Transpersonal Perspectives SELECTED WRITINGS ON TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGY FROM STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND ALUMNI OF THE ALEF TRUST transpersonal perspectives TABLE OF CONTENTS SELECTED WRITINGS FROM ALEF TRUST STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND ALUMNI Why Transpersonal Psychology is in Demand...........................................................................4 The Role of Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness in Transpersonal Coaching...........64 BY JOHNNY STORK BY BONNIE BRIGHT The Interplay Between the Unconscious and Conscious (and Why It Matters)..............24 Enlightenment vs Endarkenment: A False Dichotomy?.........................................................76 BY CHANTAL LE ROUX BY MARTHA SNEYD Open Awareness—The Game Changer.......................................................................................32 Could Psychological Crisis be a Symptom or Catalyst for Awakening Experience?.....84 BY JEVON DANGELI BY DONNA LOUISE THOMAS Transpersonal Psychotherapy and Counselling Rooted in Traditions................................38 BY JULIE DE VITTO Revealing Spirit: Healing, Growth and Transformation in the Wake of Abuse...............94 BY LORRAINE CLEWER Towards a Transpersonal Psychiatry...........................................................................................46 BY NIR TADMOR A Critical Evaluation of MacGilchrist’s Look at Western Society’s Machiavellian..................98 On the Relationship Between Cognitive Neuroscience and Spirituality/Religion..........56 Mindset Compared to the Context Blindness Displayed by Autistic Individuals BY MARKUS GERN BY TANIA BOTOULAS The Alef Trust Design and Editing: Bonnie Bright www.AlefTrust.org Photos: IStockphoto email: [email protected] Copyright 2019. All Rights Reserved. Please do not redistribute or reproduce in any form without crediting The Alef Trust. ALEF TRUST he time could not be better, more auspicious, than right now to pursue an education or career in transpersonal psychology and transpersonal principles. Cultural, academic, scientific and even political shifts are occurring around the world Twhich are directly, or indirectly, linked to the field of transpersonal psychology. Recent/historical events and trends in the areas of spirituality research, happiness & well-being, holistic or integrative medicine, consciousness science, the merging of science and spirituality and the explosive growth of interest into the therapeutic, psychological, spiritual and transformational potential of psychedelics (The Third Wave), are all converging with or increasing the relevance of, the field of transpersonal psychology. Why Although the field of transpersonal psychology is already considered by many to be the most current, relevant and comprehensive holistic approach to human psychology, behavior and well-being (The Fourth Force of Psychology), there are (at least) five specific reasons why Transpersonal transpersonal psychology is even more in demand and relevant today. • Spirituality, Happiness & Well-Being are in Vogue. • Demand for Integrative Medicine is Growing. • Consciousness is Everywhere. Psychology • Science and Spirituality are Merging • Explosive Growth of Interest in Psychedelics. If this is insufficient evidence to convince that the field of is in Demand transpersonal psychology is uniquely and fortunately situated at the right time and the right place to become a leading force in the areas of spirituality, consciousness, integrative/holistic healing, psychedelics and By Johnny Stork the merging of science and spirituality, please read on. But before you do, it may be useful to settle on both a description and a definition for transpersonal psychology. In a retrospective review of the definitions in the scientific literature going back 35 years, Hartelius, Caplan and Rardin (2009) were able to identify three primary themes which encapsulate the main areas of focus and research, within transpersonal psychology. • Beyond-ego psychology • Integrative/holistic psychology • Psychology of transformation Integrating these three main themes (and underlying sub-themes), Hartelius, Caplan and Rardin (2009) offer us the following summary definition of transpersonal psychology: “An approach to psychology that 1) studies phenomena beyond the ego as context for 2) an integrative/holistic psychology; this provides a framework for 3) understanding and cultivating human transformation.” (p. 11) (1) SPIRITUALITY, HAPPINESS & WELL-BEING ARE IN VOGUE! Spiritual But Not Religious! Beginning around the end of the 20th century, there were signs of a 4 | THE ALEF TRUST TRANSPERSONAL PERSPECTIVES | 5 WHY TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGY IS IN DEMAND - continued growing trend into the scientific study of religion environments (Tischler, 1999. P. 273). Well-Being and Public Policy and now the spread of well-being factors to public and spirituality and how these practices impacted policy, the demand for and value of, a transpersonal mental health, happiness and well-being (Weaver, And when it comes to the practices typically Along with the growing interest around the science education would appear to be poised for significant Pargament, Flannelly & Openheimer, 2006). What associated with mental-health, the trend seems behind and interest in, spirituality, happiness and growth. now appears to be accepted science, is that both ubiquitous and almost universal. Whether it’s well-being as they relate to mental-health, there religion and spirituality contribute to one’s self- medicine (Roberti, 2007), psychiatry (Baetz, also appears to be evidence of a growing political With the growing interest into happiness and reported levels of subjective well-being (Lun & Griffin, Bowen & Marcoux, 2004; Tadmor, 2019), trend towards the implementation of “happiness” well-being, the time could not be better, more Bond, 2013) and overall health (Fehring et al. 1997). psychotherapy (Post, 2009), counselling (Plumb, or “well-being” factors in setting public policy. In auspicious, than right now, to pursue an education in Along with this growing trend of investigations 2011) or life coaching (Williams, 2012, Stork, 2008 the small country of Bhutan implemented an transpersonal principles, or a career in transpersonal into the science and psychology behind the role of 2018, Dangeli, n.d), the concept and practices of economic and social policy index which they titled psychology. religion and spirituality on well-being, a study by spirituality are increasingly being recognized as “Gross National Happiness” (GNH) – as opposed to Weaver, Pargament, Flannelly & Openheimer (2006) important, if not necessary, aspects of mental health Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The GNH index (2) DEMAND FOR INTEGRATIVE discovered an imbalance between the numbers of and wellbeing. The message here seems clear. In would take into account the overall wellbeing of its MEDICINE IS GROWING articles published around spirituality compared to spite of the uneasy, sometimes even competitive citizens when assessing the country’s welfare. The relationship between religion/spirituality and implementation of the GNH in Bhutan implied that Over the past few decades, and especially during the number of articles published on religion. What the last few years, there has also been an explosive these researchers found was that between the years psychotherapy during the last century – both sustainable development is best defined by a more vying for a means to explain or heal the soul/ holistic approach where equal importance is given growth in the science behind and awareness of, the 1965 and 2000, although there had been a dramatic many physical, psychological and wellness benefits increase in the overall number of studies looking psyche – the important role of religion/spirituality to the happiness and well-being of its citizens as a in mental health and well-being now appears to be measure of progress, along with the economic and of holistic or integrative forms of medicine – treating into religion, spirituality and health “the resurgence the person (as a whole) and not just the illness or of interest is almost entirely attributable to the accepted wisdom. Thereby establishing the field material-good’s scale of the GDP. of transpersonal psychology at the very forefront symptoms. Whether you call it holistic medicine, attention devoted to the construct of spirituality” (p. patient-centered care or integrative healthcare, the 211), of this new post-materialist integration of science, More recently, New Zealand announced that it was psychology and spirituality (Taylor, 2018). moving away from traditional bottom-line factors like demand for health and wellness practices which treat economic growth and productivity as measures of the entire body and mind as an integrated whole, has increased steadily over the years (Coulter, 2007). Whether it’s medicine, psychiatry, “We are witnessing a spiritual awakening the country’s overall health. Instead, New Zealand “ unprecedented in modern times, according will place a heavy emphasis on community, cultural psychotherapy, counselling or life coaching, to scholars in American religious thought.” connection and equity factors through increased “Integrative Medicine (IM) is healing-oriented (Taylor, 1994). spending on mental-health supports, addressing medicine that takes account of the whole person, the concept and practices of spirituality domestic violence, child poverty and homelessness including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the With the growing interest in spirituality, the (Young-Powell,