Jules Evans – författare

Since the Enlightenment, western culture has written off ecstatic experience as a form of mental illness. But why should rationality be considered the highest part of human nature when we are capable of so many more states of experience? Piecing together interviews, analysis of ancient and modern philosophy, and his own eclectic encounters with the sublime, philosopher Jules Evans mounts an investigation into what we can gain from mastering the art of losing control. From Aristotle and Plato to the Bishop of London and Sister Bliss, radical jihadis to Silicon Valley transhumanists, The Art of Losing Control is a funny, life-enhancing journey that will change the way you think about how you feel.

AS HEARD ON RADIO 4'S DESERT ISLAND DISCS‘Thought-provoking’ Financial Times‘Wonderful … shows how modern psychology is consistent with the best that was thought and known in the Ancient World … beautifully written’ Lord Richard Layard, author of Happiness: Lessons From A New ScienceJules Evans reveals how ancient philosophy saved his life and can make us all happier, wiser and more resilient. This book is an invitation to a dream school with a faculty that includes 12 of the greatest philosophers from the ancient world, sharing practical techniques we can use to better our lives.Featuring extraordinary stories from real people who are using these techniques – from marines to magicians, astronauts to anarchists and CBT psychologists to soldiers – Jules Evans demonstrates the timeless relevance of these teachings in everyday life.Philosophy on Life reveals how the wisdom of the past can illuminate the path to a brighter and more fulfilled future for us all.

Personal accounts exploring the shift from mental illness to spiritual awakening.The first book in which people discuss their own spiritual emergencies and share what helped them through. Our authors are the experts of their own experience, and they share their wild journeys with courage, insight and poetry.There are fascinating parallels in their experiences, suggesting minds in extremis go to similar places. These are beautiful postcards from the edge of human consciousness, testaments to the soul's natural resilience. Our authors have returned from their descent with valuable insights for our culture, as we go through a collective spiritual emergency, with old myths and structures breaking down, and new possibilities breaking open.What is there beyond our present egocentric model of reality? What tools can help us navigate the emergence?"This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the connection between spiritual awakening and what we normally term 'mental illness.' It is full of inspirational and moving stories that show that psychological disturbances often lead to significant personal growth, if supported properly. As a culture, we urgently need a new paradigm of mental illness and treatment, and this and this book makes an important contribution to that shift.' Steve Taylor PhD, author of The Leap and Spiritual Science