Beyond Religion: The Cultural Evolution of the Sense of the Sacred: From Shamanism to Religion to Post-religious Spirituality

I've just finished this book, Thompson's latest work, yesterday while sitting at a breakfast shop. It's good to see his writings in print again, as this book like his earlier works takes the reader on a "mind jazz" experience. Though certainly shorter than previous works, it is by no means lacking. If anything, Thompson's brevity distills and enfolds his insights so that, sometimes, you have to go back and read the sentences to unpack what they have to say - not like a philosophy book, but like a poem.This particular work couldn't be more timely. In a world wracked by religious extremism and political meltdown, Thompson offers decades of research into human culture, spirituality, mysticism, consciousness and the soul. He is unique in this regard for having been involved as a counter-cultural leader since the 1960's, and founder of the Lindisfarne Association, a former intentional community turned fellowship of scientists, mystics, economists and poets. Throughout all of Thompson's work, and this book included, he elucidates a trajectory of human cultural evolution, and argues that if we are to survive, we must enact what he calls a "planetary culture."What's unique about this book's thesis is that Thompson advocates a radically anarchic and decentralized vision of human spirituality for the future. From guru to fellowship, or nation to emanation, Thompson sees the future of spirituality as one guided by the inner teacher, the Higher Self, Daimon, or Sri Aurobindo's "Psychic Being." No outward authorities will do, and indeed, as we see religious authorities imploding on themselves, literalizing their teachings, and turning towards violence and sexual scandal, Thompson's understanding of the evolution of religion is hits the mark. Like the cultural philosopher Jean Gebser suggests, when a new relationship to the world - a structure of consciousness - becomes efficient, the older structures become deficient. Parodies, demonic caricatures of themselves. As religion enters this phase, many of us are seeking a new way to embrace spirituality without sliding back into these now troublesome mindscapes. I believe Thompson's articulation of this *new* form of spirituality has a strength in its emphasis on fellowship *through* individuation.Fellowship is an important word here, as it implies a relationship without hierarchy. In the spirit of collaboration. Perhaps it couldn't be more timely as we enter an age of digital networks, collaborative projects and heightened transparency, that our spirituality would begin to encourage this as well. Thompson gives us three examples: Paramahansa Yogananda, who threw out the Guru model and embraced a spiritual fellowship, Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, who were esoteric partners calling for an evolution of consciousness and the 'descent' of the supramental, and Albert Einstein, a scientist who nevertheless had a deep sense of spirituality and did not adhere to a guru principle. Einstein worked alone, as a peer and fellow contemplative of our mysterious cosmos.There's much more in this book, but I'll save it for the reader. If there's one thing I would have liked to have seen, it would be more examples of 'post-religious spirituality' - more fellowships, or even Thompson's own experience of fellowship with the Lindisfarne Associations: Lynn Margulis, James Lovelock, Francisco Varela, Spangler and many others who were involved there and certainly demonstrated what Thompson is calling a 'planetary culture' and a post-religious spiritual discussion.There seems to be a wave of material coming out recently from many different angles on world religions. Amir Nasr's My Isl@m, The Coming Interspiritual Age by Kurt Johnson, and Gabriel Roberts Born Again to Rebirth. I think we're beginning to see exactly what Thompson is articulating here, as authors come forward with their own unique confrontations and developments throughout a diverse, religious world, offering new kinds of spirituality that are no longer singularly bound to tradition, but embrace an eclectic and planetary-oriented style of fellowship in the mystery.Beyond Religion is a must-read for those curious seekers and readers of the Way. It's a wild ride through Thompson's brilliant and esoterically imaginative scholarship. Do check it out!

William Irwin Thompson is one of the most important authors alive - a visionary that not only lived through, but had a personal hand in, organizing the trans-disciplinary discourses that have shaped our world today. And yet most people don't even know who he is. Do yourself a favor and buy this man's book; get acquainted with a profound source of insight and wisdom whose eagle-eye view of the interwoven crises of our age points us all toward a whole and healthy engagement of the human condition.

I will read all books by William Irwin Thompson. He is a guiding light that enriches our already held views and takes us to places of new understanding.

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Work of genius by one of the leading thinkers in America.

I am a long time Thompson fan, he does not disappoint.If you are a thinking person in the 21st century, please read this!

perfect example of one taking the long road home

This is a great little introductory booklet to the thoughts of William Irwin Thompson, even if it is slightly self-absorbed/important, especially towards the end. It is a narrative - and a convincing on at that - about a shift in consciousness, an evolutionary step, which WIT conceptualises as a shift from followship (religions, atheists, patriarch science etc.) to fellowship (transcending institutions of hierarchical power), but it does at times shine through that WIT is a wee bit bitter that he and his fellow travellers have not found more followers of their non-followship philosophy. He even bemoans his son's current effort to write the brain down to an informational processing machine, while praising him by stating that he is writing for a major university press. In those paragraphs are expressed WIT's general state of being to this reader: somewhat disillusioned, yet still lovingly so. Has he almost lost his faith, I wonder?That said, this is worth a read. In fact, everyone should read it (with the filters enabled that I tried to configure in my comments above). Now go read it. Do it. And stop following.