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Lädt ... Mesmeric Revelationvon Edgar Allan Poe
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Melde dich bei LibraryThing an um herauszufinden, ob du dieses Buch mögen würdest. Keine aktuelle Diskussion zu diesem Buch. The 19th century witnessed an explosion of imagination. After centuries dominated by church religion and the 18th century’s age of reason, men and women began exploring new ways of looking at and experiencing the world, including the world of the unseen. Esoteric psychic practices such as séances, channeling and hypnosis were used to directly contact realms beyond the material. Incidentally, nowadays we say hypnosis but mesmerism was the term used back then, coming from the Austrian physician, Franz Anton Mesmer, who employed this technique in his treatment of patients. Is it any wonder Edgar Allan Poe, master of the fantastic, wrote this tale about a doctor dialoging with his hypnotized patient? Reading ‘Mesmeric Revelation’, what strikes me is how Mr. Vankirk, the man under hypnosis, speaks of God and the afterlife not in biblical or religious terms, but in the scientific language of his time; and using this scientific language, his experience parallels an entire range of other philosophical and spiritual traditions. To provide examples, below are several passages from the story coupled with my comments: The doctor (P.) asks the patient (V.) questions. “P. What then is God ? V. [Hesitating for many minutes.] I cannot tell. P. Is not God spirit ? V. While I was awake I knew what you meant by "spirit," but now it seems only a word — such for instance as truth, beauty — a quality, I mean.” P. Is not God immaterial ? V. There is no immateriality — it is a mere word. That which is not matter, is not at all — unless qualities are things.” The patient’s inability to use language to speak of God and communicate his experience reminds us of mystics such as Meister Eckhart telling us when we experience God directly all of our language and concepts fall away. Answering further questions, the patient shifts his explanation. Toward the end of his detailed account, we read: “P. You assert, then, that the unparticled matter, in motion, is thought? V. In general, this motion is the universal thought of the universal mind. This thought creates. All created things are but the thoughts of God. P. You say, "in general." V. Yes. The universal mind is God. For new individualities, matter is necessary. P. But you now speak of "mind" and "matter" as do the metaphysicians.” The doctor/narrator is spot-on in citing how his patient is describing the world of the philosophers – recall how the Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher Anaxagoras said ultimate reality is ‘Mind’ (Nous) and how the Neo-Platonic philosopher Plotinus held ‘The One’ being the absolute simple first principle of all. The patient’s explanation shifts again as he experiences a different phase in his altered state of consciousness: “There are two bodies — the rudimental and the complete ; corresponding with the two conditions of the worm and the butterfly. What we call "death," is but the painful metamorphosis. Our present incarnation is progressive, preparatory, temporary. Our future is perfected, ultimate, immortal. The ultimate life is the full design.” This section of the tale is quite remarkable. We hear echoes of the Bardo teachings from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Rather than continuing with quotes, suffice to say the patient takes more shifts as he continues to answer the doctor’s questions. One might ask if there is any mention at all from the Western monotheistic tradition. Actually, the answer is ‘yes’. At the very end of the tale, the doctor makes an observation and alludes to “Azrael’s hand”, Azrael being the "Angel of Death" from Muslim and Jewish legend. Zeige 3 von 3 keine Rezensionen | Rezension hinzufügen
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The narrator--a Mesmer--entrances a sickly patient who claims to be privy to a wealth of divine and esoteric knowledge, wanting to document his knowledge before he dies. The Mesmer proposes a series of questions relating to the workings of the universe, matter, and God. The client realises that he was destined to die during the interview, and seems to do so shortly after its conclusion. A chilling and though-provoking tale, "Mesmeric Revelation" will not disappoint fans of Poe's work, and would make for a fantastic addition to any collection. Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American author, editor, poet, and critic. Most famous for his stories of mystery and horror, he was one of the first American short story writers, and is widely considered to be the inventor of the detective fiction genre. Many antiquarian books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing "Mesmeric Revelation" now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author. Keine Bibliotheksbeschreibungen gefunden. |
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Reading ‘Mesmeric Revelation’, what strikes me is how Mr. Vankirk, the man under hypnosis, speaks of God and the afterlife not in biblical or religious terms, but in the scientific language of his time; and using this scientific language, his experience parallels an entire range of other philosophical and spiritual traditions. To provide examples, below are several passages from the story coupled with my comments:
The doctor (P.) asks the patient (V.) questions.
“P. What then is God ?
V. [Hesitating for many minutes.] I cannot tell.
P. Is not God spirit ?
V. While I was awake I knew what you meant by "spirit," but now it seems only a word — such for instance as truth, beauty — a quality, I mean.”
P. Is not God immaterial ?
V. There is no immateriality — it is a mere word. That which is not matter, is not at all — unless qualities are things.”
The patient’s inability to use language to speak of God and communicate his experience reminds us of mystics such as Meister Eckhart telling us when we experience God directly all of our language and concepts fall away.
Answering further questions, the patient shifts his explanation. Toward the end of his detailed account, we read:
“P. You assert, then, that the unparticled matter, in motion, is thought?
V. In general, this motion is the universal thought of the universal mind. This thought creates. All created things are but the thoughts of God.
P. You say, "in general."
V. Yes. The universal mind is God. For new individualities, matter is necessary.
P. But you now speak of "mind" and "matter" as do the metaphysicians.”
The doctor/narrator is spot-on in citing how his patient is describing the world of the philosophers – recall how the Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher Anaxagoras said ultimate reality is ‘Mind’ (Nous) and how the Neo-Platonic philosopher Plotinus held ‘The One’ being the absolute simple first principle of all.
The patient’s explanation shifts again as he experiences a different phase in his altered state of consciousness:
“There are two bodies — the rudimental and the complete ; corresponding with the two conditions of the worm and the butterfly. What we call "death," is but the painful metamorphosis. Our present incarnation is progressive, preparatory, temporary. Our future is perfected, ultimate, immortal. The ultimate life is the full design.” This section of the tale is quite remarkable. We hear echoes of the Bardo teachings from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
Rather than continuing with quotes, suffice to say the patient takes more shifts as he continues to answer the doctor’s questions. One might ask if there is any mention at all from the Western monotheistic tradition. Actually, the answer is ‘yes’. At the very end of the tale, the doctor makes an observation and alludes to “Azrael’s hand”, Azrael being the "Angel of Death" from Muslim and Jewish legend.
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