Changes of Mind

An original theory of the development of consciousness that brings together research from neurology, new-paradigm studies, psychology, and mysticism.

"In this stunningly original book, Dr. Wade presents a theory of development that begins before birth and ends after death. She extends the boundaries of development in a way that leads us to rethink the nature of consciousness and the relation of consciousness to the brain. Dr. Wade draws on a wide range of sources from the fields of developmental psychology, brain research, new-paradigm studies, and mysticism. She brings these sources together in a synthesis that will make an important contribution to consciousness studies and to transpersonal psychology." --Washburn, author of The Ego and the Dynamic Ground and Transpersonal Psychology in Psychoanalytic Perspective

"The author brings together a large body of diverse research and draws on various disciplines--neurology, psychology, psychiatry--as well as the esoteric and spiritual traditions. She develops a unique synthesis in formulating her stages of development. Hers is one of the few truly life-span theories. Although dealing with complex material, she writes clearly and convincingly. This is a tour de force construction of an exciting theory that should be discussed and debated for years to come." -- L. Eugene Thomas, University of Connecticut, Storrs

Changes of Mind unites literature from the new physics, brain research, developmental psychology, and mysticism to produce the first comprehensive theory of individual human consciousness. Assuming a new paradigm reality, the author opens and extends the field of developmental psychology in ways that structure, destructure, and then restructure the subjective experience of time, space, subject, and object.

Wade's theory concerns the development of consciousness per se--not merely its derivatives, such as cognition, social development, and affect--and its neurological bases, something no other developmental theory has taken into account. Using data from a wide range of empirical studies and neurological research, Wade shows that awareness considerably predates birth--probably even conception--and lasts after death, supporting the idea that the self exists outside the boundaries of linear time and a physical body. This book represents a major leap forward in psychological theory and a groundbreaking approach to human perception and being in the world.

Jenny Wade is a lecturer, teacher, and researcher specializing in noetics and developmental psychology who holds a Ph.D. in Human Development from the Fielding Institute. A self-employed management consultant, her theory and consulting practice are the result of extensive research and over twenty years'experience working with Fortune 500 companies, multinationals, and smaller businesses in a wide range of industries around the world.