According to surveys by gallup and pew, the number of americans who say theyve had one or more mystical experience rose from 22 per cent in 1962 to 49 per cent by 2009. Aldous huxley books biography and list of works author. Aldous himself very welleducated in 1911, suffered. He was educated at eton and at balliol college, oxford university b. Aldous huxley the department of english and comparative. Aldous huxley and alternative spirituality reading religion. Aldous huxley and the mysticism of science june deery auth. In this talk and group discussion, author jules evans will explore the life and work of aldous huxley, a mystic of piccadilly he converted to mysticism while living over the road from st james in albany street and one of the most important influences on the growing demographic of spiritual but not religious. Its title derives from the theological tradition of. His early recognition of the profound significance of twentiethcentury science and the need for moral and spiritual direction resulted in his espousal of mysticism. Its title derives from the theological tradition of perennial philosophy. The course proposes to examine the major works of aldous huxley as vital contributions to the emerging 20 th century canon of modernism, internationalism, pacifism, spiritualism, and the psychology of modern consciousness. Aldous leonard huxley was an english writer and philosopher. He was a member of the famous huxley family who produced a number of brilliant scientific minds.
I had motive for not wanting the world to have a meaning. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Aldous huxley, christianity, god, hallucinogenics jules evans november 23, 2019 comment weve had a century of therapy and things are getting worse james hillmans animist ecopsychology in 1992 almost 30 years ago james hillman laid down a stinging critique of therapy culture, arguing it was turning us inwards while the ecology was. Aldous huxley 26 july 1894 22 november 1963, one of the great modern thinkers, philosophers, and social commentators of the 20th century, is often hailed as an inspirational figure of the human potential movement and the subsequent development of transpersonal psychology. In his later life, parapsychology and philosophical mysticism dominated most of his writings. The perennial philosophy is a splendid encyclopaedia of mysticism, but thats not the same as firsthand mystical experience. The doctrine that god is in the world has an important practical corollary the sacredness of na. Exponent of mysticism in america 343 long before, in the 1920s, huxley had begun publishing novels, short stories, and essays that showed a persisting interest in mysticism.
Aldous huxley when an american university asked me to give a talk on buddhism and mysticism i was, well, mystified. The third son of leonard huxley, a writer, editor, and teacher, and julia arnold, also a teacher, the young aldous grew up in a family of wellconnected. Published in 1954, it elaborates on his psychedelic experience under the influence of mescaline in may 1953. Huxley recalls the insights he experienced, ranging from the purely aesthetic to sacramental vision, and reflects on their philosophical and psychological implications. He was also the brother of the leading atheistic evolutionist sir julian huxley see quotes. Aldous leonard huxley was a prominent english writer.
He grew interested in philosophical mysticism 14 and universalism, 15 addressing these subjects with works such as the perennial philosophy 1945which illustrates commonalities between western and eastern mysticism and the doors of perception 1954which interprets his own psychedelic. Best known for his novels including brave new world, set in a dystopian london, the doors of perception, which recalls experiences when taking a psychedelic drug, and a wideranging output of. Glicksberg has at last outgrown the idea of futility that was so dominant and so devastating a concept during the twenties. His contributions to modern thought spanned many genres. True salvation is not to be found in ritual nor in tradition. We will discuss questions which huxley asked, and which remain important. We failed to notice that our runaway infatuation with the sleek toys produced by the likes of apple and samsung might well turn out to be as powerful a. Aldous huxley was an english writer and a prominent member of the huxley family. He remains best known for one novel, brave new world 1932, a model for much dystopian science fiction. The doors of perception is a book by aldous huxley.
Will the desire for the transcendent outlast postmodern nihilism. When he was introduced to meditation, vegetarianism and vedanta, he. Enjoy the best aldous huxley quotes at brainyquote. Aldous huxley was born in surrey, england, on july 26, 1894, to an illustrious family deeply rooted in englands literary and scientific tradition. Buddhism, for me, was an immensely practical and mostly logical approach to the problem of living a satisfying life, while i understood mysticism to consist of an escape from daytoday living and a retreat into a realm of. Savage 20, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Aldous huxley and mysticism for the masses in this talk and group discussion, author jules evans will explore the life and work of aldous huxley, one of the most important influences on the contemporary psychedelic renaissance.
Happening silently within, it would seem utterly uneventful. It considers a few areas of agreement charity, purity of heart, humility, divine edification between the major world faiths and includes many quotations from buddhism and hinduism, taoism and islam, etc. Aldous huxley and the mysticism of science book, 1996. Aldous huxley was a british novelist who wrote brave new world 1932, and was a grandson of darwins bulldog, t. What can we learn from the perennial philosophy of aldous. Jake poller examines how huxleys shifting spiritual convictions influenced his. In this talk and group discussion, author jules evans will explore the life and work of aldous huxley, one of the most important influences on the contemporary psychedelic renaissance. Essays on mysticism, religion and spirituality by huxley, aldous, bridgeman, jacqueline isbn. Aldous huxley july 26 1884 november 22 1963 born in surrey, uk third son of leonard huxley, writerschoolmaster, and julia arnold, founder of priors field school. Aldous huxley made this frank admission about his antichristian motivation. To huxley, mysticism is one of the two branches of spirituality. June deery can religious belief survive in a scientific era.
Aldous huxley is an essayist whom i would be ready to rank with hazlitt, somerset maugham declared. Humanism as religion and human soul and religion are just the product of religion, and died the same day as. Essays on mysticism and spirituality, by aldous huxley edited by jacqueline bridgeman. Aldous huxley and alternative spirituality offers an incisive analysis of the full range of huxleys spiritual interests, spanning both mysticism neovedanta, taoism, mahayana and zen buddhism and western esotericism mesmerism, spiritualism, the paranormal. Aldous huxley and the mysticism of science ebook, 1996.
In this talk and group discussion, author jules evans will explore the life and work of aldous huxley, a mystic of piccadilly he converted to mysticism while living. His works are notable for their wit and pessimistic satire and for their ongoing exploration of the negative and positive impacts of science and technology on 20thcentury life. Aldous huxley the path isnt hard, but it is very differentdifferent from the ways of the world, different from religion, different from joining a cause, and different from adhering to a set of rules or a moral code. Aldous huxley was born july 26, 1894, in the village of godalming, surrey, england. What is the relationship between science and spirituality. Mystical experience is selfless, direct, transcendent experience of god or ultimate reality.
Huxley, aldous leonard 18941963 eminent british novelist whose brief volumes the doors of perception 1954 and heaven and hell 1956 pioneered discussions on the relationship between drug experience and mysticism. Born into the prominent huxley family, he graduated from balliol college, oxford with an undergraduate degree in english literature. Aldous huxley was an english writer and essayist, known for his poetry, wide range of essays, films scripts, but many people know him through his dystopian novel brave new world. We will discuss questions which huxley asked, and which remain important for the psychedelic renaissance. Aldous huxley and the mysticism of science june deery. With great wit and stunning intellectdrawing on a diverse array of faiths, including zen buddhism, hinduism, taoism, christian mysticism, and islamhuxley examines the spiritual beliefs of various religious traditions and explains how they are united by a common human yearning to. Best known for his novels and wideranging output of essays, he also published short stories, poetry, travel writing, and film stories. He wrote nearly fifty booksboth novels and nonfiction worksas well as wideranging essays, narratives, and poems. In 1956, he published heaven and hell, another essay which. The perennial philosophy is a comparative study of mysticism by the british writer and novelist aldous huxley. He was also interested in parapsychology and philosophical mysticism as well as psychedelic drugs.
Aldous leonard huxley july 26, 1894 november 22, 1963 was a british writer who emigrated to the united states. Aldous huxley 18941963 is the author of the classic novels brave new world, island, eyeless in gaza, and the genius and the goddess, as well as such critically acclaimed nonfiction works as the perennial philosophy and the doors of perception. His work, especially his most renowned and often controversial novel, brave new world, has served as a form of social critique to the ills of the. Essays on mysticism and spirituality, by aldous huxley edited. Aldous huxley biography childhood, life achievements. Huxleys father, leonard huxley, was the son of thomas henry huxley, a wellknown biologist who gained the nickname darwins bulldog for championing charles darwins evolutionary ideas. When aldous huxley became interested in mysticism in the second half of his career, his concern for science also deepened. General the perennial philosophy the perennial philosophy, by aldous huxley is a book similar in content to the ageofthesage web site. Early in his career, he published short stories and poetry and edited the literary magazine oxford poetry, before going on to publish travel writing, satire, and screenplays. Critical studies of huxley have typically split his work into two phasessocial satire and mysticismthat roughly correspond to huxleys perceived oscillation between. Aldous huxley july 26, 1894november 22, 1963 was a british writer who authored more than 50 books and a large selection of poetry, stories, articles, philosophical treatises, and screenplays. Quotations by aldous huxley, english novelist, born july 26, 1894. Aldous huxley and mysticism for the masses alternatives.
After a serious illness left him partially blind as a youth, huxley abandoned his dreams of becoming a. The mysticism for the masses that huxley prophesised seems to be coming to pass. An examination of his fiction and nonfiction reveals huxley s significance for crossdisciplinary debates between religion, science and literature and. These following facts about aldous huxley should definitely give you much information about about this writer. Aldous huxley and the mysticism of science 1st edition by june deery author visit amazons june deery page. By the midthirties he had moved from the religious position of a scientificminded skeptic, through the lifeworship doctrine of d. His early recognition of the profound significance of twentiethcentury science and the. An examination of his fiction and nonfiction reveals huxleys significance for crossdisciplinary debates between religion, science and literature and. Huxley was born in godalming, england, on july 27, 1894, grandson of a famous biologist. Aldous huxley 18941963, english writer best known for his dystopian novel brave new world 1932. Spirituality is the art of achieving union with god, and consists of two branchesasceticism and mysticism, the mortification of the self and that contemplation by means of which the soul makes contact with ultimate reality readings in mysticism, vedanta for the. Aldous huxley was born into a prominent intellectual family in godalming, england, in 1894. In his midlife he got involved in eastern mysticism. What can we learn from the perennial philosophy of aldous huxley.