Lives in Spirit: Precursors and Dilemmas of a Secular Western MysticismSUNY Press, 2003 M08 1 - 357 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
Psychological and Cultural Bases | 9 |
A H Almaas and the Synthesis of Spiritual | 35 |
The Sociology of InnerWorldly Mysticism in | 57 |
The Historical Roots of InnerWorldly Mysticism | 79 |
Mystical Dualism and | 101 |
A Radical Prophetical Dualism114 | 114 |
Transpersonal Anticipations and Conflicts | 123 |
The Woods of Concord as Mirror of the Soul154 | 154 |
Heideggers Nazism | 199 |
Vulnerabilities of Character211 | 211 |
Roots of a Contemporary ThisWorldly Spirituality | 223 |
The Return of Sophia | 279 |
Transpersonal Psychology New Age Spirituality | 301 |
Notes | 319 |
References | 327 |
353 | |
Other editions - View all
Lives in Spirit: Precursors and Dilemmas of a Secular Western Mysticism Harry T. Hunt Limited preview - 2012 |
Lives in Spirit: Precursors and Dilemmas of a Secular Western Mysticism Harry T. Hunt Limited preview - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
abstract Aleister Crowley Almaas Almaas's archetypal aspects autonomy basic become C. G. Jung capacity childhood Christian cognitive consciousness contemporary core creative Crowley Crowley's cultural death described dynamics early ecstasy Emerson emotional Ernst Troeltsch ethical evil experiential Fairbairn false father feeling felt feminist formless dimensions forms Freud Gnostic goddess grandiosity Gurdjieff hatred Heidegger Heidegger's Hermeticism higher human Ialdabaoth identity imagery individual inherent inner inner-worldly mysticism Jerry Garcia Jung's Jungian Kabbalah Kohut Laski later lucid dreaming Maslow Max Weber meditation 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 Princeton prophetical psychoanalysis psychodynamic R. F. C. Hull radical realization reflected schizoid schizoid dilemma self-remembering sense sexual shamanism social society specific spiritual development spontaneous Sufism this-worldly Thoreau tion traditional transpersonal psychology Troeltsch understanding University Press visionary Weber Winnicott York