Psychology of the Future: Lessons from Modern Consciousness Research

By Stanislav Grof

Book Overview

Summarizes Grof's experiences and observations from more than forty years of research into non-ordinary states of consciousness.

Summarizes Grof's experiences and observations from more than forty years of research into non-ordinary states of consciousness.

This accessible and comprehensive overview of the work of Stanislav Grof, one of the founders of transpersonal psychology, was specifically written to acquaint newcomers with his work. Serving as a summation of his career and previous works, this entirely new book is the source to introduce Grof's enormous contributions to the fields of psychiatry and psychology, especially his central concept of holotropic experience, where holotropic signifies "moving toward wholeness." Grof maintains that the current basic assumptions and concepts of psychology and psychiatry require a radical revision based on the intensive and systematic research of holotropic experience. He suggests that a radical inner transformation of humanity and a rise to a higher level of consciousness might be humankind's only real hope for the future.

"It's rare to find a textbook that is both extremely informative and enjoyable to read. Psychology of the Future has to be one of the first ones I've ever come across ... Each chapter brought an entirely new concept, theory, or method that was just as engaging as the previous one." - Dr. Tami Brady, TCM Reviews

"This book is by a pioneering genius in consciousness research. It presents the full spectrum of Grof's ideas, from his earliest mappings of using LSD psychotherapy, to his clinical work with people facing death, to his more recent work with holotropic breathing, to his latest thoughts about the cosmological implications of consciousness research and the prospects for dealing with an emerging planetary crisis. Grof has always been one of the most original thinkers in the transpersonal field, and his creativity has kept pace with the maturity of his overall vision." - Michael Washburn, author of Transpersonal Psychology in Psychoanalytic Perspective

"Grof offers an outstanding contribution to the ever-growing debate about the nature of human consciousness and about the place of humankind in the cosmos. If more psychiatrists could be persuaded that human consciousness transcends the limitations of the physical brain, and instead is but an aspect of what may best be described as 'cosmic consciousness, ' we could not only expect treatment modalities to change, but we could also anticipate the possibility of culture-wide rethinking of the basic presuppositions of modern cosmology, the cosmology that grounds Western institutions, ideologies, and beliefs about the nature of personhood." - Michael E. Zimmerman, author of Contesting Earth's Future: Radical Ecology and Postmodernity

Stanislav Grof, MD, is a psychiatrist with more than fifty years of experience in research of non-ordinary states of consciousness. He has been Principal Investigator in a psychedelic research program at the Psychiatric Research Institute in Prague, Czechoslovakia; Chief of Psychiatric Research at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center; Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University; and Scholar-in-Residence at the Esalen Institute. He is currently Professor of Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, conducts professional training programs in holotropic breathwork, and gives lectures and seminars worldwide. He is one of the founders and chief theoreticians of transpersonal psychology and the founding president of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA). In 2007, he was granted the prestigious Vision 97 award from the Vaclav and Dagmar Havel Foundation in Prague. He is the author and editor of many books, including The Adventure of Self-Discovery: Dimensions of Consciousness and New Perspectives in Psychotherapy and Inner Exploration; Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science; Beyond the Brai

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0791446220
• ISBN13: 9780791446225
• Release Date: July 2000
• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Length: 361 Pages
• Weight: 1.07 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 9.1"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

An easy introduction to Grof

This was my introduction to stanislav's ideas. This book is almost a chapter by chapter introduction to all of Grof's different areas of research and writing. The written experiences of holotropic states are entertaining and informative. This book adds a needed understanding to psychology by examining consciousness around the time of birth. The author is obviously well versed on many topics, and presents sound logic and arguments throughout. Holotropic breathwork might be very useful for anyone suffering from their personality (especially to those that are fear based). This book is a relative easy introduction to Grof's ideas, and a welcomed step to combining science with unbiased spirituality.

Consciousness research on the cutting edge

I first encountered Stanislav Grof in the late 'seventies at a seminar held in Pacific Grove, California. He was a featured speaker, and to say that I was impressed would be an understatement.In this book, he discusses transpersonal psychology, involving a shift in awareness. Our psychologists and psychiatrists need to engage themselves in this transformational system and get outside the accepted paradigm of the current model of reality that scientists work within today, accepting certain basic assumptions, and move on to the equivalent of the quantum theory of consciousness. He points out in another of his books, Beyond the Brain, that the Newtonian/Cartesian paradigm (a system of thought based on the work of Isaac Newton and Rene Descartes) is still accepted and the orthodox foundation of precepts in use in psychiatry, psychology, anthropology and medicine. He points out that physics has moved on to a new paradigm: relativity and quantum theory and beyond, while the previously named sciences have languished, and opines that it is time for psychiatrists and psychologists to re-examine their fundamental belief structure as well.Grof said, at the seminar, that he was originally--in Czechoslovakia where he originated--a dyed-in-the-wool Freudian, until he began to perceive difficulties with that approach. He grew from there. He was one of the original medical investigators to use d-lysergic acid diethylamide in serious psychiatric research, from which he derived some astonishing results.Grof was formerly Chief of Psychiatric Research at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is no lightweight airhead, but rather is a highly qualified, credentialed and credible researcher. This and his other books are well worth your time, if you have the necessary vocabulary and the scientific background to benefit from them.Grof makes a bold argument that understanding of the perinatal and transpersonal levels changes much of how we view both mental illness and mental health. His research in transpersonal experience evokes serious questions into such areas as reincarnation and the spritual side of the human being.Joseph (Joe) Pierre,author of The Road to Damascus: Our Journey Through Eternityand other books

Consciousness explorer

a wise, hopeful, enlightened work from a truly qualified scientific humanist who has helped many for so many years. When reading Stan Grof, one's mind is treated to elegant research, philosophic musings, and poetic, smoothly flowing language that proves entertaining in its own right.Grof builds a carefully laid out tapestry of thought unlike any other writer. Boldly going into dimensions that the orthodoxy fears, Grof consistently shows us that the best findings are often the result of adventurous undertakings.One must truly venture into uncharted territories in order to discover hidden, powerful forces in the world.All of Grof's work makes for a rich intellectual and spiritual treasure that will be edifying humankind indefinitely.

Brilliant and Ahead of His Time

This is the best of Stan Grof's books overall. In "Psychology of the Future," he takes a strong position, not only asserting the reality of holotropic experience, but also naming and challenging the ignorance and fear with which facts and discussions about holotropic experiences have been met. Grof has said this book is the synthesis of his work and his other books. It is a concise and clear treatment of his basic cartography and extensive research of holotropic states. It delves into death and dying, describes the cosmic game, and discusses the implications of profound inner work on aspects of our global crisis. It is wonderfully written, concise, brilliant, ahead of its time and respectful, like Grof himself, to those who are still new to these ideas. He answers the reader's unspoken questions, and gives concrete examples. Using the title of this book as an intentionally provocative statement, Grof calls very specifically for revisions in the theory and practice of psychology and psychiatry.

A gift of knowledge

Stan Grof has once again graced us with his profound understanding and explanation of the freedom possible through the model of transpersonal psychology. My personal exploration into emotional healing and integration during the past 15 years -- using the transpersonal model -- has brought me joy, peace, passion, and love, all by going into the depths of my emotions, especially the denied emotions of hurt, fear, anger, hatred (and I am such a "nice" person!). As more people choose to go through this transformational work, we will be resolving the core issues behind the recurring patterns of violence, heartache, burnout, and addictions in our world. Thank you, Dr. Grof, for providing information to support the shift in awareness. I just hope it doesn't take too long for our traditional psychologists and psychiatrists to recognize this larger, more complete explanation of the human psyche. Remember how Vitamin C in limes prevents scurvy -- but it took the British 100 years AFTER that discovery to provide limes to their sailors. What a lot of pain for nothing! Key points of Grof's writings include: 1. Birth issues (before-during and after) form emotional patterns that recur throughout one's life -- until you heal them. 2. Spiritual emergency, if not treated like psychosis and drugged down, can provide a route to greater healing and personal responsibility. 3. Safe methods (such as "holotropic breathwork") for inducing transformational, healing experiences are readily available. I advocate using these methods to provide modern "rites of passage," especially for our teenagers.Grof's credentials and continued attention to rigorous investigation should help even the most skeptical to sit up and take notice. Transpersonal psychology is like Einstein's model of physics being much larger and more encompassing than the F=MA physics of Newton and Descartes.