Mysticism, Aesthetics, and Cosmic Consciousness: A Post-Modern Worldview of Unity of Being

The subject matter of this book cannot be described in a simple and unidisciplinary manner. The themes of the book (mysticism, aesthetics, and cosmic consciousness) cut across the most difficult and contrasting subjects, or, in a broad sense, across the two spectrums of spirituality and the sciences. It is rather peculiar to discuss faith, beliefs, spirituality, and mysticism with the development of the sciences without confronting the controversies that have kept religion and science apart. They both come from the same source and should end up with similar, if not the same, conclusions. Their common concern is reaching the ultimate nature of things, the nature of Being and beings, the destiny of man, and finally, the ultimate truth.

Scientists and philosophers have often viewed religious beliefs, spiritual attitudes, and mystical orientation as superstition. Mystics and spiritualists consider this domain of endeavor, namely those matters dealing with the ultimate truth, to be better dealt with by a type of knowing (gnosis), i.e., intuition and revelation, rather than by logic and reason. This author takes the view of spiritualists (those not necessarily belonging to any religion); believing that spirituality and science should exist side by side, accepting complementary functions of the two as necessary for understanding man and his world. Man, the knowing subject, stands in the middle of the two, as both scientist and spiritualist.