Spellbound: Modern Science, Ancient Magic, and the Hidden Potential of the Unconscious Mind

by Daniel Z. Lieberman, Tom Parks (Reading)

Psychiatrist Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD, reveals how to join forces with your unconscious to make better decisions, find more meaning in everyday life, and develop a richer, more balanced way of living.

The conscious mind, the part of your mental life you experience directly, is responsible for only a tiny sliver of what science says is going on inside your brain. Most of what you experience, your moods, and the things you like or dislike—most of who you are—comes from a much more mysterious part of your mind: the unconscious.

And to really understand the influences of the unconscious, says psychiatrist Daniel Z. Liberman, coauthor of The Molecule of More, we need to look to something often considered science’s alter ego: magic. Drawing on the work of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, and with deep dives into what we can learn from ancient mystical traditions from alchemy to numerology to meditation, Spellbound weaves together ancient magical traditions, psychological research, and the latest neuroscientific discoveries, in order to bridge the gap between the conscious and unconscious mind.

Like it or not, your unconscious is currently the source of most of your choices. It’s the source of your passions, your energy, and your “gut instinct.” It can help you solve seemingly impossible problems with the gift of inspiration. But it’s not always working in your favor: The unconscious is wild and untamed, often leading us down self-destructive paths that leave us baffled by our own decisions. Spellbound helps you take a new path: one where you learn how to recognize the influences of the unconscious, and make it an ally in helping you become the person you were meant to be.

The human mind is perhaps the most mysterious thing in the universe. Science is only beginning to uncover its secrets, and some believe that we may never fully plumb its depths. But the ancient traditions of magic, traditions of understanding that have been built up over centuries, give us another window into the hidden facets of our humanity.

After all, as the visionary Arthur C. Clarke once said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Science, Self Help, History, Audiobook, Spirituality

Audio CD

First published August 1, 2022

About the author

Daniel Z. Lieberman, M.D. is a clinical professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University. Dr. Lieberman is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a recipient of the Caron Foundation Research Award, and he has published over 50 scientific reports on behavioral science. He has provided insight on psychiatric issues for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the US Department of Commerce, and the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy, and has discussed mental health in interviews on CNN, C-SPAN, and PBS. Dr. Lieberman studied the Great Books at St. John's College. He received his medical degree and completed his psychiatric training at New York University.

Reviews

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a detailed, well-written and interesting read about how we can bring the conscious and unconscious minds together. This is the alchemy we need to learn and master to make ourselves whole.

The parts on magic are a pleasure to read. The interpretations and illustrations on fairytales, tarot cards and numerology are eloquently written and insightful. I love the explanation of why various forms of magic still exist today: because it is not superstition or pure fiction, it is how we can safely communicate with and meet our unconscious.

The author’s tone of voice is friendly and warm, I find this book a delight to read.

Disclosure: I received a free review copy via NetGalley.

[Maher Razouk · Rating 5 out of 5]

الجرعة السحرية تحتاج إلى أكثر من عين سمندل وإصبع ضفدع. يجب استثمارها في قوة غير مرئية قبل أن تجعل شخصًا ما يقع في الحب أو تمنحه قدرات خارقة. يجب أن يكون هناك شيء ما يتجاوز المكونات المادية ، شيء يدخل الشخص الذي يشرب الجرعة ويغيّره. حتى اللفافة المسحورة تحتاج إلى أن تسكنها روح غير مرئية قبل أن تكون أكثر من مجرد رق وحبر. يحدث السحر عندما يتم غزو العالم الطبيعي واحتلاله من قبل كيانات من عالم الأرواح.

نلاحظ ذلك بشكل أوضح في الروايات القديمة للأنبياء ، والأوراكل ، والكاهنات ، الذين كان يُعتقد أنهم بوابات تتكلم من خلالها الآلهة. في بعض الأحيان كان يُعتقد أنهم تحت السيطرة المباشرة لكيانات خارقة للطبيعة. عانى الناس العاديون أيضًا من تأثير الآلهة. اعتقد الجنود الرومان وهم يندفعون إلى المعركة ، غير مكترثين بالخطر ، أن المريخ إله الحرب قد استثمرهم بالشجاعة. يعتقد العشاق الذين يعانون من جنون العاطفة المثيرة أن فينوس ، إلهة الحب ، كانت تستحوذ عليهم. استلهم الشعراء من الآلهة ، وشكر الأبطال آلهة النصر لمنحهم القدرة على الفوز. كان هناك اعتقاد شائع بأن الكيانات غير المرئية يمكن أن تشغل عقول البشر لفرض إرادتها على الجنس البشري.

عزا القدماء هذه التجارب إلى مخلوقات خارقة للطبيعة لأنهم شعروا أن شيئًا ما خارجهم كان مسؤولاً عن الأشياء التي فعلوها. الحب يأتي بلا قيود. لا يمكن استدعاؤه عن طريق الإرادة. وينطبق الشيء نفسه على الإلهام الشعري. استنتج القدماء أنهم عندما حققوا شيئًا يفوق قدراتهم المعتادة ، فإن أخذ الفضل في ذلك هو أمر لا معنى له. جاء من الخارج ، نعمة تارة ، ونقمة تارة.
اليوم ، لم نعد نؤمن بالتأثير المنتشر للكيانات الخارقة للطبيعة. نحن نفضل أن نعتبر أنفسنا المسيطرين الحصريين على ما يجري داخل رؤوسنا. نميل إلى الاعتقاد بأننا إذا أردنا تغيير سلوكنا ، فكل ما علينا فعله هو أن نركز أذهاننا عليه. تتميز كتب المساعدة الذاتية بعشر خطوات سهلة لتحقيق الانضباط والثقة والنجاح. إذا فعلنا ذلك ، فسنكون جميعًا نحيفين وأغنياء وسعداء ولطفاء. إن فكرة أنه يمكننا السيطرة على عواطفنا واستدعاء القدرات الكامنة في داخلنا لا تصمد أمام الضوء البارد للواقع. على الرغم من التقدم الذي أحرزناه منذ أن حلت العلوم والتكنولوجيا محل الإيمان بالسحر ، فإننا نظل تحت رحمة قوى خارجة عن سيطرتنا.

لماذا نتصرف بطرق تؤدي إلى تدمير الذات؟ لماذا نفعل الأشياء ونحن نعلم جيدًا أنه في غضون أسبوع ، أو يوم ، أو حتى ساعة ، سنندم على ذلك؟ ما هو مصدر طاقتنا العقلية؟ من أين يأتي الالهام؟ يخبرنا البحث المعاصر أن هناك بعض الدوائر في الدماغ ندركها وأخرى لا ندركها. أولئك الذين ندركهم يمكننا التحكم فيهم . أولئك الذين لا ندركهم ، هم اللذين يسيطرون علينا . هم الآلهة في الداخل .
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Daniel Lieberman
Spellbound
Translated By #Maher_Razouk

[Jenna Deaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spellbound by Daniel Z Lieberman, MD is an informative and insightful look into the melding of the conscious and unconscious mind , utilizing a wide scope of spiritual and scientific reach to approach the gap between the two.
What Worked For Me
1. Jungian psychology woven into the text was a special treat
2.The meaning of numerology and tarot than has become typical in modern books on the topic.
3.The writing style of the book was lovely to read while being straight forward enough to now become overwhelming.
What Didn't Work as well for me
1.The only major weakness within the book comes from its great variety of topics covered. In approaching such as wide scope of magical information the book occasionally skims lightly across one topic in order to dive deeply on others.
Who I would recommend this for
This book is a great read for those interested in mysticism wanting an overview and variable approach to the topic.

[Tazar Oo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the most important book I read in 2024. It's like a reliable bridge between Carl Jung’s complex ideas and the clarity of scientific understanding. Key Jungian concepts—such as the shadow, collective unconscious, and active imagination—are explained in a way that is accessible to general readers. Broader ideas like transcendence, circulation, and conjunction are also thoughtfully unpacked. The mindfulness section at the end of the book was most captivating and eye-opening for me with some foundational understanding in Buddhism, offering insights into meditation, loving-kindness, and compassion in a new light.

[Rebekah Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's heavily based on Carl Jung's work, blending the conscious and unconscious and how it's beneficial to live a life with both active instead of just the conscious/ego.

[Malissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely book! with so much insight, I could easily read it again, as it was a very easy and beautiful read. Very informative! thank to Daniel and NetGalley for allowing the ARC.!

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mix of neuroscience and Jungian psychology, this book explores how ancient myth and mysticism can help us better navigate the modern world. I’ve read a lot of books on neuroscience and the unconscious, but I learned a number of new and useful things from this one. It’s enjoyable and easy to read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[The Starry Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Spellbound' is a book about individuation, wholeness, the alchemical marriage, and the ouroboros. Bringing together the conscious with the unconscious is the basis of magic as proposed by author Daniel Z. Liberman. He takes the reader on a journey through the unconscious and shares how learning to wield its powers is no different than the magician wielding his wand. Exploring the power of archetypes in fairytales, tarot, numerology, and astrology offer teachings on how one can fully integrate these seemingly opposite forces. The first section of the book explains the unconscious and how it shows up in daily life through both mundane and mystical experiences. The second section of the book explores various magical traditions and how the unconscious is at play in these realms. The Jungian psychology perspective of the marriage of the conscious with the unconscious is explored in depth in the latter half of the book. Finally, chapters on meditation as a manifestation of the conjunction offer interesting insights into what unity and or magic may look and feel like.

Ultimately this is a book about the invisible power of the unconscious in waking life. It is compared to the principles of magic which essentially reveal in their symbolic ways how to become more aware so as to enact purposeful and meaningful change in one’s life.

Compelling and enchanting, this is a must read for anyone looking to develop more awareness of their unseen world.

[Licho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and has some interesting information, but leans very heavily towards a Jungian analysis on consciousness. Which isn't a bad thing per se, but if you've read Jung's Man and His Symbols this doesn't really cover much in the way of new ground. I also wish there were a few more scientific studies brought in to back up the information presented (as the subtitle of this book indicates this is supposed to be a blend between "Modern Science, Ancient Magic, and the Hidden Potential of the Unconscious Mind." After the first section however the "modern science" element is dropped almost completely, which is a pity because I can think of a few studies that would support the claims in this book)

Though I would recommend this if you've ever read anything by Sam Harris as a palate cleanser to his brand of "Consciousness is an illusion" shenaniganry.

[Holly G · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband was sent this book via NetGalley and writes: This is truly a wonderful book. I have been a therapist many years, and I have studied Jungian work throughout my entire career. This book belongs right along side the other Jungian classics throughout the last century. Lieberman layers in the depth of Jungian thought without ever overwhelming the reader as many alchemy texts seem to do. When Reading, "Spellbound," I am reminded of Marion Woodman and Marie Louise Von Franz. Spellbound creates a very difficult balance as it creates space for someone new to this kind of book, and it teaches advanced practitioners new angles and approaches. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a curiosity about their inner life.

[Jessica Abernathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overdue for a psychology read, Spellbound seemed promising as it somewhat oddly explores the intersection of science & magic with a Jungian approach. As an aspiring Hex Girl and fan of Michael Scott, I could be categorized as not superstitious, but a little stitious.

This was a bit far-fetched at times (particularly in the opening chapters), though interesting in the same way reading your horoscope is interesting - I’m an Aries sun | Taurus moon | Libra rising for the exactly zero of you who have asked. I enjoyed this though it was unequivocally nerdy, as I’m all for making the ordinary world less bland & would certainly always welcome more magic in my life.

My favorite sections were the ones that touched on “shadows” & tarot cards. I was not a fan of the chapter on numerology & am unsure of what to do with any of that information. My main takeaway is that we should all be meditating more. 3.5 stars.

[Kim Horner · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's not really anything new here. If you've been to yoga class, if you've read any Jung at all, any Buddhist texts, if you've ever had a tarot reading, if you've read any self-help texts on meditation, if you've read any of the many texts that analyze fairy-tales, much of this will seem familiar, even simplistic. But when you're dealing with Jungian analysis, especially if you're hoping to practice it on yourself, familiar and simplistic may be not criticisms but advantages. Go in to this book and this practice knowing that the synthesis Lieberman accomplishes will likely require you to add more and more complicated books to your TBR, will require you to keep a journal of some kind if you don't already, require you to learn meditation, and require you to be accepting and excited about doing the work.

[Razi · Rating 5 out of 5]

C. G. Jung defined individuation, the therapeutic goal of analytical psychology belonging to the second half of life, as the process by which a person becomes a psychological individual, a separate indivisible unity or whole, recognizing his innermost uniqueness, and he identified this process with becoming one's own true self, claiming and taking up one's true place in the whole history of humanity (psychic memory).

This book looks at various tools at our desposal while on this journey, tools which are created by the collective human wisdom: folk/fairy tales, myths, astrology, alchemy, numerology and tarot.

Very rewarding read.

[Zhuo Zhang · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The unconscious parts of the brain give us art, music, and spirituality; courage, love, and joy. Most importantly, they give us ourselves. If you reject the dark regions of the mind, your quest to become who you are will fail. Your own mind will become a monster you cannot overcome, a cave you dare not enter.
Reason is a great blessing, the gift of an awakened consciousness. But it cannot stand on its own. The higher cannot stand without the lower. Our true humanity won't be achieved until we unite reason with unreason, light with darkness, science with magic. To live life fully, we must become whole."
I feel each chapter can be expanded into a book. Well written and organized.

[Ala · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique and ambitious work that explores why humans are drawn to enchantment and awe. This book successfully interweaves our spiritual sides with hard evolutionary science, arguing that our capacity for myth, ritual, and art are essential survival tools, not biological errors.
Lieberman applies this powerful lens to fascinating phenomena like the placebo effect and complex social bonding.

The accessible prose makes challenging topics, such as genetics and anthropology, easy to digest. Though the concepts feel slightly thin in the final chapters this is a masterful and highly recommended read.

[Joe Born · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author states that the bandwidth of the subconscious mind has 500,000 times the bandwidth of the concious mind. This is a pretty compelling statistic and the book talks about how to better harness the power of that part of the mind, leveraging ancient traditions and such. He never actually makes the case that these are necessarily more than metaphors (its not actually revealed what the author himself believes in this regard).

500,000 is hardly apples to apples, but regardless, it's a big enough number that it's impossible to ignore. Maybe the long debunked notion of only using 10% of our brains, while not at all literally true, is nonetheless on to something.

[Deborah]

Learn how to unleash the power of your unconscious mind. This book is only recommended for those with an already healthy mind. The author is a psychiatrist who clearly cautions that his recommendations are not for those struggling with mental illness. But for the healthy minded, the unconscious can provide you with inspiration and energy and innovation. Your unconscious knows things you never dreamed you knew!

[Bill Zoelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and thought provoking book. The only thing that jumped out at me as annoying was the author bringing up the importance of fairy tales and fables. I was intrigued by the logic around them and planned on exploring some stories. I had to skip ahead since the author then went into a series of spoilers listing story after story and the twist or lesson from each. If you’ve read them all or have no interest in doing so, it’s fine.

[Firsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I rate everything 4 nowadays. That's what I get from picking books rated close to 4, and agreeing with consensus? Whatevs. I loved the premise and maybe played a bit too much Hogwarts Legacy recently to expect something more from "Ancient Magic". Nah, that part was like a history book. But I wanted this to be better. It covered a LOT of ground, but never digging deep in just one. I wanted to go deep on stuff like ayahuasca trips or something like that (I guess Pihkal and Tihkal are in the queue). Or... experiments where people are put into separate rooms and they are supposed to communicate over the distance or detect something from the other room? Nope. Regardless, it was entertaining at times, and I like how the author is an MD so it wasn't supposed to be BS. He brought a very down to earth approach (in the first half) yet I still found plenty of mumbo jumbo in it as the book progressed, not necessarily religious, but still. The Molecule of More was waaaay better and I guess that's how I found this book, by checking what other stuff the author has written. Lemme check the toc on Amazon real quick (I audiobooked this too so I need something to refresh my memory with as I totally forgot to review this in time). Oh yes, the Tarot cards. WTF! I did not expect that. 1 point detraction from the 5 star. In no quality do I want to ever have to have anything to do with Tarot cards. I kinda liked the first part though or whichever half detailed how much processing the subconscious (huh what a speling bee word) does. Yeah Part I cool, Part II ok but things went downhill with the Tarot, leading to a trashy Part III. Transcendence and other bs is why I don't read spiritual and zen books and for me meditation is just thinking about stuff, not emptying my mind. Oh well. Book could have been better but still decent and I liked the overall concept (nice cover too). My expectations are high at times, it seems.

[Kelly Allen-Kujawski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome look at how the mind works with spirituality. Science and "magic" can certainly be friends and this book delves into the how with actual, scientific explanations as to why some people are able to do what they can do (psychics, mediums, etc.)