Paul Brunton, born Hyman Hurst in London in 1898, was a British philosopher, journalist, and traveler who became an influential figure in bringing Eastern spiritual thought to Western audiences. Initially working as a bookseller and journalist, he traveled to India in 1930, where he encountered spiritual leaders such as Ramana Maharshi. His experiences and teachings, particularly those of Maharshi, formed the basis of his influential writings. Brunton is credited with introducing concepts of Neo-Hindu spiritualism and a doctrine called Mentalism to Western esotericism. He adopted the pen name Paul Brunton, which he later made his legal name, and his most famous work, 'A Search in Secret India', achieved significant international success. He continued to write extensively, leaving behind a vast collection of unpublished notes upon his death in 1981.

Hyman Hurst was born in London in 1898 to immigrant parents. After his mother's death, his father remarried, and Christian Science ideas entered the household. He received his education at London schools and served in World War I. Following the war, Hurst developed an interest in mysticism, engaging with Theosophists and occult circles in London, notably as a partner in The Atlantis Bookshop. His personal life included a marriage and subsequent divorce in the 1920s. He also worked as a journalist and bookseller, using various pseudonyms before adopting the name Paul Brunton.

In 1930, Hurst embarked on a pivotal journey to India, which led to significant encounters with prominent spiritual figures. He met Meher Baba, Vishuddhananda Paramahansa, and the Paramacharya of Kancheepuram. Crucially, he was directed to Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi, whose teachings deeply impacted him. His first visit to Ramana Maharshi's ashram in 1931 was transformative, leading him to explore the practice of self-inquiry, specifically the question 'Who am I?', as a path to self-realization. These experiences formed the core of his subsequent philosophical explorations and writings.

Brunton's work is characterized by his exposition of a doctrine he termed Mentalism, or Oriental Mentalism, to differentiate it from Western subjective idealism. He presented this philosophy in works like 'The Hidden Teaching Beyond Yoga' and 'The Wisdom of the Overself'. His writings aimed to bridge Eastern philosophical traditions with Western thought, making complex spiritual concepts accessible to a broader audience. He is recognized for popularizing Neo-Hindu spiritualism within Western esotericism, significantly influencing the spiritual landscape of the 20th century.

Paul Brunton's book 'A Search in Secret India', published in 1934 under his adopted name, became a bestseller and was translated into numerous languages, solidifying his reputation. He experienced profound spiritual insights, described as moments of enlightenment. During World War II, he stayed in India and was a guest of the Maharaja of Mysore. In his later years, Brunton largely withdrew from public life, dedicating himself to writing thousands of pages of notes. Upon his death in 1981, his extensive philosophical writings were posthumously published, notably in the 16-volume 'The Notebooks of Paul Brunton', ensuring the continuation of his intellectual legacy through foundations and archives.

“I find myself outside the rim of world consciousness. The planet which has so far harboured me disappears. I am in the midst of an ocean of blazing light. The latter, I feel rather than think, is the primeval stuff out of which worlds are created, the first state of matter. It stretches away into untellable infinite space, incredibly alive.”