When Paul Marshall began to pay attention to his dreams, he could not have anticipated the transformative experience that would follow. A tremendous expansion of consciousness exposed the insignificance of his everyday self but also revealed unsuspected depths of mind and hinted at a deeper self that holds the universe within.

In The Shape of the Soul, Marshall—now a mysticism scholar—draws on personal experiences, along with a wealth of religious, philosophical, and scientific ideas, to explore this deeper self, sometimes experienced in mystical and near-death states as spherical in form. Drawing inspiration from the philosophers Plotinus and Leibniz, Marshall takes mind to be more fundamental than matter and views the basic units of nature as perceptual beings. We ourselves are such beings, striving for fulfilment in a long evolutionary journey of soul-making.

Bringing together mysticism, philosophy, biology, and even some physics, The Shape of the Soul offers a deeply integrated vision of the self and the universe. Addressing the mind–body problem, the origin of the world, evolution, reincarnation, suffering, and the nature of God, Marshall delivers what will surely prove an intellectual classic. 

Winner, Scientific and Medical Network Book Prize 2019 (2019)

Paul Marshall is an independent researcher with interests in mysticism, religion, philosophy, science, and their interactions. He studied natural sciences at the University of Cambridge and received his MA and PhD in Religious Studies from Lancaster University. He is author of The Living Mirror (1992) and Mystical Encounters with the Natural World (2005). With Edward F. Kelly and Adam Crabtree, he coedited Beyond Physicalism (2015).

Preface
Chapter 1: Mystical Perceptions
Chapter 2: The Land Beyond the Sea
Chapter 3: Into the House of Death
Chapter 4: Who Do You Think You Are?
Chapter 5: Soul Spheres
Chapter 6: The Logic of Unity
Chapter 7: Worlds Within Worlds
Chapter 8: The Physics of Experience
Chapter 9: Meet the World Parents
Chapter 10: Where Do You Think You’re Going?
Chapter 11: The Making of God
Epilogue
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
About the Author

The Shape of the Soul is a very ambitious, massive project encouraging acceptance of a particular metaphysics and epistemology of the self, world, and God, based largely on mystical and paranormal experiences. Paul Marshall is listed as an independent scholar, and how thankful we should be for his liberated, independent thinking and daring[.]”
— Journal of Religion

. . . a highly recommended and inspired, conscientious, scholarly, and bold tour de force.
— Paradigm Explorer, Journal of the Scientific and Medical Network

Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Shape of the Soul" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of fifty-two pages of Notes, a six page Selected Bibliography, and a twenty-four page Index.
— Midwest Book Review

Marshall makes a strong case for taking mystical experiences seriously as a topic for the philosophy of religion . . . his book [is] of interest for scholars who accept that mysticism is a present, often ignored, and for some, a life-changing feature. Because a considerable amount of humans experience reality’s mystical dimension, constructive scholarship like Marshall’s should be welcomed.
— Reading Religion

Four stars: The text is replete with detailed analysis of the rich tradition of non-dualistic thinking and idealism and supported with detailed notes, a comprehensive bibliography, and index. An important contribution to a neglected and unfashionable area of human experience.
— Fortean Times

Paul marshalls an amazing range of evidence from across disciplines to defend the thesis that individuals have access to the ultimate nature of reality through mystical experience. . . . Marshall’s book is a tour de force on method, rooted in mystical revelation of reality and in methods that may occasion it.
— Journal Of Parapsychology

More than any of the recent spate of books attempting to integrate modern science and spirituality, The Shape of the Soul goes further in illuminating a rational, natural path forward in understanding the nature of humanitys existence, and most especially, the reality of the human soul. Marshall demonstrates an extraordinary depth of knowledge about all manner of human experience, including insightful analysis into how modern quantum physics and relativity might be more fully integrated into a comprehensive worldview. His revolutionary opus, reenchanting the world through Leibniz’s monadology, elucidates the fundamental nature of consciousness, indeed of reality itself, and is an essential read for any true seeker.
— Eben Alexander, M.D., neurosurgeon, author of Proof of Heaven and Living in a Mindful Universe

Paul Marshall invites us to embark on a supreme adventure of self-knowledge. He articulates a vision of the potential self we all are, a vision of ourselves transformed, in harmony with each other and, crucially, with the natural world. Highly recommended.
— Michael Grosso, independent scholar and author of The Man Who Could Fly: St. Joseph of Copertino and the Mystery of Levitation

In this remarkable book, Marshall persuasively enchants us with the recognition that we are not a world of separate selves but are all intimately interconnected in a cosmic unity that is our divine self.
— Ralph W. Hood Jr., Professor of Psychology and Leroy A. Martin Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

“Materialism” in its philosophic and socioeconomic guises threatens the very survival of modern civilization, and we desperately need an enlarged conception of nature that can overcome the contemporary alienation between science and spirituality. In this beautifully written book Paul Marshall addresses that need by bringing to bear both an uncommon knowledge of the world’s religious and mystical traditions, directly informed by mystical experiences of his own, and a deep understanding of relevant developments in modern physics. An outstanding contribution.
— Edward F. Kelly, professor of research, Division of Perceptual Studies, University of Virginia, and co-editor of Beyond Physicalism: Toward Reconciliation of Science and Spirituality

The Shape of the Soul explores the practical message of mystical experience: clues not only to who we are but also to the nature of reality and how we fit into it. Marshall shows us how honoring our mystical potential lifts us out of our self-imposed estrangement from the world and breathes meaning and depth to our lives. This book will put you back in touch with who you really are.
— Bruce Greyson, M.D., Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia