Abstract

Dana Sawyer unpacks the philosophy-spirituality of Huxley, Watts, and Dass (as well as contemporaries, including Mirabai Starr and Richard Rohr) in ways readers will find intriguing, creating an original view of human nature, revealing why this mystical understanding of the world is called "perennial." During the 1960s and '70s, "Perennial Philosophy" was the most popular theory regarding what the world's mystical traditions held in common, and it was touted as the best platform for understanding the nature of human consciousness, including how to expand it therapeutically with meditation, yoga, and psychedelic drugs. Consequently, books by Aldous Huxley, Alan Watts, Huston Smith, Stanislav Grof, Frances Vaughan, Ram Dass, and other Perennialists were widely available and sold like hotcakes. However, during the '80s, their shared perspective fell out of fashion. The Perennial Philosophy Reloaded corrects several common errors while providing a short, up-to-date overview of the general perspective. The goal is to reveal the continued relevance of Perennial Philosophy during this time of psychedelic renaissance, when many are seeking ways to interpret their experiences, with an engaging narrative free of philosophical shop talk. The result is a demonstration of how Perennial Philosophy applies to all who are interested in self-realization. This book will appeal to the millions today who are involved with mindfulness meditation, hatha yoga, Transcendental Meditation, Tibetan Buddhism, Kabbalah, Zen, Sufism, Shamanic drumming, Christian Centering Prayer, or their own DIY approaches to spiritual awakening.