In his exciting and original view of the universe, Itzhak Bentov has provided a new perspective on human consciousness and its limitless possibilities. Widely known and loved for his delightful humor and imagination, Bentov explains the familiar world of phenomena with perceptions that are as lucid as they are thrilling. He gives us a provocative picture of ourselves in an expanded, conscious, holistic universe. A ground-breaking work. Clear, imaginative, and inspiring, it offers a revolutionary image of the human mind and the universe. A brilliantly executed theoretical romp through the universe...to do all this with humor and suspense is indeed a major accomplishment. "Dazzles the imagination and causes you to rethink everything you ever thought you knew about the nature of reality." ― Jean Houston, The Foundation for Mind Research "A ground-breaking work. Clear, imaginative, and inspiring, it offers a revolutionary image of the human mind and the universe." ― Dr. Stanislav Grof, Author of Beyond the Brain "A brilliantly executed theoretical romp through the universe. . . to do all this with humor and suspense is indeed a major accomplishment." ― Dr. Montague Ullman, Director, Maimonides Medical Center NEW SCIENCE / CONSCIOUSNESS "A paraphysical odyssey....Dazzles the imagination and causes you to rethink everything you ever thought you knew about the nature of reality.... A landmark in man's new attempts to integrate realities within and without." --Jean Houston, The Foundation for Mind Research "A brilliantly executed theoretical romp through the universe....To do all this with humor and suspense is indeed a major accomplishment." --Dr. Montague Ullman, Maimonides Medical Center "A beautiful presentation of the elements of consciousness, creation, and matter." --John C. Lilly "A ground-breaking work. Clear, imaginative, and inspiring, it offers a revolutionary image of the human mind and universe." --Dr. Stanislav Grof In his exciting and original view of the universe, Itzhak Bentov has provided a new perspective on human consciousness and its limitless possibilities. Widely known and loved for his delightful humor and imagination, Bentov explains the familiar world of phenomena with perceptions that are as lucid as they are thrilling. He gives us a provocative picture of ourselves in an expanded, conscious, holistic universe, showing us that: - Our bodies mirror the universe, down to the working of each cell. - We are pulsating beings in a vibrating universe, in constant moti between the finite and the infinite. - The universe and all matter is consciousness in the process of developing. - Our brains are thought amplifiers, not thought's source. - The universe is a hologram. And so is the brain--a hologram interpreting a holographic universe. - We can instantly reclaim any information ever known. Itzhak Bentov was an outstanding exponent of the new science of consciousness up until his untimely death in 1979. He specialized in bio-medical engineering and instrumentation. He was also the author of A Cosmic Book . That Odd Mary Magdalene It seems that even among Jesus’ disciples, Mary played a privileged role. Why, then, did the Roman Catholic Church feel obliged to almost entirely erase this female figure and her role? Was it because of a now proven anti-feminism that existed at the heart of the Church from the early Middle Ages? The Christian conception of femininity, which has certainly greatly evolved in the modern world, especially since the council of Vatican II, is due both to Greco-Roman legacy and to the Hebraic options. With the exception of the female characters of Genesis, who are gripping figures to say the least, the scribes of the Bible lowered the status of Woman by making her impure and thus not apt, for example, to play a sacerdotal role. The idea that Mary Magdalene enjoyed total equality with the apostles has never crossed the minds of Church theologians. Because priests are the legitimate heirs of the apostles, such a standing would make Mary Magdalene, on the one hand, a priestess--how horrible!--and on the other, one of those on whom the apostolic sacerdotal filiation was founded. Yet, when Mary of Bethany washes Jesus’ feet and anoints him with precious perfume, which Judas, the group’s treasurer, believes could be put to a more profitable use, she and Jesus are enacting a kind of sacerdotal and royal ordination--with Mary serving as the priestess who performs the ritual. Is it forbidden to think that Mary of Bethany, over the course of those long moments spent at the feet of the Lord, could have heard what he had to say or at least sensed the full scope of Christ’s mystery even if she did not grasp it in its entirety? Jesus persistently tried to lead his disciples to realize this--if only in the ?at of the Transfiguration!--but their hearts remained curiously closed all the way to the end. Mary, however, did perceive and accept it. On that day she knew the moment had