What is Transpersonal Psychology? [From the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology]
Transpersonal Psychology is the extension of psychological studies into consciousness studies, spiritual inquiry, body-mind relationships and transformation. Carl Jung first coined the term transpersonal (uberpersonlich) when he used the phrase “transpersonal unconscious” as a synonym for “collective unconscious.”
A key stimulus for the establishment of transpersonal psychology as a distinct field of inquiry was Abraham H. Maslow’s research on self-actualizing persons. Maslow’s work addressed not only psychological wounding and personal development, but the study of peak experiences, inspired creativity, altruistic ideals, and personal actions that transcend “ordinary” personality as well.
Refined by the work of scholars such as Roger Walsh, Frances Vaughan, Stanislav Grof, Arthur J. Deikman, Ken Wilber and Charles T. Tart, transpersonal psychology now encompasses the study of the full range of human experience, from abnormal behavior to healthy normal functioning, to spiritually embodied, and transcendent consciousness.
The exact nature and boundaries of Transpersonal Psychology is still being debated among academics, although there has been much written on the topic. Generally, the field can be said to encompass three major areas: Beyond-Ego Psychology, Integrative/Holistic Psychology, and Transformative Psychology. This model of the field is discussed in depth by Glenn Hartelius, Mariana Caplan, and Mary Anne Rardin in their work, Transpersonal Psychology: Defining the Past, Divining the Future, which you can download in PDF format (688kb) here.
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