One famous proverb says: "You can’t jump above your head." It is difficult to argue with this, since physically this is impossible to implement. But to go beyond the limits of your "I" is quite realistic, at least, as transpersonal psychology says.
Psychology is beside itself
The word "transpersonal" means "going beyond a specific person." We can say that this is a psychology that exists beyond the limits of intelligent experience, beyond the limits of man. The first mention of transpersonal psychology dates back to 1902. William James spoke about her at lectures. It is some researchers who consider him the founder of transpersonal psychology, although the first who spoke about the transpersonal unconscious was Carl Jung. He used the term as a synonym for the collective unconscious.
In independent science, this direction took shape in the late 60s of the last century as a direction of humanistic psychology. Representatives of transpersonal psychology are considered Abraham Maslow, Anthony Sutich, Stanislav Grof, Mail Wies, Alan Watts and others.
Altered consciousness
Transpersonal research studies the state of altered consciousness when it transcends the familiar self. Most of the materials of transpersonal psychology are taken from the interpretation of dreams, the experience of meditation and paranormal phenomena.
Representatives of this trend allow the existence of higher forces, but avoid attachment to any particular religion. Transpersonal psychology seeks freedom, love, and universal brotherhood. The main task of this direction is to overcome personal isolation, self-sufficiency and centering. What did its representatives say about this science?
William james
In the jifford lectures, entitled “The Variety of Religious Experience,” W. James focused on the fact that empirical methods must be used to understand spiritual experiences. Scientists make a mistake when they begin to divide reality into an object of observation and a subject, because everything depends on an external observer. How a person interprets the reality he sees should be the subject of research. As a result, it will be possible to investigate what level of consciousness an individual possesses and how much he needs a spiritual transformation.
Abraham Maslow
This scientist was at the forefront of humanistic psychology, the main focus of his activities - "peak experiences." These include insiders, peak moments of love, ecstasy, loss of the boundaries of one's self. The description of these moments became the main pretext for the development of transpersonal psychology.
During a lecture in San Francisco, Maslow spoke about the emergence of the “fourth power,” which will study the experience that a person experiences while meditating or taking psychedelic drugs. At that time in psychology there were only three directions: behaviorism, psychoanalysis and humanistic psychology. But not one of them was able to describe the phenomena that were intended for the “fourth force”. Even humanistic psychology, called the "third force", was limited in its methods. This served as a good help for the emergence of a new direction.
New school
A few months after Maslow declared the need for a “fourth force,” in the state of California, in Menlo Park, a meeting of scientists took place, attended by A. Maslow, E. Sutich, S. Grof, M. Wiesz, D Feydimen and S. Margulis. The purpose of this meeting is to create a new school that could study the experience available to man, including altered states of consciousness. At first, this direction was called transhumanistic, but after that scientists came to a common agreement and gave it a modern name.
To identify the subject of transpersonal psychology, scientists have brought out two aspects of the study: subjective and objective. In a subjective aspect, scientists are exploring the experience of a person who managed to leave the limits of his own personality and connect with space and nature. In the objective research segment, scientists are studying factors that affect human behavior and thinking.
Two years after the founding of this school, the Association of Transpersonal Psychology was created. After the death of A. Maslow and E. Sutich, the new current was divided into three main directions. The first was based on the research of Stanislav Grof, the second was created on the basis of the teachings of Ken Wilber. The third direction did not have a representative; the main ambushes of development and the achievement of a new trend in psychology were concentrated in it.
Features
Transpersonal psychology is a special section in psychology that not only explores altered states of consciousness, but also creates methods that will help a person solve his external and internal problems. This branch of psychology does not limit itself to any framework or conventions. It successfully combines new theories, views and approaches with the eastern worldview.
Psychologists of this scientific field study the spiritual world of a person to whom they did not attach special importance before.
Transpersonal psychology differs from other currents in a combination of different directions and sciences. Here there are psychological directions, and philosophy, exact sciences and spiritual practices.
Main directions
The most significant areas in transpersonal psychology include:
- The study of altered states of consciousness.
- The study of spiritual practices in the context of psychiatry and psychology.
- Parapsychology.
- Breathing exercises.
- Yoga and meditation.
- Pharmacological and psychedelic drugs.
- Healing practices.
- Spiritual growth and aging processes.
- Death and experiences associated with it.
Experiences
A person in transpersonal psychology is sometimes prone to experiences. Transpersonal science divides them into two groups: experiences in extended states of consciousness and beyond.
The first subgroup includes the experience gained within the space-time continuum. For example, near-death states, birth, the perinatal period, clairvoyance, return to past lives, telepathy, etc. As for the second subgroup, it includes spiritual and medium experiences, during which a person comes into contact with highly developed creatures or merges human consciousness with superplanetary.
Schools, directions, rejection
Today in transpersonal science the following areas are distinguished:
- Jung's Psychology.
- Archetypal, or deep, psychology based on the teachings of D. Hillman.
- Psychosynthesis
- The works of Maslow, Wilber, Tart, Washburn, which stood out in one direction.
- The work of Stanislav Grof.
- Psychotherapy.
As regrettable as this may sound, the American Psychological Association does not currently recognize transpersonal psychology as a full-fledged psychological direction. Scientists around the world believe that this psychological trend is another phenomenon of pseudoscience.
Scientific communities do not recognize modern trends in transpersonal psychology. The humanistic ideas on which the first approaches of a new psychological direction were previously based are now being criticized by conservative scientists. Although this is not surprising, throughout the history of mankind, society has always been indignant towards new, revolutionary views.
Ken Wilber Theory
And despite all the obstacles and misunderstanding, the methods of transpersonal psychology continue to develop. At one time, K. Wilber was the founder of a separate approach in it, which was called the integral. In his first scientific work, Spectrum of Consciousness, he came to the conclusion that human consciousness consists of several levels (spectra) of self-consciousness. These spectra cover all possible levels of consciousness, from unlimited unity with the Universe to the level of the mask, where the individual identifies himself with something, suppressing his negative characteristics.
According to Ken Wilber, there are 5 levels:
- Spectrum masks. Being in a different social environment and falling under its influence, a person can suppress, or even supplant his negative qualities, memories, experiences, thereby limiting himself. As a result, a person loses the opportunity to become fully aware of himself.
- The spectrum of the body and the ego. At this level, a person clearly understands that it consists of a physical shell (body) and soul. Although the concept of "soul" is still something abstract, and not experienced experience.
- Existential spectrum. The individual begins to realize himself as a kind of psychophysical creature that lives in space-time dimensions. A person realizes that he is a person, and there is an external world.
- Transpersonal spectrum. At this level comes the realization that human life is not limited to the physical body. The individual realizes that he is something big, but still does not feel unity with the universe.
- Single consciousness. At this level, the final unity with everything that exists around is implied. Man becomes inseparable from existence, that is, he can be considered as all things.
Consciousness develops in a hierarchical sequence from the lowest to the highest levels.
Grof's Transpersonal Psychology
A great contribution to the development of this trend was made by Stanislav Grof, introducing the concept of holotropic therapy. This concept refers to the theory and practice of psychotherapy and self-knowledge in altered states of perception that lead to the return of integrity. To develop this method, the scientist studied the state of altered consciousness for 30 years. Now holotropic therapy is used:
- To solve hopeless situations.
- The treatment of mental disorders.
- The treatment of psychosomatic diseases.
- The development of talents and abilities.
The essence of therapy
Grof's achievements in transpersonal psychology are more intended for practical use. The essence of holotropic therapy is based on the activation of the unconscious part of consciousness. For this, a special technique of holotropic breathing and special musical works are used.
These techniques allow you to activate the internal energy flow, which turns a depressed state into a stream of experiences. Then a person only needs to follow this stream, wherever he brings it. Energy is able to independently find the path to healing.
Holotropic breathing creates conditions in which all the debris accumulated in the subconscious comes out in a completely natural way. Unfinished deeds are released through movements, unspoken words turn into various sounds, suppressed emotions are released through facial expressions and posture. This work should continue until everything that has been awakened by breathing has dried up and the body has completely relaxed.
Holotropic therapy sessions
Being in a state of altered consciousness, a person can return to the past and again see or even relive the traumatic events of his life. By observing the events of the past, a person gets an opportunity to understand what has happened, to accept the current situation and to free himself from the burden of the past. It is worth noting that the individual gets the opportunity to visit not only the events of his past, but also his past lives. And this can greatly change his views on the world. Seeing his past incarnations, a person will understand why he was born in this place and time. He himself will be able to answer the questions of why precisely such opportunities he has, will understand what abilities he possesses and why these people surround him.
During holotropic therapy sessions, a person can feel like a plant or an animal, can communicate with superhuman beings and experience the experience of unity with the Universe. Even today, holotropic therapy is considered one of the best achievements of transpersonal psychology. Having experienced such experiences, a person will never become the same again, no, he will not lose himself, on the contrary, he will understand what his true purpose is and will take a fresh look at the world.
Transpersonal psychology is a science that studies an altered state of consciousness. Despite the fact that it will never be recognized in the scientific community, it will exist, because a person is not just skin and bones, but also a soul striving to connect with the Universe.