Creating Heaven on Earth
The Psychology of Experiencing Immortality in Everyday Life
Published on 16. February 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-1-78220-178-6 (ISBN)
Description
The art of living the "good life" requires skilful attunement to the lovely presences in everyday life.Lodged in a psychoanalytic sensibility, and drawing from ancient and modern religious and spiritual wisdom, this book provides the details, conceptual structures, and inner meanings of a number of easily accessible, everyday activities, including gardening, sport, drinking coffee, storytelling, and listening to music. It also suggests how to best engage these activities, to consecrate the ordinary in a way that points to experiential transcendence, or what the author calls "glimpsing immortality", a core component of the art of living the "good life".
Reviews / Votes
'Paul Marcus has shown us how to experience more deeply the beauty, truth, and goodness associated with enjoying the "small pleasures in life". His psychological and sociological insights into, for example, the delights of gardening, drinking coffee, and going to a baseball game are thoughtful, instructive, and thoroughly uplifting.'- Professor William B. Helmreich, PhD, author of The New York Nobody Knows: Walking 6000 Miles in the City 'Creating heaven on earth. Tall order. But we have many heavenly moments throughout a lifetime: tastes of heaven. Paul Marcus shows us ways to promote this state, not just as rare moments but as a feeling that informs existence. Not only does he describe psychological conditions for growth of this precious responsiveness, but he also gives down-to-earth depictions of heaven at work in daily activities, gems of accessible moments many of us take for granted that, with a shift of attitude, can open wider a love that permeates life.'- Michael Eigen, PhD author of The Birth of ExperienceMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Professional Practice & Development
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Weight
294 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78220-178-6 (9781782201786)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
06/2019
1st Edition
Routledge
€167.13
Shipment within 15-20 days
E-Book
03/2018
1st Edition
Routledge
€31.49
Available for download
E-Book
03/2018
Routledge
€31.49
Available for download
Person
Paul Marcus, PhD, is a supervising and training analyst at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis. He is the author of 'Being for The Other: Emmanuel Levinas, Ethical Living and Psychoanalysis; Autonomy in the Extreme Situation: Bruno Bettelheim, the Nazi Concentration Camps, and the Mass Society' and 'Ancient Religious Wisdom, Spirituality and Psychoanalysis', among other books. Dr Marcus is married with two children and lives in Great Neck, New York.
Content
CHAPTER ONE Introduction: the quest for earthly immortality CHAPTER TWO "Take time to smell the roses": the delights of gardening CHAPTER THREE "Magical myths": the passion for sport CHAPTER FOUR "Wake up and smell the coffee": the pleasures of drinking coffee CHAPTER FIVE "The shorthand of strong emotion": listening to great music CHAPTER SIX "Once upon a time there was": on storytelling CHAPTER SEVEN Conclusion: reflections on creating earthly immortality WEBSITE RESOURCES REFERENCES INDEX ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR