Judson Davis, The World Mountain: Eternal Symbol of the Heights of Human Spiritual Aspiration

(This presentation was part of CIIS Multiversity, Feb. 2008)

The World Mountain motif has found expression in a diverse and far-reaching array of religious and cultural traditions throughout the history of humanity. At the heart of its symbolic representation lies a deeply felt sense of the soul of nature, with the mountain serving as both a living manifestation of the sacred on Earth as well as an archetypal representation of humanity's deepest developmental stages and ultimate realization of the divine. This presentation will explore the temporal and eternal aspects of this fascinating phenomenon, and will demonstrate the intriguing similarities between such seemingly diverse cultures as ancient Egypt, Meso-America, the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, and various indigenous peoples.

Judson Davis is a second year doctoral student in East-West Psychology specializing in Spiritual Counseling and Transpersonal Psychology. He has traveled extensively throughout the world, an on-going exploratory process that includes a previous four-year stay in East Asia. He has taught on the college level in both Japan and California, and has produced documentary films dealing with an array of subjects. His present pursuits involve an ever-deepening exploration of human consciousness and spirituality, which serves as the basis for his continuing work in the areas of teaching, counseling, and artistic expression.