Lives in Spirit: Precursors and Dilemmas of a Secular Western MysticismState University of New York Press, 2012 M02 1 - 369 pages Lives in Spirit explores the dynamic conflicts that both energized and distorted the spiritual development of key precursor figures of a contemporary secular or "this-worldly" mysticism. With its historical roots in the early Gnostics and Plotinus, this characteristically Western spirituality re-emerges with the secularization and loss of traditional religious belief of modernity. The lives, works, and direct experiences of Nietzsche, Emerson, Thoreau, Jung, Heidegger, Gurdjieff, Crowley, and contemporary feminist mysticism are considered in terms of transpersonal psychology (Almaas), the sociology of mysticism (Weber and Troeltsch), and contemporary psychoanalysis (Winnicott, Bion, Kohut). Spiritual or essential experience is seen as an inherent form of human intelligence, which while potentially and even increasingly impacted by personal dynamics and social crisis, is not reducible to them. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 9 | |
The Historical Roots of InnerWorldly Mysticism Prototypes of Crisis and Resolution in Plotinus Epictetus and Gnosticism | 79 |
Transpersonal Anticipations and Conflicts in NineteenthCentury Precursors to a Naturalistic InnerWorldly Mysticism | 123 |
Some Political Ambiguities in the Development of Presence InnerWorldly Mysticism Metapathology and National Socialism | 171 |
Roots of a Contemporary ThisWorldly Spirituality | 223 |
Transpersonal Psychology New Age Spirituality and the Human Sciences | 301 |
Notes | 319 |
| 327 | |
| 353 | |
Other editions - View all
Lives in Spirit: Precursors and Dilemmas of a Secular Western Mysticism Harry T. Hunt Limited preview - 2003 |
Lives in Spirit: Precursors and Dilemmas of a Secular Western Mysticism Harry T. Hunt Limited preview - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
abstract actually Aleister Crowley Almaas Almaas’s archetypal aspects autonomy become capacity childhood Christian cognitive conflicts consciousness contemporary core creative Crowley Crowley’s cultural death described divine dynamics earlier early ecstasy Emerson emotional Ernst Troeltsch essential strength ethical evil experiential Fairbairn false father feeling felt feminist formless dimensions forms Freud Gnostic goddess grandiosity Gurdjieff hatred Heidegger Heidegger’s Hermeticism higher Hitler human Ialdabaoth identity imagery impact individual inherent inner inner-worldly mysticism Jean Houston Jerry Garcia Jung Jung’s Kabbalah Kohut Laski later lucid dreaming major Maslow Max Weber meditative metapathologies metaphors mirroring modern mother movements narcissism narcissistic naturalistic nature ness Nietzsche Nietzsche’s numinous numinous experience object-relations one’s pain personal essence phenomenology Plotinus political potential presence prophetical radical realization reflected schizoid schizoid dilemma self-remembering sense sexual shamanism social society soul specific spiritual development spontaneous Sufism this-worldly Thoreau tion traditional transpersonal psychology Troeltsch understanding visionary Weber Winnicott