Our African Unconscious: The Black Origins of Mysticism and Psychology

by Edward Bruce Bynum, Linda James Myers (Foreword)

Reveals how spirituality and the collective unconscious of all of humanity originated in Africa

• Examines the Oldawan, the Ancient Soul of Africa, and its correlation with what modern psychologists have defined as the collective unconscious

• Draws on archaeology, DNA research, history, and depth psychology to reveal how the biological and spiritual roots of religion and science came out of Africa

• Explores the reflections of our African unconscious in the present confrontation in the Americas, in the work of the Founding Fathers, and in modern psychospirituality

The fossil record confirms that humanity originated in Africa. Yet somehow we have overlooked that Africa is also at the root of all that makes us human--our spirituality, civilization, arts, sciences, philosophy, and our conscious and unconscious minds.

In this extensive look at the unfolding of human history and culture, Edward Bruce Bynum reveals how our collective unconscious is African. Drawing on archaeology, DNA research, depth psychology, and the biological and spiritual roots of religion and science, he demonstrates how all modern human beings, regardless of ethnic or racial categorizations, share a common deeper identity, both psychically and genetically--a primordial African unconscious.

Exploring the beginning of early religions and mysticism in Africa, the author looks at the Egyptian Nubian role in the rise of civilization, the emergence of Kemetic Egypt, and the Oldawan, the Ancient Soul, and its correlation with what modern psychologists have defined as the collective unconscious. Revealing the spiritual and psychological ramifications of our shared African ancestry, the author examines its reflections in the present confrontation in the Americas, in the work of the Founding Fathers, and in modern Black spirituality, which arose from African diaspora religion and philosophy.

By recognizing our shared African unconscious--the matrix that forms the deepest luminous core of human identity--we learn that the differences between one person and another are merely superficial and ultimately there is no real separation between the material and the spiritual.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Philosophy

480 pages, Paperback

Published September 14, 2021

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very unusual and interesting book. Bynum presents a thesis on the nature of our human heritage taking us back through human evolution and our origins in Africa, through the migrations of our species and to the origins of civilization. Bynum argues that our deepest insights into spirituality arose in Africa along the Nile river at the dawn of Egyptian civilization and spread from there to Mesopotamia, through India to China, to Europe, in the form of Egyptian influence on early Greece and back through Africa to western Africa, and interestingly across the Pacific to Olmec America. Bynum argues that this civilization was initially black African and that the Kemetic Egyptian insights into spiritual development, spiritual evolution and kundalini awakening are at the core of all our world religions although much of this has been forgotten in the west. Bynum argues that there has been a process of active forgetting of our origins and of the importance of our black African heritage. Bynum makes some interesting observations of the likelihood that Moses was black and that Jesus may have been much darker skinned than he is portrayed in western imagery. Bynum's writing can be somewhat repetitive at times, but the core of his writing is clear and impactful. I would like to have heard more about the Egyptian book of the dead, to which he frequently refers. Bynum predicts that we will are on the cusp of a revolution in our understanding of consciousness and its ties to physical matter and light. All of this is consistent with much of the developments in consciousness studies and is I am inclined to agree with much of what he is putting forward. This is a fascinating book for any who are curious about the deep history of the dawning consciousness revolution.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, let me tell you about "Our African Unconscious" by Edward Bruce Bynum! This book is an absolute masterpiece that takes readers on a journey through the history of Black spirituality and its impact on the world.

As a Black woman, I am constantly searching for literature that delves into the African origins of our traditions and practices. Bynum's book did not disappoint. He masterfully weaves together the history of African spiritual practices with modern traditions globally, to create a compelling argument for the importance of acknowledging our cultural heritage.

What I loved most about this book was Bynum's ability to make complex concepts accessible to all readers. He effortlessly explains intricate theories about the nature of consciousness and the human psyche in a way that is both insightful and easy to understand.

Overall, "Our African Unconscious" is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersections of Black spirituality and the world’s belief systems. Bynum's passion for his subject matter is palpable on every page, and his insights have left a lasting impact on me. I cannot recommend this book enough and I am giving it a well-deserved five stars!

***Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

[C. Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider this an empowering read. The greatest takeaway was the wealth of considerations in research, applied theory, and assessment of African Americans.
The book gives you great information on the history of black psychology and it's founders. Additionally, it breaks down the important factors and different perspectives that contribute to black psychology and spirituality.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up.

Lots of positives and negatives.

I liked his cover of ancient history, although it mostly centred around Egypt. The way he described the plight of Jews, and then weaved it together with the experiences and spirituality of Africans was done well. I thought overall there was some really interesting info about the African unconscious.

I didn't like how preachy this book was. It was less an academic work, and more an apologetic for his own beliefs, which he projects as universally African and human, and True.

I was also turned off by his use of Quantum Mechanics, which he referred to for just about everything. His understanding of QM is wrong, yet it's almost foundational for every point he makes. It resulted in a lot of woo. I'm allergic to woo. QM doesn't say, imply, or support the idea that consciousness is foundational to reality; it implies that reality is contiguous and that no amount of experimenting or theorising can tell you if Schroedinger's cat is dead or alive without interacting with the cat, physically. Consciousness is foundational to consciousness, and that's the conundrum of our human experience - we can't escape it, and we can't meaningfully talk about reality without filtering it through our consciousness, but that doesn't mean that reality is conscious, or that consciousness gives rise to reality, or anything like that. Just that we can't say what reality is! From his misinterpretation of QM, Bynum asserts that consciousness is prior to matter. There is no support for this - it's a misinterpretation of QM. And it just doesn't make sense.... there is quite good evidence that conscious states can rise (and fall!) out of configurations of matter, but no evidence that consciousness gives rise to matter.

Anyway, I'm not going to dissect that here. I read the book so that I could get a better understanding of the African unconscious that exists to some degree in all of us humans, and the book helped with that. I wish it had spent a bit more time describing African cultures and a bit less trying to convince the reader of a particular philosophy, but it still achieved my goal.

Scattered thoughts: he seems to support the idea of astral travel! He talked pretty uncritically about NDEs. He almost never presented criticisms to his philosophy. I got the feeling that he would dismiss all criticism. He seemed to be suggesting that we're entering an age of greater enlightenment, leaving behind the 'dark ages' of logical positivism and a mechanistic universe. Psychoanalysis is fun, and I liked his theories, but I'm always wary of unfalsifiable theories that can say whatever you want them to say. The book was quite repetitive - sometimes I thought I had skipped back somehow. He details the spirituality of the American founding fathers and I found that to be really insightful. He talks about how atheism and agnosticism are untenable philosophies. For him, the divine is everywhere and everything, so to deny the divine is to deny reality. I see how he gets to this point, although I definitely don't agree, but it does give me a new perspective on how some people might think, and how to (or not to) engage with them and take their perspective into consideration.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an amazing historical, antropological and psychological exploration! This is truely a must read for anyone interested in psychological functioning, or spirituality. It's also written in an engaging way. I looked forward to diving in with a cup of coffee in the mornings.

My one critique is actually for the editors. I felt like the book could have been organized differently which linked the ideas more clearly together and felt less repetative.

Yet truely this is a landmark, important book that I will be forever grateful for as it has already change how I consider and contextualize humanity.

[Sharie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Endlessly mystifying and informative.