Coming to Our Senses

Coming to Our Senses examines the historical split between mind and body in Western civilization, tracing its origins and consequences. Morris Berman demonstrates how this dualism has shaped modern culture, science, and human consciousness. The book moves through different time periods and cultures to analyze somatic awareness - the integrated mind-body experience that existed before the rise of modern rationalism. Berman draws on anthropology, history, and neuroscience to document how humans gradually became disconnected from embodied ways of knowing. Through case studies and cultural analysis, Berman explores practices and traditions that maintained body-mind unity, from medieval mysticism to indigenous worldviews. The text examines how this knowledge might be recovered and applied in contemporary life. The work presents a bold critique of Western paradigms while offering a vision for reuniting cognitive and physical experience. This investigation of human consciousness challenges fundamental assumptions about progress, knowledge, and the nature of reality.

Readers appreciate Berman's detailed examination of how Western society became disconnected from sensory experience and embodied knowledge. Many note his thorough research and interdisciplinary approach combining history, philosophy, and anthropology. Positive reviews focus on: - Clear explanations of complex mind-body concepts - Examples from art, religion, and science - Links between modern alienation and historical shifts in consciousness Common criticisms: - Dense academic writing style - Repetitive arguments - Too theoretical with limited practical solutions - Some sections feel unfocused Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (87 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (28 reviews) Notable reader comments: "Explains why we feel so disconnected in modern life" -Amazon reviewer "Important ideas buried in overwritten prose" -Goodreads reviewer "Changed how I think about embodiment, but tough to get through" -LibraryThing review

The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist A neuroscientific and philosophical examination of how brain hemispheres shape human consciousness and culture throughout history.

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk An exploration of trauma's effects on the body and the connection between physical experience and emotional memory.

The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram An investigation into how written language and modern civilization have separated humans from their direct sensory experience of the world.

The Embodied Mind by Francisco J. Varela, Evan Thompson, and Eleanor Rosch A synthesis of cognitive science, Buddhist philosophy, and phenomenology that presents consciousness as inseparable from bodily experience.

The Thinking Hand by Juhani Pallasmaa An analysis of the relationship between craftsmanship, architectural design, and embodied knowledge in human creativity.

🔹 The book explores how Western civilization's emphasis on abstract thinking and separation from bodily experience has led to widespread psychological and social alienation. 🔹 Morris Berman spent more than 20 years researching somatic (body-based) awareness practices across different cultures before writing this work. 🔹 The author traces the mind-body split in Western culture back to the ancient Greeks, particularly to Plato's philosophical teachings that prioritized the mind over physical experience. 🔹 The book draws connections between modern technological addiction and our increasing disconnection from direct sensory experiences of the world around us. 🔹 Berman's work influenced the development of somatics-based therapy approaches, which focus on reconnecting patients with their bodily sensations to improve mental health.