Brad Herzog, a disillusioned Generation X-er crosses America in a Winnebago to seek out the states of mind of Americans today. He turns a literal search for places on the map into a figurative examination of places of the heart. He reports on the state of towns and villages, presenting the small town as microcosm and the hamlet as allegory.

What altered states of consciousness—the dissolution of feelings of time and self—can tell us about the mystery of consciousness. During extraordinary moments of consciousness—shock, meditative states and sudden mystical revelations, out-of-body experiences, or drug intoxication—our senses of time and self are altered; we may even feel time and self dissolving. These experiences have long been ignored by mainstream science, or considered crazy fantasies. Recent research, however, has located the neural underpinnings of these altered states of mind. In this book, neuropsychologist Marc Wittmann shows how experiences that disturb or widen our everyday understanding of the self can help solve the mystery of consciousness. Wittmann explains that the relationship between consciousness of time and consciousness of self is close; in extreme circumstances, the experiences of space and self intensify and weaken together. He considers the emergence of the self in waking life and dreams; how our sense of time is distorted by extreme situations ranging from terror to mystical enlightenment; the experience of the moment; and the loss of time and self in such disorders as depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. Dostoyevsky reported godly bliss during epileptic seizures; neurologists are now investigating the phenomenon of the epileptic aura. Wittmann describes new studies of psychedelics that show how the brain builds consciousness of self and time, and discusses pilot programs that use hallucinogens to treat severe depression, anxiety, and addiction. If we want to understand our consciousness, our subjectivity, Wittmann argues, we must not be afraid to break new ground. Studying altered states of consciousness leads us directly to the heart of the matter: time and self, the foundations of consciousness.

An all-star lineup of scientists takes you to the front lines of brain research. Are we born to be shy? Why do we remember some events so clearly and others not at all? Are creativity and depression somehow linked? Do our dreams really have deeper meanings? Now in paperback, here is a wonderfully accessible introduction to the most important recent findings about how our health, behavior, feelings, and identities are influenced by what goes on inside our brains. In this timely book, eight pioneering researchers offer lively and stimulating discussions on the most exciting discoveries as well as a new way of understanding our emotions, moods, memories, and dreams. Inside, you'll find: * J. ALLAN HOBSON, author of the groundbreaking The Dreaming Brain, leading a tour of dream states and explaining why we dream and what dream studies reveal about our minds * ERIC KANDEL, winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Medicine, taking us along the chain of biological events that create long-term memories, revealing how we stand at the brink of helping those who suffer from grave mental and memory disorders * STEVEN HYMAN, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, tracing the links between nature and nurture, particularly in addiction and mental illness, to explain the relationship between inherited tendencies and the impact of life experience * KAY REDFIELD JAMISON, bestselling author of An Unquiet Mind, explaining manic depression, its prevalence among gifted artists, writers, and musicians, and the societal questions raised by trying to eradicate the "depression gene" . . . and much, much more. Whether discussing the brain-body connection, the sources of emotion, or the ethereal world of dreams, States of Mind enables you to share in the very latest explorations into the nature and function of the human mind.

Have the desire to understand the unknown? Are you willing to challenge your mind? This is your guide for seeking deeper insight for our existence. If you want a more profound understanding of what remains hidden from public awareness, to make connection between life and something much greater, and are willing to challenge your perception of reality, then A State of Mind is the book you've been waiting for. In the year 2012, at the age of 19, Dillon Jepsen developed a mental disorder leading him into dreamlike realities. Seeing hidden dimensions to reality, and with his inquisitive interest, these experiences led him to gain perspective on how reality operates fundamentally. He discovered an extension of his own character that he named Mark and embraced a connection with awakening reality. His journey over time furthered his understanding of the Divine Universe. Are you prepared to journey into the unknown? A State of Mind invites you to see the distinction of the Divine creating intrinsic purpose to reality and our existence. How does knowledge reveal itself through revelation? Is it the mark of genius or a descent into madness? Jepsen writes a compelling narrative that challenges conventional perspectives, blurring the lines between our rational reality and the limitless realm of creative imagination. Within the pages of this thought-provoking creative nonfiction novel, A State of Mind, you will: - Engage in an academic analysis of elitism through the lens of social science. - Unlock our world system as a demiurgic matrix. - Gain insight into philosophies such as Gnosticism, Kabbalah, Neoplatonism, and more. - Delve into a thoughtful analysis of the Tree of Life and its intricate correspondences. - Consider speculation on dark matter, previous universes, and the all-natural singularity. - Tap into your psychospiritual disposition for growth and a connection to the divine. - Discover the cosmic drama of the universe, learn of the divine mind and intelligence. A State of Mind is a unique and captivating exploration of the divine universe and the hidden nature of reality. If you are drawn to spiritual guidance, revelatory philosophies, and the revelation of powerful hidden worlds, then Dillon M. Jepsen's descent into other realms will leave you enthralled. Don't miss out on this extraordinary journey of the mind. Buy A State of Mind today and unlock the secrets of existence that await within its pages.

This book develops an original control theory of the emotions and related affective states, providing new perspectives on how the mind works as a whole. Discussing pains and pleasures, moods and behaviours, and character and personality, the book will be important for readers interested in the philosophy and cognitive science of emotion.

100+ writers, artists, philosophers and scientists explore the nature of consciousness.

What is it like to be an artist? Drawing on interviews with professional artists, this book takes the reader inside the creative process. The author, an artist and a psychotherapist, uses psychoanalytic theory to shed light on fundamental questions such as the origin of new ideas and the artist’s state of mind while working. Based on interviews with 33 professional artists, who reflect on their experiences of creating new works of art, as well as her own artistic practice, Patricia Townsend traces the trajectory of the creative process from the artist’s first inkling or ‘pre-sense’, through to the completion of a work, and its release to the public. Drawing on psychoanalytic theory, particularly the work of Donald Winnicott, Marion Milner and Christopher Bollas, the book presents the artist’s process as a series of interconnected and overlapping stages, in which there is a movement between the artist’s inner world, the outer world of shared ‘reality’, and the spaces in-between. Creative States of Mind: Psychoanalysis and the Artist’s Process fills an important gap in the psychoanalytic theory of art by offering an account of the full trajectory of the artist’s process based on the evidence of artists themselves. It will be useful to artists who want to understand more about their own processes, to psychoanalysts and psychotherapists in their clinical work, and to anyone who studies the creative process.

States of Matter, States of Mind is an easy-to-read introduction to the way the physical world is put together and stays together. The book presents the fundamental ideas and particles of the makeup of the universe to enable understanding of matter and why it behaves in the way it does. Written in an engaging manner, the book explains some of the intricate details and grand schemes of life and the universe, by making analogies with common everyday examples. For example, the recipe for a cake tells us nothing of how good the cake tastes, but is a model of the food, and a scientific model is no closer to the reality of the materials than a recipe is to the mouth-watering flavor of the cake. Illustrated with helpful cartoons, this book provides a vast knowledge of atoms and atmospheres. The first several chapters introduce terms and fundamental ideas while later chapters deal successively with particles and systems, from the electron to the universe as a system. Each new idea introduced builds upon the last. A user-friendly bibliography provides references for further reading.

Discover the essential thinking tools you’ve been missing with The Great Mental Models series by Shane Parrish, New York Times bestselling author and the mind behind the acclaimed Farnam Street blog and “The Knowledge Project” podcast. This first book in the series is your guide to learning the crucial thinking tools nobody ever taught you. Time and time again, great thinkers such as Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have credited their success to mental models–representations of how something works that can scale onto other fields. Mastering a small number of mental models enables you to rapidly grasp new information, identify patterns others miss, and avoid the common mistakes that hold people back. The Great Mental Models: Volume 1, General Thinking Concepts shows you how making a few tiny changes in the way you think can deliver big results. Drawing on examples from history, business, art, and science, this book details nine of the most versatile, all-purpose mental models you can use right away to improve your decision making and productivity. This book will teach you how to: Avoid blind spots when looking at problems. Find non-obvious solutions. Anticipate and achieve desired outcomes. Play to your strengths, avoid your weaknesses, … and more. The Great Mental Models series demystifies once elusive concepts and illuminates rich knowledge that traditional education overlooks. This series is the most comprehensive and accessible guide on using mental models to better understand our world, solve problems, and gain an advantage.