Mark Vernon – författare

A new look at the life, works and enduring relevance of William Blake, a deeply spiritual and politically radical figure.In the 200 years since Blake's death, the visionary artist, poet and writer has become a household name, often beloved. Yet many struggle to comprehend his kaleidoscopic ideas; how they speak to human longings and the challenges of living in anxious times.Philosopher and psychotherapist Mark Vernon provides a fresh route into Blake, taking him at his word. Exploring this brilliant thinker's passionate writings, arresting artworks and fascinating life, Vernon illuminates Blake's vivid worldview. Like us, he lived in a tumultuous era of war, discontent, rapid technological change, and human estrangement from nature. He exposed the dark sides of political fervour and social moralising, while unashamedly celebrating love and liberty. But he also conversed with prophets and angels, and was powerfully, if unconventionally, religious. If we take this seriously--not easy, in secular times--then Blake can help us to unlock the transformative power of imagination.Written for both longstanding fans and unfamiliar readers, Awake! reveals Blake as an invigorating and hopeful guide for our modern age.

Christianity is in crisis in the West. The Inkling friend of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, Owen Barfield, analysed why. He developed an account of our spiritual predicament that is radical and illuminating. Barfield realized that the human experience of life shifts fundamentally over periods of cultural time. Our perception of nature, the cosmos and the divine changes dramatically across history.Mark Vernon uses this startling insight to tell the inner story of 3000 years of Christianity, beginning from the earliest Biblical times. Drawing, too, on the latest scholarship and spiritual questions of our day, he presents a gripping account of how Christianity constellated a new perception of what it is to be human. For 1500 years, this sense of things informed many lives, though it fell into crisis with the Reformation, scientific revolution and Enlightenment.But the story does not stop there. Barfield realised that there is meaning in the disenchantment and alienation experienced by many people today. It is part of a process that is remaking our sense of participation in the life of nature, the cosmos and the divine. It's a new stage in the evolution of human consciousness.

We live in an age of emergency, exacerbated by a collapse of meaning. Writer and psychotherapist Mark Vernon examines the type of intelligence that, whilst often dismissed and overlooked, is crucial to understand and cultivate if we are to survive and thrive in our times. Spiritual intelligence is the foundation of who we are and our particular type of consciousness. It is the perception identified across wisdom and religious traditions, and known by many names, which can be summarised as the awareness of awareness, and so of being itself. It is the foundation of peace, even in the face of death, as well as purpose and solidarity. The challenge today is to recover and live according to that knowledge. Examining themes from the nature of consciousness to the experience of time, the emergence of our species and the teaching of spiritual adepts, the book is an antidote to rampant AI and a complement to emotional intelligence. It is written without presuming religious commitments in readers and draws on a mix of sources and experience gained from the author's own practices. It advocates pilgrimage and improvisation, virtues over morality, and big histories that do not turn the story of our species into a bleak struggle for survival. The seven steps will help readers identify spiritual intelligence within themselves, unpack why it matters, and suggest how a wider trust in it may be revived.

If science has replaced God, is life necessarily meaningless? This book argues that the advances of science and the retreat of religion in secular society does not have to mean a life without spirituality.

Mark Vernon offers penetrating insights on the idea of friendship, using philosophy and modern culture to ask about friendship and sex, work, politics and spirituality. He also explores how notions of friendship may or may not be changing because of the internet, and looks at the psychology of friendship.

The authentic spiritual quest is marked not by certainties but by questions and doubt. Mark Vernon who was a priest, and left an atheist explores the wonder of science, the ups and downs of being 'spiritual but not religious', the insights of ancient philosophy, and God the biggest question.

Here is a practical guide to the essentials of business. This book provides everything you need to know about the key concepts and terms, from accountability to zero-sum game. Everything from management, economics and finance to marketing, organizational behaviour and operations is covered in just the right amount of detail to make things clear and intelligible.Business: The Key Concepts:* is detailed yet approachable* considers new developments in business, notably eBusiness and contemporary business ethics* covers established subjects, taking an international and strategic perspective that balances theory and practice* suggests specific further reading for many concepts and also includes an extensive bibliography.Whether you're already in business and could do with a handy reference guide, or you're a student needing an introduction to the fundamentals, Business: The Key Concepts is the perfect companion.

Here is a practical guide to the essentials of business. This book provides everything you need to know about the key concepts and terms, from accountability to zero-sum game. Everything from management, economics and finance to marketing, organizational behaviour and operations is covered in just the right amount of detail to make things clear and intelligible.Business: The Key Concepts:* is detailed yet approachable* considers new developments in business, notably eBusiness and contemporary business ethics* covers established subjects, taking an international and strategic perspective that balances theory and practice* suggests specific further reading for many concepts and also includes an extensive bibliography.Whether you're already in business and could do with a handy reference guide, or you're a student needing an introduction to the fundamentals, Business: The Key Concepts is the perfect companion.

The politics of wellbeing and the new science of happiness have shot up the agenda since Martin Seligman coined the phrase "positive psychology". After all, who does not want to live the good life? So ten years on, why is it that much of this otherwise welcome debate sounds like as much apple-pie - "work less", "earn enough", "keep fit", "find meaning", "enjoy freedoms"? The reason is not, ultimately, cynicism. Rather, it is because a central, tricky question is being glossed over: just what is wellbeing? Mark Vernon argues that positive psychology has overlooked and sidelined the ancient wisdom on wellbeing, notably from the Greek philosophers. Now is the time to pay it proper attention.Vernon shows, surprisingly, that wellbeing is not found in a focus on pleasure, or even the pursuit of happiness itself. Rather, it is a question of meaning and responding to the great challenge of our day: the search for transcendence. For at root, the life that is going well cultivates a way of life based upon love: it is that which draws you out of yourself - in friends, hopes and ultimately the contemplation of mystery - and orientates a life towards that which is good.

Understand Humanism is the definitive introduction to this diverse and increasingly prominent philosophy. This guide teaches you everything you need to know about humanism, from it's ancient origins and key figures, to humanist answers to pressing modern issues, like climate change and identity politics. NOT GOT MUCH TIME?One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.AUTHOR INSIGHTSLots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience.TEST YOURSELFTests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGEExtra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of psychology.FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBERQuick refreshers to help you remember the key facts.TRY THISInnovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

In this book:'Mark Vernon writes with sharp insight and a generous understanding of how humans search and create meanings to sustain their lives' - Madeleine Bunting, Guardian.Why doesn't God go away? God: All That Matters, by philosopher Mark Vernon,suggests that there is something odd about the way God is discussed today. It is often as if the divine were being examined in a test tube, in a search for empirical and objective confirmation of his/her existence. Yet, for people of faith, the experience of God is nothing if not subjectively real; they know God, in-so-far as they do, in their lives. Vernon therefore looks to move the argument on from the debates between atheist and religious fundamentalists, to look at how people through time have looked for, experienced, and explained God - in suffering, in nature, in morality, in peak experiences, in goodness, in the future and in love.This accessible and concise book will appeal to both students and general readers, giving a fascinating introduction to a wide range of perspectives on God.The All That Matters series:All That Matters books:All books in the All That Matters series are written by world experts in their subject field. These experts work to distil a topic and get right to its heart, making the book accessible for both students and general readers. Each compelling book contains new and interesting perspectives and tells stories that matter.The Author:Mark Vernon has an unparalleled ability to convey profound philosophical ideas in a manner that is both accessible and personal but also rigorous and challenging."- Raymond TallisMark Vernon is a journalist, broadcaster, teacher and author of several books. He is an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck, University of London and has degrees in physics, and theology and a PhD in philosophy. He was a priest in the Church of England, left a convinced atheist, though now takes religious and spiritualpractice very seriously - a journey he has written about in his book How to be an Agnostic.Keep up with Mark Vernon on his website: www.markvernon.com.Other books in the All That Matters series:All That Matters - Interesting introductions to important issuesBooks on the following subjects are available from the All That Matters series: Muhammad, Water, Political Philosophy, Sustainability, Philosophy, Intelligence, Love, Russian Revolution, War, and Creativity.To find out more visit: www.allthatmattersbooks.com

The politics of wellbeing and the new science of happiness have shot up the agenda since Martin Seligman coined the phrase "positive psychology". After all, who does not want to live the good life? So ten years on, why is it that much of this otherwise welcome debate sounds like as much apple-pie - "work less", "earn enough", "keep fit", "find meaning", "enjoy freedoms"? The reason is not, ultimately, cynicism. Rather, it is because a central, tricky question is being glossed over: just what is wellbeing? Mark Vernon argues that positive psychology has overlooked and sidelined the ancient wisdom on wellbeing, notably from the Greek philosophers. Now is the time to pay it proper attention.Vernon shows, surprisingly, that wellbeing is not found in a focus on pleasure, or even the pursuit of happiness itself. Rather, it is a question of meaning and responding to the great challenge of our day: the search for transcendence. For at root, the life that is going well cultivates a way of life based upon love: it is that which draws you out of yourself - in friends, hopes and ultimately the contemplation of mystery - and orientates a life towards that which is good.

Drawing his inspiration from 42 of the funniest, wisest, and quirkiest quotations on the big questions in life, Vernon offers a light-hearted look at what philosophy has to say about life, the Universe, and everything. Deftly interweaving the thoughts of the greatest minds of all time, from Socrates to Monty Python, Vernon provides a platter of witty yet profound discussions on work, love, eternal life, sex, and happiness. From the allure of cats to the nature of wisdom, this rip-roaring read is the perfect companion for the armchair philosopher, and proves that even a little introspection can transform our lives for the better!