The Dynamics of Spiritual Development  J.H.M.Whiteman This volume follows up Volume 1 of The Meaning of Life - ‘An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism’ - with a comprehensive study of individual character-development at all levels from the most mentally disordered to the most spiritually illuminated and fulfilling, always on a basis of first-hand experience. The evidence is by no means limited to this-world observations and behaviour, but extends to states of consciousness in which personality-structure and non-physical beings in non-physical ‘worlds’ are known with high rating in a Scale of Reality. Attention is given especially to ‘ultimate’ and ‘near-ultimate’ contests and habitual practices, leading eventually to the mystical transformation. The explanatory system presented involves, in particular, the fourfold ‘creative’ or ‘learning’ cycle (extended to sixteen on occasion) and the mystical view of personality structure (individual in charge, and contributory minds). These and other principles throw a flood of light on problems of psychological and mystical development, including those of sexuality at all levels up to that of the unitive life at supra-physical levels. Professor J.H.M.Whiteman (who also writes under the name of Michael Whiteman) has published more than fifty contributions relating to spiritual development, psychological, mystical, or otherwise scientific matters. He taught in the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town for twenty-nine years (principally Relativity, Quantum Theory, and related subjects). He has conducted classes in Sanskrit at various times, has served as Editor of The South African Music Teacher for fifty-five years, and has appeared a few times as an expert witness in court or as consultant on psychological or other scientific matters. His previous books - The Mystical Life (1961), Philosophy of Space and Time (1967), The Meaning of Life, Vol.1 (1986), and Aphorisms on Spiritual Method (1993) - have all been highly praised. Contents:  eight chapters on inner contests, personality structure, mystical release, psychopathology, and psychical powers – an autobiographical account of the author’s seven-month mystical initiatory experience –  gripping psychological analyses of two bizarre causes célèbres – five chapters on bisexuality and female sexuality in all aspects up to the mystical unitive life. Preface Acknowledgements List of Diagrams and Plates Abbreviation Code Introduction PART I THE INNER CONTEST: ‘ILLFARE’, ITS PURPOSE AND TRANSCENDENCE 1          An Initial Clarification of Ideas and Terms 2          Individual and World ‘Illfare’ 3          The Mystical Model for Psychopathology. (I) Introductory Evidence and Principles 4          The Mystical Model for Psychopathology. (II) General Survey and Applications 5          Short-Term Precognition, Time-Skills and the World-Plan for Physical Events 6          A First-hand Experiential View of ‘Multiple-Personality’ and Possession 7          Dream and Dreamlike States: Their Structuring and Implications for Spiritual             Development and             Parapsychology 8          The Mystical Way and Habitualisation of Mystical States Summary of Chapters 2-8 PART II GROUNDWORK OF THE UNITIVE LIFE: ULTIMATE AND NEAR-ULTIMATE CONTESTS 9          An Introduction to the Study of Female Sexuality and the Control Centres 10        Towards Ultimate Sexual Identity and Bisexual Functioning 11        Kinds of Authentic Sex-Coloured Loving 12        Problems of Bisexual Development in the Personality 13        Sexuality in the Unitive Life 14        The Ultimate Contest and its Antecedents: An Autobiographical Account 15        The ‘Scissors Murder’. (I) Adolescent Breakdown, Valium Influence,             Depersonalisation, and             Insistent Directive. 16        The ‘Scissors Murder’. (II) Psychiatrists and the Law: Misguided Opinions and             Handling of the             Case 17        A Case of Satanist Victimisation. (I) Introductory Studies 18        A Case of Satanist Victimisation. (II) Analysis; Derealisation and Possession States 19        A Case of Satanist Victimisation. (III) Background Beliefs and Arguments in the             Court Hearings and             Judgement 20        Free Will, Responsibility and Punishment: Problems of Justice in the World 21        ‘Sin’, Repentance, Spiritual Regeneration and the ‘Holy’ Summary of Chapters 9-13 Supplement A. St John of the Cross as a ‘Marial’ Mystic Supplement B. St Thérèse of Lisieux: Brief Description of a Contest of ‘Ultimate’ Type Supplement C. Swedenborg: Concerning ‘Spheres’ in the Other Life Supplement D. The Etiology and Practice of Modern Satanism: Researches of Gavin Ivey References Index of Names Index of Subjects 0-86140-277-4 xxvi, 624 pages 21.6 cm 2001 £39.00 Please click here for a obituary by JOHN POYNTON 20/02/2008