Cosmoconsciousness, or cosmic consciousness, is a term used to characterize a transcendence of the limits of self-consciousness. As an ultra-state of illumination of the mind, the roots of the conception are embodied in the quest for a spiritual connection with multi-dimensional cosmos. This quest searches for spiritual development as a pathway to human excellence, and can be associated with the mystics of ancient wisdom, as well as contemporary psycho-spiritual analysts. After its emergence in the late 19th century, cosmic consciousness rapidly became a source of inspiration for transpersonal psychology, moral therapy, and a thoughtful link to mystical quantum physics. By encouraging a spiritual way of perceiving the real world, cosmic consciousness also provides a source of inspiration for human excellence as the central idea of global ethics. In this perspective, the world cannot be changed for the better without changing individual consciousness. Global concerns, including ecological issues, violence and acts of terrorism, materialistic gratification and hedonism, could not be addressed effectively unless people’s consciousness is changed. Cosmic consciousness, by the very perception of the inner life, has the potential to struggle with global concerns, and hence, it holds a promise of human excellence. This book discusses cosmic consciousness against the backdrop of the emergence of the rational and autonomous conception of the self, and the modern psychological depiction of selfhood. It places the idea of cosmic consciousness at the centre of contemporary arguments on the nature of consciousness.

In one of the classic books on the mystical experience, Buck outlines the development of various faculties in the history of man and the growth of an individual. He believes we are witnessing a continuous psychical revolution and that people like Buddha and Jesus, to name a couple, are the forerunners of the beings who will eventually inhabit the earth.

Acclaimed by William James as "an addition to psychology of first-rate importance," this pioneering work constitutes a classic modern study of the mystical experience. Author Richard Maurice Bucke, a distinguished progressive psychiatrist, explores the phenomenon of transcendent realization, or illumination. Bucke draws upon his firsthand experience of a life-altering insight to explore the theory of cosmic consciousness, an advance in mental evolution with the potential to raise existence to a higher plane. As valuable today as it was upon its 1901 publication, this landmark survey treats illumination from the standpoint of psychology, as a rare but definite and well-documented mental condition. It cites instances of sudden enlightenment experienced by mystics, philosophers, writers, and artists throughout history, noting an increasing frequency of episodes consistent with an evolutionary trend. Numerous case studies offer intriguing, real-life particulars of people and their personal epiphanies — from Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed, to Dante, William Blake, Walt Whitman, and lesser-known individuals. A work of uplift and promise, this book offers readers a vista of extraordinary possibilities and a renewed capacity for hope and wonder.

Man is essentially a spiritual being. The source of this spiritual Omniscience we may not, in our finite intelligence, fully cognize, because full cognition would preclude the possibility of finite expression. The destiny of man is perfection.

Richard M. Burke's astonishing treatise on the human mind discusses and attempts to explain mystical experiences in the context of evolutionary change in the brain. During his mid-thirties, Burke underwent a feeling of revelation and felt distinctly enlightened for a short time. Although the period of enlightenment passed, it had an immense impact upon Burke's outlook, steering his personal and professional life in a directions he had never before envisioned. He found the experience a permanent boon to his well-being, and was able to work and enjoy life more than he formerly had. This book attempts to explain the various mystical feelings of enlightenment which humans have experienced over the millennia of recorded history. Burke's opinion is that these phenomena are becoming commoner over time, and represent an evolution of the human mind. He postulates that these experiences will become commoner as centuries go by, and become accepted as an ordinary, then eventually as a necessary part of human life.

There is an ages-old unexplained mystery of genius and enlightenment. Many people talk of ""seeing the light"" as a temporary, intense affair where all the world's knowledge and understanding is unveiled to an individual in a brief moment outside of time. He carefully researched and compiled all the illuminated individuals he could find. As a trained M.D. and psychiatrist working in a mental institution, he was in a unique position Bucke provides three dozen very consistent examples of 'cosmic consciousness.' Some of these were contemporary case-histories which he collected. Bucke proposed that these enlightened figures are evolutionary jumps, the precedecessor of a more advanced species. Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Dante, William Blake, Shakespeare and others were included. Bucke proposed that these enlightened figures are evolutionary jumps, the precedecessor of a more advanced species. Get Your Copy Now.