CITE: Grof, S. The ultimate journey: Consciousness and the mystery of death. Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. 2006.
SUMMARY
“The Ultimate Journey” is a book that explores the nature of consciousness and the process of death and dying from the perspective of transpersonal psychology. In this book, Grof draws on his extensive research with non-ordinary states of consciousness to examine the possibility of consciousness surviving bodily death.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Grof’s exploration of near-death experiences and how they relate to the process of dying and the afterlife
- Discussion of the role of psychedelics in expanding our understanding of consciousness and death
- Examination of the connection between birth and death as two aspects of the same transformative process
SELECTED QUOTES
- “One of the most remarkable aspects of the journey through death and rebirth is the experience of returning to our original state of being, to our essence, which is pure consciousness, pure awareness, and pure love” (p. 10).
- “Death is not an event that ends our existence but a process of transformation of consciousness, a passage from one state of being to another” (p. 15).
- “The fear of death is the fear of losing control, the fear of the unknown. But if we can learn to surrender control, if we can learn to trust the universe, we will discover that death is not an end, but a transition to a new level of consciousness” (p. 25).
- “Our culture has been so dominated by the Cartesian-Newtonian paradigm that most people believe that consciousness is a byproduct of the brain and that it is extinguished with bodily death. However, the evidence from the modern consciousness research clearly indicates that this view is untenable” (p. 45).
- “Death is not an enemy to be feared, but a friend that can teach us the greatest lessons of life. It is through the experience of death that we can awaken to the fullness of life, and discover our true identity as eternal beings of light and love” (p. 69).
- “The journey beyond death is a journey of the soul, a journey of transformation and evolution. It is a journey that leads us back to the source of our being, to the heart of the universe, to the ultimate reality of who we are” (p. 89).
- “Death is the great mystery of life, the portal to the infinite. It is a mystery that can never be fully understood, but one that can be explored and experienced through the power of consciousness” (p. 107).
- “The ultimate journey is the journey of the soul, the journey of awakening to the fullness of our being. It is a journey of love, of joy, of peace, of wisdom, and of unity with all that is. It is a journey that leads us to the realization that we are not separate from the universe, but are an integral part of its vast and wondrous mystery” (p. 153).
