The title of the song in the background of the video below is “Beyond This Moment,” by Patrick O’Hearn. I’ve mentioned his work before and heard it on the radio on the way home one evening, and it stuck with me. The title started me to thinking about how we might discover what lies “beyond … Continue reading Consciousness Video Series: Episode 8: Beyond This Moment
Last summer, in August of 2022, I posted episode six of my “Consciousness Video Series: Metaphor and the Inner Experience.” https://johns-consciousness.com/2022/08/27/consciousness-video-series-episode-6-metaphor-and-the-inner-experience/ This video described metaphorically my immediate impressions, as I struggled to express, understand, and relate my very personal interpretation of a profound sense of recognition of my inner life, which invariably suggested the elements … Continue reading The Path Beneath the Terrace
***(The planned blog posting "The Mystery of Miracles," will appear in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I thought my readers might enjoy a more personal look at the subjects at hand, as I tell the story of one very intense "metaphysical or mystical" experience from my younger days. Enjoy!)*** Edwin Austin Abbey (1852 - … Continue reading Bonus Material: – Musical Ecstasy = Mystical Experience?
Anyone even vaguely familiar with the term “mystical,” whether from a religious practice or simply from an investigation into the subject generally, can usually agree that it includes a whole range of possible experiences which may qualify. In his classic volume, “Varieties of Religious Experience,” William James writes: “The adjective ‘mystical’ is technically applied, most … Continue reading The Mystical Is Often Metaphorical
The title of this posting has expanded well beyond my initial idea for it, and as I explored a number of resources in the research phase of the writing process, I began to see part of the reason why there is a kind of muddling in the terminology between all of those listed in the … Continue reading Metaphysical, Mystical, Mythological, Metaphorical, or Just Plain Mysterious?
A few weeks ago, we were finally able to accept an invitation to spend a few days with friends in South Carolina, on Fripp Island, which is a "...six and a half square mile barrier island located along the Atlantic coast," according to Wikipedia. The Fripp Island Property Owners Association describes the island as a … Continue reading A Moment of Zen: A Slice of Paradise
Universal Mind series. Background composition of human head and fractal clouds to complement your layouts on the subject of mind, dreams, thinking, consciousness and imagination The subject of transcendence as it relates to our subjective experience of consciousness is pretty broad in scope and complexity, and while it is one of the core issues when … Continue reading Consciousness Video Series: Episode 5: Transcendence Intro
Desc: Scientist leaving the world. Engraving c.1520. Allegorical representation of changes in medieval conception or interpretation of the heavens when it was thought that the world was flat ¥ Credit: [ The Art Archive As modern 21st century humans, we tend to focus more of our attention on our current epoch, and in some ways … Continue reading Consciousness Video Series: Episode 4: Ancient Beginnings to Modern Consciousness
A Beginning There are many different ways to approach a conversation about a complex subject, and I can attest to the fact that creating a video series is probably one of the most challenging, especially if you are not a seasoned film maker or videographer. I've already encountered what are likely the most common difficulties … Continue reading Consciousness Video Series: Episode Two: A Beginning
Burning the midnight oil trying to express some of my most personal thoughts on a typical late night writing session. As promised, my explorations and rummaging through the accumulated items surrounding my writing space have prompted me to consider a few additional important topics suggested by the review, and this week I veered off the … Continue reading In My Heart, In My Soul, and In My Mind
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