eastern – An Autonomous Agent / exploring the noosphere Sat, 16 Dec 2017 05:02:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.3 The Dancing Wu Li Masters – Gary Zukav /2017/12/dancing-wu-li-masters-zukav/ /2017/12/dancing-wu-li-masters-zukav/#disqus_thread Sat, 16 Dec 2017 05:01:04 +0000 /?p=2521 Gary Zukav’s book, The Dancing Wu Li Masters, simply describes (without math) quantum physics and relativity since their inception at the beginning of the 20th century. Zukav skillfully presents the paradoxes and questions posed and asked by some of the smartest people in history including Einstein, Bohr, Born, Heisenberg, von Neumann, Feynman, etc… He carefully elucidates the evolution of the answers to these paradoxes and questions.

There are numerous analogies with eastern cosmologies which may help readers understand the wild results and conclusions of modern physics. The book is perfect for those without a strong background in the quantitative sciences who wish to understand what quantum physics reveals about the universe. Although dated, (1979) it is inspirational and should get readers excited about reading more up to date books.

]]> /2017/12/dancing-wu-li-masters-zukav/feed/ 0 Tales of Wonder: Adventures Chasing the Divine – Huston Smith /2014/03/tales-of-wonder-adventures-chasing-the-divine-huston-smith/ /2014/03/tales-of-wonder-adventures-chasing-the-divine-huston-smith/#disqus_thread Fri, 07 Mar 2014 20:47:00 +0000 https://anautonomousagent.com/?p=98 I was introduced to the works of Alan Watts by a meditation teacher about three years ago. Since then, I have been interested in mysticism, cognition, Buddhism, and scientism. Don’t ask me why, but these subjects just captivate me. I have been reading the works of various authors such as Douglas Hofstadter, Thich Nhat Hanh, Joseph Campbell, Stuart Kauffman, Francisco Varela, and Jiddu Krishnamurti; but what am I trying to learn; WHY?

Probably, this question will never be answered, but being only 23, I have barely began to experience the reality these authors seek to understand. I can live this reality and hopefully discover something worth telling others. Anyway, besides reading, Yoga and meditation have been my most direct experiences with the spiritual nature of the mind and universe. And just a few days ago I watched a video with Huston Smith. He makes me want to travel the world and experience other cultures. I have started reading his autobiography, Tales of Wonder: Adventures Chasing the Divine. Smith appears to be a fascinating individual and I think that I have much to learn from him. Perhaps you have read Smith? If not, I highly suggest that you do.

]]> /2014/03/tales-of-wonder-adventures-chasing-the-divine-huston-smith/feed/ 0 Interesting Books on Human Consciousness and the History of Consciousness /2013/01/interesting-books-on-human-consciousness-and-the-history-of-consciousness/ /2013/01/interesting-books-on-human-consciousness-and-the-history-of-consciousness/#disqus_thread Sun, 06 Jan 2013 02:55:00 +0000 https://anautonomousagent.com/?p=323 The history of consciousness and its origins fascinate me. It seems that either all life (and perhaps the universe itself) is “conscious” or, if false, then there existed an “Adam” who was the first human born with consciousness. These books propose other theories on this idea; they all deal with the brain and consciousness. I have not yet read them, as I am still in the process of reading Godel, Escher, Bach and the Tree of Knowledge.

 

The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead by Timothy Leary,
Ralph Metzner, and Ram Dass.

Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge – A Radical History of Plants, Drugs, and Human Evolution by Terence McKenna 

DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor’s Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences by Dr. Rick Strassman

The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes

]]> /2013/01/interesting-books-on-human-consciousness-and-the-history-of-consciousness/feed/ 0 Breathe, You Are Alive: The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing – Thich Nhat Hanh /2013/01/breathe-you-are-alive-the-sutra-on-the-full-awareness-of-breathing-thich-nhat-hanh/ /2013/01/breathe-you-are-alive-the-sutra-on-the-full-awareness-of-breathing-thich-nhat-hanh/#disqus_thread Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:55:00 +0000 https://anautonomousagent.com/?p=351
In his book Breathe, You Are Alive: The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, Thich Nhat Hanh supplies a commentary on the Anapanasati Sutta. I would recommend the book to anyone interested in learning how to achieve a state of well-being and health.

]]> /2013/01/breathe-you-are-alive-the-sutra-on-the-full-awareness-of-breathing-thich-nhat-hanh/feed/ 0 Light on Yoga – B.K.S. Iyengar /2013/01/light-on-yoga-b-k-s-iyengar/ /2013/01/light-on-yoga-b-k-s-iyengar/#disqus_thread Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:15:00 +0000 https://anautonomousagent.com/?p=354 Great illustrated book on Yoga:
Every asana contains several pictures and a detailed description. Some of the asanas are literally impossible!
]]> /2013/01/light-on-yoga-b-k-s-iyengar/feed/ 0 Baraka (1992) /2013/01/baraka-1992/ /2013/01/baraka-1992/#disqus_thread Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:17:00 +0000 https://anautonomousagent.com/?p=355 Great “movie” about human life and religion. I say “movie” because Baraka has “no plot, no dialogue, no actors.”  It contains numerous religious ceremonies and peoples which I never knew existed. The visuals are stunning and I would suggest watching the Blu-Ray version. Really surprising that it only earned $1.3 million in the box office.
Check out the trailer here. Purchase the Blu-Ray here.
]]> /2013/01/baraka-1992/feed/ 0 Ode to the World /2013/01/ode-to-the-world/ /2013/01/ode-to-the-world/#disqus_thread Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:40:00 +0000 https://anautonomousagent.com/?p=357

Ran across this tumblr website, Ode to the World, while browsing images on Infinity Imagined. Ode to the World contains many stunning and unique pictures from around the world. Check it out!

]]> /2013/01/ode-to-the-world/feed/ 0 Behold the Spirit: A Study in the Necessity of Mystical Religion – Alan Watts /2013/01/behold-the-spirit-a-study-in-the-necessity-of-mystical-religion-alan-watts/ /2013/01/behold-the-spirit-a-study-in-the-necessity-of-mystical-religion-alan-watts/#disqus_thread Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:30:00 +0000 https://anautonomousagent.com/?p=360 An informative synthesis of western and eastern theology, Behold the Spirit: A Study in the Necessity of Mystical Religion by Alan Watts provides an insight into the fundamental forces which have been shaping Christian religion for the past two thousand years. The book suggests various practices, taken from eastern traditions, which Christianity should adopt in order to satisfy the spiritual psyche of the modern man.

]]> /2013/01/behold-the-spirit-a-study-in-the-necessity-of-mystical-religion-alan-watts/feed/ 0 Freedom from the Known – Jiddu Krishnamurti /2013/01/freedom-from-the-known-jiddu-krishnamurti/ /2013/01/freedom-from-the-known-jiddu-krishnamurti/#disqus_thread Wed, 02 Jan 2013 07:30:00 +0000 https://anautonomousagent.com/?p=361

Freedom from the Known by Jiddu Krishnamurti provides a remarkable insight into what it truly means to be free. Krishnamurti’s work should be read by anyone seeking spiritual wisdom.

]]> /2013/01/freedom-from-the-known-jiddu-krishnamurti/feed/ 0 The Way of Zen – Alan Watts /2013/01/the-way-of-zen-alan-watts/ /2013/01/the-way-of-zen-alan-watts/#disqus_thread Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:14:00 +0000 https://anautonomousagent.com/?p=375
The Way of Zen, by Alan Watts, introduces the western mind to the ideas of Zen. The book does a great job, almost as good as any Zen master. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Zen and its history.
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