The Leap: The Psychology of Spiritual Awakening

by Steve Taylor, Eckhart Tolle (Foreword by)

Overview

What does it mean to be enlightened or spiritually awakened? In The Leap, Steve Taylor shows that this state is much more common than is generally believed. He shows that ordinary people — from all walks of life — can and do regularly “wake up” to a more intense reality, even if they know nothing about spiritual practices and paths. Wakefulness is a more expansive and harmonious state of being that can be cultivated or that can arise accidentally. It may also be a process we are undergoing collectively. Drawing on his years of research as a psychologist and on his own experiences, Taylor provides what is perhaps the clearest psychological study of the state of wakefulness ever published. Above all, he reminds us that it is our most natural state — accessible to us all, anytime, anyplace.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608684472
Publisher:	New World Library
Publication date:	02/15/2017
Series:	An Eckhart Tolle Edition
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	166,389
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Steve Taylor, PhD, is the author of several books on spirituality and psychology, including The Fall and Waking from Sleep. He has also published two books of poetic spiritual reflections, including The Calm Center. He is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett Universityin the United Kingdom. Since 2011, he has appeared annually in Mind, Body, Spirit magazine’s list of the world’s “100 most spiritually influential living people.”

Table of Contents

Foreword Eckhart Tolle ix

Introduction 1

1 Falling Asleep, Longing to Awaken 13

2 Wakefulness in Different Cultures 25

3 Natural Wakefulness: Awakened Artists 43

4 Natural Wakefulness: Confusion and Integration 61

5 Gradual Awakening in Spiritual Traditions 75

6 Gradual Awakening outside Spiritual Traditions 89

7 Sudden Awakening: Transformation through Turmoil 105

8 Sudden Awakening: Kundalini and Energetic Awakening 129

9 Other Types of Sudden Awakening: Is It Possible to Awaken through Psychedelics or Technology? 141

10 The Aftermath of Awakening: Spiritual Crisis 157

11 After the Storm: Lingering Traits and Questionable Teachers 175

12 What It Means to Be Awake: A New World and a New Self 183

13 What It Means to Be Awake: A New Mind and a New Life 199

14 The Natural Wakefulness of Children 219

15 Demythologizing Wakefulness 235

16 The Evolutionary Leap: A Collective Awakening 251

The Human Race Will Rise Again 269

Acknowledgments 271

Appendix: An Inventory of Spiritual/Secular Wakefulness 273

Notes 275

Bibliography 287

Resources 293

Index 295

About the Author 305

Editorial Reviews

Life always gives you what you need, and right now it has given you this book to use as a guide or companion through challenging times. It contains a great deal of precious wisdom, expressed in the straightforward, clear, and down-to-earth language that Steve Taylor is so good at.”
― from the foreword by Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now and A New Earth

“A wonderful synthesis of modern research and timeless wisdom that makes the mysterious process of spiritual awakening more comprehensible than ever before.”
— Peter Russell, author of From Science to God

“This book is both insightful and inspiring. Building on the foundations of his previous books, Steve Taylor’s expertise and profound understanding of awakened states shine through and culminate in his proposition of an evolutionary leap that awaits humankind. For anyone who is interested in or has experienced an awakening, this book is not to be missed, as Taylor eloquently conveys an in-depth understanding of this fascinating phenomenon. It’s an excellent book that everyone should read.”
— Dr. Penny Sartori, author of The Wisdom of Near-Death Experiences

“It’s high time we got clearer on what enlightenment is and isn’t. The Leap is readable, important, and long overdue. It offers a thorough portrait of this long-mysterious state with care and love.”
— Dr. Robert K. C. Forman, author of Enlightenment Ain’t What It’s Cracked Up to Be and Mysticism, Mind, Consciousness

“In The Leap, Steve Taylor takes a radically new approach to spiritual awakening, suggesting that the experience is more common than one might suspect, is not bound to any religious or spiritual tradition, and may be playing an essential role in human evolution. The Leap is filled with provocative statements, some of which you may agree with and some you may disagree with — but you can be sure that this is a book you will never forget. It establishes Steve Taylor as a major spiritual author and teacher, whose lucid and articulate writing will evoke wonder and wisdom among readers.”
— Stanley Krippner, PhD, Alan Watts Professor of Psychology, Saybrook University

“A wonderfully detailed demystification of awakening within and without traditions that is a pleasure to read and offers hope for our dangerous times.”
— Claudio Naranjo, author of Healing Civilization and designer of the SAT Programs for personal and professional development

From the Publisher