Lived from 1688-1772. The “Swedish daVinci” – a polymath inventor and scientist, who, in the second half of his life, began having phenomenal psychic / spiritual experiences. He has had a gigantic influence on many of the most innovative thinkers and artists you know.
In his mid-50s (around the time of the second “Saturn return”), he began searching for the soul, and seems to have had a difficult period. He wrote of his “intellectual pride, his intense emotions, and his embattled faith.” He systematically analyzed his dreams – centuries before Freud and Jung. And developed his own process for heightened consciousness. By age 57, after a couple of stunning psi experiences, he was completely done with science and engineering, and devoted himself entirely to spiritual exploration. Yet, also blossomed socially, and became politically active.
Interesting Huff Post article here –
http://nhne-pulse.org/emanuel-swedenborg/
