The Eye of Shiva: Eastern Mysticism and Science

by Amaury De Riencourt

The Eye of Shiva represents the all-seeing eye "which can penetrate to the hidden levels of existence impervious to normal sight." In this original and visionary book, Amaury de Riencourt argues that man has reached a watershed in history where these "hidden levels of existence ' will become available to all of us.

The key event is the impending convergence of Eastern mysticism and Western science brought about by revolutionary development in physics. Since the emergence of the "New Physics," mechanical models of the universe have lost their use. Western scientists looking for a new philosophical model of the universe are discovering a framework that mystics have used for millennia.

Amaury de Riencourt maintains that the "higher state of consciousness" of the mediating yogi, the enlightenment' of Eastern mysticism, is not a dream state but a true description of reality. He believes that this consciousness, symbolized by the Eye of Shiva, con provide the appropriate model for further research in physics. Furthermore, he argues that this "hidden level of existence" can unite Eastern and Western traditions and end forever the dualism of Western thought.

The Eye of Shiva is an investigation of the Western scientific and Eastern mystical traditions and a demonstration that the mysticism of the East is as "scientific" as the physics of the West. This is a lucid, provocative, and radical book with the power to challenge and perhaps even change our ways of thinking.

Genres: History, Science, Religion, Philosophy, Spirituality, India, Nonfiction

221 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 12, 1980

About the author

Amaury de Riencourt to most modern readers is an enigma. Even the Internet doesn’t offer much about him. He was born in 1918 in Orleans France to family of historic nobility. He studied in France, North Africa and Switzerland achieving a Master’s Degree. During WWII he spent more than three years in the French Navy. For the next 20 years he traveled Asia, Africa the Balkans and America. He is the author of more than eight books, and he lectured extensively in the United States for four years; visiting 40 of the lower 48 states. (From: The Coming Caesars, 2014)

Also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaury_d...

Reviews

[francisco rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

i wasn't entirely sure what i was getting into when i started this book because i found it randomly at a half-price. but WOW was it a good one, although a little bit dense. spirituality / philosophy books are usually like this, but this one was also published in 1980 so it took some extra focus to read. i really liked that it was broken into 8 really digestible sections, so definitely props for enhancing the readability through the structure of the book.

ultimately, this book looked at the universe through the lens of eastern and western mysticism, and it did so in such a way that helped me finally and really understand that structural differences between the two perspectives. the line between the two is one that i've walked for a long time now, and reading this helped me better organize that within my own mind. as i was reading, there were many moments where i found myself aligning with either the eastern or the western perspective on some universal issue. i especially enjoyed the discussion of both science and art within the author's argument, it fleshed out the meaning so much more (maybe because these are two realms i'm familiar with and they are important to me).

this book really helped me find through-lines within my own spiritual path, figures, symbols, and concepts that have stood out to me multiple times, and oriented them among themselves with definite meaning: Theresa of Avila, the torus, polarities, the burning bush of Moses, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, Planck's constant, the randomness of evolution, emergent properties in biology, the Bhagavad Gita... so much more. i really appreciated how the author strung together these ideas and created a consistent and effective picture of the universe, and i really think that "The Eye of Shiva" is both a fitting title and another prong of his argument: in order to really see, an element of destruction must be invoked.

[Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riencourt defines the center of focus for the West (Europe and Middle East) and the East (India). For the West, he shows how the focus of thought, religion, and philosophy has been external to man. This is seen in the West’s Abrahamic conception of an external God and the focus of science on the study of the external world. The East, meanwhile, has focused on man’s internal world through the Dharmic religions and Indian philosophy. Riencourt shows how these two have gone to extremes while ignoring the other and how it shaped these different societies. The last section discusses the implications of quantum physics and the seeming alignment between it and Indian metaphysics and the potential reconciliation between East and West worldviews.

[Shikhar Amar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is truly amazing. I have read two books authored by him so far and both have made a significant impact on my perceptions.

This book is one of a kind. A lot of research went to produce this book. Some statements can be glanced over but the fact remain that the book truly delivers what it set out to deliver.

I would recommend it to anyone interested in science and philosophy.

[Mjau · Rating 3 out of 5]

50% good 50% schizo

[Ted Eliason · Rating 5 out of 5]

An astounding book

An incredibly sophisticated work spanning the limits of knowledge in an objective material universe and the contributions offered by deep subjective knowledge towards advancing our relationship with it, both scientifically and philosophically.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opening, where he describes the history of quantum mechanics, is amazing. Better than any book I've read, even though it's not the center focal point of the book. However, however, however...the book is about how amazing hinduism is and how lame the West is. even someone mildly educated on religions in the west, like De Riencourt pro-ports to be, can see through it. I really wish these big brained dudes would take the time to read Aquinas or Augustine. Well, actually, I doubt it would help, because at the center of all these writers is the deep desire to be an independent man and have their own thoughts, their own ideas about reality. They want to weave their own theology, and being bound to a religious system is like going to prison. It's interesting to me, because if they have humility, they would see that what they're creating, while interesting, is never as good or as deep as the real thing.

I do recommend for the intro.

[Harman Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great link between advainta vedanta and quantum mechanics

[H ello · Rating 4 out of 5]

INTRO
SCIENCE AND RELIGION
CONVERGENCE

Are some of the most interesting stuff I ever read

[Ging Goo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intersection. My first chip in the armour of science residing in my mind

[Alfred Timperley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endlessly interesting

[Andrew L · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is one of the most profound spiritual/religious books I have ever read. Amaury De Riencourt does a very good analysis of Western vs. Eastern metaphysical thought processes and then explains his view on the converging of modern science and traditional religions that point towards an emerging higher form of consciousness in the human race.