Mapping Cloud Nine: Neuroscience, Flow, and the Upper Possibility Space of Human Experience

by Steven Kotler

What are the upper limits of human potential?

At the intersection of flow states, mystical experiences, peak performance, and psychedelics lies a mysterious space of possibility. In Mapping Cloud Nine, best-selling author and award-winning journalist Steven Kotler takes us on a heady thrill ride through the history of human potential - and how what we’ve learned so far might unlock even greater levels of creativity, performance, and meaning in our lives.

From Nietzsche to now - a tour of human consciousness

In this six-part audio program, Kotler bridges science and spirituality to explore how our understanding of peak experiences has evolved over time - from early inquiries into altered and mystical states; to the birth of positive psychology and research on high performers; to pioneering studies on meditation and near-death experiences; and into current explorations of psychedelics, flow states, and technological breakthroughs.

A brilliant synthesizer and gifted storyteller, Kotler paints a compelling portrait of our greatest human potential, inspiring us to leverage this growing body of research and step into new realms of possibility.

Highlights

The evolutionary impulse for altered states of mind - psychedelics throughout time The neurobiology of flow states, mystical experiences, and hallucinations The spiritual path and the high-performance path - are they one and the same? Altered states lead to altered traits - the next wave of consciousness hacking Why bridging the gap between science and spirituality leads to even greater breakthroughs How you can leverage flow states for a more meaningful - and interesting - life

Audible Audio

Published November 5, 2019

About the author

Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and co-founder and director of research for the Flow Genome Project. His books include the non-fiction works "The Rise of Superman," "Abundance," "A Small Furry Prayer" "West of Jesus," and the novel "The Angle Quickest for Flight." His work has been translated into more than 30 languages. His articles have appeared in over 60 publications, including The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, Wired, GQ, Outside, Popular Science, Men's Journal and Discover.

He also writes "Far Frontiers," a blog about technology and innovation for Forbes.com and "The Playing Field," a blog about the science of sport and culture for PsychologyToday.com.

He lives in New Mexico with his wife, the author Joy Nicholson.