Alister Hardy: A Naturalist of the Spiritual Realm

Alister Hardy was one of the pioneers of the scientific study of spiritual experiences (SE); however, his work and insights have not received the attention they deserve. This paper, based on an in-depth analysis of Hardy’s own writings, presents his main methodological and epistemological contributions for advancing the investigation of SE. Hardy’s main epistemological propositions were as follows: the transcendent as the core of spirituality and SE as a major source of R/S beliefs; a nondogmatic approach, acknowledging that Darwinian evolution does not imply materialism and that mind is not reducible to matter; and a call for studies of psychic experiences and considering an expanded naturalism, including the “para-physical”, that could lead to a perennial philosophy and a natural theology. His methods focused on phenomenological classification and the development of a natural history of SE based on studies with proper ecological validity on the experimental and the experiential, mixing large surveys of the general population with in-depth qualitative studies of the most prominent cases. In addition, it would be worth investigating developments of SE throughout a person’s life. Bringing back Hardy’s contributions will foster a better understanding of the history of the scientific study of SE and provide key insights for moving it forward.

Redressing a Straw Man: Correcting Critical Misunderstandings of Aldous Huxley’s Perennial Philosophy

This essay reinvigorates the Huxley/Osmond theory that psychedelic drugs can occasion a cross-cultural mystical experience characterized by a sense of “unity with ultimate reality.” It offers a long-overdue rejoinder to the position of Constructivist authors such as Steven T. Katz, Hans Penner, and Stephen Prothero that Aldous Huxley’s Perennial Philosophy is a defunct position. Specifically, the essay answers three erroneous charges: (1) that Huxley posited his viewpoint as the “core” or “essence” of religion, (2) that Huxley believed he was describing a set of universally shared religious beliefs, and (3) that Huxley’s position depends on a belief in—and the possibility of—a state of “pure consciousness.” In all cases, these charges will be shown to be erroneous. Moreover, it will also be argued that these claims are inaccurate for most forms of the Perennial Philosophy, and that the Perennial Philosophy is not a homogenous viewpoint, but rather a family of theories as are Existentialism, Postmodernism, and Idealism. The essay ends with a look at new directions for testing the Huxley/Osmond position, including with psychedelic drugs.

The Perennial Philosophy in the Bhagavadgita: Where the East and the West Meet

This article explores and interprets the fundamentals of perennial philosophy that the Bhagavadgita (the BG). The perennial philosophy of the BG crystalizes the first cause of reality. It leads to the zenith of knowledge, exhibiting how all the dualities and contradictions that run in this gross world merge into postulates the oneness of eternal reality. The eternity of the truth and first cause is in the integration and totality of oneness that radiates the entire creation. Western philosophy and science also make the same quest and disseminate the ideas and theories that resemble the perennial philosophy of the BG. In this regard, the entirety of perennial philosophy invites a systematic study. Having been compiled a few centuries before Christ, it remains to revisit how the BG resounds the rhythms of perennial philosophy propounded in the East and the West. This article has applied the qualitative approach. Exploratory and interpretive methods have been implemented to relate the ideas of perennial philosophy both from the BG and Western metaphysics.

A Survey Study of Recent Works on Nasr’s Eco-Religious Thought and Approach (Satu Tinjauan Terhadap Karya-Karya Terbaru Tentang Pemikiran dan Pendekatan Eco-Agama Nasr)

The current paper presents a brief survey study on recent works on Nasr's eco-religious thought and approach. The paper aims to analyse these works critically to focus how and up to what level their discussions can match with Nasr's original understanding. The research methodology is basically literature review with textual analysis. In so doing, the article attempts to enrich the present discussion on Nasr's eco-religious vision. Keywords: Eco-philosophy, Eco-spirituality, Perennial philosophy, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Sacredness of Nature, Sanctity of life. Abstrak Sebahagian cendiakawan berminat mempelajari pemikiran tradisional Seyyed Hossein Nasr mengenai persekitaran. Karya-karya mereka membantu tersebarnya pemikiran eko-agama Nasr secara penghargaan dan juga kritikan. Artikel ini mengkaji karya-karya terbaru mereka mengenai pemikiran dan pendekatan eko-agama Nasr untuk melihat sejauh mana karya-karya ini dapat disesuaikan dengan pemikirannya yang sebenar. Kaedah yang digunakan adalah menerusi tinjauan kajian-kajian lepas dan analisis teks. Artikel ini menyumbang kepada kepelbagaian karya-karya yang sedia ada mengenai pemikiran eko-agama Nasr. Kata Kunci: Eco-filosofi, eco-spiritual, falsafah abadi, Sayed Hossein Nasr, rahsia alam, kesucian hidup.

Filsafat Perenial dan Dialog Agama: Studi Pemikiran Seyyed Hossein Nasr

Social conflict as something that no longer only stems from the issue of economic inequality and political interests. However, differences in conceptions between religions and religious prejudice against other religious communities are the causes of social conflicts. The important thing that urgently needs to be done is to create and expand religious dialogue. However, the religious dialogue that has been initiated and practiced over the last few decades still needs to be taken more seriously. This study aims to complete a literature review related to how perennial philosophy can be an alternative approach to a more serious religious dialogue. This study focuses on the thoughts of Seyyed Hossein Nasr several of his works that are relevant to discussions related to perennial philosophy and religious dialogue. The research method was carried out by collecting data using library research techniques. After the data has been collected, then data analysis is carried out using historical descriptive methods. The results of this study indicate that Seyyed Hossein Nasr's perennial philosophy offers an attitude that allows religious dialogue to be more serious and fruitful. With Seyyed Hossein Nasr's perennial philosophy, dialogue is carried out with clear integrity and genuine openness for mutual understanding to take place. Integrity and openness to dialogue with existing differences contribute to understanding differences in conceptions and breaking down prejudices between religious believers.

Quantum Physics and Perennial Philosophy: Mirrors of Knowledge

The core of what is defined as Perennial Philosophy is established by ancient traditions of metaphysical thought, which though arising from the most various historical contexts from East to West, outstandingly share some fundamental truths such as the mutual interrelation of all things. Even more astonishingly, however, is how these various truths which spread among different cultures, are currently backed up by the insights of contemporary physics. This paper aims at underscoring how undeniably compelling, yet uncanny this bond is, primarily on the plane of knowledge, a broader knowledge substantiated by science and philosophy - the two, speak here an unknown language, yet with the same voice: the incommunicability of their truths overlapping with the incommunicability of their real experiences. Grappling with the dazzling disclosures of these “mirrors of knowledge” is as fascinating as unavoidable. This study takes into account some of them, by uncovering how crucial they are both for the present, and the (albeit acknowledged by the past wisdom) future understanding of the reality we are entangled with.

Metaphors in Mentalization-Based Treatment: Reintroducing the Language of Change in “Plain Old Therapy”

Metaphors, a central conduit of change in psychotherapy, have not been taken adequately into account in Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT). Despite successfully utilized by other evidence-based treatments for borderline personality disorder (BPD), MBT considers metaphors confusing for patients with low mentalizing abilities. For metaphors and teaching stories to stimulate growth within the window of tolerance, interventions should be responsively tailored (e.g., explained). Metaphors might be a route to making spoken matter more apprehensible, and bridge emotions with cognitive content. They hold the potential for challenging without being too confronting, and to translate knowledge between different range of understanding. This theoretical article presents why the use of metaphors in MBT—in the hands of a responsive therapists—may prove a powerful tool to open social trust, despite being considered a “high risk” intervention. The timeless lens of the metaphor may help us connect with archetypical versions of our own narratives, hence understanding our subjectivity in a larger perspective. By reaching towards concepts beyond our normal reasoning, typically denoted perennial philosophy or wisdom, they may substitute and/or supplement mentors in a memorable way.