The Wisdom of the Overself
  • Published: 1 June 2015
  • ISBN: 9781583949146
  • Imprint: North Atlantic
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 456
  • RRP: $49.99

The Wisdom of the Overself

The Path to Self-Realization and Philosophic Insight, Volume 2

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Paul Brunton (1898-1981) was the writer of several classics on the subject of the perennial philososphy, the perspective that views each of the world's religious traditions as sharing a single, universal truth on which all religious knowledge and doctrine are founded. Drawing on Vedanta and Buddhist teachings from Asia, Brunton's 11 books have been read consistently for 80 years, with an estimated 2 million copies sold. Together with the other books in the Paul Brunton series to be published by North Atlantic Books, The Wisdom of the Overself will appeal to spiritual seekers interested in traditional Asian philosophy as well as modern nondualist approaches such as that of Eckhart Tolle and contemporary Buddhists like Thich Nhat Hanh, Jack Kornfield, and others.

Inspired by Paul Brunton's years spent with sages in Asia, The Wisdom of the Overself and its companion volume The Hidden Teaching Beyond Yoga were written at the request of these remarkable teachers, who recognized that Brunton had a significant role to play in the transmission of traditional wisdom to the West. Here is a profound re-creation of these teachings, brought to life and made accessible by Brunton's insights. In print since the 1940s, Brunton's works are considered to be among the most comprehensive, clear, and practical guides on the path to enlightenment. 

Brunton unfolds the grand vision for human development by investigating consciousness as the source of all experience; how to move from ego-centered life to the transcendent reality; the interplay of karma, free will, and grace; the nature of evil and suffering; how to awaken intuition and penetrative insight; the passage through death to rebirth; and psychic experiences and mystic visions. He also provides seven ultramystic exercises to open the door to higher consciousness, including a healing meditation on the sun; practices for transforming the future, dream, and sleep; and a meditation on the timeless self. These techniques lead to the deepest spiritual realizations—to the true "Wisdom of the Overself."

This new edition has been updated to incorporate Brunton's final revisions. It includes a new foreword plus supplementary reading material selected from the author's archives by the Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation.

Contents
Foreword by the Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation
1. Prefatory
2. The Meaning of Mentalism
3. The Birth of the Universe
4. Studies in Dreams
5. The Metaphysics of Sleep
6. The Secret of the "I"
7. The Scorpion of Death
8. The Immortal Overself
9. The Shadows of Evil and Suffering
10. The War and the World
11. The World-Mind
12. The Unveiling of Reality
13. Initiation into Mystical Experience
14. The Yoga of the Discerning Mind
15. The Mystical Phenomena of Meditation
16. Some Fruits of Philosophy
Appendix: Additional Resources from The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, Compiled by the Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation Editors
  • Published: 1 June 2015
  • ISBN: 9781583949146
  • Imprint: North Atlantic
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 456
  • RRP: $49.99
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About the author

Paul Brunton

Born in London in 1898, Paul Brunton published thirteen books between 1935 and 1952. He is generally recognized as having introduced yoga and meditation to the West, and for presenting their philosophical background in non-technical language. He died in Switzerland (where he lived for 20 years) in 1981.

Also by Paul Brunton

The Inner Reality
A Search in Secret Egypt
The Hidden Teaching Beyond Yoga
A Hermit in the Himalayas
The Secret Path
The Quest Of The Overself
A Search In Secret India
See all

Praise for The Wisdom of the Overself

Praise for the work of Paul Brunton

  • "Paul Brunton was a great original and got to a place of personal evolution that illumines the pathways of a future humanity." --Jean Houston
  • "Paul Brunton's Notebooks are a veritable treasure-trove of philosophic-spiritual wisdom." -- Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
  • "Although I have made it a policy not to endorse books, I feel this wonderful book ... inspires me to add whatever small support I can... [N]uanced and subtle ... profound and transformational teachings." --Adyashanti
  • "This book is alive with supreme knowledge." --Gangaji