The Evolutionary Mind: Conversations on Science, Imagination and Spirit is a spellbinding work by three scientists, Ralph Abraham, Terence McKenna, and Rupert Sheldrake. These holistic thinkers revel in speculating about the new ideas and ideals emerging at the crossroads of science, spirituality, ecology, and psychology.

In her introduction to this four-day talk session held at Esalen in 1989, Jean Houston characterizes their "trialogues" as a "mind field of mind probes." Not a bad description of the fireworks which ensue as they discuss the latest developments in scientific thought, the spread of Green Consciousness, the importance of visionary experience, the source of current ecological and political crises, and conflicting images of the apocalypse. And it is nothing short of astonishing to hear these scientists consider the meanings of the word soul, the importance of the unconscious, and the significance of discarnate entities such as animal souls, angels, and faery folk.

The two most interesting chapters in the book deal with the resacralization of the world and education in the New World Order. Abraham, McKenna, and Sheldrake call for a revolutionary reinterpretation of spirituality which would place it in the center of human affairs. They outline the lineaments of an alternative educational system for youth involving workshops, learning through experience, and initiations. The Evolutionary Mind is another example of the new pathways created in the interface of science and spirituality.