An account of the monumental journey of eighteenth-century scientist and philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg into the depths of his own mind and to spiritual worlds beyond.
When Huston Diehl began teaching a fourth-grade class in a "Negro" elementary school in rural Louisa County, Virginia, the school’s white superintendent assured her that he didn't expect her to teach "those children" anything. She soon discovered how these low expectations, widely shared by the white community, impeded her students' ability to learn. With its overcrowded classrooms, poorly trained teachers, empty bookshelves, and meager supplies, her segregated school was vastly inferior to the county's white elementary schools, and the message it sent her students was clear: "dream not of other worlds." In her often lyrical memoir, Diehl reveals how, in the intimacy of the classroom, her students reached out to her, a young white northerner, and shared their fears, anxieties, and personal beliefs. Repeatedly surprised and challenged by her students, Diehl questions her long-standing middle-class assumptions and confronts her own prejudices. In doing so, she eloquently reflects on what the students taught her about the hurt of bigotry and the humiliation of poverty as well as dignity, courage, and resiliency. Set in the waning days of the Jim Crow South, Dream Not of Other Worlds chronicles an important moment in American history. Diehl examines the history of black education in the South and narrates the dramatic struggle to integrate Virginia's public schools. Meeting with some of her former students and colleagues and visiting the school where she once taught, she considers what has--and has not--changed after more than thirty years of integrated schooling. This provocative book raises many issues that are of urgent concern today: the continuing social consequences of segregated schools, the role of public education in American society, and the challenges of educating minority and poor children.
An essential feature of religious experience across many cultures is the intuitive feeling of God's presence. More than any rituals or doctrines, it is this experience that anchors religious faith, yet it has been largely ignored in the scientific literature on religion.Starting with a vivid narrative account of the life-threatening hike that triggered his own mystical experience, biologist John Wathey takes the reader on a scientific journey to find the sources of religious feeling and the illusion of God's presence. His book delves into the biological origins of this compelling feeling, attributing it to innate neural circuitry that evolved to promote the mother-child bond. Dr. Wathey argues that evolution has programmed the infant brain to expect the presence of a loving being who responds to the child's needs. As the infant grows into adulthood, this innate feeling is eventually transferred to the realm of religion, where it is reactivated through the symbols, imagery, and rituals of worship. The author interprets our various conceptions of God in biological terms as illusory supernormal stimuli that fill an emotional and cognitive vacuum left over from infancy. These insights shed new light on some of the most vexing puzzles of religion, like the popular belief in a god who is judgmental and punishing, yet also unconditionally loving; the extraordinary tenacity of faith; the greater religiosity of women relative to men; religious obsessions with sex; the mysterious compulsion to pray; the seemingly irrepressible feminine attributes of God, even in traditionally patriarchal religions; and the strange allure of cults. Finally, Dr. Wathey considers the hypothesis that religion evolved to foster reproductive success, arguing that, in an age of potentially ruinous overpopulation, magical thinking has become a luxury we can no longer afford, one that distracts us from urgent threats to our planet.Deeply researched yet elegantly written in a jargon-free and accessible style, this book presents a compelling interpretation of the evolutionary origins of spirituality and religion.
During the 1950s and early 1960s Flannery O'Connor wrote more than a hundred book reviews for two Catholic diocesan newspapers in Georgia. This full collection of these reviews nearly doubles the number that have appeared in print elsewhere and represents a significant body of primary materials from the O'Connor canon. We find in the reviews the same personality so vividly apparent in her fiction and her lectures--the unique voice of the artist that is one clear sign of genius. Her spare precision, her humor, her extraordinary ability to permit readers to see deeply into complex and obscure truths-all are present in these reviews and letters.
This awe-inspiring sixth installment of the profound consciousness series by Dr. David R. Hawkins reveals the true essence of Enlightenment, from world-renowned author, psychiatrist, clinician, and spiritual teacher David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. A true instruction manual for the serious spiritual devotee, this masterpiece from Dr. David R. Hawkins reveals information only known by those who have transcended the ego to reach Divine Realization. Chapters Include: Devotional Nonduality The Inner Path Spiritual Practices The "Experiencer" The Razor's Edge Allness Versus Nothingness Spirituality and the World Teachers and Teachings The Devotee Transcending Identification with the Ego/Self Enlightenment: The Presence of Self Progressive States of Consciousness This spiritual book is the inner route from the self to the Self and an invitation into the profound depths of higher consciousness and enlightenment. It walks you through the path to divine consciousness through the fusion of psychology, philosophy, metaphysics, and spirituality. Immerse yourself in a devotional exploration of non-duality, a profound philosophy that bridges the gap between existential questions and spiritual answers. This transformative work will help you evolve spiritually by connecting to divine love. Dr. David Hawkins explains complex concepts with clarity, making them accessible and relatable for everyone, from spiritual seekers to business professionals seeking personal growth. His spiritual awakening guidance offers meditation techniques for inner peace and provides tools to transcend the confines of the mundane, illuminating the path to spiritual growth. Drawing on his profound understanding of spiritual liberation, Dr. David Hawkins' words guide us toward our spiritual evolution and higher consciousness. Through this journey, you will discover an empowering understanding of your divine consciousness, leading to a sense of inner peace and a heightened state of spiritual awareness.