Awards

• Winner of Scientific and Medical Network Book Prize 2019 2019

Overview

When Paul Marshall began to pay attention to his dreams, he could not have anticipated the transformative experience that would follow. A tremendous expansion of consciousness exposed the insignificance of his everyday self but also revealed unsuspected depths of mind and hinted at a deeper self that holds the universe within. In The Shape of the Soul, Marshall—now a mysticism scholar—draws on personal experiences, along with a wealth of religious, philosophical, and scientific ideas, to explore this deeper self, sometimes experienced in mystical and near-death states as spherical in form. Drawing inspiration from the philosophers Plotinus and Leibniz, Marshall takes mind to be more fundamental than matter and views the basic units of nature as perceptual beings. We ourselves are such beings, striving for fulfilment in a long evolutionary journey of soul-making. Bringing together mysticism, philosophy, biology, and even some physics, The Shape of the Soul offers a deeply integrated vision of the self and the universe. Addressing the mind–body problem, the origin of the world, evolution, reincarnation, suffering, and the nature of God, Marshall delivers what will surely prove an intellectual classic.

Full Product Details

9781538124772

Table of Contents

Reviews

More than any of the recent spate of books attempting to integrate modern science and spirituality, The Shape of the Soul goes further in illuminating a rational, natural path forward in understanding the nature of humanity's existence, and most especially, the reality of the human soul. Marshall demonstrates an extraordinary depth of knowledge about all manner of human experience, including insightful analysis into how modern quantum physics and relativity might be more fully integrated into a comprehensive worldview. His revolutionary opus, 'reenchanting the world' through Leibniz's monadology, elucidates the fundamental nature of consciousness, indeed of reality itself, and is an essential read for any true seeker. -- Eben Alexander, M.D., neurosurgeon, author of Proof of Heaven and Living in a Mindful Universe Paul Marshall invites us to embark on a supreme adventure of self-knowledge. He articulates a vision of the potential self we all are, a vision of ourselves transformed, in harmony with each other and, crucially, with the natural world. Highly recommended. -- Michael Grosso, independent scholar and author of The Man Who Could Fly: St. Joseph of Copertino and the Mystery of Levitation In this remarkable book, Marshall persuasively enchants us with the recognition that we are not a world of separate selves but are all intimately interconnected in a cosmic unity that is our divine self. -- Ralph W. Hood Jr., professor of psychology at the University of Texas Austin and professor of religious studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Materialism in its philosophic and socioeconomic guises threatens the very survival of modern civilization, and we desperately need an enlarged conception of nature that can overcome the contemporary alienation between science and spirituality. In this beautifully written book Paul Marshall addresses that need by bringing to bear both an uncommon knowledge of the world's religious and mystical traditions, directly informed by mystical experiences of his own, and a deep understanding of relevant developments in modern physics. An outstanding contribution. -- Edward F. Kelly, professor of research, Division of Perceptual Studies, University of Virginia, and co-editor of Beyond Physicalism: Toward Reconciliation of Science and Spirituality The Shape of the Soul explores the practical message of mystical experience: clues not only to who we are but also to the nature of reality and how we fit into it. Marshall shows us how honoring our mystical potential lifts us out of our self-imposed estrangement from the world and breathes meaning and depth to our lives. This book will put you back in touch with who you really are. -- Bruce Greyson, M.D., Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia

Paul Marshall invites us to embark on a supreme adventure of self-knowledge. He articulates a vision of the potential self we all are, a vision of ourselves transformed, in harmony with each other and, crucially, with the natural world. Highly recommended. -- Michael Grosso, independent scholar and author of The Man Who Could Fly: St. Joseph of Copertino and the Mystery of Levitation In this remarkable book, Marshall persuasively enchants us with the recognition that we are not a world of separate selves but are all intimately interconnected in a cosmic unity that is our divine self. -- Ralph W. Hood Jr., professor of psychology at the University of Texas Austin and professor of religious studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Paul Marshall invites us to embark on a supreme adventure of self-knowledge. He articulates a vision of the potential self we all are, a vision of ourselves transformed, in harmony with each other and, crucially, with the natural world. Highly recommended. -- Michael Grosso, independent scholar and author of The Man Who Could Fly: St. Joseph of Copertino and the Mystery of Levitation In this remarkable book, Marshall persuasively enchants us with the recognition that we are not a world of separate selves but are all intimately interconnected in a cosmic unity that is our divine self. -- Ralph W. Hood Jr., professor of psychology at the University of Texas Austin and professor of religious studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Materialism in its philosophic and socioeconomic guises threatens the very survival of modern civilization, and we desperately need an enlarged conception of nature that can overcome the contemporary alienation between science and spirituality. In this beautifully written book Paul Marshall addresses that need by bringing to bear both an uncommon knowledge of the world's religious and mystical traditions, directly informed by mystical experiences of his own, and a deep understanding of relevant developments in modern physics. An outstanding contribution. -- Edward F. Kelly, professor of research, Division of Perceptual Studies, University of Virginia, and co-editor of Beyond Physicalism: Toward Reconciliation of Science and Spirituality

Author Information

Paul Marshall is an independent researcher with interests in mysticism, religion, philosophy, science, and their interactions. He studied natural sciences at the University of Cambridge and received his MA and PhD in Religious Studies from Lancaster University. He is author of The Living Mirror (1992) and Mystical Encounters with the Natural World (2005). With Edward F. Kelly and Adam Crabtree, he coedited Beyond Physicalism (2015).

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