Richard Theodore Tarnas is a

cultural historian Cultural history combines the approaches of anthropology and history to examine popular cultural traditions and cultural interpretations of historical experience. It examines the records and narrative descriptions of past matter, encompassing the ...

and astrologer known for his books '' The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World View'' and '' Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View''. Tarnas is professor of philosophy and

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...

at the

California Institute of Integral Studies California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) is a private university in San Francisco, California.Otterman, Sharon. "Merging Spirituality and Clinical Psychology at Columbia". ''New York Times'', Aug. 9, 2012Aanstoos, C. Serlin, I., & Greenin ...

, and is the founding director of its graduate program in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness.

Biography

Tarnas' father, also named Richard Tarnas, worked as a government contract attorney, former president of the Michigan Federal Bar Association, and professor of law. His mother, Mary Louise, was a teacher and homemaker. The eldest of eight children, he grew up in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

, where he studied Greek, Latin, and the Classics at the

University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy The University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy was founded in 1877, and is one of two Jesuit high schools in the city of Detroit, Michigan, the other being Loyola High School. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit, the sc ...

. In 1968 Tarnas entered

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

, graduating with an A.B. ''cum laude'' in 1972. He received his Ph.D. from

Saybrook Institute Saybrook University is a private university in Pasadena, California. It was founded in 1971 by Eleanor Camp Criswell and others. It offers postgraduate education with a focus on humanistic psychology. It features low residency, master's, and ...

in 1976 with a thesis on

psychedelic therapy Psychedelic therapy (or psychedelic-assisted therapy) refers to the proposed use of psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, and ayahuasca, to treat mental disorders. As of 2021, psychedelic drugs are controlled substances in most countrie ...

. In 1974 Tarnas went to

Esalen The Esalen Institute, commonly called Esalen, is a non-profit American retreat center and intentional community in Big Sur, California, which focuses on humanistic alternative education. The institute played a key role in the Human Potential ...

in California to study

psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome pro ...

with

Stanislav Grof Stanislav "Stan" Grof is a Czech-born psychiatrist who has been living in the United States since the 1960s. Grof is one of the principal developers of transpersonal psychology and research into the use of non-ordinary states of consciousness ...

. From 1974 to 1984 he lived and worked at

Esalen Institute The Esalen Institute, commonly called Esalen, is a non-profit American retreat center and intentional community in Big Sur, California, which focuses on humanistic alternative education. The institute played a key role in the Human Potential ...

Big Sur, California Big Sur () is a rugged and mountainous section of the Central Coast of California between Carmel and San Simeon, where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. It is frequently praised for its dramatic scenery. Big Sur ha ...

, teaching and studying with Grof,

Joseph Campbell Joseph John Campbell (March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American writer. He was a professor of literature at Sarah Lawrence College who worked in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work covers many aspects of the ...

Gregory Bateson Gregory Bateson (9 May 1904 – 4 July 1980) was an English anthropologist, social scientist, linguist, visual anthropologist, semiotician, and cyberneticist whose work intersected that of many other fields. His writings include '' Steps to an ...

Huston Smith Huston Cummings Smith (May 31, 1919 – December 30, 2016) was an influential scholar of religious studies in the United States, He authored at least thirteen books on world's religions and philosophy, and his book about comparative religion, ' ...

Elizabeth Kübler-Ross Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

, and

James Hillman James Hillman (April 12, 1926 – October 27, 2011) was an American psychologist. He studied at, and then guided studies for, the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich. He founded a movement toward archetypal psychology and retired into private practi ...

. He also served as Esalen's director of programs and education.

Jeffrey Kripal Jeffrey John Kripal (born 1962) is an American college professor. He is the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University in Houston, Texas. His work includes the study of comparative erotics and ethics in mysti ...

characterizes Tarnas as both the literal and figurative gate-keeper of Esalen. From 1980 to 1990, Tarnas wrote ''

The Passion of the Western Mind ''The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World View'' is a 1991 book by the cultural historian Richard Tarnas. Summary Tarnas argues that the movement from the Greek and Christian world views, through moder ...

: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World View'', a narrative history of

Western thought Western philosophy encompasses the philosophical thought and work of the Western world. Historically, the term refers to the philosophical thinking of Western culture, beginning with the ancient Greek philosophy of the pre-Socratics. The word '' ...

which became a

bestseller A bestseller is a book or other media noted for its top selling status, with bestseller lists published by newspapers, magazines, and book store chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and specialties (novel, nonfiction book, cookb ...

and remained in use in universities . The book was highly acclaimed by

John E. Mack John Edward Mack (October 4, 1929 – September 27, 2004) was an American psychiatrist, writer, and professor and the head of the department of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. In 1977, Mack won the Pulitzer Prize for his book ''A Pri ...

Stanley Krippner Stanley Krippner (born October 4, 1932) is an American psychologist and parapsychologist. He received a B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1954 and M.A. (1957) and Ph.D. (1961) degrees from Northwestern University. From 1 ...

Georg Feuerstein Georg Feuerstein (27 May 1947 – 25 August 2012) was a German Indologist specializing in the philosophy and practice of Yoga. Feuerstein authored over 30 books on mysticism, Yoga, Tantra, and Hinduism. He translated, among other traditional texts ...

David Steindl-Rast David Steindl-Rast OSB (born July 12, 1926) is an American Catholic Benedictine monk, author, and lecturer. He is committed to interfaith dialogue and has dealt with the interaction between spirituality and science. Life and career Steindl-Rast ...

John Sculley John Sculley III (born April 6, 1939) is an American businessman, entrepreneur and investor in high-tech startups. Sculley was vice-president (1970–1977) and president of PepsiCo (1977–1983), until he became chief executive officer (CEO) ...

, Robert A. McDermott,

Jeffrey Hart Jeffrey Peter Hart (February 23, 1930 – February 16, 2019) was an American cultural critic, essayist, columnist, and Professor Emeritus of English at Dartmouth College. Life and career Hart was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Aft ...

Gary Lachman Gary Joseph Lachman (born December 24, 1955), also known as Gary Valentine, is an American writer and musician. He came to prominence in the mid-1970s as the bass guitarist for rock band Blondie. Since the 1990s, Lachman has written full-time ...

, and others. Tarnas is the founding director of the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness program at the

(CIIS), where he remains a core faculty member . Tarnas' second book, ''Prometheus the Awakener'', published in 1995, focuses on the

astrological Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Dif ...

properties of the planet

Uranus Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. Its name is a reference to the Greek god of the sky, Uranus (mythology), Uranus (Caelus), who, according to Greek mythology, was the great-grandfather of Ares (Mars (mythology), Mars), grandfather ...

, describing "the uncanny way astrological patterns appear to coincide with events or destiny patterns in the lives of both individuals and societies". Tarnas suggests that the characteristics associated with the

mythological Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...

figure Uranus do not match the astrological properties of the planet Uranus, and that a more appropriate identification would involve the mythological figure

Prometheus In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titan god of fire. Prometheus is best known for defying the gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, know ...

. In 2006, Tarnas published his third book, '' Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View''. It claims that the major events of Western cultural history correlate consistently and meaningfully with the observed angular positions of the planets. The book received favorable reviews in '' Tikkun'' magazine, in an

anthroposophical Anthroposophy is a spiritualist movement founded in the early 20th century by the esotericist Rudolf Steiner that postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world, accessible to human experience. Followers ...

journal, and in the web magazine ''Reality Sandwich'' (by

Daniel Pinchbeck Daniel Pinchbeck is an American author. His books include '' Breaking Open the Head: A Psychedelic Journey into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism'', ''2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl'' , and ''Notes from the Edge Times''. He is a co-founder ...

), but was panned in the ''

Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

''. Tarnas featured in the 2006 film ''

Entheogen Entheogens are psychoactive substances that induce alterations in perception, mood (psychology), mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior for the purposes of engendering spiritual development or otherwiseRätsch, Christian, ''The Encyclop ...

: Awakening the Divine Within'', a documentary about rediscovering an enchanted cosmos in the modern world. In 2007 a group of fifty scholars and researchers in the

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...

formed the Archetypal Research Collective for pursuing research in archetypal cosmology. An online journal, ''Archai: The Journal of Archetypal Cosmology'', edited by Keiron LeGrice and Rod O'Neal, began a year later, based on the research orientation and methodology established in ''Cosmos and Psyche''. Advisory-board members include Christopher Bache,

Jorge Ferrer Jorge N. Ferrer (born October 30, 1968) is a US-based Spanish psychologist who wrote about the applications of participatory theory to transpersonal psychology, religious studies, integral education, and sexuality and intimate relationships. Fer ...

, Stanislav Grof, Robert A. McDermott,

Ralph Metzner Ralph Metzner (May 18, 1936 – March 14, 2019) was a German-born American psychologist, writer and researcher, who participated in psychedelic research at Harvard University in the early 1960s with Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (later named ...

, and

Brian Swimme Brian Thomas Swimme (born 1950) is a professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies, in San Francisco, where he teaches evolutionary cosmology to graduate students in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness program. He received his ...

. Contributors have included Keiron Le Grice, Richard Tarnas, Stanislav Grof, and Rod O'Neal. In 2008 Tarnas was invited to address members of the

Dutch Parliament The States General of the Netherlands ( nl, Staten-Generaal ) is the supreme bicameral legislature of the Netherlands consisting of the Senate () and the House of Representatives (). Both chambers meet at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The State ...

about creating a sustainable society. In 2007

John Cleese John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...

and Tarnas gave some public lectures together at the Esalen Institute in

and in Santa Barbara. The lectures discussed regaining a connection to the sacred in the modern world. Cleese and Tarnas then taught a seminar at CIIS called "The Comic Genius: A Multidisciplinary Approach". American Astronaut

Susan Helms Susan Jane Helms (born February 26, 1958) is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general and NASA astronaut. She was the commander, 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic); and commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space at Va ...

cited Tarnas' ''The Passion of the Western Mind'' as one of the five 'classic American books' that inspired her career as an astronaut.

Bibliography

By Tarnas

Books

* ''LSD psychotherapy, theoretical implications for the study of psychology'', 1976 * ''Birth and rebirth: LSD, psychoanalysis, and spiritual enlightenment''csp.org
* ''

: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World View'', 1991; Ballantine () * ''Prometheus the Awakener: An Essay on the Archetypal Meaning of the Planet Uranus'', 1995; Spring Publications, Woodstock, CT () * '' Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View'', 2006; Viking ()

Articles

* "Uranus and Prometheus" ''Spring'', 1983 psycnet.apa.org * "The Transfiguration of the Western Mind in Philosophy and the Human Future" ''Cross currents'' , 1989, vol. 39, no3, pp. 258–280 Association for Religion and Intellectual Life, New Rochelle, NY * "The Transfiguration of the Western Mind" ''ReVision'', 1990 * "The Masculine Mind" ''Only Connect: Soil, Soul and Society'', 1990 * "The Western Mind at the Threshold," ''The Quest'', Summer 1993 (also published in ''Re-vision'', Vol. 16, 1993) * "The Western World View: Past, Present And Future" in R. E. Di Carlo (Ed.), ''Towards a New World View: Conversations at the Leading Edge.'', 1996 * "The Great Initiation", ''Noetic Sciences Review'', Vol. 47, Winter 1998 * "A new birth in freedom: A (p)review of Jorge Ferrer's Revisioning transpersonal theory: A participatory vision of human spirituality" ''Journal of Transpersonal Psychology'', 2001 * R Tarnas, E Laszlo, S Gablik, "The Cosmic World-How We Participate in Thee and Thou in Us" Revision 2001 * Foreword to ''Revisioning Transpersonal Theory'' by

, 2002; SUNY * "Two Suitors: A Parable" ''ReVision: A Journal of Consciousness'' 2007 Heldref Publications * "The modern self and our planetary future: a participatory view" ''symposium De Binnenkant van Duurzaamheid'' 2008 * "The Planets" ''Theoretical Foundations of Archetypal Cosmology'', 2009 - archaijournal.org * "The Ideal and the Real" ''Theoretical Foundations of Archetypal Cosmology'' 2009 * "World Transits 2000–2020" archaijournal.org

Video

About Tarnas

*Sean M. Kelly, "The Rebirth of Wisdom" Review of ''The Passion of the Western Mind'' by Richard Tarnas ''The San Francisco Jung Institute Library Journal'' pp. 33–4
jstor.org

References

External links

Richard Tarnas
at

''Cosmos and Psyche'' website
*

br>graduate program in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness
* The_Passion_of'',_ch._vi,_section_''The_Postmodern_Mind''.html" ;"title="The Passion of the Western Mind">The Passion of'', ch. vi, section ''The Postmodern Mind''">The Passion of the Western Mind">The Passion of'', ch. vi, section ''The Postmodern Mind''

Articles and interview

Epilogue to ''The Passion of the Western Mind''
An Interview with Richard Tarnas by Scott London
The Enchanted Universe
Interview by

Shelley Ackerman Shelley Ackerman (October 14, 1953 – February 27, 2020) was an American astrologer, writer, actress and singer. She was a frequent guest and commentator on radio and television news and entertainment shows. Biography Early life The daughter o ...

beliefnet Beliefnet is a lifestyle website featuring editorial content related to the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news, and entertainment. History Launched in 1999 by Steven Waldman and Robert Nylen, Beliefnet ...

An Interview with Richard Tarnas
by Ray Grasse Reprinted from The Mountain Astrologer, issue #124, Dec/Jan 2006

from Tarnas' ''Prometheus the Awakener''

by Tarnas

CBC program "Tapestry"
"The Intelligent Universe:
Is Nature Trying To Change Our Minds?" by Alice Klein '' Now Magazine'' April 17–24, 2008 Vol 27 No 33 {{DEFAULTSORT:Tarnas, Richard Living people Writers from Detroit American astrologers American philosophers Harvard University alumni Integral thought 20th-century astrologers 21st-century astrologers University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy alumni American male non-fiction writers Year of birth missing (living people)