Unfolding Consciousness : Vol IV: References & Resources, Further Reading : References & Resources, Further Reading: A tour de force on science and the philosophia perennis in three Volumes References - Edi Bilimoria
Volume IV forms the Index, Definitions, Glossary and Bibliography to this three-volume work. It provides a comprehensive 'roadmap' allowing readers to navigate their way seamlessly through more than 2000 references, copious tables, diagrams (many in colour), plus individual chapter summaries and sidenotes. All three Volumes and Index will be contained in an attractive high-quality slipcase, embossed to show the inspiration and purpose of the work. Volumes I,II and III will come with a silk ribbon bookmark sewn into the binding. The Index will enable the reader to rapidly locate any special points of interest and is transparent in its cross-referencing and clarity. Consciousness Unfolding is a veritable tour de force and the sine qua non of any academic or scholarly library. It represents a watershed in the worldwide perennial wisdom literature tradition. In a clear and systematic way, it explores, in the manner of the Universal Wisdom Tradition, the unfolding of Consciousness from its Unmanifest and Implicate realms, through Cosmos, and Man. Readers will find here a goldmine of wisdom, information and resources. The principal theme is to show how the Universal Wisdom Tradition-the Perennial Philosophy-and the corroboration of some of its tenets by enlightened science of the quantum era, broadens and contextualises mainstream science beyond its existing metaphysical limitations. In this way the author believes many of the intractable problems and conundrums of science, concerning the deeper issues of consciousness and life, can be squarely faced and resolved. The four Volumes have been some two decades in the making and represent the fruits of over half a century of exploration and research in science and the Perennial Philosophy. Drawing on a galaxy of world-class authorities, the result is a closely woven garment that lights up the night sky in the fields of science and philosophy, religion and art. Conveniently presented in three distinct, yet interlinked Volumes, it traces the path of esoteric philosophy and occult science (the kernel of the Wisdom Tradition) in modern idiom explaining how they complement Western science. Evidence from a wide range of sources-scientific, medical, philosophical, religious, and cultural-is put forward to argue the case that humans are spiritual beings, primarily, and not merely complicated biological machines or evolved monkeys. Especially, that consciousness is not the product of matter but the primary 'element' from which all else emanates. This process and its underlying mechanisms are described in stepwise detail with much clarity. Further information on Volumes I, II and III is detailed on separate Advance Information sheets but, in outline, the subject matter is organized as to:* Volume I: A Panoramic Survey - Science Contrasted with the Perennial Philosophy on Consciousness and Man* Volume II: Peering Down the Microscope - Man's Internal Landscapes * Volume III: Gazing Through the Telescope - Man is the Measure of All Things* Volume IV: Definitions, Glossary, Bibliography, Index In these Volumes, readers will discover their own essential nature since it takes Socrates' aphorism 'Man, Know Thyself' as its keynote. It is true to say that once the ground set out in this trilogy is surveyed, readers are better able to clarify their own beliefs and understanding and to know what is uniquely important to them. For this reason, as the various endorsements point out, it is not a 'passive' read but a distinctly participative and engaging one. These Volumes possess a breadth and profundity one rarely sees in modern esoteric literature. They expound the esoteric philosophy and occult sciences from arcane sources to the latest expositions from worldwide sources and diverse cultures. Moreover, the author explains their indispensable complement (not alternative) to science, whilst at the same time supporting their affirmations with evidence and references. Whilst on Earth, we may well 'see through a glass darkly', but in this work Edi Bilimoria uses his scientific-philosophic background not only to 'pierce through', but to throw into relief the difference between true science and pseudo-science, true mysticism and mock mysticism. Whereas mainstream science can hardly disagree with what the best of science has discovered through its own methods of theoretical analysis and laborious experimentation, yet the deeper philosophical and metaphysical implications have barely penetrated the still predominant materialistic paradigm of science. The author examines this paradigm against the background of the perennial wisdom and finds it sadly lacking, but he provides much optimism finding harbingers of hope in the dawning of a new epoch of spirituality in the wake of the turbulence of recent world events. The 2020 Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is one obvious harbinger-sounding an alarm bell to mankind to reorient its sense of values away from unbridled technology and heartless commercialism back to the timeless realities with which these Volumes are concerned. The author explores what it truly means to be a human being at all levels from spirit, through soul to body. Questions concerning destiny, purpose, and continuity of consciousness after death are explained with considerable evidence and no preconceptions, only an objective appeal to enlightened science and the seamless precepts of the Universal Wisdom Tradition of all ages from antiquity to the present. It is aimed at serious enquirers and researchers who genuinely appreciate the major contributions of science and the worth of religions and philosophies in terms of increasing our knowledge of the world and advancement of human welfare. Given the original writing and novel manner of presentation, readers will not only find this work challenging and enjoyable, but eminently useful in their own research into consciousness and its limitless unfolding.
