John Caris

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Teacher, author, and student of human culture Expert

John Caris

John Caris Quick Facts

Main Areas
The Humanities covers everything that humans have done—all the arts and sciences. My focus changes with time. At the moment I am studying Native American culture and spiritual transformation through the ancient science of alchemy.
Career Focus
teacher, author, student of human culture
Having been a Humanities and English college teacher for thirty-six years, thirty-three of them at City College of San Francisco, my area of study embraces the Humanities, which includes the totality of human existence.

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The magic mirror offers insight into the meditative art, and following Hermes’ path, we can prepare our mind so that it accurately reflects spiritual energy into the alchemical process. In some ways the mirror is more similar to a lens that allows light through when clean. Because if the lens ...

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Original sin is a basic tenet in Christian theology. Adam and Eve, our first parents, sinned in the Garden of Eden and were kicked out because of that. Jesus came to save us from that sin and make things right again. The ideas that are contained in the biblical story and form part of the ...

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Over the years I have read all of the Christian Bible, some passages many times. As far as serious study and analysis, I have not yet progressed beyond Genesis 4. Yes, I am still seeking the deeper layers of meaning in the first four chapters of Genesis. It has been an intriguing jou ey, and ...

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Ten years ago I renewed my interest in the magical arts and joined the Society of American Magicians and the International Brotherhood of Magicians. A revitalized appreciation for magic and an opportunity to delve into several intriguing ideas that have, at least for me, a deep and ...

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Our knowledge and understanding of human religious and spiritual beliefs should have its roots in the indigenous world view, the cosmic perspective of people still connected directly to the earth and whose cultural ties extended into the distant past. Such knowledge, however, is difficult to ...

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The renewed interest and critical discussion of the ancient goddess religion open a path to the Perennial Philosophy, a substratum of human culture and consisting of a cluster of ideas, insights, view points, and attitudes about life found in most, if not all, societies. Basic concepts of the ...

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The Eco Twins are upon us, forcing us to re-evaluate our attitudes and correct our assumptions. In popular jargon they are at bat in the bottom of the ninth with no outs and the score is at the moment tied. Who are these Twins? They are the ever-present natural powers of ecology and social ...

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Symbols, whether sacred or secular, pervade human culture and are frequently found in the arts. They are keys that open the door to higher consciousness, codes that winnow the kernel from the chaff, seeds that contain hidden knowledge. A symbol is like a tree with branches extending in many ...

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Favorite Quotes & Thoughts from John Caris

The mind has power to project itself and manipulate its environment. It has power to shape exte al reality to agree with its inner reality.

Education is the foundation for my life's jou ey, and so I have followed that path, both as a profession and as a means of personal fulfillment. A student and teacher, I have spent many years inspecting the doings and makings of us human beings. In pursuit of knowledge I began studying philosophy, religion, psychology, and literature. Before long I realized that these categories set false barriers, and so I reshaped my quest for understanding by inspecting all the arts and sciences and then extending the search to all human activities, following two main threads: who are we (essence or identity) and why are we here (existence)? The human spirit is expressed in everything that we do. Though cultures can be distinguished by their differences, unde eath flows the human soul. Each culture, then, is one facet reflecting the soul's myriad possibilities. For good or evil, the human spirit is capable of dancing to the cosmic rhythms of life, death, and regeneration. The human world is a miniature of the universe, and if we look carefully, we see the microcosm-macrocosm link.

Contacting John Caris

Please visit my web site Ye Olde Consciousness Shoppe

How to get started

I manage the website Ye Olde Consciousness Shoppe which presents ideas and images about transforming consciousness and reaching a higher level of reality. My publishing company Westgate House has published my three books. Hermes Beckons, a tale of alchemy and magic, is the most recent publication. The earlier books are Foundation for a New Consciousness: An Essay on Art, Science, and Meditation, and Reality Inspector, a novel set in San Francisco involving a world championship chess match and computer hacking at the Federal Reserve Bank. Information about these books is posted on my web site.