The African Unconscious: Roots of Ancient Mysticism and Modern Psychology

by Edward Bruce Bynum, Linda James Myers (Foreword)

"What Bynum has accomplished in pulling together such a mammoth body of knowledge and research into one cogent volume and theme is remarkable.... A contribution of this magnitude seldom comes once in a decade." -Linda James Myers, Ph.D., author of Understanding an Afrocentric World View The African Unconscious, originally published in 1999, is an Afro-centric look at human history based on archaeology, genetics, and the biospiritual roots of religion and science. Author Edward Bruce Bynum offers a captivating and controversial viewpoint on the roots of our human existence, positing that all humans at their deepest core are variations on the African template, creating a shared identity and collective unconscious in all. He looks at both phenotypical types and psychic structures that form and identify us as human beings. Ideal for humanistic and transpersonal psychologists and those interested in African American art and culture, The African Unconscious is a blend of modern and ancient psychology that provides a relevant backdrop to humanity and our daily life. "I read with awe this passionate, brilliant, epic work. It is one of the most exhaustive and revealing studies of Black and human origins I have ever seen." -Lee S. Sannella, M.D., author of The Kundalini Experience "The African Unconscious is indeed a daring work, and a unique contribution to African diasporic studies. It is a must for all students of human psychology." -Rowland O. Abiodun, author of Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought "The scope of the author's knowledge is simply awesome, and that, coupled with his engaging writing style, makes not for an 'easy' ready, but an adventuresome one.... For those who entertain notions of collective unconscious and deep structure racial messages, I cannot think of a better text that navigates such thinking." -William E. Cross, Jr., Ph.D., author of Shades of Black EDWARD BRUCE BYNUM, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, Director of the Behavioral Medicine Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Health Services, a Senior Fellow in the Society for Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (BICA), and a Diplomat (ABPP) in the American Psychological Association (APA). Dr. Bynum is the author of numerous books and articles, including five texts in psychology and three poetry books. He has won numerous awards, including the Abraham H. Maslow Award from the APA, and is a student and practitioner of Kundalini Yoga. He is married with two sons and lives with his family in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Genres: Psychology, Mysticism

354 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Tavan T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I read this book during a period of inner turmoil, and it is likely that I was not in the right frame of mind to receive what may have been its most profound insights. There was, however, one major point that Bynum made clear: the collective unconscious was birthed from our shared African origins, and its through lines can be seen across cultures and creeds. I may have to revisit this one at some point in the future.

[Ollie Wanjohi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: A

Difficulty Level: A, for Advanced Readers

This book was something.

Firstly, the level of knowledge the author has is outstanding. He has certainly achieved a level of mastery on this topic, and it would take years of intense study to acquire the level & sophistication of knowledge that Edward Barnet has acquired.

So im grateful I could absorb key parts of this knowledge that wouldve taken some years to acquire, in the space of 6 weeks.

Everyone knows that history has been whitewashed. This book takes an Afrocentric view of history, instead of the Eurocentric version most of the world has been taught for centuries. The information in this book is golden & it taught me ancient knowledge that I wouldn’t have learned anywhere else.

However, there were 3 main challenges of getting through this book.

The 1st was the language used. Its clear that the author is a very intelligent man, and this book was not created for fools, but one can also pride himself on being able to explain the most complex ideas in the simplest terms. There were multiple times I had to search what a word meant (which can be good to increase my vocabulary), but at many points in the book this complex language wasnt needed, especially in parts that didnt contribute to the bottom line. This led to the book taking longer to read and feeling more tedious than it needed to at times.

The 2nd challenge was the sheer amount of numbers & facts in the book, especially in the first couple of chapters on the history of our species.

The 3rd (though through my own doing as the book was gifted to me) was that I had the original version (published in 1999), so I couldnt help but feel as if parts of it may be outdated, or newer discoveries may have been made. I would recommend buying the newer version if you’re looking to read this book.

Some chapters I deemed more important than others, but this is the case with every book. 20% of the content provides 80% of the value.

Overall, im definitely glad I read this book, as the information I learned from it is so rare and valuable.

Malcolm X taught me that the most educated black men knows little to nothing more than the most ignorant black man about the talent, intellect, and rich civilisations of black people before slavery. This book has put a stop to that for me, and will play a significant role in helping me empower my black brothers & sisters, with a level of understanding only attributed to a select few.

[JimA Thompson]

Great read wanted precursor to Dark, Light Consciousness for the archives.