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Music of the Mind: An Adventure into Consciousness
Blending exciting scientific concepts with an Eastern sense of destiny, this book takes the reader on a journey into consciousness and provides convincing answers to unanswerable questions about life, death, and beyond. At the instant of creation, the universe possessed an absolute unity and symmetry it has not experienced since, and all matter carries a memory of that perfection and yearns to recover it. We are part of this deep cosmic consciousness, from life to death, and into an afterlife that is as essential to our being as the physical life we leave behind. Embracing science, philosophy, mysticism, and religion, this view opens our eyes to the meaning of existence and clarifies our role in the vastness of creation.
- GenresNonfictionScience
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 19, 2007
I learned a lot from this generous and slightly manic book, after which the amazing Australian author passed away due to a rare form of cancer.
Like Ken Wilbur, he brings together insights from science and mythology, and goes out on a limb with some really brave work about consciousness and life.
When I have time to do a proper review I will put this book in context of where I was at the time I read it. However, it's a gem, and one of my most special books.
Like Ken Wilbur, he brings together insights from science and mythology, and goes out on a limb with some really brave work about consciousness and life.
When I have time to do a proper review I will put this book in context of where I was at the time I read it. However, it's a gem, and one of my most special books.
May 3, 2012
This isn’t a book about Druidry, and while it refers to a lot of faiths, paganism isn’t one of them. But even so, this is a book I think many more philosophically minded Druids would find intriguing. Reanney draws on knowledge from physics to contemplate the nature of consciousness. It’s worth noting that the author is a distinguished biologist, not a physicist or psychologist. I am in no way qualified to comment on the scientific content and reasoning. From what little I know, it seemed plausible, and there was no whiff of new age self indulgence.
This is a highly poetic book exploring the relationship between what is rationally known and the very act of knowing. It’s one of the few books where I’ve had to re-read a lot of sections to make sure I fully grasped them – it is however a short book, so dealing with the intensity of language and concept is entirely viable. It’s not for anyone who wants a light and easy read though!
I think this work is best approached as idea, rather than as hard facts. But as ideas, it has a lot to offer us about how we understand ourselves and our place in the scheme of things. There is a lot here a person might meaningfully integrate into their druidry, and if the ‘facts’ turn out to be more complex, or different from how we now imagine them, where we might go with these ideas of consciousness is certainly not going to do us any harm.
Reanney’s perspective will resonate with Druids because it is all about the ways that which is separate resonates with everything. He has some theories about how natural justice might exist, and where consciousness comes from. I spent most of my time reading this thinking ‘I want this to be true’. I think others would enjoy it.
This is a highly poetic book exploring the relationship between what is rationally known and the very act of knowing. It’s one of the few books where I’ve had to re-read a lot of sections to make sure I fully grasped them – it is however a short book, so dealing with the intensity of language and concept is entirely viable. It’s not for anyone who wants a light and easy read though!
I think this work is best approached as idea, rather than as hard facts. But as ideas, it has a lot to offer us about how we understand ourselves and our place in the scheme of things. There is a lot here a person might meaningfully integrate into their druidry, and if the ‘facts’ turn out to be more complex, or different from how we now imagine them, where we might go with these ideas of consciousness is certainly not going to do us any harm.
Reanney’s perspective will resonate with Druids because it is all about the ways that which is separate resonates with everything. He has some theories about how natural justice might exist, and where consciousness comes from. I spent most of my time reading this thinking ‘I want this to be true’. I think others would enjoy it.
February 11, 2023
It has been perhaps two decades since I had read his first book, "The Death of Forever" which was good enough to compel me to buy this one, with its optimistic white cover and name, much removed from the harrowing title of the previous work. I was also aware as I read the words on the page how much I have changed since that time, and the fact that the person who was speaking to me was no longer alive, having crossed that line which he so devoted his words to.
Decades on, I have picked up my share of skepticism of the Spiritual/Scientific divide being not joined but found to be one and the same. So, it was refreshing that his words were able to act upon me as a type of test. "Try me out."
Reanney is up front about this not being about "Science as proof of metaphysics." But rather the pondering of one man of science, upon the emerging anomalies and contradictions we see in, naturally, Quantam Physics.
Reanney puts forth the tantalizing idea that the objective world, the world of matter, can be aligned with the particle aspect of the wave-particle observation of quantam mechanics. The subjective, dream, mental, inner landscapes of our minds are the wave aspect of that coin which, when collapsed, becomes our physical reality.
He also goes into the immortality of everything that has existed in the universe, the nature of time and what it may in fact be. He even draws at ideas of morality and the harmony of this vibrating universe of which everything is a part.
There is a lot going on in this slim book. The chapters are easy to get through, remarkably easy to read in one swoop, yet you are left with a lot to digest.
A great read. Makes you feel well read, spiritually settled and scientifically up to date in under 200 pages. And Reanney was quite gifted at writing such a book.
Decades on, I have picked up my share of skepticism of the Spiritual/Scientific divide being not joined but found to be one and the same. So, it was refreshing that his words were able to act upon me as a type of test. "Try me out."
Reanney is up front about this not being about "Science as proof of metaphysics." But rather the pondering of one man of science, upon the emerging anomalies and contradictions we see in, naturally, Quantam Physics.
Reanney puts forth the tantalizing idea that the objective world, the world of matter, can be aligned with the particle aspect of the wave-particle observation of quantam mechanics. The subjective, dream, mental, inner landscapes of our minds are the wave aspect of that coin which, when collapsed, becomes our physical reality.
He also goes into the immortality of everything that has existed in the universe, the nature of time and what it may in fact be. He even draws at ideas of morality and the harmony of this vibrating universe of which everything is a part.
There is a lot going on in this slim book. The chapters are easy to get through, remarkably easy to read in one swoop, yet you are left with a lot to digest.
A great read. Makes you feel well read, spiritually settled and scientifically up to date in under 200 pages. And Reanney was quite gifted at writing such a book.
September 1, 2012
my all time best book
February 11, 2023
An inspirational book bringing together science, music and ancient wisdom.
Alistair Conwell
The Audible Life Stream: Ancient Secret of Dying While Living
Alistair Conwell
The Audible Life Stream: Ancient Secret of Dying While Living
November 23, 2025
An intricate study into conciousness through complex concepts made consumable by creative analogies and imaginative descriptions.
Though his poetic writing style and deep insights a second reading, I would recommend this for anyone looking for an interesting spiritual perspective into death and conciousness
Though his poetic writing style and deep insights a second reading, I would recommend this for anyone looking for an interesting spiritual perspective into death and conciousness
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews