The Secret History of Consciousness: Insights from Western Esoteric Wisdom

Uncover the "secret history" of consciousness studies by exploring the intersection of modern science and the Western esoteric tradition.
About this Event

Saturday, March 22, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. CT

Current discussions around consciousness primarily focus on the nature of consciousness itself, how to measure it, its neural correlates, whether animals and machines can be conscious, and the ethical implications of these questions, with major debates regarding the definition of consciousness, its origins in the brain, and whether it can be fully explained by physical processes alone. These discussions usually involve neuroscience, philosophy of mind, quantum physics, and perhaps the judicious use of mind-altering substances.

But there is another approach that we might call the "secret history of consciousness studies." This is the forgotten, lost heritage of "rejected knowledge" making up what's known as the "western esoteric tradition." In this workshop, based on his book , Gary Lachman will explore points of contact between contemporary understanding of consciousness and the insights of the often dismissed, but nevertheless, central body of "inner knowledge" revealed by the western esoteric traditions.

Registrants will receive on-demand access to recording(s) that can be viewed for two weeks following the conclusion of the program.

Gary Lachman is the author of several books about consciousness, culture, and the Western esoteric tradition. He has written biographies of H.P. Blavatsky, C.G. Jung, Rudolf Steiner, Emanuel Swedenborg, P.D. Ouspensky, and Aleister Crowley. He writes for several journals in the US, UK, and Europe, lectures around the world, and his work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. In a former life he was a founding member of the pop group Blondie and in 2006 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He can be reached at gary-lachman.com.

Program Format

This is a live, interactive online program that will also be recorded. Registrants will receive on-demand access to recording(s) that can be viewed for two weeks following the conclusion of the program.

Join online via a Zoom link that will be emailed upon your registration. Please download Zoom for free at zoom.us/download and test your connection at zoom.us/test. For further information, check out www.theosophical.org/FAQ or email [email protected].