Transpersonalism: Ego Meets Soul

Abstract

).Over the last few decades, the transpersonal approach has emerged from mainstream psychology to address the effects of spirituality and consciousness on personal transformation and health and to explore the optimal levels of human functioning. Despite its increasing popularity, many mental health professionals lack basic knowledge of the transpersonal approach. This article provides an introduction to and overview of the historical development, scientific basis, philosophical stance, theoretical principles, and clinical methods of transpersonal psychology. F or more than 25 years, increasing numbers of mental health practitioners have been using a therapeutic approach associated with a school of psychology known as transpersonal psychology. Transpersonal psychology was called the Fourth Force psychology by Abraham Maslow in 1968. It has emerged from mainstream psychology and religious studies as the branch of psychology that studies states of consciousness, identity, spiritual growth, and levels of human functioning beyond those commonly accepted as healthy and normal (the beyond emphasis is a key, distinguishing characteristic of transpersonalism). Although transpersonal psychology has been in existence since the late 1960s, many mental health professionals do not fully understand its philosophy, theoretical principles, and the clinical methods that distinguish transpersonal psychology from other major psychotherapeutic schools.Transpersonal psychology draws heavily on the traditional psychological principles and techniques of First Force (psychoanalytic), Second Force (behavioral), and Third Force (humanistic) psychologies while attempting to expand these areas to include the study of transpersonal experiences. Transpersonal experiences involve the expansion of consciousness beyond the usual limits of ego and personality, and beyond the conventional limitations of space and time.Transpersonalism is more than a model of personality. Transpersonal theorists consider personality as only one aspect of our total identity and not even the central facet of our total psychological nature. To view transpersonal psychology

Addressing religion and spirituality in psychotherapy: clients’ perspectives1

“…On one side of the spectrum, theorists and practitioners (e.g., Freud, Watson, Ellis) believed that religious expression and experience should be regarded as pathological, a sign of neurosis (Elkins, 1999;Kelly, 1995;Richards & Bergin, 1997;Strohl, 1998;West, 1998). Others, such as Jung, Frankl, and Rogers, believed that spiritual connection was a necessary component for inner healing (Benjamin & Looby, 1998;Frankl, 1984;Mack, 1994).…”

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Vedānta Personality Development: A Model to Enhance the Cultural Competence of Psychotherapists

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