Seeking transcendence, or going beyond the boundaries of self, is a fundamentally human quest. The journey may be interpreted as the relationship between human and divine, but it may also be described as the connection between the ordinary and the ideal, the imperfect self and a perfected self, the limited human consciousness and the universal mind. This theme has fascinated me for years, so much so that it formed the core of my PhD thesis.
These books show the perils and joys of a life lived beyond the boundaries of self, a life that finds the divine in the human, and the human in the divine. Suffering is usually involved, but also ecstasy … and sometimes the end of the world.