The Way of the Explorer: An Apollo Astronaut's Journey through the Material and Mystical Worlds - Hardcover

Mitchell, Edgar; Williams, Dwight

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399141618 ISBN 13: 9780399141614

Publisher: G P Putnam's Sons, 1996

Synopsis

An Apollo astronaut details his quest to reconcile the seemingly disparate worlds of science and faith, combining elements of history, science, and theology to explain the mysteries of human consciousness, the universal connectedness of life, miracles, and human destiny.

About this title

Review

Among authors trying to bridge the gap between science and spirit, former astronaut Mitchell brings unique credentials. Originally scheduled for the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission, Mitchell, as told in this smooth blend of autobiography and exegesis, journeyed to the Moon in 1971 (and generated great controversy over ESP experiments he conducted on the flight). As he gazed on Earth, surrounded by blackness and an unfathomable number of stars, he experienced "an overwhelming sense of universal connectedness" that was to change his life. Within a few years, he had left NASA and founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences, aimed at the systematic study of the nature of consciousness. At the institute, he came to some fascinating conclusions, detailed here and based on principles of resonance, regarding a possible natural explanation for psychic powers. In later years, Mitchell has developed a "dyadic" model of paired opposites-mind/matter, life/death, etc.-that he also covers here and that owes as much to quantum physics' wave/particle duality as to Taoism's yin/yang. Mitchell isn't afraid to go out on a limb; his contention that the universe "intended" to evolve to higher levels, for example, goes against mainstream Western science. He grounds his ideas in data and reason, however, making this a strong offering for those who enjoy the books of Larry Dossey, Ken Wilber and others pushing the envelope of the science/spirit paradigm. BOMC, QPB and One Spirit selections.

From the Author

Recent science validates proposal in this book
I am pleased to be able to greet readers and potential readers of "Explorer" in this space. Welcome! As one of a handful of human ET's who have visited another solar object and viewed our planet from that viewpoint, it was important to me to share my experience. It was an awesome and enlightening experience. But more than that it changed the direction of my life, causing me to return with some deep and abiding questions about our species, some of which I have reported in "The Way of the Explorer". I also provide an account of my continuing attempts to answer some of those questions in a new way.

Since the early 17th century, Cartesian duality has prevailed. Thus science and religion have proceeded down two separate, seldom interacting paths. Today's science demonstrates that Descartes' conclusions were flawed; mind and matter are interactive, physicality and spirituality are but two facets of the same fabric. I have explored the evidence for this for 30 years.

On page 178 on "Explorer" I introduce the quantum hologram. In the 3 years since publication, I have worked with a number of European and US scientists developing this concept. Both theoretical and experimental recent work has validated the Dyadic model which I had proposed. Succinctly stated, metaphorically, the quantum hologram is to matter as mind is to brain. Or said another way, the quantum hologram is nature's RAM (random access memory). For centuries, mystics have proclaimed that all life is in some way interconnected. The quantum hologram is a ubiquitous energetic and informational structure, rooted in modern quantum physics theory and experimentation that demonstrates how that interconnectedness takes place. Further it provides a testable structure to explain the "psychic" effects that all humans have experienced, but which science has previously been unable to explain.

In very recent times, both cosmologists and other branches of science are recognizing the importance of information in the evolving fabric of space/time. Clearly it is important since "knowing" anything by any entity requires information to be fundamental in evolution, or we humans could not have evolved as we have.

For those on a spiritual search, I would recall that Buckminster Fuller suggested that in order to understand the human condition, one must first understand the universe. But any great mystic would report, that to understand the universe one must first understand oneself. And, they are both correct.

My final comment is on the Kirkus review of my book (1996). It would seem that the reviewer must be from that group of scientists who believe that everything to be discovered has about been discovered. "A stimulating attempt to reinvent the wheel". Nonsense! The unfolding discoveries in science are validating each proposition offered in the "Way of the Explorer". The wheel we are looking for is still not invented.

Enjoy.

Edition details

• Publisher: G P Putnam's Sons
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0399141618
• ISBN 13: 9780399141614
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 230