The Nature of Consciousness

The Nature of Consciousness: Essays on the Unity of Mind and Matter (2017)
Rupert Spira

Within the sciences there is what's known as 'the hard problem of consciousness' - the missing explanation of how consciousness arises from physical matter, as materialist science claims.

"I hope … to bring the non-dual understanding out of the closet of dogma and esotericism and reformulate it in a way that is accessible to those who seek understanding, peace, fulfilment and friendship beyond boundaries; who do not feel the need to affiliate themselves with any particular group, tradition or religion; and who have become wary of referring to any doctrine, authority or institution at the expense of their own direct experience." -- Rupert Spira, 'The Nature of Consciousness'

In this collection of essays, Rupert attempts to persuade the reader that the time has come for humanity to release these old materialist ideas about reality and evolve to new understanding of human consciousness, an understanding he goes on to describe with his usual penetrating insights. I have always found Rupert's meditations especially effective for confronting the illusion of ego; this book offers many of the same kinds of sharp perceptions and, with its essay format, is a handy tool for quick refreshers.