The Theosophical Society in
The
www.austheos.org.au/campbell.htm
4th flr
Selected
Publications that Explore
VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
CONSCIOUSNESS
AND ‘WAYS OF KNOWING’
BESANT, Annie: A Study in Consciousness: A
Contribution to the Science of
Psychology, Theosophical Pub. Society
Bhagavad
Gita See JUDGE, William Q: Bhagavad
Gita recension combined with
his Essays on
the Gita, TUP 1978 220
pages. Various other translations and commentaries
are also available. For texts online see Links.
BLAVATSKY, H.P.: The Voice of the
Silence. 1st
ed. 1889, other editions since. Complete texts of several editions accessible
through Links to Theosophical
Texts Online
This is one of the last works that H. P.
Blavatsky wrote before her death in 1891.
She states in her Preface that it was derived from The Book of the
Golden Precepts forming part of the same series from which the ‘Stanzas’ of
the Book of Dzyan were taken and on which The Secret Doctrine is
based. See Boris de Zirkoff
‘s informative article, ’How The Voice of the Silence was
Written’, The American Theosophist, Nov/Dec 1988, and in the Quest Book
Centennial edition, 1992.
In his article de Zirkoff describes The Voice
of the Silence as ‘a guide in practical life, a devotional text which would
create the proper spiritual atmosphere in the mind of the student and help to
transform thought into action, aspirations into compassionate deeds’ and
crowning Blavatsky’s ‘previous efforts with thoughts and ideals of enduring
spiritual worth, a legacy of both depth and grandeur bequeathed to humanity at
large.’
BUCKE, Richard
Maurice: Cosmic Consciousness: A
Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind, EP Dutton and Co NY 1901, 384 pages
A classic study of human
consciousness experience that was a landmark in its time and is still of
interest.
Its theme has implications for humanity’s potential to achieve a higher
level of consciousness. Bucke defines cosmic consciousness as “a higher form of
consciousness than that possessed by the ordinary man”. He himself had an experience in which he
considered he entered into such a state:
“[He] found himself wrapped by a flame-coloured cloud … he knew that the
light was within himself. Directly after
there came upon him a sense of exultation, of immense joyousness, accompanied
or immediately followed by an intellectual illumination impossible to
describe”. He remained profoundly
impressed for the rest of his life.
Bucke’s experience inspired him to investigate
others who had similar experiences, and to amass accounts from a wide range of
individuals - some historical, some contemporary. This book contains thirty-six case histories
of such experiences. He also explored
this ‘cosmic consciousness’ from a scientific viewpoint and developed a theory
based on evolution to explain it. He
considered that the human race would be enhanced by the gradual development of
this new kind of consciousness far in advance of ordinary self-consciousness.
Richard Bucke had practically no formal schooling but educated himself to become a
leading medical doctor, specialising in mental health. He was a leader in this field and his
compassionate and humane methods of treatment were ahead of his time. He held leading positions in the teaching and
administration of mental health, culminating in his election as President of
the Psychological Section of the British Medical Association in 1888, and
President of the American Medico-Psychological Association in 1890.
CHATTERJI,
Mohini M: Viveka-Cudamani or Crest-Jewel of Wisdom.
See SANKARACHARYA.
Crest–Jewel of Wisdom (Viveka-Chudamani). See SANKARACHARYA.
HANSON,
Virginia (ed): Approaches to Meditation, Quest TPH
Wheaton
Contributions with a wide range
of approaches. Joy Mills notes in the introductory chapter: “In presenting this compilation of articles ….
our endeavour has been to cast some light upon the
processes and disciplines of meditational procedures. In many of the articles it is pointed out
that meditation involves the totality of an individual’s life and activities”.
HAO CHIN Jr, Vicente: The Process of Self-Transformation: mastery of the self
and awakening of our
higher potentials, TPH Philippines, 2003
This
self-transformation process is a spiritual approach to dealing with
psychological conflicts that
hinder our capacity to live more
fully and to have more meaningful relationships. These conflicts
may also prevent the deepening of spiritual
practices. Four areas are covered and
each contains
exercises to help their
exploration. They are:
- review of our map of reality
- self-mastery
- clarification and integration of values
- transcendence.
The
book is based on the outcome of Self-Transformation Seminars that Vicente Hao
Chin Jr has
been conducting in many countries including
the
for integration of self-transformation and academic learning.
HOELLER, Stephen:
Gnosticism: New Light on the Ancient Tradition of Inner Knowing, Quest
Books TPH Wheaton 2002, 256 pages:
From the author’s Preface: ‘This book is a
concise and sympathetic presentation of the teachings and spiritual ambience of
the Gnostic tradition. .... The title describes it as
containing insights into a tradition. This is intended not as a mere figure of
speech, for Gnosticism is truly a tradition and not a mere collection of ideas,
myths and symbols that may be interpreted according to any whim or opinion.
What we have here is a full-blown tradition with its definite worldview, its
scriptures, its mystery rites, its priesthoods, and its spiritual lineage. If
Gnosticism were purely a form of spontaneously motivated spirituality,
unmediated by tradition, there would be no need for a book such as this....
The book is not primarily
a work of academic scholarship .... it
aspires to serve as an introduction to the subject’. There is also a range of illustrations and
designs.
INDICH,
William M: Consciousness in Advaita
Vedanta, Motilal Banarsidass
Indich presents a systematic, critical and comparative study of the nature
of human awareness according to classical Indian thought. In particular, he focuses on the nature of
consciousness according to Advaita Vedanta.
In this system, he says, the study of consciousness is the study of
human awareness. However, it holds that
human awareness also encompasses transcendental consciousness,
or the realisation of the identity of human consciousness with all
existence. In describing the Advaitic
philosophical system Indich analyses its vision of
waking, dream and dreamless sleep experiences, comparing this analysis with
Western thinkers such as Freud and Jung.
He provides an extensive bibliography.
William M. Indich has a PhD in Comparative Philosophy from the
JAMES, William:
The Varieties of Religious Experience - a study in human nature,
Longmans, Green & Co. UK 2nd ed. 1902, 534 pages.
An exploration of the characteristics of the
religious life.
JUDGE, William Q: BHAGAVAD-GITA Recension
combined with his Essays on the Gita, Theosophical
University Press 1978, 220 pages. Various other translations and commentaries
are also available. For text
online see Links
The Bhagavad
Gita, an episode of the Mahabharata, has introduced many to the
profound wisdom of Hindu philosophy.
William Judge was one of the founders, in 1875,
of The Theosophical Society. He was a
serious student and encouraged others to investigate and experience a broad
spiritual perspective. He recognised the
value of the Bhagavad Gita but he also saw the need for a non-academic
exposition of its doctrines. To this
end, during 1887-8 and 1895-6 he published in The Path, his
monthly magazine, a series of illuminating essays exploring its
philosophy. His Recension appeared
in 1890.
KAFATOS, Menas and KAFATOU, Tahlia: Looking In Seeing Out: Consciousness and Cosmos, Quest Books TPH Wheaton
From the Introduction: “The present work can be distinguished from
many popular books which attempt to prove fundamental connections between
modern physics and philosophical, religious systems. Quantum theory says nothing about
consciousness. It only shows the
inadequacy of the scientific paradigm to obtain a complete picture of the
universe which must include the role of the consciousness of the observers. Modern physics shows the need for synthesis
but does not accomplish that synthesis.
We do not attempt to show that quantum theory is evolving towards
Eastern philosophies or that Eastern philosophies are becoming more valid
because of the findings of Western science.
Our position is that physics does not need mysticism for support, and
neither does mysticism need physics for validation. Rather the two are complementary.”
In pursuing this end the authors examine what
modern science says about the nature of the universe. They look at what they term “the metaphysical
science of consciousness”. They also
examine the synthesis between physical science and metaphysical science, saying
that such a synthesis cannot ignore the individual human being and his or her
place in the universe. All great
philosophers and sages, they say, “have urged humans to look within
themselves. On this internal level the
synthesis is consummated: everything one
is looking for is within. The outer
universe is then seen to be what is really is – a projection of consciousness
(looking in seeing out). Moreover
individual consciousness is seen as identical to universal Consciousness.”
Menas Kafatos has
a PhD in physics from MIT. He teaches and researches astrophysics and quantum
theory and is an author of several publications. Thalia Kafatou
has a PhD in computer science and management information systems. Both are serious students of a variety of
philosophical systems.
LASZLO, Ervin: Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral
Theory of Everything, Inner Traditions USA 2nd ed 2007, 194 pages
From Laszlo’s Introduction: “In this book I
discuss the origins and essential elements of the worldview now emerging at the
cutting edge of the new sciences. I
explore why and how it is surfacing in physics and in cosmology, in the
biological sciences, and in the new field of consciousness research. Then I highlight the crucial feature of the
emerging worldview: the revolutionary
discovery that at the roots of reality there is not just matter and energy, but
also a more subtle but equally fundamental factor, one that we can best
describe as active and effective information: ‘in-formation’.
‘In-formation’, I claim, links all things in the
universe, atoms as well as galaxies, organisms the same as minds. This discovery transforms the fragmented
world-concept of the mainstream sciences into an integral, holistic
worldview. It opens the way toward the
elaboration of a theory that has been much discussed but until recently has not
been truly achieved: an integral theory
not just of one kind of things, but of all kinds – an integral theory of
everything.
[This] would bring us closer to understanding the
real nature of all the things that exist and evolve in space and time …. It gives us an encompassing and yet
scientific view of ourselves and of the world; a view that we very much need in
these times of accelerating change and mounting disorientation”.
In Part One Laszlo sets out the foundations of
his theory and explains how information “connects everything to everything
else”. In Part Two, he further explores
his idea of the ‘in-formed universe’ including how the Akashic field concept
fits into the picture.
LASZLO, Ervin: Science and the Reenchantment
of the Cosmos: The Rise of the Integral
Vision of Reality, Inner Traditions USA 2006, 217 pages
Laszlo again takes up the issues he explores in
the book described above. He explains
his theory that physical and spiritual reality are two
faces of one coherent whole. The reenchantment of the cosmos as a coherent, integral whole
comes from the latest discoveries in the natural sciences, but the basic
concept is not new, it is, he says, as old as civilisation. In this book Laszlo also explores the concept
of the Akashic Field and its potential.
He then expands the consideration of pertinent
issues in the section titled ‘The Re-Union of Science and Spirituality’ by
including chapters from leading thinkers.
These include Jane Goodall, Stanislav Grof, Christian de Quincey and others from the fields of psychology,
metaphysics, biology, mathematics, philosophy, economics, religion, education
and conservation, etc. Together they
consider how “this integral vision of reality may be restored to humanity so
that it may see itself as a coherent part of a coherent world … a conscious
part … a being through which the cosmos comes to know itself”.
Ervin Laszlo has
a Ph.D. from the Sorbonne, four honorary Ph.Ds and
numerous awards, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 and
2005. Among other things he is a former
professor of philosophy, systems theory, and futures studies and founder and
President of the information think tank The Club of Budapest. He has written 74 books that have been translated
into 20 languages.
PATANJALI: The Yoga Aphorisms [or Sutras] of
Patanjali, William Q Judge interpretation, Theosophy Company CA 1889/1930, 74
pages. Various other translations
also available. For texts online see Links
RINPOCHE,
Samdhong: Buddhist Meditation, TPH Adyar
Meditation, says Samdhong Rinpoche, is the
instrument that we need in order to search for that which is yet beyond
ourselves. In the book he discusses
issues that arise from essential questions: Why do we meditate? What is meditation? What is its result? He considers aspects such as preparation; technique; potential impediments; the goal. Continuing with the practice of meditation
will produce changes in the body, in the mind, and in awareness. Commenting on the potential power of
mediation and its contribution to alleviating misery in the universe he
says: “If we can do little at present,
we can [at least] build up the power of the mind because it is the mightiest
power in the universe, for everything was and is created by it. This power cannot be disturbed or challenged
by material powers because they themselves are only a by-product of the power
of mind. Therefore the powers of
compassion and wisdom are much stronger than the powers of ignorance and
hatred”.
The publication is based on talks given at the
1982 School of the Wisdom, The Theosophical Society, Adyar
in
Samdhong Rinpoche, a life member of The Theosophical Society, is Prime Minister of the
Tibetan Government-in-Exile. From
infancy he was given the rigorous religious and philosophical training suitable
for an incarnated lama in
SANKARACHARYA: The Crest Jewel of Wisdom (Vivekachudamani). Translation by Charles JOHNSTON, John M Watkins London
1964, 104 pages. There are also
versions by other translators. For text online see Links.
The Crest Jewel of Wisdom has been described as ‘a practical and
inspiring guide to life’. It starts,
says
See also
other translations, eg, by Mohini M. CHATTERJI: Viveka-Cudamani, TPH Adyar
1932, 228 pages, and translation and commentaries by Ernest WOOD: The Pinnacle of Indian Thought
– Crest Jewel of Discrimination, Quest Wheaton 1967, 161 pages. For
various texts online see Links
SMITH, E.
Lester: Inner Adventures:
Thought, Intuition and Beyond, Quest Books TPH Wheaton
Lester Smith examines the anatomy, function and
activities of the brain; as well as memory, thinking and various levels of
consciousness. In trying to understand
nature and life he says that they cannot be constrained in relatively simple
hypotheses. The whole truth lies beyond
any mental processes and can only be apprehended in mystical
understanding. Each chapter in the book
is an independent essay on some facet of the overall theme. The scientific and philosophical chapters
lead to those that are a brief guide to the spiritual life. Lester Smith covers a wide range: mystical and higher states of consciousness,
intuition, dreaming, brain rhythms, bio-feedback, information processing,
mind-brain interface, etc.
SMITH,
E. Lester (ed) with revisions by Patrick MILBURN: Intelligence Came
First:
Life and Mind in the Field of Cosmic
Consciousness, Quest TPH Wheaton 2nd ed 1990,
221
pages:
Originally
published in 1975, this book is the outcome of research by a group of individuals well-
qualified in science and with much of
the material drafted by the editor. In
this 2nd edition Patrick
Milburn,
a philosophical biologist, significantly revised or eliminated some chapters,
added others,
and incorporated further important
scientific material. Smith, who also
extensively rewrote his
contribution, noted that “each of us
wholly approves the contributions of the other”.
The
researchers start from the premise that consciousness is a fact of nature,
since it is a universal
experience, and then hypothesise that
intelligence is primal and that the cosmos is grounded in, and
pervaded by, Intelligence. They refute traditional scientific theory
that promotes the role of ‘blind’
matter and blind chance in the
universe. They examine and interpret
various scientific approaches
to this complex issue.
E. Lester Smith has a D.Sc. and has won many honours, including being appointed
Fellow of the
Royal Society for his discovery of the benefits of vitamin B12.
SRI
RAM, N: Consciousness: Its Nature and Action, Blavatsky
Lecture 1964.
For
text online see Links
SRI
RAM, N: The
Way of Wisdom. A collection of
unrevised transcripts of talks given during 1956-64 on At the Feet of the Master, Light
on the Path, The Voice of the Silence
and the Bhagavad Gita. TPH Adyar 1989, 372 pages.
TSONG-KHA-PA: The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment,
The Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee
(ed), Snow Lion Publications NY 3 vols.
Descriptions below are from
the volumes’ covers.
Tsong–Kha-Pa
completed this work in 1402 and it soon became one of the most renowned works
of spiritual practice and philosophy in the
world of Tibetan Buddhism. He based his insights
on the
classical Indian Buddhist literature,
illustrating his points with classical
citations as well as with sayings of
the masters of the earlier Kadampa tradition. The text
demonstrates how Tibetan Buddhism
carefully preserved and developed Indian Buddhist traditions.
Vol 1, 2000, 434 pages: establishes
that the central focus of the text is the development of the
spirit of enlightenment, the heart
of the Mahayana tradition. All the
practices that are prerequisite
for developing the spirit of enlightenment
are covered here;
Vol 2, 2004, 295 pages: the
heart of the Great Treatise. This
covers the spirit of enlightenment
and the deeds of the bodhisattvas;
Vol 3, 2002, 447 pages: contains
a presentation of the two most important topics to be found in
the Great Treatise - meditative
serenity and supramundane insight into the nature of reality.
van den BROEK, Roelof and HANEGRAAFF, Wouter J (eds): Gnosis and Hermeticism:
from antiquity to modern times, State Uni. of N.Y. Press 1998, 402 pages
The editors aim to meet a need for scholarly,
empirical and historical research into what has been
called the ‘third component of Western culture’ – i.e. those religious
traditions that have rejected
a world-view based on the primacy of either pure rationality or
doctrinal faith. This third aspect
emphasises instead the importance of inner enlightenment or gnosis: a revelatory
experience
which is typically believed to entail an encounter with one’s true self as
well as with the ‘ground
of being’, God. To this end,
contributors to this book demonstrate this perspective as
fundamental to a variety of interconnected traditions.
The book originated as lectures given at the
contributions from the various authors have been arranged to produce a
chronological
consideration of main aspects. These
selections from the Table of Contents indicate the scope:
Gnosticism
and Hermeticism in antiquity; Manichaeism; A Christian Gnostic text;
Nag Hammadi Codex VI.6;
the Cathars; music and the
Hermetic tradition; Romanticism and the
Esoteric
connection; Christian theosophic literature of 17th & 18th
centuries; William Blake and
his Gnostic myths; New Age movement and the
esoteric tradition.
The editors are distinguished scholars in
religion, esotericism and Western culture, and
have authored various publications.
Viveka-Chudamani (Crest-Jewel
of Wisdom) – see SANKARACHARYA
WOLMAN,
Benjamin B. and ULLMAN, Montague (eds): Handbook of States of Consciousness, Van Nostrand
Reinhold Co NY 1986, 672 pages
The editors present wide-ranging research into
states of consciousness covering diverse approaches and different
viewpoints. Apart from their own
contributions there are articles from more than twenty leading authorities in
the disciplines of neurology, medicine, psychology, psychiatry, consciousness
studies, sleep research, etc. The
subjects covered include parapsychology, meditation, dreams, hypnosis,
mysticism, drug addiction, sensory deprivation, biofeedback and altered states
of consciousness. These aspects are
explored in three major areas, namely, theory, manifestations and applications,
their neurological corollaries, and related issues.
Benjamin B. Wolman was a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst. He is a celebrated editor and author of noted
publications. Montague Ullman was a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, and
Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in
WOOD, Ernest: The
Pinnacle of Indian Thought - see SANKARACHARYA
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