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Transpersonal psychology is known as the
"fourth-force" in psychology, meaning that it is at
the forefront of the field of psychological study.
Stan Grof calls it the "psychology of the future".
It combines knowledge from all of the spiritual
traditions world-wide with the study of psychology.
The first three forces in psychology are:
1) Behavioral: (J. Watson, B.F. Skinner)
2) Psychoanalytic: (S. Freud, A. Adler, C. Jung)
3) Humanistic: (A. Maslow, A. Sutich, C. Rogers)
Rather than disowning the wisdom inherent in these
first three forces, transpersonal psychology
encompasses all of and then adds to these
psychological theories. Essentially, transpersonal
psychology means "beyond the personal".
Transpersonal psychology acknowledges that we are
capable of reaching and living in unitive,
spiritual, and transcendent states of consciousness.
Abraham Maslow says that transpersonal means "beyond
individuality, beyond the development of the
individual person into something which is more
inclusive than the individual person". It is about
extending beyond, changing thoroughly and
transcending one's egoic, biographical, or personal
sense of self. Maslow says that "without the
transcendent and the transpersonal, we become sick,
violent, and nihilistic, or else hopeless and
apathetic". He goes further to say that "we need
something bigger than we are to be awed by and to
commit ourselves to".
As Robert Hutchins puts it, "transpersonal
psychology does not derive its model of the human
psyche from the ill or diseased, instead it looks to
the experiences of saints, prophets, great artists,
heroes, and heroines for models of full human
development and of the growth-oriented nature of the
normal human psyche". In other words, transpersonal
psychology is the study of exceptional human
experience.
In this same vein, rather than seeing psychological
issues as "illness" or "disease", transpersonal
psychology sees the activation of intense
psychospiritual issues as a "healing crisis". In
other words, these issues are coming to the surface
in order to be healed and transformed. When we allow
these psychospiritual situations to surface and
embrace them rather than pushing them away, we can
then begin to experience greater awareness and
subsequently, more freedom and happiness in our
lives.
Transpersonal methods such as
Holotropic
Breathwork
tm
and shamanism allow us to access our deeper
potentials with the use of non-ordinary states of
consciousness. We become more fully who we are by
connecting with our true potential and our innate
power.
Transpersonal psychology can effectively be used for
1) Healing:
a) depression and repression of unexpressed parts of
ourselves,
b) relationship issues,
c) family and ancestral issues,
d) major life transitions,
e) physical illness, death and dying
2) Personal Growth:
a) embodiment and owning disowned and forgotten
parts of ourselves,
b) creativity and blocks to creativity,
c) motivation with regards to personal and business
goals,
d) peak experiences in sports,
e) supporting caregivers in their healing work with
others
3) Spirituality:
a) deeper connection to ourselves and to our
relationship with Spirit,
b) finding our "soul's mission",
c) tuning into inner wisdom and guidance,
d) spiritual emergency,
e) access to our innate visionary abilities
Anne offers therapeutic counseling sessions using
various transpersonal methods. For more information
about these sessions or about transpersonal
psychology in general, please do not hesitate to
contact her at
holobreath@aol.com.
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