This volume provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the emerging concept of the evolution of consciousness. The simple, but dynamic, theory of evolving consciousness blends the powerful insights of modern science with the deep wisdom of age-old cultures, synthesising the traditions of East and West, of the head and heart, of the feminine and the masculine and of science and spirituality. By integrating diverse multi-disciplinary approaches, it provides an overarching and transcending model that moves us to a new level of meaning and understanding of our place in the world. An appreciation of the evolution of consciousness can deepen our connection to ourselves, to others and to the natural world, while bringing a new dimension to the work of psychotherapy.

motw/Evolution and Consciousness Fro - Michael M. Delmonte.pdf

DelMonte, Michael M.;Halpin, Maeve;

Koninklijke Brill N.V.

Contemporary psychoanalytic studies, Leiden ; Boston, 2019

Netherlands, Netherlands

producers:
Adobe PDF Library 15.0; modified using iText® 5.1.0 ©2000-2011 1T3XT BVBA

Memory of the World Librarian: outernationale

Half Title 2
Series Information 3
Title Page 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 6
Foreword 10
Preface 14
Acknowledgements 15
Introduction: The Evolution of Consciousness:
a New Perspective on Our Search for Meaning 16
1 Models of the Evolution of Consciousness 18
2 The Goal of the Journey 22
3 Evolution and Consciousness: an Incredible Journey 23
Chapter 1 The Evolution of Matter and Mind 25
1 Introduction 25
2 Methods of Inquiry: the Search for Meaning 27
3 Evolutionary Psychopathology 28
4 Consciousness and Learning 29
5 Ultimate Causes 30
6 Is Evolution Really Blind? 32
7 The Evolution of Matter 33
8 The Emergence of Life on Earth 34
9 The Anthropic Principle 35
10 The Evolution of Proteins and of Higher Forms of Life 37
11 Quantum Biology 39
12 From Rocks to Musicians, Engineers and Philosophers: the Problem of Entropy 40
13 The Primacy of Mind over Matter? 41
14 From Matter to Culture: a Co-Operative Journey? 43
15 The Animal Mind—Ethology 45
16 The Missing Ingredient: Mind? 47
17 Are There Limits to Darwinian Theory? 48
18 Wallace’s Perspective: Teleological Considerations 50
19 Evolutionary Patterns 52
20 Circular Causality: a Systemic Approach 55
21 The Mind/Brain Issue 57
22 Genetic Expression: a Systemic View 58
23 Evolution: a Systemic Approach 59
24 Relevance to Psychotherapy 61
25 Conclusions 66
Chapter 2 Awareness: Constructivist, Psychodynamic and Eastern Perspectives 68
1 Introduction 68
2 Language and Awareness 68
3 The Continuum of Experience 69
4 The Experience of Meditation 70
5 Maps and Territory: Kelly and Piaget 72
6 Levels of Awareness: Kelly and Freud 72
7 Reality: Kelly and Lacan 73
8 Group Construing 74
9 The Unconscious 76
10 Pre-Verbal and Somatic Construing 76
11 Suspension 79
12 Constriction and Dilation 80
13 Submergence 82
14 Loosening and Tightening 83
15 Constructivism, Buddhism and Duality 86
16 The Healing Essence of Buddhism 87
17 Transcendence, Ascendance and Descendance 88
18 Somatoform Disorders 89
19 Catharsis, Insight and Integration 91
20 Non-Dual States 92
21 Critique and Conclusions 93
Chapter 3 Consciousness and Mindfulness 96
1 Introduction 96
2 Suffering 98
3 The Talking Cure 99
4 The Inner Observer 100
5 The Role of Meditation 100
6 Mindfulness and Dis-Identification 101
7 Awareness Training 102
8 Attention, Awareness and Self-Regulation 104
9 Somatisation versus Symbolisation 105
10 Attachments 106
11 Attachment and Loss 108
12 Defensive Detachment 108
13 Adaptive Dis-Identification 109
14 Non-Attachment Techniques of the Orient 110
15 More Advanced Mindfulness Meditation Practice 111
16 The Silence of Meditation 112
17 Mindfulness in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy 113
18 Psychoanalysis as Mindfulness 116
19 Gestalt Therapy Perspective 118
20 Abreaction, Insight and Integration 120
21 Potential Problems with Detachment and Dis-Identification 121
22 Pathological Regression 121
23 Suitability 122
24 Conclusions 123
Chapter 4 The Development of Symbolisation from
the Pre-Verbal to the Trans-Verbal: an Evolving Consciousness 126
1 Introduction 126
2 Individual Development of Symbolisation 127
3 Symbolisation and Communication 128
4 Levels of Symbolic Development 129
5 Pre-Verbal Symbolisation: an Evolutionary Perspective 130
6 Projective Identification 131
7 Hysterical Identification 133
8 Co-Ontogeny, Identification and Transference 134
9 Failures of Symbolisation: Somatisation 136
10 Transitional Objects 137
11 Symbolic “Castration” 138
12 Sublimation 139
13 Dreaming and Verbal Symbolisation 140
14 Lacan and the Symbolic Order 141
15 Society and Verbal Symbolisation 141
16 Para-Verbal Symbolisation 142
17 Trans-Verbal Symbolisation 142
18 Summary and Conclusions 144
Conclusion 145
Bibliography 148
Name and Subject Index 163
Author Index 168

This volume provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the emerging concept of the evolution of consciousness. The simple, but dynamic, theory of evolving consciousness blends the powerful insights of modern science with the deep wisdom of age-old cultures, synthesising the traditions of East and West, of the head and heart, of male and female and of science and spirituality. To borrow a phrase from American philosopher Ken Wilber, it is a concept that "transcends and includes" all that has gone before. By integrating diverse multi-disciplinary approaches, it provides an overarching and transcending model that moves us to a new level of meaning and understanding of our place in the world, and in so doing deepens our work as psychotherapists

2025-10-27