"How Humanity Came into Being is our story - the collective story of all humankind. Life, from its earliest days, is a constant exploration of our physical, emotional, mental and ultimately spiritual relationship with the world. It is no wonder, then, that we ponder the perennial questions: where did we come from? What is our destiny as a species? Why do we have the miracle of consciousness and self-awareness, a sense of order, morality, purpose, and even intimations of the divine?" "This unique book explores such questions of existence. The authors present a fascinating journey through our anthropological history, including art and science, linguistic, spiritual and other cultural innovations: all things that make us a unique species." "Drawing on the latest research and ideas, they go on to show that we are poised at an evolutionary turning point, as we move towards a collective awakening. For anyone interested in human consciousness, this book is an important signpost, indicating the way forward."--Jacket.
Some user-friendly notions of consciousness -- Through the Darwinian paradigm and beyond -- Consciousness and the individual life cycle -- Ebb, flow and cycles in collective consciousness -- Human consciousness from deep time -- A new look at who we are and how we got that way -- New evolutionary paradigms: coherence, unity and beyond -- Into the mystic -- Closing the circle.