Enchantment

This is a delightful, not to say enchanting book about enchantment and the possibilities for wonder in modern life in an era increasingly characterised by disenchantment, as Max Weber formulated 100 years ago. Curry's thesis is that enchantment arises through an enhanced and receptive awareness of relationship and synchronistic connectedness in different contexts, and that it is central to a well-lived life. He begins by looking at the dynamics and range of enchantment; here he distinguishes it from Apollonian rational mastery as well as from Dionysian pleasure, regretting that the modern academy 'loves explanation more than wisdom, and method much more than direct encounter.' (p. 11) In the context of the book, a key role is played by metaphor and symbol.

The subsequent chapters look at enchantment in the context of love, art, religion, food and drink, learning and nature; then come specific chapters on disenchantment and technoscience, with a final reflection on enchantment as a way of life. The text is beautifully woven, with many magical excerpts and episodes from the author's wide reading and extensive experience. This has the effect of encouraging readers to reflect on and appreciate sources of and opportunities for enchantment in their own lives. Interestingly, the author sees mindfulness as a disenchantment of the fullness of Buddhism, and he describes an extraordinary 'interview' with Zen master Dainin Katagiri in 1970. The master tells him, 'no questions, we just sit' whereupon the room begins to fill up with love until it was full, 'and I was in it and it was in me.' The master then opens his eyes and bows again while Patrick staggers to his feet and floats out of the door. The chapters on disenchantment and technoscience remind us that we must balance logos with mythos, calculation and control with creativity and openness, jealously guarding the quality of our attention from constant distraction. The book conveys a crucial reminder of what represents real quality of life.