Of all the contributors to The Divine Spark, my new anthology on psychedelics and the birth of civilization, Russell Brand, the British actor, comedian and activist, is perhaps best known to people outside the world of consciousness studies.

Russell, who recently made newspaper headlines in the UK and around the world for his revolutionary ideas about politics, has been playing an important role in the consciousness revolution for several years.

I first met Russell in 2011 and we quickly found shared interests in the mysteries of consciousness and a mutual distrust of authority. His quick wit, genuine warmth of heart and iconoclastic outlook on life appealed to me greatly.

In 2013, Russell invited me to contribute an article to a British political publication called The New Statesman that he was guest-editing, and in 2014 he was good enough to accept my invitation to share some of his writing with me for use in The Divine Spark.

The piece he submitted is a spirited counterblast to the hardline – and I would say, much-mistaken – materialist beliefs of cultural commentators like Richard Dawkins, who deny absolutely any notion that spirit may be at work in the universe. You can read it here:

It is my firm hope through sharing Russell’s words in an article on this website that his skepticism about hardline atheism will reach a wider audience and maybe even help others on their way to discovering a richer, more complete – and more accurate - understanding of reality.

Editor's Note: The Divine Spark by Graham Hancock (ed.) is out now and published in Great Britain by Hay House UK. Click here to purchase a copy.