Professor's new book discusses transformed reality in context of global crises

Congratulations to Imants Barušs, Professor of Psychology, for the publication of his seventh academic book, “Radical Transformation: The Unexpected Interplay of Consciousness and Reality” by Imprint Academic.

The book discusses the unexpected ways in which reality can change through its interplay with consciousness. These transformations are framed in the context of global crises and offered as a way of thinking about possible resolutions to them.

“When I find a book that opens up some knowledge for me that I did not already have, I just devour it,” says Barušs. He hopes the book will present the same opportunity for anyone interested in consciousness, while at the same time alerting people to our global situation and getting them to think about ways to improve it.

In 2016, Barušs teamed with Dr. Julia Mossbridge, the executive director of The Institute for Love and Time, a fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, and an associated professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies, to write “Transcendent Mind”. As part of the book, the two argue that a materialist approach no longer helps to move research about consciousness forward and looking at post-materialist alternatives is needed.

Barušs described “Transcendent Mind” as “a summary of the relevant evidence to justify our argument and, hence, quite introductory.” Writing the book left Barušs with a powerful compulsion to take on the more advanced material. “At the same time, I was reminded of the global crises that we face, so I wove the consciousness material into the context of planetary transformation,” he says.

In describing the writing process, Barušs says he is “just synthesizing my latest ideas about consciousness and putting them on paper, so the process seems quite effortless.” After writing six previous academic books, Barušs has become quite efficient and compulsively meticulous, so much effort goes into making sure what he writes is accurate and properly documented.

At King’s, Barušs teaches Psychology 2011b: Altered States of Consciousness, and Psychology 3120G: Altered States of Consciousness: Selected Topics. “I love all of the courses that I teach and the profound discussions that I have with students about the course material,” he says.

Barušs will be embarking on a book about death as an altered state of consciousness. In addition to there being interesting alterations of consciousness associated with death, he will present scientific evidence for the continuation of consciousness after death.