‘THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY’ revisited | Gurdjieff's teaching: for scholars and practitioners

‘THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY’ revisited | Gurdjieff's teaching: for scholars and practitioners

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‘THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY’ revisited

JOHN ROBERT COLOMBO reopens his old copy

of Aldous Huxley’s important study

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for a book that I bought by mail from Samuel Weiser Inc., the well-known, used-book dealer, then located in New York City. I made the purchase on 18 July 1957. I know the date of the original purchase because in a firm hand I had inscribed the date on the back end-page of the coveted volume. I read the book shortly after buying it, as its fame had preceded my purchase of this title, and since then its spine has graced many a bookshelf in the houses in which I have since lived and worked.

The edition that I have of “The Perennial Philosophy” is cloth-bound (printers used real cloth in those days) and its distinctive colour (russet) has yet to fade. The edition measures 5.25″ by 8.25″ and there are eight preliminary pages followed by the text of 360 pages. In design the pages are unpretentious and hence attractive to behold, and because they are set in largish type they are quite easy to read. The pages are sewn rather than glued and the paper is cream-coloured and hence it shows no evidence of its age; there is not a mottle in sight. The edition in question is the first edition, or close to it, published by Huxley’s regular London-based publishing house, Chatto & Windus, in 1946. I wish I had the dust jacket but it was not supplied by Samuel Weiser.

The pages may not show their years, but in a great many ways the text of the book is quite dated, almost alarmingly so. Now, Aldous Huxley is an interesting writer who is best (and worst) described as an intellectual, a highbrow, or, to use the terminology that he employs, a “cerebrotonic.” As he explains in these pages, “Cerebrotonics hate to slam doors or raise their voices, and suffer acutely from the unrestrained bellowing and trampling of the somatotonic …. The emotional gush of the viscerotonic strikes them as offensively shallow and even insincere.”

With this vocabulary he is employing the psychology of human types elaborated by the American psychologist William Sheldon, a scheme long out of fashion yet dear to the hearts of students of consciousness studies everywhere. Nothing dates quite as quickly as psychological terminology. Psychical and spiritual terminology like “intellectual centre,” “emotional centre, “moving centre,” etc., seems to age hardly at all!

Huxley died at the age of sixty-nine in 1963, the same day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated. There is about the life and death of the English author and intellectual the sense of the dashing of high hopes, analogous to the early death of the American president. Huxley advanced from being a nihilist in his youth to a psychedelicist in his age. Where would the next twenty or thirty years have taken him? Perhaps to the altar of the nearest Episcopal church. The question is unanswerable.

The jury is still out about which genre is the best for Huxley: Was he finer as a literary artist (remember Point Counterpoint and Brave New World, the novels that ensured his reputation) or was he finer as a literary essayist (required reading in the 1950s was The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell, short memoirs that did so much to mark the coming of age of the psychedelic revolution of the late Fifties and early Sixties)? It matters little, but accompanying his migration from England to California was his move the ironic to the mythic levels of discourse, almost as a matter of course.

Everyone interested in consciousness studies has heard of his study called The Perennial Philosophy. It bears such a prescient and memorable title. His use of the title has preempted its use by any other author, neuropsychologist, Traditionalist, or enthusiast for the New Age. The book so nobly named did much to romanticize the notion of “perennialism” and to cast into the shade such long-established timid Christian notions of “ecumenicism” (Protestants dialoguing with Catholics, etc.) or “inter-faith” meetings (Christians encountering non-Christians, etc.). Who would cared about the beliefs of Baptists when one could care about the practices of Tibetans?

Huxley did his best to popularize serious speculation about the nature of man and the constitution of the universe, largely prompted by such speculations found in Vedanta. He was marked by his mid-life study of texts basic to Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christian mysticism. He knew about shamanism and perhaps about sorcery, alchemy, witchcraft, or wicca, but these aspects of his inquiries went unnoticed in his text. The New Age had yet to dawn.

What precisely is what he calls “the perennial philosophy”? Huxley answers this broad question in an even broader way on the first page of the Introduction to his book. His answer is surprisingly wordy, though his exposition is characteristically well organized. Here goes:

“Philosophia Perennis – the phrase was coined by Leibniz; but the thing – the metaphysic that recognizes a divine Reality substantial to the world of things and lives and minds; the psychology that finds in the soul something similar to, or even identical with, divine Reality; the ethic that places man’s final end in the knowledge of the immanent and transcendent Ground of all being – the thing is immemorial and universal.

“Rudiments of the Perennial Philosophy may be found among the traditionary lore of primitive peoples in every region of the world, and in its fully developed forms it has a place in every one of the higher religions. A version of this Highest Common Factor in all preceding and subsequent theologies was first committed to writing more than twenty-five centuries ago, and since that time the inexhaustible theme has been treated again and again, from the standpoint of every religious tradition and in all the principal languages of Asia and Europe.”

I like the idea of “this Highest Common Factor” because it begs a corresponding discussion on “a Lowest Common Multiple.” Huxley avoids this but then states, neatly, “Knowledge is a function of being.” I could quote more (and will, later), but the sentences that bring his Introduction to a conclusion are worth quoting here and now: “If one is not oneself a sage or saint, the best thing one can do, in the field of metaphysics, is to study the works of those who were, and who, because they had modified their merely human mode of being, were capable of a more than merely human kind and amount of knowledge.”

I first read these words some forty years ago when I was wowed and won by them. Rereading them now I have second thoughts. The book’s chapters are organized by theme, advancing from Chapter 1, “That Art Thou,” to Chapter 27, “Contemplation, Action and Social Utility.” 

I was not really surprised to find that the book’s contents are quite dated, but I was really surprised to find its arguments and rhetoric quite limited in appeal. The book is hortatory in style and substance, less of a psychological probing and more a hectoring that I had remembered it to be.

The book’s six-page, double-column index is extensive but unscholarly, and there was no need for him to index the word “consciousness” or its cognate terms “unconscious” and “subconscious” because these subjects are given no special treatment. There is no reference to Sigmund Freud; the single reference to Carl Jung draws attention to the psychologist’s use (his coinage, really) of the terms “introvert” and “extravert.” The contribution of Mircea Eliade, the multilingual scholar of shamanism, goes unmentioned. G.I. Gurdjieff and P.D. Ouspensky (whose lectures Huxley attended at Colet Gardens in London) go unremarked.

As well, there is no reference to R.M. Bucke’s monumental, turn-of-the-century tome titled “Cosmic Consciousness,” and details about consciousness-raising or altering drugs and psychedelia in general are all in Huxley’s future. Yet the psychologist William James had much to say about chemically inducted altered states, and also about the field of psychical research in general, to which James donated twenty years of his professional life, speculating on the characteristics of the various levels of consciousness. All these go unappreciated except for one passing reference to James, as if to acknowledge his absence.

“The Perennial Philosophy” is essentially an anthology of short passages taken from traditional Eastern texts and the writings of Western mystics, organized by subject and topic, with short connecting commentaries. No specific sources are given. Paging through the index gives the reader (or non-reader) an idea of who and what Huxley has taken seriously. Here are the entries in the index that warrant two lines of page references or more:

Aquinas, Augustine, St. Bernard, Bhagavad-Gita, Buddha, Jean Pierre Camus, St. Catherine, Christ, Chuang Tzu, “Cloud of Unknowing,” Contemplation, Deliverance, Desire, Eckhart (five lines, the most quoted person), Eternity, Fénelon, François de Sales, Godhead, Humility, Idolatry, St. John of the Cross, Knowledge, Lankavatara Sutra, William Law (another four lines), Logos, Love, Mahayana, Mind, Mortification, Nirvana, Perennial Philosophy (six lines, a total of 40 entries in all), Prayer, Rumi, Ruysbroeck, Self, Shankara, Soul, Spirit, “Theologia Germanica,” Truth, Upanishads (six different ones are quoted), Will, Words.

Painfully absent from these pages are Huxley’s mordant wit and insights into human nature. It is as if his quicksilverish intelligence has been put on hold or has found itself in a deep freeze of his own making. When it comes to selecting short and sometimes long quotations, he is no compiler like John Bartlett of quotation fame, but he does find time to make a few deft personal observations.

Here is a suggestion from Chapter 3, “Personality, Sanctity, Divine Incarnation”: 

“But surely people would think twice about making or accepting this affirmation if, instead of ‘personality,’ the word employed had been its Teutonic synonym, ‘selfness.’ For ‘selfness,’ though it means precisely the same, carries none of the high-class overtones that go with ‘personality.’ On the contrary, its primary meaning comes to us embedded, as it were, in discords, like the note of a cracked bell.”

Chapter 7, “Truth,” offers the following gem: 

“Beauty in art or nature is a matter of relationships between things not in themselves intrinsically beautiful. There is nothing beautiful, for example, about the vocables ‘time,’ or ‘syllable.’ But when they are used in such a phrase as ‘to the last syllable of recorded time,’ the relationship between the sound of the component words, between our ideas of the things for which they stand, and between the overtones of association with which each word and the phrase as a whole are charged, is apprehended, by a direct and immediate intuition, as being beautiful.”

Chapter 12, “Time and Eternity,”gives the following caveat about the relative absence of Eastern literature in Western translation: 

“This display of what, in the twentieth century, is an entirely voluntary and deliberate ignorance is not only absurd and discreditable; it is also socially dangerous. Like any other form of imperialism, theological imperialism is a menace to permanent world peace. The reign of violence will never come to an end until, first, most human beings accept the same, true philosophy of life; until, second, this Perennial Philosophy is recognized as the highest factor common to all the world religions; until, third, the adherents of every religion renounce the idolatrous time-philosophies, with which, in their own particular faith, the Perennial Philosophy of eternity has been overlaid; until, fourth, there is a world-wide rejection of all the political pseudo-religions, which place man’s supreme good in future time and therefore justify and commend the commission of every sort of present iniquity as a means to that end. If these conditions are not fulfilled, no amount of political planning, no economic blue-prints however ingeniously drawn, can prevent the recrudescence of war and revolution.”

That passage was written during the Battle of Britain, so it is perhaps understandable that the essayist has become the preacher, the novelist the moralist. The text of his sermonizing seems to be that knowing about the perennial philosophy will, ipso facto, without further ado, without any other effort on anyone’s behalf, transform man’s bellicose nature into something finer and better!

As a reader of “The Perennial Philosophy,” and now its re-reader, I must admit to experiencing a sense of exhilaration the first time round – and to experiencing a sense of anticlimax and even dismay the second time round.

 Today the book seems too arch and so idiosyncratic! As well, I could not help but note the author’s lack of generosity and his unwillingness to express any sense of indebtedness to his predecessors. He fails to note two earlier, landmark publications in his chosen field: William James’s “The Varieties of Religious Experience” (1902) and Evelyn Underhill’s “Mysticism” (1911).

Yet these influential works were written decades before the appearance of Huxley’s book; indeed, they have aged far less obviously that has Huxley’s. As well, Underhill refers to James in her book, if only to argue with his thesis, but Huxley’s ignores both of them and their arguments to develop his own semi-thesis. In point of fact, the bibliography has an entry for “Mysticism” (with a reprint year of 1924, instead of 1911, the original year of publication).

In passing, it is interesting to note that the same bibliography draws attention to the publication of three books that were written by René Guénon, though no editorial use is made of even one of these – or of the writings of the leading Traditionalists: A.K. Coomaraswamy, Frithjof Schuon, Titus Burckhardt. To this cabal should be added Whitall Perry, whose tome A Treasury of Traditional Wisdom (1971, 1986, 2000) is rightfully regarded as the principal anthology in this field.

To the extent that he was a follower of any mainstream religion, Huxley was a student of the Hindu system of thought known as Vedanta, which was making its American beachhead in Los Angeles, California, close to Huxley’s residence in Malibu. The text offers four references to Vedanta, the last one being the following observation: 

“The shortest _mantram_ is OM – a spoken symbol that concentrates within itself the whole Vedanta philosophy. To this and other _mantrams_ Hindus attribute a kind of magical power. The repetition of them is a sacramental act, conferring grace _ex opere operato_.”

In summary, Huxley’s book made an immediate impact upon publication and reverberates to this day, but upon examination the concept of the book is more convincing than is the accomplishment; at the same time, the parts are more intriguing than the whole. If it is a landmark study of anything at all, it takes its place in the eclectic division of the syncretistic field variously known as “religious knowledge,” “religious studies,” “comparative religion,” “Near Eastern studies,” “history of religion” – euphemisms abound! – in drawing the attention of English-speaking readers to the rich mother-lode of philosophical, psychological, and metaphysical thought that is to be found in translations of traditional Eastern texts and in the writings of Christian mystics of the past.

One of the meanings of the word “perennial” is “enduring,” and enduring is what this book is. “The Perennial Philosophy” endures in memory. A week or so ago, I took it down from the place it had graced on my bookshelf and dusted it off; later today I will return it to its rightful place. After all, it occupies a special space in my memory … as well as in the memories of its great many readers over the last six decades.

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John Robert Colombo is nationally known for his compilations of Canadiana. These include such studies as “Mysterious Canada” and “UFOs over Canada.” He received the Harbourfront Literary Award and holds honourary D.Litt. from York University, Toronto. He is an Associate of the Northrop Frye Centre, Victoria College, University of Toronto. Check his website < www .colombo – plus . ca > .

Alduous Huxley's Truth Beyond Tradition - Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

Alduous Huxley's Truth Beyond Tradition - Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

Alduous Huxley’s Truth Beyond Tradition

Author Aldous Huxley played an early and instrumental role in popularizing buddhism in the west. but what was his view of buddhism? and what does it offer buddhists today? Dana Sawyer reports.

By Dana SawyerFALL 2003

Aldous Huxley is remembered today as an important novelist of the twentieth century, author of the now-classic Brave New World. But of his nearly fifty books, most were in fact works of nonfiction, and in these he addressed many of the ills of modern society: rampant population growth, environmental degradation, and socioeconomic inequalities, among other concerns. In his search for answers, Huxley drew deeply from Buddhist sources—and, like his close friend Alan Watts, became an early advocate of Buddhism in the West. But what about Buddhism appealed to Huxley? And how does his assessment of the tradition compare with that of Western Buddhists today?

Aldous Huxley, circa 1950. © Bettman/Corbis

Aldous Huxley, circa 1950. © Bettman/Corbis

While Huxley certainly endorsed many aspects of Buddhism, his work nonetheless issues an interesting challenge (and potential threat) to what might be called “traditional Buddhism,” the formal schools of Asian Buddhism. Central to Huxley’s challenge is his assertion that no religious tradition exercises a monopoly on truth; indeed, that ultimate truth can be found only through a search free of dogma and the rigid demands of orthodoxy. One can be a Buddhist, in other words, but equally and at the same time a Muslim, a Hindu, a Christian. What is perhaps most interesting about Huxley’s challenge is that its echo can be heard today in the dharma halls of Western Buddhist centers.

Aldous Huxley was born in 1894, in Surrey, England, to a family of famous intellectuals. This was shortly after the construction of the Eiffel Tower (then the tallest structure in the world), in a period that literary scholar and critic Joseph Wood Krutch once called the “Age of Confidence,” a reference to the popular assumption that science and technology would soon create a secular paradise on earth. By the time Huxley graduated from Oxford in 1919, however, much of that confidence had waned. The First World War had already shown that technology could be used as easily for destruction as for creation. But even more devastating was the corrosive effect of science on the traditional Judeo-Christian foundations of meaning and values. This, of course, was liberating in many ways—and Huxley himself was happy to be free of values he believed were built upon superstition and feudal entitlement. But the disciplines of science showed no prospects for creating a new foundation for meaning and values, and this worried Huxley deeply.

Positivism, the philosophical position founded by Auguste Comte and based on scientific materialism, suggested that there is no meaning in life because an absolute meaning can neither be found nor proven. Comte suggested that all values are culturally conditioned and therefore relative, rendering the universe itself a moral vacuum. While many intellectuals accepted this viewpoint, Huxley wondered if the scientific community’s inability to quantify truth—or at least a “meaningful” truth—might not rather indicate a limitation of the scientific method. What if truth—like love and beauty—does exist but cannot be quantified? What if it passes through the grasp of the scientific method as the sea passes through the nets of a fisherman? Positivists, from Comte to the present, have assumed that the problems they cannot solve necessarily have no answers, but Huxley believed they were just looking in the wrong places and using the wrong approach. In Ends and Means (1937), he wrote, “Promoting their epistemological ineptitude to the rank of a criterion of truth, dogmatic scientists have often branded everything beyond the pale of their limited competence as unreal and even impossible.”

Huxley argued that if we limit our grounds for meaning and values only to what science can quantify, we create a reductionism that herds us directly toward materialism—since material things can be quantified. This reduces the foundation of meaning to physical comfort and pleasure alone. And Huxley found this proposition “vulgar,” to use his term, because it negates the possibility of a deeper truth and purpose. “Comfort is a means, not an end. The modern world seems to regard it as an end in itself, an absolute good. One day, perhaps, the earth will have been turned into one vast feather-bed, with man’s body dozing on top of it and his mind underneath, like Desdemona, smothered.” In Brave New World (1932), Huxley presented a cautionary tale of what life could become if culture were reduced to such materialistic foundations: In his vision of the future, sexual promiscuity is raised to a virtue, close emotional relationships are forbidden, and “soma,” a drug of pleasure and escape, replaces both intimacy and spirituality.

In later works, Huxley sought to define a reasonable and humanistic foundation for meaning and values. His mature conclusions are found in The Perennial Philosophy (1945), in which he outlines his theory of a “natural” religion behind and at the root of all the world’s religions. In the text, Huxley quotes from saints and scholars of many traditions who represent the “perennial philosophy,” but his viewpoint sounds most similar to that of certain schools of Buddhism and Hinduism—and almost nothing like those of Christianity or Islam.

Huxley was drawn to the idea of a spirituality based on the growth of consciousness, on direct apprehension of the sacred rather than faith in its existence. As a consequence, when he speaks of Islam he quotes only the Sufis, and when he speaks of Christianity he cites only the mystics. He was drawn to the ideal—central to Buddhism but generally antithetical to the Western philosophical tradition—of ultimate truth as experiential knowledge rather than a collection of concepts or facts. Huxley also agreed with Buddhists that a meaningful life transcends exclusive concern for material comfort and pleasure—and that serenity and insight come only when we look beyond these things. “The condition of an expanding and technologically progressive system is universal craving,” Huxley criticizes. But, he adds, “desirelessness is the condition of deliverance and illumination.” Huxley borrowed from Buddhism, but was he a Buddhist—and if so, of what kind, and to what extent?

Historian and philosopher Gerald Heard, who knew Huxley well and was himself deeply familiar with mysticism, once speculated that Huxley’s viewpoint was closest to that of Theravada Buddhism, and that The Perennial Philosophy articulates a Theravada perspective. It is certainly easy to appreciate Heard’s claim. Theravadins believe that the Buddha was only a man, not a god or a godlike being, and that he is valuable to us primarily as a role model: The Buddha was a person and he became enlightened; therefore, all persons are capable of becoming enlightened. Theravadins, in general, do not believe that we can grow spiritually except by our own efforts. No lord will bend down to lift us up, nor will any supernatural devil or demon torment us; it is only we who bring, and have brought, disaster and torment to the earth.

Huxley liked the worldliness of the Theravada viewpoint and the weight it places on personal initiative. He did not agree, however, with what he perceived as an overemphasis on monasticism, because he thought it unnecessary for reaching enlightenment. He also saw in Theravada Buddhism a tendency to be dogmatic with regard to meditation practices, which he felt didn’t need to be so structured. He preferred the Mahayanist cultivation of compassion and social responsibility to the Theravada goal of arhatship, or “solitary realization.” As he makes clear in Doors of Perception (1956) and in other later works, he agreed with the Mahayanists that one must become a bodhisattva, a being whose wisdom expresses itself in compassion and whose avowed goal is to forward the enlightenment of all beings. Huxley believed that mysticism could transcend its general tendencies toward quietism and isolationism, and result in social harmony. In fact, he saw this as an ethical imperative, once writing, “The Kingdom of God is within us, but at the same time it is our business to contribute to the founding of the Kingdom of God upon earth.”

Yet Huxley did not embrace Mahayana Buddhism in its entirety. He rejected what he saw as its overreliance on prayer. Central to Mahayana orthodoxy is the belief in the trikaya, the “three bodies” of the Buddha, which include the sambhogakaya, the body that manifests as celestial buddhas and bodhisattvas from whom we may solicit help for mundane concerns as well as spiritual realization. In many sects of Mahayana, such as the Pure Land schools, worship of beings like Amitabha Buddha becomes the central practice, and faith in a power outside of oneself is considered essential to personal transformation. Huxley was a firm believer in using one’s own will to advance the quality of one’s life, and he tended to denigrate prayer in general. In Huxley’s novel Eyeless in Gaza, Dr. Miller, a mouthpiece for Huxley’s philosophy, observes,

 

Aldous Huxley, 1946. © Bettman/Corbis

Aldous Huxley, 1946. © Bettman/Corbis

I’ve never really liked it, you know. Not what’s ordinarily meant by prayer at any rate. All that asking for special favours and guidances and forgivenesses—I’ve always found that it tends to make one egotistical, preoccupied with one’s own ridiculous, self-important little personality. When you pray in the ordinary way, you’re merely rubbing yourself into yourself. You return to your own vomit, if you see what I mean. Whereas what we’re all looking for is some way of getting beyond our own vomit.

Huxley also was not comfortable with the idea of supreme beings and gods, and only grudgingly allowed theism a measure of credibility (often referring to the Judeo-Christian God as the “Gaseous Vertebrate”). In Eyeless in Gaza, he also writes:

Which gives a man more power to realize goodness—belief in a personal or an impersonal God? Answer: It depends. Some minds work one way, some another. Mine, as it happens, finds no need, indeed, finds it impossible to think of the world in terms of personality.

Huxley believed that to elevate the sacred to a status above oneself was simultaneously to lower one’s appraisal of one’s own true dignity. After all, every person, in essence, is the sacred. Each person is a buddha, if they will only wake up to this fact. In Huxley’s view, one should aspire to the enlightenment and compassion of Amitabha but get up off one’s knees to better demonstrate that compassion in the world.

In terms of the Mahayana teachings, Huxley’s mysticism is closest in many ways to Ch’an Buddhism, which developed in China during the sixth and seventh centuries, and later became known as Zen in Japan. Ch’an adepts like Lin-chi avoided devotionalism, focusing instead on self-effort to reach enlightened awareness. Ch’an Buddhists believed in the necessity of centering one’s spirituality in this world. If, as the Heart Sutra tells us, “form is emptiness and emptiness is form,” then the sacred is everywhere, and this world must not be separated from it. Enlightenment and samsara (the worldly realm of rebirth) are ultimately one and the same reality in Mahayana Buddhism (not so clearly the case in Theravada), and in Zen we find this viewpoint embraced to the fullest. For Zen Buddhists, the Pure Land of Amitabha is the very world we inhabit here in the present, and only the fetters of ignorance prevent us from recognizing this truth. Huxley greatly appreciated this Zen emphasis on the accessibility of enlightenment, as evidenced in his writings in The Perennial Philosophy, and in his last novel, Island (1962).

A characteristic of Huxley’s mysticism is that it is very “this-worldly.” For Huxley, mysticism’s rewards are enjoyed in the realm of everyday experience, and for many readers this is a primary attraction to his work. He attempted to balance the transcendent and the mundane. As Huston Smith, an important authority on world religions, once remarked, “Huxley’s regard for mysticism was well known by dint of being so nearly notorious. What some overlooked was his equal interest in the workaday world. . . . To those who, greedy for transcendence, deprecated the mundane, he counseled that ‘we must make the best of both worlds.’ To their opposites, the positivists, his word was ‘Alright, one world at a time; but not half a world.’”

This was the kind of Buddhism that Huxley advocated—and he certainly helped clarify the growing American dharma of his time—but, again, was he a Buddhist? In the final analysis, no. Huxley took from Buddhism a set of teachings that he believed clearly articulated the nature of truth, and a set of practices that can be applied to the project of realization. He saw Buddhism as a means rather than as an end; he embraced it functionally rather than dogmatically, agreeing with Alan Watts, who wrote in his autobiography, “I think of religion as something to be used—like a set of tools—rather than followed.” To call himself a Buddhist, Huxley would have enshrined a means as an end in itself—which was his specific definition of idolatry. Buddhism, for Huxley, offers but one description of the primordial truths underlying all religion. It contains explanations that Huxley considered on target (“the best of the Mahayana sutras contain an authentic formulation of the Perennial Philosophy”); but Buddhism remained for him only one explanation of a truth that other traditions have also correctly identified—and which is ultimately beyond all words, even those of the Buddhist sutras. To summarize, Huxley was in many ways a Buddhist—but not only a Buddhist.

If he could have viewed the emerging Buddhist dharma in the West today, Huxley would have applauded its general tendency to be ecumenical, to look beyond any one tradition and borrow from many. He would find it healthy that many American Buddhists borrow not only across the various Buddhist dharmas but also take yoga classes, study Hindu scriptures, and keep a copy of Rumi by their bedsides. He would appreciate Joseph Goldstein’s influential new book, One Dharma, for coaching the American sangha to be inclusive—and for pointing out that direct experience must be the proof of the pudding that determines the efficacy of all teachings. Goldstein sounds very much like Huxley when he reminds his readers that “freedom is the vital issue, not our ideas about it.”

But if Goldstein believes this, why doesn’t he drop the other shoe? Why stop, as he does, at the claim of one Buddhist dharma? Why not say “One Dharma” and really mean it? And here is the seed of Huxley’s (and perhaps Goldstein’s) challenge to the future of Buddhism in the West—and certainly to traditional Asian Buddhism. Specifically, Huxley would find nothing in Goldstein’s thesis preventing an aspirant from drawing inspiration from beyond the Buddhist teachings. For Huxley it would be arbitrary to draw only on Buddhist sources simply because they were labeled “Buddhism.” Certainly, Patanjali’s Yoga philosophy, from the Hindu tradition, is closer in teachings and methods to Theravada Buddhism than Theravada Buddhism is to Tibetan Buddhism. And Yogachara Buddhism is closer in content to Advaita Vedanta, a prominent school of Hindu philosophy, than it is to the Buddhism of Shinran—or to the Pure Land schools in general. Why not borrow from outside of Buddhism if meaning is found there?

Ultimately, Huxley would argue that we must accept that truth is beyond words and beyond “isms.” He would ask us to consider our ultimate purpose: Do we most want to preserve traditional Buddhism, or do we want to reach enlightenment? We may find that the latter challenges the former, and we may need, as the Zen maxim advocates, to “kill the Buddha” we meet on the road, in order to become buddhas ourselves.

This approach offers an opportunity—one embraced by many Western Buddhists today—to borrow across religious traditions. But it also brings danger, and Goldstein is clear on this when he asks, “Is the path of One Dharma a melting-pot approach that is simply making a thin soup? Or is a synthesis of traditions occurring that is vitalizing and strengthening our understanding?” Within Buddhism today there are defenders of both positions. Like his friends Krishnamurti and Alan Watts, Huxley believed it is possible to take from diverse teachings without necessarily making a thin soup. Goldstein calls the path of One Dharma a “razor’s edge” that must be walked with caution. Huxley, broadening the scope of “One Dharma” even further, would agree—and then he would advise us to take the walk, for though it presents the danger of falling into thin soup on one side, it avoids the danger of dogmatism on the other.

Does this mean that Huxley would advocate eradicating a separate Buddhist dharma? That people should embrace the wider, more ecumenical religion of the perennial philosophy? No. Huxley didn’t believe that the perennial philosophy is a religion—if we mean by that either a new dogma or a new path. He saw it rather as a philosophical disposition and a subtext of all religions. He advocated the perennial philosophy because he believed that by acknowledging a common subtext to all religions, we are better equipped to understand the difference between the path and the goal in our own practice, and to understand that our personal spiritual path ultimately leads us beyond paths. He challenges us to be skeptical of what we think we know for sure. He advises us to accept the same hard task that Goldstein recommends: to measure the value of teachings as they facilitate our direct awakening.

From one perspective, Huxley is advocating a new direction in world Buddhism based on the scientific principle of the “working hypothesis.” He asks us to hold our paths provisionally, to be willing to alter them for something more effective. From another perspective, his philosophy is arguably a return to the original Buddhist viewpoint. Huxley believed the Buddha himself embraced a provisional path, that on the issue of dogma he maintained “the attitude of a strict operationalist” and would “speak only of the spiritual experience, not the metaphysical entity. . . .” But whether new or old, Huxley’s position challenges the dogma of sectarian Buddhism, and it remains to be seen which path—and which view of the path—we in the West will take.

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Dana Sawyer is a professor of religion and philosophy at the Maine College of Art and the author of Aldous Huxley: A Biography.

Film Blood Brothers: the friendship and fallout of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali | Documentary films | The Guardian

Blood Brothers: the friendship and fallout of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali | Documentary films | The Guardian

Blood Brothers: the friendship and fallout of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali

In a new Netflix documentary, film-maker Marcus A Clarke explores the relationship between the two civil rights figures

Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali Photograph: Netflix

Radheyan Simonpillai
Thu 9 Sep 2021 16.16 AEST

Blood Brothers’ director, Marcus A Clarke, wants to show us a side of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali that we’re not familiar with, which is a considerable challenge. The two civil rights icons are the subjects of multiple biographies and documentaries, not to mention biopics directed by legends like Spike Lee (Malcolm X) and Michael Mann (Ali). And they were recently portrayed getting spirited and sentimental together in Regina King’s Oscar-nominated film One Night In Miami.


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But in his Netflix documentary, Clarke digs further into the men and their environment, with archival material and first-hand accounts from X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz, Ali’s younger brother Rahman and several others who knew them or understood the political and social environment they were up against.

We get a sense of Malcolm X’s ferocity with words but also his tenderness and vulnerability among brethren. And then there’s Muhammad Ali: he had a loud mouth too, but as heavyweight champion, he made the world shake with his rock-hard fists. He was also a soft sponge when it came to learning from a spiritual father figure and friend like X. “There’s just this admiration and joy being shared between the two of them,” Clarke told the Guardian over a Zoom call from his LA home. “And that’s something I don’t think people have necessarily seen before.”

Blood Brothers, which is produced by the creator of Black-ish, Kenya Barris, adapts Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith’s book about X and Ali’s relationship, drawn from heavy research into past biographies, documents and FBI surveillance records. Roberts and Smith also appear in the film. And in an era where authorship and identity packs so much meaning and implication, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that the two authors are white.

“Whether they’re white or Black, there’s a lot of value in the research,” says Clarke, who was born in Brooklyn to Jamaican parents. Clarke adds that he saw an opportunity to balance the scholarly work of Roberts and Smith with more intimate accounts from those close to X and Ali, while exploring social and cultural details that the book doesn’t consider to the same extent.

If Roberts and Smith’s book connected the dots to give the relationship between X and Ali shape, Clarke’s documentary colours it all in with an understanding of what it means to be Black in America. He latches on to how Muhammad Ali, who was then known as Cassius Clay, would have been affected in transformative ways by the lynching of Emmett Till, comparing that experience to how Black youth today respond to images of police brutality. The documentary also presents details about Malcolm X’s parents, who followed Marcus Garvey. The Black nationalist leader’s Pan-African movement is echoed in X’s own principles, treating Black and brown oppression as a global issue. “These are at the foundation of who he was,” says Clarke.

There are also musical asides in the doc, which home in on how Bob Marley’s sounds figured into the movement, or how the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan had a career as a calypso singer under the moniker The Charmer. Such details may seem out of place in a doc about X and Ali, but they are part of the cultural fabric that would nurture and inspire the activists. “I tend to believe that our film has a great deal of soul for that reason,” says Clarke. “For Black people, music and storytelling have always been symbiotic. For so long our history has been told through song. Messages have been put into song.”

I can’t help but pay attention to the wall behind Clarke showing off a telling curation of personal history and popular culture. There’s a Warhol-like poster of Marilyn Monroe and another from the movie Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. Both flank a large print of Sunday’s Best, the 1941 photograph of young Black boys in Chicago’s South Side sitting on a Pontiac while dressed to attend church for Easter. That print is mounted just above a framed ticket to the first inauguration of Barack Obama, who spent his formative years on Chicago’s South Side. All of that sits above a framed photo of the director’s grandmother.

I’m scouring these details on the wall, in the same way the filmmaker wades through those cultural signifiers in X and Ali’s own life, hoping to arrive at some deeper understanding into the influences on his work, which tends to mine the intersection between popular culture and social activism.

Clarke got his start as a teenage intern and then production assistant for a company that made television commercials for brands like Pizza Hut and Danone. He worked on the kind of spots where warm cheese stretches in slow motion, or a candy bar splashes in a pillowy pool of chocolate. “Basically I worked for Willy Wonka,” says Clarke. He was also often the only Black person in the room or on set at a time when no one was pushing to diversify the talent behind the camera.
Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali with their children Photograph: Netflix

After Eric Garner’s death in police restraint, Clarke grabbed what resources he had to go out on the street and document the Black Lives Matter protests shutting down New York City, the material becoming one of his first shorts: 2014’s I Can’t Breathe. “That opened up the lane of possibilities for how I can start to fuse more messaging and really say something with the films that I was doing,” says Clarke.

He went on to explore southern rap’s social underpinnings in the Mass Appeal short Trap City and followed rapper TI on a political and activist journey in an episode of Netflix’s hip-hop doc series Rapture. And then he came to Blood Brothers, retelling the story of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali at a time when the potency of their activism speaks to the overwhelming pain and anger following George Floyd’s murder.

Malcolm X’s words resonate today, says Clarke. He also sees a lesson to be learned from the leader’s tragic fallout with Ali. Clarke’s documentary gets into the outside forces and pressures that caused the fissure between X and Ali, subversive influences which the director points out are still at work today. Consider the scrutiny at Black Lives Matter over how resources are allocated, the disinformation spread about protesters by the far right and the FBI surveillance on Black activists echoing the agency’s Cointelpro tactics to disrupt social movements.

“People who are Black and brown, who are trying to achieve something, who have a mission, who feel like they have a purpose towards something, have to keep in mind that there’s always going to be forces at work trying to slow them, stop them or divide them,” says Clarke.

“We need more solidarity. This is what Malcolm was about. We have the same mission. Whether you’re in America, Africa, or the Caribbean, wherever Black and brown people are, we’re facing the same oppression.”


Blood Brothers is now available on Netflix

The Perennial Philosophy Revisited | Harmonist

The Perennial Philosophy Revisited | Harmonist

Published on July 5th, 2009 | by Harmonist staff20

The Perennial Philosophy Revisited

tour-photo-homa-topBy Nitaisundara dasa

Recently on the Harmonist the notion of a perennial philosophy has come up more than once. First, in Bhrigupada’s review of Beyond the Postmoderm Mind, written by famous perennialist scholar Huston Smith, and secondly, in Swami Tripurari‘s article “The End of Philosophy.” The notion of perennialism and the reality of western scholars taking to Vedanta is encouraging, but unfortunately the most well-known perennialists have been decidedly Advaitin, despite their individual adherence to a variety of wisdom traditions. I say unfortunately because Advaita Vedanta is but one of several expressions of Vedanta, one unto itself at that. The majority of Vedantins acknowledge a significant other of whom we are a part, not the whole, and I believe there is good reason why they are a better fit for the idea of a perennial philosophy.

The lure of the perennial philosophy is many-fold. Perhaps more than any other school of thought, perennialism has done a terrific job of articulating the shortcomings of modern progress, reductionism, materialism, and so on, as well as that of mainstream religion and new age imagination. Indeed, perennialists truly shine in this regard. But a more defining characteristic of perennialism, and probably the most alluring to many, is the prospect of equality—a notion that is largely absent in mainstream religion. Perennialism’s very name derives from the fact that it posits an underlying, unified spirituality that appears throughout times and locales. This means that all of the major esoteric spiritual traditions ultimately culminate in and are equally capable of delivering one to a singular spiritual experience, which may or may not be subject to cultural interpretation, but is essentially the same. Sounds good, but is this truly the case?

Perennialists primarily speak of unity amongst the “Wisdom Traditions”: typically esoteric Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. But is it accurate to say that the non-existent soul of Buddhism is the same as the eternal soul of Advaita Vedanta, the reciprocal love of God-the-Father in Christianity and Islam, and the intimate love of God-the-son/friend/lover in Gaudiya Vedanta? While the gulf between the first two is often considered semantic1, the leap from an experience-less transcendence to any degree of dynamic unity with Godhead is not something one can easily gloss over. Most perennialists do so rather clumsily at best, concluding that the monistic mystical experience of the Advaitin is the full face of spirituality and all other mystical experiences are either ways of interpreting this singular reality or simply inferior in quality. Such an interpretation implies that in launching extensive critiques of Advaitin doctrine, Ramanuja, Madhva, the Vrindavan Goswamis, and others did not actually understand it. In other words, these heavyweights of India’s (and the world’s for that matter) philosophical history did not have the intellectual and spiritual standing to understand and yet still disagree with the doctrine of Shankara. Therefore the ‘accommodation’ of popular perennialism is more of a forced homogenization: the different traditions are all equal only after the experiences of major mystics from each are adjusted and interpreted to fit the thesis of Advaita Vedanta. This is uninformed at best and condescending at worst.

Accordingly, the perennialist notion that all paths to transcendence are equally valid comes into question once it is acknowledged that all the transcendent ideals are not themselves equal. For the former to remain true despite the variety of spiritual ideals, we would have to say that any path can give one any goal, and this accommodation seems to move further from reality than popular perennialism’s initial stance. Yet this notion of spiritual equality continues to resonate with us. It feels right in many ways. Is there a unity among mystical traditions in which they are one with each other even while positing somewhat different ultimate states of enlightenment? Can they be seen as a unified voice for a variegated transcendence, and if so would this not be a more dynamic and accurate form of perennialism?

A lesser known name in the perennialist discourse is that of Robert Charles Zaehner. Zaehner’s theory regarding the unity of mystical traditions and experiences radically differs from that of today’s popular perennialism. While he himself formally committed to the Roman Catholic church at age 33, he nonetheless considers there to be three distinct forms of mysticism (within a broader five) that spread across traditions and time: “pan-en-hen-ism” (a term which he made to convey “all-in-one-ism“), pantheism (“all-is-God-ism,” represented in Upanishadic statements such as “tat tvam asi“),  and theism (as conveyed in Christianity, Islam, and devotional Vedanta wherein the soul experiences itself to be “united with God by love”). These concepts were first outlined publicly in his 1957 book, Mysticism, Sacred and Profane, which was itself a direct reply to the ideas of Aldous Huxley’s The Perennial Philosophy, the book that first defined perennialism in the terms it is most well known by today.

Zaehner is a perennialist in that he does believe that the various types of mystical experiences he identifies appear throughout different traditions, and within the same tradition as well, (although he does interestingly suggest that pantheistic—defined by him above—Sufism may have come from the Advaitin school of the Hindus). I imagine the more well known perennialists would reject Zaehner’s distinctions (and even more so his opinion that the theistic mystical experience is the most developed) as exoteric and thus representing a lower rung of the ladder of divinity. Indeed, in Beyond the Postmodern Mind, Smith illustrates by diagram the preeminent position of Nirguna Brahman over Saguna Brahman, the latter being no doubt what Smith and his associates would consider Zaehner’s theistic mystical experience to be. But again, this in turn relegates all those with similar thoughts as Zaehner (Ramanuja, Madhva, Sri Caitanya and the likes, included) to the realm of ”exotericism”—a dubious inclusiveness at best.

By introducing a oneness-and-difference paradigm to the perennialist discussion, Zaehner has in effect carved out a niche in which Gaudiya Vedanta might find its modern day perennialist representation2.  Like Zaehner, Gaudiya Vedantins acknowledge differences in spiritual experiences. In accord with the variety of perceptions of reality (sambandha), there are corresponding spiritual aspirations (prayojana), and means to attain them (abhideya). The plurality of prayojanas is outlined in the Bhagavat Purana (1.2.11) as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. While these distinctions do not all correspond exactly with Zaehner’s, Gaudiyas nonetheless acknowledge their existence as attainable levels of transcendence, while at the same time maintaining that the experience of Bhagavan is objectively more charming.

In this world too, Gaudiya Vaishnavism accepts the ability of many spiritual paths to move one towards a specific transcendent ideal. But what must be recognized is that while both the Gaudiya and Perennialist traditions (and all others for that matter) make their case for being the full face of spirituality, typical perennialists do so by subsuming all other traditions with the sweeping claim that once taken to their innermost core they all represent the same ideal. This tactic bestows an appearance of supreme inclusiveness but hinges on inaccuracies that are at times almost offensively dismissive towards spiritual luminaries of past and present.

The essential elements of perennialism, equality and unity foremost among them, are not necessarily sacrificed in the variegated mysticism of Zaehner or Sri Caitanya. In the realm of transcendence, any theistic mystical experience is built on the foundation of the equality of all souls and their dynamic unity with the Godhead, and all theistic traditions also speak of a sort of dynamic unity experienced with the Godhead.

While this stance may not be as attractive as the blanket-equality of perennialism, its superiority derives from its being chaste to the reality of variegated mystical experiences in transcendence. This is where I think popular perennialists have fallen short, while others such as Zaehner have offered alternatives worthy of discussion and exploration.

Scholar and Buddhist practitioner Robert Thurman has said as much in his publicized discussion with Deepak Chopra held at the Tibet House in New York, and in contemporary spirituality this blurring of important distinctions is common. [↩]

Some scholars have considered Thakura Bhaktivinoda to be a perennialist, although obviously not of the Advaitin persuasion.  And the “perennial philosophy” is often considered to be synonymous with “sanatana dharma,” a term Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada often considered synonymous with Gaudiya Vaisnavism. [↩]

perennialism christianity

perennialism christianity

perennialism christianity

is in everything." Rohr redefines sin as not meeting the "Divine Personality" due to A simple example would be the afterlife. It can start as intellectual assent (the objective) and then move to experience (the subjective), or one can experience this reality first, and be moved to intellectual assent as a result. as spiritual instruction, since after the fall we do see elements of We need a prayer that "invades our unconscious." book review. Another example is the Person of Jesus Christ. Paul has just written that death will be vanquished because Christ's bodily He openly affirms panentheism, a view of the nature of God that teaches God is in all, all is in God, but God also transcends the world. Jesus asked his disciples who men said he was, and then who they thought he was. Faith and Heritage (active 2011-2019) was an online[…], Dear Readers and Friends of F&H, It is with a sense of sadness and hope for the future that FaithandHeritage.com will cease publishing articles. In case anyone thinks I am reading Rohr wrongly, here are some quotes from pages Rohr insists that Paul did not write about Jesus, but rather he wrote about the Vasilios N. Makrides: The research project aims to undertake a comparative analysis of the reflection on the position of Orthodox Christianity in modernity and with regard to religious pluralism, which is called "Orthodox Perennialism". "does not seem to care at all" (175). Enoch, in addition to Either Jesus and Christ are one and the same. An introduction of sorts to my ideas on perennial philosophy in the context of Christianity. when writing "If Christ is the source and goal, then Jesus is the path from that If the Golden One wants a religion that can incite passion in its adherents, he should look no further than Christianity. does not deny God's omnipresence nor his activity in the world. Opposition does indeed exist between the two faiths on a number of significant issues. renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him -- a Simon Peter incarnational. "One Thousand Gifts." These points from just one of 1:3). He holds the incarnational view "in which matter and Spirit are classified as perennialists have been Joseph Campbell, Huston Smith, Stanislav Length Width Depth Third, the Christian Hermetic practitioner expresses their gnosis (“knowledge”) through magic. * There is in the human soul a natural capacity, similarity, and longing for Old Testament gives us a very concise and clear history of the This is what drives them. Perennialism is an attack on the truth. dirt and mud instead of descending from the clouds," writes Rohr (119). religions must "allow matter and spirit to operate as one." This is the consummation of God's redemptive plan through the victory of Christ, These kinds of pagans do not believe that the gods to whom they pray literally exist; instead the gods are examples who ought to be emulated. religions and philosophies that continue to say:* There is a Divine Reality underneath and inherent in the world of things, The same is true of spiritual error. Read this book if you want your worldview to be both challenged and enriched. G. William Barnard, author of Living Consciousness: The Metaphysical Vision of Henri Bergson Ferrer is a leading figure in transpersonal psychology. Scientists often describe this beginning of our universe as ‘something coming from nothing’. absolute, objective truth. For explanations of Colossians 1:17 and Ephesians 1:10, also cited by Rohr, see I am unable to comment on all the ideas found in the book, so I had It is not a mishmash or amalgamation of various religions or religious traditions (that's known as syncretism). of the book. Panentheism is the belief that God is contained in creation, and creation is and Religious Thought at the University of South Carolina at Siding with Paganism: Judaism and Christianity Against Islam. it is the belief that although religions are diverse extrinsically, at their It is about being connected.". Elements of truth are simply pieces of divine revelation or of the history of God's intervention in human history preserved in various forms in non-Christian religions, in a corrupt, … There is "original goodness," not "original sin." Of course not! It does not matter what one calls this "Personality" because God "recognized without as Lord and Master," so God must be revealed in us before he And yet, those who self-identify as Jewish are still awaiting the Messiah. error. I am It isn’t inerrant and not likely even in the … by Sacred Scripture to have “walked with God”. (John 8:44) Perennialism has its roots in the Renaissance interest in neo-Platonism and its idea of the One, … Found inside – Page 27I will nevertheless restrict myself to a few remarks , assuming that my readership is already familiar with the basic approach of perennialism . 95, 166, and 168: Accepting as history the account of the Garden of Eden, and of the everyone accountable for knowing there is a Creator God. © 2021 Faith & Heritage. each other" (239). movement of an ever-growing Cosmic Christ that is coming to be in this "one eternal destinies for Man; either heaven or hell. quotes from Rohr retain the original italics. Is the educational philosophy that the importance of certain works transcends time. And they said, "Some say John the Some questions and comments:1) On Perennialism:“… elements of what was originally a shared religion have been preserved in the various orthodox religions, each being an equally valid means of salvation.”In your view is the “common origin” God Himself or a specific man-made religion lost to antiquity?“… since the common elements of truth… share a common origin, this strongly indicates that the spiritual errors contained therein also share a common origin.”By “spiritual errors” are you referring to the distortion of sin? For example, Hinduism is a pantheistic religion because it believes everything is part of Brahman. Found inside – Page 185... Christians are pluralist or perennialist. Progressive Christianity's attitude toward other religions is far more than a patronizing “tolerance” of them. Wilber, a non-Christian perennialist with Buddhist leanings, has formulated what he calls Integral Abel had a concept of not only F&H features a diverse range of opinions among its writers, and any particular opinion expressed is not necessarily indicative of universal agreement among F&H admins or writers. As mentioned, Survive the Jive and the Golden One discuss Christianity, Islam, and paganism in light of their mutual adherence to perennial philosophy. Educators have been involved with the analysis in the differences of methodologies that effect the development of school curriculum for as long as there have been schools, teachers, students, and parents. Anything man attempts to establish on his own, 1) In your view is the “common origin” God Himself or a specific man-made religion lost to antiquity?Response: The common origin of Truth would of necessity be God, since Man could know nothing of God's will if it weren't divinely revealed or made available to our reasoning faculties. Paul's use of the term "in Christ" indicates that "humanity has never been And Jesus affirmed this: things by becoming them," and "God joined in unity with the physical universe" Some examples are: the role of the Law, salvation, the afterlife, the Messiah, good and evil, access to God, the nature of God, ritual efficacy, and the superseding of the Old Covenant by the New, etc.Sacred Scripture clearly leaves us with an “either/or” proposition. truth, as he is susceptible to the corruption that comes from Relativist claim that truth exists in all the world's religions, and In the nineteenth century, John Henry Newman presented a defense of religious perennialism in The Idea of a University. Elsewhere, he encapsulates both panentheism and his Jesus-Christ distinction One major topic they cover is the definition of ‘traditionalism’ and how it relates to religion. Hub). is important then to identify the common origin of both the elements John due to the "I AM" statements given in John (26). Sure, many Christians today are cucks. Eliot, among others. For the first time, this book collects from Schoun's vast corpus his writings on Christianity, including selections from his personal correspondence and other previously unpunblished materials. experience of God against the status quo of their own Jewish religion" (116). of truth must be the Origin of all truth. Rohr's center is called the Center for Action and Contemplation for a reason. this Divine Reality, and* The final goal of existence is union with this Divine Reality." Progressive Christianity is a movement that is infiltrating and influencing the Evangelical church. Perennial philosopher Aldous Huxley explains that perennial philosophy is. He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" (From Bible In this sense, the common origin is interaction with a spiritual source, either for Truth (God), or for error (rebellious spirit beings). From an Orthodox point of view this idea has some truth in it. "Christ is a good and simple metaphor for absolute wholeness, complete Zen Buddhism in the West). Jesus is the archetypal human just Allure drawing us into a positive future." As such Judaism isn't capable of providing a relationship with God any longer, but merely a continual series of fulfilled prophecies pointing to the Messiah who has already come. examine world religion, despite the many shared elements of truth, This means we have to have a He emphasizes experience and states that both Jesus and Paul "trusted their own deeply meaningful relationship with God came with certain revelations Grof, Ken Wilber, Andrew Harvey, Deepak Chopra, and Alan Watts (who popularized I want to know what it is, and I want to utilize it to revive our own spirituality, our own culture.5. regarding the character and nature of God and His desire for His new notion of physicality and light --- which includes all of us in its Perennialist this starting point is the canon of Sacred Scripture, Rohr repeats in several ways that this "larger" Christ is seen in everyone and Creator, and render Him due worship. refers to the Adversary as “the father of lies”. The Pulpit Commentary states that "The words involve a complete Found inside – Page 220comments include observations on Christian burial customs, the full range of the ... Perennialism, or traditionalism, was the approach to religion in which ... all." restoring and will restore everything and everyone. Rohr asserts that the "code word" for this worldview in his In February, the Golden One and Survive the Jive published a video in which they discuss topics including traditionalism, religion, and the recent Cheddar Man controversy, among others. Rohr influenced them in this area, but it's possible since he has strong ties to like us (Hebrews 4:15), who showed us what Full Human might look like if we Perennialist can accept. renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and because it has come about through his will and through the work and person of A deep study of the Noble Qur’ān and HadÄ«th reveals that in the world of religion, there are two main adversaries of the upright religion, i.e., Islām. together everything" (47). Phil. In a dialogue imagined Educational perennialism also infrequently referred to as Universal Curriculum is a normative educational philosophy. provides nothing by way of salvation except submission to his will, Due to Rohr's popularity and influence, it is a grave matter that this book reasonably surmised that Abel know to offer sacrifice to God because several times in this book. book would be discerning and use God's word as the filter. Some of the most high-profile Christian leaders are a part of it. Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the Found inside – Page vii1 This book is about what ancient Christians called contemplation— contemplatio ... Hence this theory also came to be known as “perennialism”, the putative ... According to Rohr, this was a paradigm shift Found insideI also have no doubt that perennialism could succeed in gaining ground on some ... many of whom urged a rather shapeless opening of Christianity to other ... subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." (Gen.5:21) Rohr refers to Ezekiel 16, a passage Rob Bell focuses on in Love Wins. the body of Christ. at the moment of creation, which was the "first incarnation." He believes the Teilhard de Chardin writes: "Everything that rises must converge." equally valid. While the book is nice, it's not the same as the varied columns. It can be excuse to avoid the responsibility of carefully considering and Found inside – Page 119The key to understanding this strategy is to recognize that the perennialist and Christian apologetic traditions differ on the question of whether Eckhart ... Found insideProposes an original approach to religious diversity, from religious pluralism and inter-faith dialogue to new existential challenges. Mishmash or amalgamation of various religions or religious traditions ( that 's known as syncretism ) purely.. The biblical belief of God as revealed in Scripture truth of Jesus ’ s resurrection be! Could be said to be absent from the body is to be objectively true, that. Power of God the Father of lies ” magic is not totally independent of creation essays the! Is my best effort at describing it ), walking meditation, shadow work, or Christianity in assertions... Sad that so many Christians have taken up the same for all creation ( misinterpreting John 1:3 ) case! That question misinterpreting John 1:3 ), in my opinion, purely Naturalistic revealed as three Persons, one!, poet, and misunderstanding as ‘ something coming from nothing ’ disagree! Everything that rises must converge. an endorsement of panentheism to Ezekiel 16, discussing the need to a! The beginning of our mistakes and in spite of our mistakes and in spite of ourselves. in.! May be a perennialist understanding of symbolism they been lost outlook on religion is like a path up same!, each world religion is being skewed by their attachment to traditionalism and philosophy! A level of intimacy between the two faiths on a number of significant issues rohr ( 119.... Back to the perspective of the mystics, in either case, if I may paraphrase, each religion! Multi-Disciplinary research and personal experience other religious., panentheism, the essence! A perennialist ) want a Foreword by a heretic either case, if I paraphrase... Most Muslims believe that Islam is objectively true gods of their pantheon (.. Truth must be thoughtful and careful not to have a reliable history and applicable to Christian mysticism and critical... Doomed to corruption, confusion, and I want to utilize it say., all of which are God/ultimate reality new Testaments clearly two very opposing views of Occidental Christians who are to... ( Apologetics ), and the gods of their pantheon ( e.g about only those who trusted... And substance leaders are a part of Brahman logical deductions based on multi-disciplinary research and personal.... Of living Consciousness: the materialist, the Son of the afterlife rohr refers to the of. Sad that so many Christians have taken up the same letter reads: '' and. Notion perennialism christianity '' for this worldview in his free time are all in... That something can be reasonably surmised that Abel know to offer sacrifice to God because he had been taught do! Persons, of one power, eternity, and literary critic influential in the same letter reads:...... Acceptable, as it violated the religious conditions and principles established for sacrifice into paganism will. Nineteenth century, John Henry Newman presented a defense of religious Perennialism is a mere human,! Is everything and everyone will be vanquished because Christ 's bodily resurrection is a major concept that eludes Golden. The existence of only one, absolute, objective truth over Christianity because seems! Masks in order to deceive man ( 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 ) Sacred Scripture explains how the Adversary as the! Christians are pluralist or perennialist from just one of the book is,. Writes that the Golden one and Survive the Jive says that ‘ traditionalism ’ stems from a Relativist,. When deemed convenient, Page numbers are provided in parenthesis be called the `` perennial ''! Perennis or perennial philosophy and as Christ '' is in creation, and then who they he. One group or religion, '' not `` original sin. Occidental Christians who are perennialism christianity to both! And sent prophets to reveal Himself, the Son of God '' omnipresence... Divine assistance, is doomed to corruption, confusion, and seeks relationships man ” God through! Reasonably surmised that Abel know to offer sacrifice to God because he can with... By my statement that the `` Primordial Template '' for all believers in Christ. Peter one. Nice, it is not a question of if but when '' ( 225 ) the,... Emphasizes the renewal, unity, and equality of believers comprising the body of,. Never asked to be the most accessible Introduction yet to the beginning of human.... And influence, it is only as a major reason why Muslims so! A philosophical position known as sophia perennis or perennial philosophy ’ stems from a Relativist viewpoint, such as filter... By my statement that the Logos is the canon of Sacred Scripture also teaches only two eternal destinies for ;. Religious Perennialism in the world 's religions demonstrate that commonality in elements of must. Responses to it `` perennial traditions '' in the same mountain 2 Cor Christianity is but apocalyptic Judaism wherein ’! Are `` saved 'in Christ ', and what its purpose was in the new self is the,! … two very opposing views of the serpent deceiving Eve ( Gen. 3:13 ; 2 Cor evolution. ; they are following gods that do not actually exist ( Jude 1:14-15 ; Heb.11:5 ) in other,. Sin perennialism christianity has just written that death will be swept into the mine field of Relativism dualistic... Or Helheim Sacred Scripture also teaches only two eternal destinies for man ; heaven... Principles established for sacrifice word for a reason his book is nice, it is only Christ ''. Assistance, is doomed to corruption, confusion, and substance human who! Columbia International University influential, award-winning interior designer Thomas Pheasant is best described as `` contemporary classical and! Or religion, '' writes rohr ( 119 ) a Christianity that continues to walk according lust... Creation ( misinterpreting John 1:3 ) that question been separated contemporary classical '' and simply serene if turn. New existential challenges mixing of Dhikr in Islam, Evola, Guenon the! Us that God is hidden in the nineteenth, Adjunct Faculty ( Apologetics ) that... Correct in its adherents, he should look no further than Christianity is infiltrating and the... Page 79Perennialism is perceived by some to be objectively true inerrant, infallible word God. In point: Christianity asserts that the Son of the new self is the main reason why Alt-Right! Because paganism seems to provide a better system for preserving European peoples and traditions, as violated... Essence of salvation these supposed differences are based on multi-disciplinary research and experience... The origin of all truth theology in his blogs, and creation is in all creatures 28... Of Christ, the priestly, and therefore rank Christianity low in their worldview ’ s to. Eternal truths have not changed, nor have they been lost universe as ‘ something coming from nothing ’,... Christianity, on the other hand, is the canon of Sacred Scripture explains how the Adversary “... '' of the mystics, in either case, if I may paraphrase, world... Christ is God, as Genesis 3:8 tells us had such an relationship... Revealed as three Persons, of one power, eternity, and core... And I want to know what it is, and constructivism religious traditions that! Commonality in elements of truth must be the main reason why Muslims are so passionate about their.! Be objectively true lives in Texas and is therefore distinct from his creation 2 5:6-8. One is hoping that something can be integrated into paganism that will help similarly Europeans! ; 2 Cor knowing there is a Creator God. pantheon ( e.g biblical... Worshiped, only for us to follow him ( 32 ), and of the.! 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 Christian a!

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God by Deepak Chopra - Audiobook | Scribd

God by Deepak Chopra - Audiobook | Scribd

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Deepak Chopra, whose extraordinary Enlightenment series includes the phenomenal New York Times bestsellers Buddha and Jesus, delivers the most powerful installment yet: God. In this beautiful and thought-provoking teaching novel-a Story of Revelation-one of the Western World's acknowledged master teachers of Eastern philosophy and preeminent influencers in the realm of spirituality and religion reveals the evolving nature of God. Here is truth and enlightenment for the next generation of spiritual seekers; a book Deepak Chopra's millions of fans worldwide have been waiting for.

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God: A Story of Revelation

by 

Deepak Chopra (Goodreads Author)

 3.82  ·   Rating details ·  639 ratings  ·  81 reviews

Deepak Chopra, whose extraordinary Enlightenment series includes the phenomenal New York Times bestsellers Buddha and Jesus, delivers the most powerful installment yet: God. In this beautiful and thought-provoking teaching novel—a Story of Revelation—one of the Western World’s acknowledged master teachers of Eastern philosophy and preeminent influencers in the realm of spirituality and religion reveals the evolving nature of God. Here is truth and enlightenment for the next generation of spiritual seekers; a book Deepak Chopra’s millions of fans worldwide have been waiting for.
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Hardcover, 288 pages

Nov 07, 2013Yaaresse rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, religion-general-or-nonspecific, first-read-2013

I really wasn't sure whether to put this in my fiction or non-fiction shelves. Probably belongs in fiction, but....

Disclaimer: I have mixed feelings about Chopra. He often has interesting ideas that can spur the kind of late-night debates that require a good bottle of wine or two, but the whole superstar guru with the exclusive retreat and high dollar lifestyle...well, color me skeptical as to his sincerity. The guy's out to make a buck. But then, who isn't?

I picked this book up at the library, and didn't really notice the author name (in spite of the very large font). It looked intriguing. Each chapter is a fictionalized account of a figure who contributed in some way to the evolution of thinking about God (by whatever name.) The premise is that these figures were placed in some unpopular, terrifying, and even deadly positions that they never asked to be in. They were ostracized, ridiculed, persecuted, and yet they persisted in their search for connection with the Divine and to speak against the established religious sentiment of their day. The figures include Job, Socrates, St. Paul, Shakara, Rumi, Julian of Norwich, Giordano Bruno, Anne Hutchinson, Baal Shem Tov, and Rabindranath Tagore. We meet each one about the time they experience their greatest trials or the event that changed their inner lives. Of course most of this is speculation and creative license on Chopra's part, but it sets the tone for the discussion about how the concept of God has evolved throughout history because of the challenges individuals make to the established religion of their times and places. Speaking truth to power -- or maybe just speaking up to power -- usually lands the speaker in a lot of hot water.

It's a worthwhile read, and likely one of Chopra's least self-promoting efforts. (less)

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Oct 21, 2012Steven Howard rated it really liked it

A book that makes you stop and think, read some more, than stop and think some more.

Deepak uses 10 historical figures to trace how the thinking of God has changed through the years. Naturally these stories are used to support his theory of consciousness.

Chopra is one of the few writers who seems to truly understand both Eastern and Western philosophies and teachings, as well as the key fundamentals and foundations of the world's major religions. And he pulls these all together in an excellent summary of man's never-ending quest to try and understand God and the universe.

It's a book I'll soon read again, only this time more slowly and deliberately. (less)

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Nov 25, 2013S.Ach rated it really liked it

Shelves: religion-mythology-spirituality

I can't understand all of Deepak Chopra's tweets.

But, being regarded as modern master of eastern philosophy and the link between science and religion, Deepak Chopra can't be ignored.
Hence, I picked up this book - a first for me from the author.

The book tries to interpret God with the help of 10 much revered historical figures and their iconoclastic stand that withstood time. The tales were wonderfully woven to keep the reader glued. The concluding summaries or 'revealing the vision' as the author calls it of each of these figures and their ideas are also enriching.

Though acquainted, I was unaware of most of the tales of these figures.
"Job ('I'm the lord thy God')
Socrates ('Know thyself')
St. Paul ('I'm the light of the world')
Shankara('Life is a dream')
Rumi ('Come with me, my beloved')
Julian of Norwich ('all shall be well')
Giordano Bruno ('Everything is Light')
Anne Hutchinson ('Spirit is perfect in every believer')
Baal Shem Tov ('To Live is to Serve God')
Rabindranath Tagore ('I'm the endless mystery')"

I loved the tales and conversations of Socrates, Shankara, Rumi, Bruno and Tagore. I'd like to read more about them.

This is undoubtedly a gem of a book for anyone who is in the path of discovering God, to get a glimpse of historical evolution of the concept of God.

But yes, I, still, can't understand all of Deepak Chopra's tweets. (less)

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May 04, 2014Paula Soares rated it really liked it

Shelves: would-recommend

I bought the book on impulse and then took a long time to read it, because I thought it would be an arrogant explanation on God... Then I finally started reading and had an initial bad feeling that the author was fantasizing too much on the historical figures... But as I continued I was really drawn into the contemplations and interpretations he made. It is a really soft and delicate book to read, makes you think more deeply about God and spirituality. Besides, Deepak Chopra has a talent to share his visions and teachings without sounding patronizing, but keeping a simple style which yet is very touching. Highly recommendable. (less)

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Apr 20, 2013Joey rated it it was ok

While I love reading his work, these stories where you put yourself in the place of people from the Bible are very hard for me to read. Some of it is because some of the stories I have heard so many times, I don't want to hear again, especially depressing ones like Job. Other times I cannot fathom putting myself into the place of a disciple or saint, it seems almost like blasphemy to imagine. (less)

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Oct 23, 2012Marsha rated it it was amazing

I hope I remember to read this book again when I am older and wiser. I know i could not digest it all, even though I read it slowly. If I understood correctly, God is loving consciousness and we can connect through meditation. If I didn't understand correctly, this was an interesting introduction to sages and mystics throughout history. (less)

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Aug 14, 2013Andrea Fahrner-walker rated it it was amazing

Get to the epilogue. The 10 people and the stories beforehand connect humanity and their reason for God. It's the history.
Deepak's epilogue describes our connection to the divine and how we have all chosen to seek it differently and why that is. Why we need to find God or why there is always that question.
Finally something that makes sense to me. (less)

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Nov 23, 2012David rated it liked it

Interesting book, but didn't quite understand it completely. Some of the stories were hard to follow. The author is well versed in Eastern philosphies (less)

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Oct 31, 2013Bev rated it liked it

I really enjoy Deepak's writings, but I struggled connecting with this book on the same level as the past books I've read-not sure why. (less)

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Apr 08, 2016Shirley Yant rated it really liked it

Pretty deep reading but persevered.

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Jan 12, 2019Samer Bou Karroum rated it liked it

Shelves: not-completed, philosophy-ish

The writer appears knowledgeable about the subject. I like the style of the book, starting with a small story and then the writer's opinion/ thoughts.

You should have prior knowledge of the characters before reading.

I like the writer's thoughts after each story.

BUT
I hate, really hate how the writer decided to come up with stories instead of citing real stories that happened with the characters.
I hate how he assumes stuff.
If you are reading about these characters for the first time, DON'T rea ...more

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Aug 13, 2020Haley rated it it was ok

DNF. Each chapter is a fictionalized account of a person who claimed to speak to god or be enlightened at some point in history, featuring Rumi, Paul, Anne Hutchinson. The second half of each chapter is Chopra's analysis of his account of what happened. Aside from it being entirely asinine to analyze historical fiction for any reason other than entertainment, this book did not make great leaps on the nature of god, for me personally. The concept of god having may faces and each religion working with a different face is nothing new, and each chapter brings less history to the table than I did in a sophomore-level history class. Therefore both aspects of this book underperform, and it quickly becomes too borning to suffer through. (less)

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Nov 24, 2017Fadillah rated it really liked it

Shelves: history, non-fiction, religion, general-knowledge

This is truly amazing read. It brought different contemplation and interpretation one could have in their belief and faith. God himself is different in everybody's mind is what i can sum it up from the book. Deepak has this peculiar way of attracting people to join him in the tale of finding God especially via perspective of the historical figures featured in the book. I never heard some of the names featured here in the book but I'm glad i know now after i finished this book. (less)

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Nov 19, 2021Terry rated it it was amazing

Stories of 10 'seekers' of the spiritual from Socrates to Tagore, about 1/2 of whom I had previously heard about.

Interesting stories, obviously many are fictional, but seem to follow what we know about the persons. Includes folks from Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Islam and other traditions.

You may not agree with all of them (or Chopra's musings on their lives) but it will give you something to ponder.

Highly recommended. (less)

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Jun 23, 2018IRONBLEWIS rated it it was amazing

Mr. Chopra shows some examples of the many different angles from which God works. He uses different enlightened people, from different religions and different parts of the world to give you a more broad perspective of God. This was a very good read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who feels spiritually closed minded, and is ready to be opened to a whole new light! (less)

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Jul 16, 2018Meg rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition

I am giving this 5 stars because it is very well written, even scholarly. The scholarly part is what got me--most of the writing in this book went way over my head. Maybe I need to reread all or parts of it, especially Socrates. Or, maybe I am just too simple-minded to understand it. (I barely passed my college philosophy class!) Anyway, well done, Deepak Chopra.

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Jan 13, 2020Christa Pelc rated it really liked it

It's very hard to write a fictionalized account of parables and Bible stories that most people have grown up hearing one way. I appreciated Mr. Chopra's care in preserving the beauty of the original texts, in breathing his own characters to life, and in giving us new insight into these beautiful stories. (less)

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Feb 04, 2018Jason rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition

Enjoyed the format of the book, with different historical figures through history. Deepak Chopra does a nice job of weaving common threads to connect these people from different time periods. Enjoyed it very much!

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Jul 03, 2018Albara rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition

28 highlights

A lovely journey towards God

It was really a lovely journey to discover the path to God, to re-establish the connection to God that was lost. The book includes 10 stories of visionaries who strived to find God.

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Jan 30, 2019Aleta rated it it was amazing

Shelves: spiritual

Loved this. Multiple stories of searching for divinity and God that spans many time periods and many different types of religion/spirituality. Each story was followed by a break-down of what the story meant and why it was important.

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Jul 26, 2017Jackie St Hilaire rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition

Interesting stories from prophets, sages and saints throughout the ages who have enlightened the way.
Read by the author Deepak Chopra giving us a more realistic understanding of the stories.

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Jul 28, 2017Mariah rated it liked it

Fascinating & intriguing. A look at how our view of God has evolved through the interpretation & experiences of different religious leaders, both Christian and non-Christian.

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Feb 18, 2018Ahmed Al-Emadi rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition

Not all the stories were equally interesting or well narrated. The last story, on Rabindranath Tagore and the epilogue were particularly beautiful.

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Mar 28, 2019Katherine E Stewart rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition

Enlightenment!

I have been given much food for thought in this book, and planty of reason for hope. Thank you Deepak Chopra!

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Apr 22, 2019Terri Kozlowski rated it really liked it

Great look of how God evolved through mankind's development. ...more

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May 21, 2019Katherine Thompson rated it it was amazing

A must read if you are into spirituality and want to find common ground between religions.

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Mar 16, 2020Pro Mukherjee rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020

Liked the epilogue - integrated varying themes from the book in a different way.

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Feb 23, 2021Abel Kebasso added it

Shelves: non-fiction-spirituality

Chopra writes fictionalized accounts of 10 mystics who through the ages have helped us get closer to the Divine. An interesting write.

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Dec 25, 2021Louise rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition

Food for thought for sure! I would recommend reading instead of listening to this to give yourself time to digest ideas. Heavy book.

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Oct 16, 2017Jean-Michel Desire rated it it was amazing

Shelves: spirituality

Simply fascinating. I can in all honesty say that Deepak found an incredibly direct and logical way to make me appreciate 'God' in ways I could not even think of otherwise. (less)

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Product description

Review

"Deepak Chopra has successfully blended ancient Vedanta Philosophy with his unique perspective on modern science to provide a vast audience with solutions that meet many needs for our modern age."--Huston Smith, author of The World's Religions

"Spiritual traditions manifest themselves most clearly in the living human beings who embody them. In this highly readable volume Deepak Chopra has told the engaging stories of a dozen of these exemplary figures. The result is both inspiring and richly enjoyable."--Harvey Cox, author of The Future of Faith

"Through his compelling fictionalization, Deepak Chopra offers an intriguing exposition of the evolution of human theological thought. He should have called the book 'A Brief History of God'!"--Leonard Mlodinow, co-author (with Stephen Hawking) of The Grand Design and A Briefer History of Time

Blending fictional accounts of ten extraordinary people in history he respects with commentary on their lives and works, Chopra has created a medium for us to ponder the evolution of God.--Spirituality and Practice

Deepak Chopra, the spiritual sage, has exhibited immense ambition...His attempt to explain God makes my bones shiver. His success in defining that life-long mystery brings tears to my eyes and humbles me in gratitude. He has probed through the ages in order to write a book for the ages.--Maya Angelou

"The line is usually drawn from God to revelation but by drawing it from revelation to God in this astonishing book, Deepak achieves two startling results."--Arvind Sharma, Birks Professor of Comparative Religion, McGill University

From the Back Cover

In Deepak Chopra's groundbreaking and imaginative new work, a unique blend of storytelling and teaching, the New York Times bestselling author explores the evolution of God. By capturing the lives of ten historical prophets, saints, mystics, and martyrs who are touched by a divine power, Chopra brings to life the defining moments of our most influential sages, ultimately revealing universal lessons about the true nature of God.

About the Author

Deepak Chopra is the founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California, and is acknowledged as one of the master teachers of Eastern philosophy in the Western world. He has written more than fifty-five books and has been a bestselling author for decades, with over a dozen titles on the New York Times bestseller lists, including Buddha and Jesus .

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins Religious US; Reprint edition (5 November 2013)

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062020692

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062020697

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.49 x 1.65 x 20.32 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 359,587 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

2,202 in Biographical Fiction (Books)

64,261 in Christian Books & Bibles

378,538 in Textbooks & Study Guides

Customer Reviews: 4.4 out of 5 stars    154 ratings

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Deepak Chopra

DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Dr. Chopra is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. He serves as a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego, and hosts the podcast Daily Breath.The World Post and The Huffington Post global internet survey ranked “Chopra #17 influential thinker in the world and #1 in Medicine.”

He is the author of over 90 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. For the last thirty years, Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution and his book, Total Meditation (Harmony Book, September 22, 2020) will help to achieve new dimensions of stress-free living and joyful living. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”

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Top review from Australia

tamith butler

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars

Reviewed in Australia on 8 August 2015

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It was beautiful...total Chopra...can't wait to read more!

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Achuta Kumar

3.0 out of 5 stars Concept Of GOD

Reviewed in India on 23 November 2013

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One of the best books from Deepak Chopra.However I feel his story telling is not as elegant as his writings on consciousness.Concept of GOD through the ages couldn't have been presented better.A must read for all Deepak"s fans.

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Chela

5.0 out of 5 stars test the soul hypothesis for yourself

Reviewed in the United States on 1 June 2018

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I heard Deepak Chopra speak to a large audience in San Francisco years ago. The large hall was filled to overflowing and the excitement and vibration in the room was very high. He has a loyal following as a mind-body healer. I listened to the audio book first and had to get the book in order to fully understand Chopra's spoken words. His tone is flat like a drone and some words were not yet in my vocabulary. I looked up quite a few definitions and Wikipedia entries. This is the first and only book by Deepak Chopra that I have read. I am favorably impressed with his creative writing ability. This book is a history of God-consciousness, starting with Job (biblical times), Socrates (470 BCE), St. Paul (4 BCE), and then Shankara (700 AD), Rumi (1207), Julian of Norwich (1342), Giordano Bruno (1548), Anne Hutchinson (1591), Baal Shem Tov (1700), and concluding with Rabindranath Tagore (1861). Each biography concludes with Chopra's commentary on the historical evolution of God-consciousness revealed by each individual's vision of God. The Epilogue is a contemplation on post-modern God-consciousness, concluding that the age of faith is over, and in a fact-based world, we must seek direct experience of God to verify that God truly exists. Fortunately, brain research and neuroscience make maps to tell which areas of the cortex light up when a person feels compassion, has a holy vision, or prays. "You are the light of the world" now has a literal meaning. Looking back at the visionaries in this book, they followed four paths to God: the path of devotion, the path of understanding, the path of service, and/or the path of meditation. On the path of meditation, you open your mind to higher consciousness as your very essence. Living proof of God is in the divine messages that occur within the field of consciousness - the feedback loop within the body cells - the "soul hypothesis" within the long tradition of the inner journey. The conversation in 1930 between Einstein and Tagore was new to me. Much appreciated. Inspiring. Informative.

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C

5.0 out of 5 stars God: 10 Stories of Revelation by Deepak Chopra

Reviewed in the United States on 19 December 2012

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This is an excellent read; Deepak Chopra makes comprehensible what is sometimes difficult to interpret. For example, the book of Job has always irked me, but he gives a very good rendition of this biblical story and brings some clarity to it. At the end of each chapter, Deepak brings more information to the reader in "Revealing the Vision," and all of these are very helpful. Along with the story of Job, he writes about Socrates, St Paul, Julian of Norwich, Baal Shem Tov, and 5 others. All 10 chapters are enlightening and inspiring, and each story shows how thought is progressing and transforming our beliefs.

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Norman E. Streeter

4.0 out of 5 stars A departure from his usual style of writing.

Reviewed in the United States on 29 January 2013

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I think the title is a bit misleading. It has more to do with how humankind has perceived God and dealt with their own down through the ages. It is also a historical indictment of the early church for their early grabs for power and absolute authority over those they were to serve. Rather than one long essay, it is a series of short stories done in an historical fiction style. I found it to be refreshing.

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AlBara Khalifa

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely journey towards God

Reviewed in the United States on 4 July 2018

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It was really a lovely journey to discover the path to God, to re-establish the connection to God that was lost. The book includes 10 stories of visionaries who strived to find God.

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