Cosmos and Psyche
Douban
Intimations of a New World View
Overview
Richard Tarnas's The Passion of the Western Mind—acclaimed by leading voices in philosophy, religion, psychology, and history—sets the stage for this major work, thirty years in the making, that dramatically reframes our understanding of the universe in the light of extraordinary new evidence.
Cosmos and Psyche is the first book by a widely respected scholar to demonstrate the existence of a consistent correspondence between planetary movements and the unfolding drama of human history. A vast and impressive body of evidence illuminates patterns of meaning and precise correlations between the universe and the world of human endeavor. With meticulous detail, Richard Tarnas takes us on a journey that begins with the ancient Greeks and culminates in our own era and its transformative potential, putting into perspective these chaotic, tumultuous times—from the sixties to September 11, 2001—and pointing the way towards the future.
In terms of planetary cycles, our present moment in history is most comparable to the period five hundred years ago—that era of “extraordinary turbulence and creativity,” the High Renaissance. Not since Copernicus conceived the heliocentric theory has the human community faced such a profound realignment of the way we think. Readers of every persuasion will be impressed by the vast canvas here, the wealth of research and analysis, and the profound conclusions that may be drawn—conclusions that reunite religion and science, and restore a transcendent dimension to the universe.
contents
Preface
1 The transformation of the cosmos. The birth of the modern self
The dawn of a new universe
Two paradigms of history
Forging the self, disenchanting the world
The cosmological situation today
2 In search of a deeper order. Two suitors: a parable
The interior quest
Synchronicity & its implications
The archetypal cosmos
3 Through the archetypal telescope. The evolving tradition
Archetypal principles
The planets
Forms of correspondence
Personal transit cycles
Archetypal coherence & concrete diversity
Assessing patterns of correlation
4 Epochs of revolution. From the French Revolution to the 1960s
Synchronic & diachronic patterns in history
Scientific & technological revolutions
Awakenings of the Dionysian
The liberation of nature
Religious rebellion & erotic emancipation
Filling in the cyclical sequence
The individual & the collective
A larger view of the sixties
5 Cycles of crisis & contraction. World Wars, Cold War & 9/11
Historical contrasts & tensions
Conservative empowerment
Splitting, evil & terror
"Moby Dick" & nature's depth
Historical determinism, realpolitik & apocalypse
Moral courage, facing the shadow & the tension of opposites
Paradigmatic works of art
Forging deep structures
6 Cycles of creativity & expansion. Opening new horizons
Convergences of scientific breakthroughs
Social & political rebellions & awakenings
Quantum leaps & peak experiences
From Copernicus to Darwin
Music & literature
Iconic moments & cultural milestones
Great heights & shadows
Hidden births
7 Awakenings of spirit & soul. Epochal shifts of cultural vision
Spiritual epiphanies & the emergence of new religions
Utopian social visions
Romanticism, imaginative genius & cosmic epiphany
Revelations of the numinous
The great awakening of the Axial Age
The late 20th century & the turn of the millennium
8 Towards a new heaven & a new earth. Understanding the past, creating the future
Observations on future planetary alignments
Sources of the world order
Epilogue
Notes
Sources
Acknowledgments
Index