Hardly anyone would doubt that history is full of charlatans. However, the situation becomes much trickier when dichotomies like “real” vs. “fake,” “genuine” vs. “fraudulent,” or “authentic” vs. “inauthentic” become applied not just to individuals or institutions but wholesale to entire objects of study, such as musical genres, regional cuisines, or in our case modern occultists who have...
Routledge eBooksDecember 2, 2020Sharon Olivier, Frederick Hölscher, Colin Charles Williams
Intuition is somewhat like a black cat in a dark room. This chapter explains how intuition works and why it is of critical importance to leaders in the twenty-first century. It distinguishes between head (thinking), heart (feeling and emotional) and hands (action) capabilities enabled by intuitive intelligence. The intuitive leaders are called the Sensors because they have their ‘antennae’...
The general conception of paccavekkhana as mindful and wise reflection, and as a key principle in Buddhist meditation practice in meditative concentration is the main concern of this undertaking. Post-Canonical literature are carefully examined for this purpose. This study has affirmed paccavekkhana as an approach to a clear understanding of reality through initial training of dasadhammā as a...
In this chapter, the author explores the relevant brain networks and their plasticity in response to mindfulness and compassion training. The chapter begins by reviewing how foundational mindfulness practices, in the form of focused attention and open monitoring, set the stage for compassion/loving-kindness training by modulating attentional resources (in the attention networks), regulating...
People experiencing mental distress and illness are frequently on the receiving end of stigma, epistemic injustice, and social isolation. A range of strategies are required to alleviate the subsequent marginalisation. We ran a series 'philosophy of mind' workshops, in partnership with a third-sector mental health organisation with the aim of using philosophical techniques to challenge mental...
This paper presents a theory of the basic operation of mind, Information Dynamics of Thinking, which is intended for computational implementation and thence empirical testing. It is based on the information theory of Shannon, and treats the mind/brain as an information processing organ that aims to be information-efficient, in that it predicts its world, so as to use information efficiently,...
Investigation of consciousness (experience, mind, awareness, subjectivity) has become an accepted endeavor in contemporary neuroscience. However, current work is largely limited to study of neural correlates of consciousness. While this is interesting and important, it may not be sufficient to carry us to a place of truly new insight regarding consciousness. I argue that one element of...
Sexual intercourse alters normal waking consciousness. Altered states of consciousness (ASC) refer to marked deviations from usual waking consciousness, and include alterations in the sense of self, attention, thought processes, time awareness and sensory perception. Sex can induce ASC, as indicated by states of attentional absorption in bodily sensations concomitant with loss of time...
This article examines Fischl Schneersohn's (1887-1958) "science of man" as a psychotherapeutic approach situated between modern psychology and Chassidic mysticism. While almost forgotten today, Schneersohn was a prolific writer, well-known in Yiddish-speaking circles as a psychologist, educationalist, novelist, and psychotherapist. As a descendant of an important dynasty of Chassidic rebbes, he...
Transcultural psychiatry has increased awareness of alternative approaches to mental health and wellbeing, influencing developments in Western psychotherapeutic treatments. In this article, I look at the recent interest in alternative therapies by the U.S. military, which has explored the possibilities of lucid dreaming in order to help soldiers cope with the adverse mental and emotional...