Nexus Of Illusions

"The Nexus of Illusions: A Journey through the Mind's Eye" is a spellbinding tale that sparks the imagination, challenges perception, and celebrates the transformative power of dreams.

The first new translation of Balzac’s 1847 novel Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes in half a century, fully annotated and with an extensive introduction In Lost Souls, Honoré de Balzac’s brilliant evocation of nineteenth-century Paris, we enter a world of glittering wealth and grinding poverty, teeming with strivers, poseurs, and pleasure seekers along with those who struggle merely to survive. Between the heights of Parisian society and the criminal world lurking underneath, fate is about to catch up with Lucien de Rubempré, last seen in Lost Illusions, as his literary aspirations, his love for the courtesan Esther van Gobseck, and his scheme to marry the wealthy Clotilde become entangled in the cunning and ultimately disastrous ambitions of the Abbé Herrera, a villain for the ages. An extraordinary volume in Balzac’s vast Human Comedy (in which he endeavored to capture all of society), Lost Souls appears here in its first new English translation in half a century. Keenly attuned to the acerbic charm and subtleties of Balzac’s prose, this edition also includes an introduction presenting thorough biographical, literary, and historical context, as well as extensive notes throughout the text—an invaluable resource for today’s readers as they navigate Balzac’s copious allusions to classical and contemporaneous politics and literature.

In a distant future, the time-traveling historian, Elysia, found herself amidst the towering remnants of an advanced civilization long forgotten by the ebb and flow of time. She discovers a mysterious artifact that will transcended the boundaries of time itself.

Most of us believe that we are unique and coherent individuals, but are we? The idea of a "self" has existed ever since humans began to live in groups and become sociable. Those who embrace the self as an individual in the West, or a member of the group in the East, feel fulfilled and purposeful. This experience seems incredibly real but a wealth of recent scientific evidence reveals that this notion of the independent, coherent self is an illusion - it is not what it seems. Reality as we perceive it is not something that objectively exists, but something that our brains construct from moment to moment, interpreting, summarizing, and substituting information along the way. Like a science fiction movie, we are living in a matrix that is our mind. In The Self Illusion, Dr. Bruce Hood reveals how the self emerges during childhood and how the architecture of the developing brain enables us to become social animals dependent on each other. He explains that self is the product of our relationships and interactions with others, and it exists only in our brains. The author argues, however, that though the self is an illusion, it is one that humans cannot live without. But things are changing as our technology develops and shapes society. The social bonds and relationships that used to take time and effort to form are now undergoing a revolution as we start to put our self online. Social networking activities such as blogging, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter threaten to change the way we behave. Social networking is fast becoming socialization on steroids. The speed and ease at which we can form alliances and relationships is outstripping the same selection processes that shaped our self prior to the internet era. This book ventures into unchartered territory to explain how the idea of the self will never be the same again in the online social world.

Set out on a magical journey into the worlds of revelation where a spellbinding story of love, harmony, and cosmic adventure plays out. You will go with Serin and Lorian in “Cosmic Harmonies: A Journey of Love & Unity“, two seekers on an interdisciplinary quest. You’ll be enthralled by a tale that piques your interest and speaks to the very essence of existence as they travel through the patterns of existence, delve into the depths of cosmic secrets, and immerse themselves in the symphony of feelings. Serin and Lorian’s journey is one of self-discovery, empathy, and connectivity, set against the context of a fantastical planet and the vastness of space. Their paths cross as they travel through a cosmos filled with mystery and immense awe. Their link grows stronger as a result of each revelation, pattern, and feeling they experience, and they end up serving as the conduits for a legacy that spans dimensions. The narrative of “Cosmic Harmonies: A Journey of Love & Unity” will have you on the edge of your seat as you wait to find out what will come after the following revelation and around the subsequent cosmic turn. Serin and Lorian’s trip is an investigation of the delicate threads that connect all things, from the glittering regions of patterns to the glowing garden of emotions. You will experience a breathtaking tapestry of intertwined tales as you turn the pages, each adding to a bigger cosmic story. You’ll come across individuals that lead Serin and Lorian on their journey to enlightenment, from the intriguing Shrouded Nexus to the ethereal presence of Calista, Elara, and Elio. The novel transports you to a universe where every plot twist resonates with the throbbing pulse of the cosmos with a blend of adventure, romance, and cosmic philosophy. “Cosmic Harmonies: A Journey of Love & Unity” urges you to consider the interconnectedness of all things, the breadth of human feeling, and the legacy that connects every soul to the cosmos. It is more than just a story. You will go on a journey through its pages that will make a lasting impression on your heart and serve as a constant reminder of the eternal link between all beings, all dimensions, and all tales. Stunning & Magnificent illustration Images

Why would the work of the 17th century philosopher Benedict de Spinoza concern us today? How can Spinoza shed any light on contemporary thought? In this intriguing book, Moira Gatens and Genevieve Lloyd show us that in spite of or rather because of Spinoza's apparent strangeness, his philosophy can be a rich resource for cultural self-understanding in the present. Collective Imaginings draws on recent re-assessments of the philosophy of Spinoza to develop new ways of conceptualising issues of freedom and difference. This ground-breaking study will be invaluable reading to anyone wishing to gain a fresh perspective on Spinoza's thought.

The convergence of magic and technology has opened a portal to a realm of untold power, the Enchanted Nexus. Findaria becomes the focal point of a struggle for control over this mystical energy, leading to a battle between those seeking to harness its potential for good and those aiming to exploit it for nefarious purposes.

In the Forbidden City and other palaces around Beijing, Emperor Qianlong (r. 1736-1795) surrounded himself with monumental paintings of architecture, gardens, people, and faraway places. The best artists of the imperial painting academy, including a number of European missionary painters, used Western perspectival illusionism to transform walls and ceilings with visually striking images that were also deeply meaningful to Qianlong. These unprecedented works not only offer new insights into late imperial China’s most influential emperor, but also reflect one way in which Chinese art integrated and domesticated foreign ideas. In Imperial Illusions, Kristina Kleutghen examines all known surviving examples of the Qing court phenomenon of “scenic illusion paintings” (tongjinghua), which today remain inaccessible inside the Forbidden City. Produced at the height of early modern cultural exchange between China and Europe, these works have received little scholarly attention. Richly illustrated, Imperial Illusions offers the first comprehensive investigation of the aesthetic, cultural, perceptual, and political importance of these illusionistic paintings essential to Qianlong’s world. Art History Publication Initiative. For more information, visit http://arthistorypi.org/books/imperial-illusions