the study of mystical experience. Compares the experiences of Meister Eckhart, Ibn Arabi, and Hui-neng to reveal commonalities that have provocative implications for our understanding of consciousness.

Author : Jerome Gellman
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 223 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2017-11-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781351786638

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Mystical Experience of God by Jerome Gellman Pdf

This title was first published in 2001: Engaging contemporary discussion concerning the validity of mystical experiences of God, Jerome Gellman presents the best evidential case in favor of validity and its implications for belief in God. Gellman vigorously defends the coherence of the concept of a mystical experience of God against philosophical objections, and evaluates attempts to provide alternative explanations from sociology and neuropsychology. He then carefully examines feminist objections to male philosophers' treatments of mystical experience of God and to the traditional hierarchal concept of God. Gellman finds none of the objections decisive, and concludes that while the initial evidential case is not rationally compelling for some, it can be rationally compelling for others. Offering important new perspectives on the evidential value of experiences of God, and the concept of God more broadly, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers including those with an interest in philosophy of religion, religious studies, mysticism and epistemology.

Author : William A. Richards
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Page : 279 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2015-12-08
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780231540919

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Sacred Knowledge by William A. Richards Pdf

Sacred Knowledge is the first well-documented, sophisticated account of the effect of psychedelics on biological processes, human consciousness, and revelatory religious experiences. Based on nearly three decades of legal research with volunteers, William A. Richards argues that, if used responsibly and legally, psychedelics have the potential to assuage suffering and constructively affect the quality of human life. Richards's analysis contributes to social and political debates over the responsible integration of psychedelic substances into modern society. His book serves as an invaluable resource for readers who, whether spontaneously or with the facilitation of psychedelics, have encountered meaningful, inspiring, or even disturbing states of consciousness and seek clarity about their experiences. Testing the limits of language and conceptual frameworks, Richards makes the most of experiential phenomena that stretch our understanding of reality, advancing new frontiers in the study of belief, spiritual awakening, psychiatric treatment, and social well-being. His findings enrich humanities and scientific scholarship, expanding work in philosophy, anthropology, theology, and religious studies and bringing depth to research in mental health, psychotherapy, and psychopharmacology.

Author : Ayon Maharaj
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 288 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 2018-10-08
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780190868246

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Infinite Paths to Infinite Reality by Ayon Maharaj Pdf

Sri Ramakrishna is widely known as a nineteenth-century Indian mystic who affirmed the harmony of all religions on the basis of his richly varied spiritual experiences and eclectic religious practices, both Hindu and non-Hindu. In Infinite Paths to Infinite Reality, Ayon Maharaj argues that Sri Ramakrishna was also a sophisticated philosopher of great contemporary relevance. Through a careful study of Sri Ramakrishna's recorded oral teachings in the original Bengali, Maharaj reconstructs his philosophical positions and analyzes them from a cross-cultural perspective. Sri Ramakrishna's spiritual journey culminated in the exalted state of "vijñana," his term for the "intimate knowledge" of God as the Infinite Reality that is both personal and impersonal, with and without form, immanent in the universe and beyond it. This expansive spiritual standpoint of vijñana, Maharaj contends, opens up a new paradigm for addressing central issues in cross-cultural philosophy of religion, including divine infinitude, religious pluralism, mystical experience, and the problem of evil. Sri Ramakrishna's vijñana-based religious pluralism--when grasped in all its subtlety--proves to have major philosophical advantages over dominant Western models. Moreover, his mystical testimony and teachings not only cut across long-standing debates about the nature of mystical experience but also bolster recent defenses of its epistemic value. Maharaj further demonstrates that Sri Ramakrishna's unique response to the problem of evil resonates strongly with Western "soul-making" theodicies and contemporary theories of skeptical theism. A pioneering interdisciplinary study of one of India's most important philosopher-mystics, Maharaj's book is essential reading for scholars and students in philosophy of religion, theology, religious studies, and Hindu studies.

Author : Alex Berkeley
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2023-11
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9798989299225

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Why Does Reality Exist? by Alex Berkeley Pdf

How magical your existence is to be alive and reading this line before you... Why does Reality Exist? Why is there something rather than nothing? What happens to you when you die? Through the lens of an altered state of consciousness, a mystic and practicing psychonaut takes a visionary look at life's most magical age-old questions. Structured in 14 chapters through parables, short stories, and essays, this book explores some of the overlapping themes found in mystical experiences, near-death experiences (NDEs), and lucid dreams. As you journey through the pages and open your mind to the wonder of existence, you'll find that the distinction between "me" and "you", "delusion" and "reality", "death" and "birth" becomes increasingly blurred... It is the author's hope that this book helps the reader better integrate the invisible knowledge learned in these "other worlds" upon "return" to this-worldly realm. The purpose of the book is to help provide a guidemap to those who may be undergoing spiritual awakening, validate the glimpses to those who have been "there", and share the wonders of mystical experience to those altogether new to this journey. Though mystical truths are outside of our known understanding and spiritual awakening can feel overwhelming, the paradigm shift in our way of thinking towards union with the Divine is within reach...

Author : Yaroslav Komarovski
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2015-06-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780190244996

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Tibetan Buddhism and Mystical Experience by Yaroslav Komarovski Pdf

In this book, Yaroslav Komarovski argues that the Tibetan Buddhist interpretations of the realization of ultimate reality both contribute to and challenge contemporary interpretations of unmediated mystical experience. The model used by the majority of Tibetan Buddhist thinkers states that the realization of ultimate reality, while unmediated during its actual occurrence, is necessarily filtered and mediated by the conditioning contemplative processes leading to it, and Komarovski argues that therefore, in order to understand this mystical experience, one must focus on these processes, rather than on the experience itself. Komarovski also provides an in-depth comparison of seminal Tibetan Geluk thinker Tsongkhapa and his major Sakya critic Gorampa's accounts of the realization of ultimate reality, demonstrating that the differences between these two interpretations lie primarily in their conflicting descriptions of the compatible conditioning processes that lead to this realization. Komarovski maintains that Tsongkhapa and Gorampa's views are virtually irreconcilable, but demonstrates that the differing processes outlined by these two thinkers are equally effective in terms of actually attaining the realization of ultimate reality. Tibetan Buddhism and Mystical Experience speaks to the plurality of mystical experience, perhaps even suggesting that the diversity of mystical experience is one of its primary features.

Author : Richard H. Jones
Publisher : State University of New York Press
Page : 440 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2016-03-23
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781438461205

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Philosophy of Mysticism by Richard H. Jones Pdf

A comprehensive exploration of the philosophical issues raised by mysticism. This work is a comprehensive study of the philosophical issues raised by mysticism. Mystics claim to experience reality in a way not available in normal life, a claim which makes this phenomenon interesting from a philosophical perspective. Richard H. Jones’s inquiry focuses on the skeleton of beliefs and values of mysticism: knowledge claims made about the nature of reality and of human beings; value claims about what is significant and what is ethical; and mystical goals and ways of life. Jones engages language, epistemology, metaphysics, science, and the philosophy of mind. Methodological issues in the study of mysticism are also addressed. Examples of mystical experience are drawn chiefly from Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta, but also from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Daoism. Richard H. Jones is the author of several books, including Mysticism Examined: Philosophical Inquiries into Mysticism, also published by SUNY Press.

Author : Christopher Hugh Partridge,Theodore P. C. Gabriel
Publisher : Paternoster Publishing
Page : 416 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2003
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : UVA:X004684372

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Mysticisms East and West by Christopher Hugh Partridge,Theodore P. C. Gabriel Pdf

Mysticism is proving to be the chosen type of religion for future generations of believers in the West. As traditional institutional religion continues to decline, mystical thought is celebrated as a vital, subversive alternative. Evidence for this religious-cultural shift towards the mystical, the experiential, and indeed the creation-centered can be found in bookstores, most of which devote a large amount of shelf space to mystical themes and writers from the world religions. While this shift is not new, an increasing number of westerners are turning east because they find the fundamentally mystical thought of Asian religious traditions appealing. Furthermore, numerous westerners have actually become gurus and mystics within Eastern traditions. Mysticisms East and West examines the worldwide phenomenon of mystical experience across the world religions. In examining both Christian and non-Christian expressions of mysticism, this unique volume brings together a number of prominent evangelical scholars to analyze the central historical, cultural, and theological issues. Beginning in the East, these studies in mystical experience gradually move to the West and to Christian mysticism before concluding with a number of philosophically reflective essays examining the implications and nature of mysticism.