"I suspect the real breakthroughs in our understanding of consciousness are going to come from an entirely different direction. That direction, controversially, has to do with psychedelics--which, as many of the contributors to The Divine Spark argue, offer spectacular potential for the investigation of the 'hard problem' of consciousness." --from the introduction by Graham Hancock Psychedelics: Medicinal? Vital in interspecies communication or communion with the sacred? Are you reaching enlightenment or damaging your brain? In this anthology, edited by bestselling author Graham Hancock, 22 writers discuss psychedelics and their myriad connections to consciousness. Travel to South America, the American Southwest, outer space, inner space, and back in time to revisit Pahnke's The Good Friday experiment. Explore the effects of ayahuasca, LSD, and much more. Illuminating the topic like never before: Mike Alivernia * Russell Brand * David Jay Brown * Paul Devereux * Rick Doblin * Ede Frecska * Alex Grey * Nassim Haramein * Martina Hoffmann * Don Lattin * Luis Eduardo Luna * Dennis McKenna * Thad McKraken * Rak Razam * Gabriel Roberts * Thomas B. Roberts * Gregory Sams * Robert M. Schoch * Mark Seelig * Rick Strassman * Robert Tindall And, of course, Graham Hancock.

A study of place and creative inspiration

Divine Sparks presents practical and inspiring wisdom from the world's great religious traditions for men and women of all faiths-or none. It does not propose any dogma or doctrine, but encourages inner exploration and study to help all readers truly know their own hearts and minds. In its pages, it offers transformational insights and practices from a variety of sources, along with questions for reflection, suggestions for creative activities, and original prayers and meditations.

Hidden within each is a spark of the Divine. We search for it in the far reaches of the most distant quasars and within the smallest quarks in the atom. Yet, its mysteries lay waiting to be uncovered within us. Spark of the Divine, by world-renowned spiritual Master of meditation on the inner light and sound, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, describes the journey taken by those who have discovered these secrets. It is not a knowledge reserved for the few; it is available to all. The way is simple. We can bask in the eternal sunshine. Through meditation, we can experience spiritual realms of consciousness. He has taken this journey and provides us with an easy blueprint. A must-read book for anyone who wants a simple meditation practice to experience for one's self the wonders within us.

The notion that the world is filled with holy sparks is shared by religious traditions around the world. Learn to uncover this sacred dimension and you will begin to both hallow the world and be healed by its powers. These 101 lively reflections will help you learn to look outward and discover a spark of the divine in everyday objects, activities, experiences, and the glories of the natural world.

In the town of Status, across the river from Quo, nothing ever changes. Children are taught to memorize facts, but not to think for themselves. Adults live by the motto, "Work, produce, stay the same." And as long as everyone follows the rules, there is harmony. The past is revered and the future seems secure. Then the Stranger comes to town--and gives one young girl the courage to risk everything. The Divine Spark is a work of visionary fiction for anyone who feels called to abandon comfort in search of the unknown.

Argues that theoretical physics and cosmology can provide a key to overcoming race-related problems, explaining how they enable a means for discussing individual and communal quests for fulfillment beyond racial, ethnic, class, and sexual barriers. Original.

Jesus as Philosopher: The Philosophical Sage in the Synoptic Gospels examines the possible ways in which the authors of the Synoptic Gospels, Mark, Matthew, and Luke, were inspired by contemporary philosophical traditions about the ideal philosophical sage in their description of their ideal human being, Jesus Christ. Runar M. Thorsteinsson considers the following questions: How does the author in question speak of Jesus in relation to contemporary philosophy? Do we see Jesus take on a certain 'philosophical' role in the Gospels, either by his statements and reasoning or his way of life? In what way are Jesus' words and actions analogous to that of leading philosophical figures in Graeco-Roman antiquity, according to these texts? Conversely, in what way do his words and actions differ from theirs? While Thorsteinsson discusses a number of Graeco-Roman sources, the emphasis is on the question of how these parallel texts help us better to understand the Gospel authors' perception and presentation of the character of Jesus. While the fields of theology and ethics are often intertwined in these texts, including the philosophical texts, Thorsteinsson's main focus is the ethical aspect. He argues that the Gospel authors drew in some ways on classical virtue ethics. The study concludes that the Gospel authors inherited stories and sayings of Jesus that they wanted to improve upon and recount as truthfully as possible, and they did so in part by making use of philosophical traditions about the ideal sage, especially that of Stoicism and Cynicism.