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The '''transpersonal''' is a term used by different schools of philosophy and psychology in order to describe experiences and worldviews that extend beyond the personal level of the psyche, and beyond mundane worldly events.
The '''transpersonal''' is a term used by different schools of [[philosophy]] and [[psychology]] in order to describe experiences and [[worldview]]s that extend beyond the personal level of the [[Psyche (psychology)|psyche]], and beyond mundane worldly events.


==Definition and context==
==Definition and context==


The transpersonal has been defined as experiences ''in which the sense of identity or self extends beyond (trans) the individual or personal to encompass wider aspects of humankind, life, psyche or cosmos''. <ref name="Walsh & Vaughan 1993"> Walsh, R. and F. Vaughan. "On transpersonal definitions". ''Journal of Transpersonal Psychology''. Vol. 25, No2, pp. 199-207, 1993.</ref> The field of Transpersonal Psychiatry has defined the term as "development beyond conventional, personal or individual levels." <ref name="Scotton et.al 1996"> Scotton, Bruce W. "Introduction and Definition of Transpersonal Psychiatry". In Scotton, Bruce W., Chinen, Allan B. and Battista, John R., Eds. (1996) Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology. New York: Basic Books. </ref> On the other hand; ''transpersonal practices are those structured activities that focus on inducing transpersonal experiences''.<ref name="Walsh & Vaughan 1993"/>
The transpersonal has been defined as experiences in which the sense of identity or self extends beyond (trans) the individual or personal to encompass wider aspects of humankind, life, psyche or cosmos.<ref name="Walsh & Vaughan 1993">Walsh, R. and F. Vaughan. "On transpersonal definitions". ''Journal of Transpersonal Psychology''. Vol. 25, No2, pp. 199-207, 1993.</ref> On the other hand, transpersonal practices are those structured activities that focus on inducing transpersonal experiences.<ref name="Walsh & Vaughan 1993"/>


In the ''Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology'', Scotton<ref name="Scotton et.al 1996">Scotton, Bruce W. "Introduction and Definition of Transpersonal Psychiatry". In Scotton, Bruce W., Chinen, Allan B. and Battista, John R., Eds. (1996) Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology. New York: Basic Books.</ref> defined the term as "development beyond conventional, personal or individual levels." It is associated with a developmental model of psychology that includes three successive stages: the prepersonal (before ego-formation), the personal (the functioning ego), and the transpersonal (ego remains available but is superseded by higher development).<ref name="Scotton et.al 1996"/>
⚫
One of the founders of the field of [[transpersonal psychology]], [[Stanislav Grof]], has defined transpersonal states of awareness as such: ''The common denominator of this otherwise rich and ramified group of phenomena is the feeling of the individual that his consciousness expanded beyond the usual ego boundaries and the limitations of time and space''.<ref name="Grof 1993"> Grof, Stanislav. (1975, 1993). Realms of the Human Unconscious: Observations from LSD Research. New York: Viking, London: Souvenir Press.</ref>


⚫
One of the founders of the field of [[transpersonal psychology]], [[Stanislav Grof]], has defined transpersonal states of awareness as such: "The common denominator of this otherwise rich and ramified group of phenomena is the feeling of the individual that his consciousness expanded beyond the usual ego boundaries and the limitations of time and space."<ref name="Grof 1993">Grof, Stanislav. (1975, 1993). Realms of the Human Unconscious: Observations from LSD Research. New York: Viking, London: Souvenir Press.</ref>
⚫
The term is related to the terminology of peak experience, altered states of consciousness, and spiritual experiences. <ref name="Miller 1998"> Miller, John J. "Book Review: Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology". ''Psychiatric Services'' 49:541-542, April 1998. American Psychiatric Association</ref><ref name="Grabovac & Ganesan 2003"> Grabovac, Andrea D. & Ganesan, Soma. "Spirituality and Religion in Canadian Psychiatric Residency Training". ''Canadian Journal of Psychiatry'', Vol 48, No 3, April 2003</ref> {{ref|a|Note a}} The term is also associated with psychedelic work, and psychotechnologies, that includes research with psychedelic plants and chemicals such as LSD, ibogaine, ketamine, peyote, ayahuasca and the vast variety of substances available to all human cultures throughout history.{{ref|b|Note b}}


⚫
The term is related to the terminology of peak experience, altered states of consciousness, and spiritual experiences.<ref name="Miller 1998">Miller, John J. "Book Review: Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology". ''Psychiatric Services'' 49:541-542, April 1998. American Psychiatric Association</ref><ref name="Grabovac & Ganesan 2003">Grabovac, Andrea D. & Ganesan, Soma. "Spirituality and Religion in Canadian Psychiatric Residency Training". ''Canadian Journal of Psychiatry'', Vol 48, No 3, April 2003</ref> {{ref|a|Note a}} The term is also associated with psychedelic work, and psychotechnologies, that includes research with psychedelic plants and chemicals such as LSD, ibogaine, ketamine, peyote, ayahuasca and the vast variety of substances available to all human cultures throughout history.{{ref|b|Note b}}
==Origin of the term==


==Etymology==
⚫
The term has an early precedent in the writing of philosopher [[William James]], who used the term "Trans-personal" in one of his lectures from 1905. <ref name="Vich 1988"> Vich, M.A. (1988) "Some historical sources of the term 'Transpersonal' ". ''Journal of Transpersonal Psychology'', 20 (2) 107-110</ref><ref name="Freeman 2006"> Freeman, Anthony. "A Daniel Come To Judgement? Dennett and the Revisioning of Transpersonal Theory". ''Journal of Consciousness Studies'', 13, No. 3, 2006, pp. 95–109</ref> However, this early terminology, introduced by James, had a different meaning than the current one <ref name="Freeman 2006"/> and its context was philosophy, not psychology, <ref name="Vich 1988"/> which is where the term is mostly used these days.


⚫
The term has an early precedent in the writing of philosopher [[William James]], who used the term "Trans-personal" in one of his lectures from 1905.<ref name="Vich 1988">Vich, M.A. (1988) "Some historical sources of the term 'Transpersonal' ". ''Journal of Transpersonal Psychology'', 20 (2) 107-110</ref><ref name="Freeman 2006">Freeman, Anthony. "A Daniel Come To Judgement? Dennett and the Revisioning of Transpersonal Theory". ''Journal of Consciousness Studies'', 13, No. 3, 2006, pp. 95–109</ref> However, this early terminology, introduced by James, had a different meaning than the current one<ref name="Freeman 2006"/> and its context was philosophy, not psychology,<ref name="Vich 1988"/> which is where the term is mostly used these days.
⚫
There has also been some speculation of an early precedent of the term in the writings of [[Carl Jung]], as a result of the work of Jung's translators. It regards the jungian term ''ueberpersonlich'', used by Jung in a paper from 1917, which in later english translations appeared as ''superpersonal'', and later, ''transpersonal''.<ref name="Vich 1988"/><ref name="Scotton et.al 1996"/> {{ref|c|Note c}} In a later, revised, version of the ''Psychology of the Unconscious'' (1942) there was even a chapter heading called ''The Personal and the Collective (or Transpersonal) Unconscious''. <ref name="Vich 1988"/><ref name="Lukoff & Lu 2005"> Lukoff, David and Lu, Francis. ''A Transpersonal-Integrative Approach to Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapy'', in L. Sperry and E. P. Shafranske (2005) Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapy, American Psychological Association.</ref>


⚫
There has also been some speculation of an early precedent of the term in the writings of [[Carl Jung]], as a result of the work of Jung's translators. It regards the Jungian term ''ueberpersonlich'', used by Jung in a paper from 1917, which in later English translations appeared as ''superpersonal'', and later, ''transpersonal''.<ref name="Vich 1988"/><ref name="Scotton et.al 1996"/> {{ref|c|Note c}} In a later, revised, version of the ''Psychology of the Unconscious'' (1942) there was even a chapter heading called "The Personal and the Collective (or Transpersonal) Unconscious".<ref name="Vich 1988"/><ref name="Lukoff & Lu 2005">Lukoff, David and Lu, Francis. ''A Transpersonal-Integrative Approach to Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapy'', in L. Sperry and E. P. Shafranske (2005) Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapy, American Psychological Association.</ref>
⚫
However, the origin of the term transpersonal, as it is currently used in academic writing, is mostly associated with the [[human potential movement]] of the 1960s and the founders of the field of [[Transpersonal psychology]]; Anthony Sutich, [[Abraham Maslow]] and [[Stanislav Grof]]. <ref name="Valle & Harari 1985"> Valle, Ronald S. & Harari, Carmi. Current developments in...Transpersonal Psychology. ''The Humanistic Psychologist'', 11, Vol. 13, NO. 1, Winter 1985</ref> <ref name="Vich 1988"/><ref name="Judy 1994"> Judy, Dwight. Transpersonal psychology: Coming of age. ''ReVision'', 02756935, Winter94, Vol. 16, Issue 3.</ref><ref name="Ferrer2002"> Ferrer, J. N. (2002). "Revisioning transpersonal theory: A participatory vision of human spirituality". Albany,NY: State University of New York Press.</ref><ref name="Lukoff & Lu 2005"/> According to Vich <ref name="Vich 1988"/> all three had used the term as early as 1967, in order to describe new ideas in the field of Psychology. In 1968 the term was selected by the founding editors of the [[Journal of Transpersonal Psychology]], Abraham Maslow and Anthony Sutich, in order to represent a new area of psychological inquiry. <ref name="Vich 1988"/>{{ref|d|Note d}} According to Powers <ref name="Powers 2005"> Powers, Robin. "Counseling and Spirituality: A Historical Review". ''Counseling and Values'', Apr 2005, Vol.49(3), pp.217-225.</ref> the term “transpersonal” starts to show up in academic journals from 1970 and onwards.


⚫
However, the etymology, as it is currently used in academic writing, is mostly associated with the [[human potential movement]] of the 1960s and the founders of the field of [[transpersonal psychology]]; Anthony Sutich, [[Abraham Maslow]] and [[Stanislav Grof]].<ref name="Valle & Harari 1985">Valle, Ronald S. & Harari, Carmi. Current developments in...Transpersonal Psychology. ''The Humanistic Psychologist'', 11, Vol. 13, NO. 1, Winter 1985</ref><ref name="Vich 1988"/><ref name="Judy 1994">Judy, Dwight. Transpersonal psychology: Coming of age. ''ReVision'', 02756935, Winter94, Vol. 16, Issue 3.</ref><ref name="Ferrer2002">Ferrer, J. N. (2002). "Revisioning transpersonal theory: A participatory vision of human spirituality". Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.</ref><ref name="Lukoff & Lu 2005"/> According to Vich<ref name="Vich 1988"/> all three had used the term as early as 1967, in order to describe new ideas in the field of Psychology. In 1968 the term was selected by the founding editors of the [[Journal of Transpersonal Psychology]], Abraham Maslow and Anthony Sutich, in order to represent a new area of psychological inquiry.<ref name="Vich 1988"/>{{ref|d|Note d}} Porter<ref name="Porter 2002">Porter, Kenneth. Book review: Spirituality in Clinical Practice: Incorporating the Spiritual Dimension in Psychotherapy and Counseling. ''American Journal of Psychotherapy'', Volume 56, Issue 101 Jan 2002</ref> locates the start of the so-called transpersonal psychology movement to the American west-coast in the late 1960s. In addition to Maslow, Vich and Grof the movement was associated with the names of [[Ken Wilber]], [[Frances Vaughan]], [[Roger Walsh]] and [[Seymoor Boorstein]].
==The transpersonal movement==


According to Powers<ref name="Powers 2005">Powers, Robin. "Counseling and Spirituality: A Historical Review". ''Counseling and Values'', Apr 2005, Vol.49(3), pp.217-225.</ref> the term "transpersonal" starts to show up in academic journals from 1970 and onwards. The use of the term in academic literature is documented in ''[[Psychological Abstracts]]'' and [[Dissertations Abstracts]]. The use of the term grew during the 1970s and 1980s and stabilized in the 1990s.<ref name="Chinen 1996">Chinen, A.B. The emergence of Transpersonal psychiatry, in Scotton, Bruce W., Chinen, Allan B. and Battista, John R., Eds. (1996) ''Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology''. New York: Basic Books</ref>
⚫
The collective of people and organizations with an interest in the ''transpersonal'' is called the ''transpersonal movement''. Walsh and Vaughan<ref name="Walsh & Vaughan 1993"/> defines the transpersonal movement as ''the interdisciplinary movement that includes various individual transpersonal disciplines''.


==Movement==
⚫
The philosophy of [[William James]], the school of [[Psychosynthesis]] (founded by Roberto Assagioli), and the Analytical school of [[Carl Jung]] are often considered to be forerunners to the establishment of transpersonal theory.<ref name="Miller 1998"/> However, the start of the movement is associated with the emergence and growth of the related field of [[Humanistic Psychology]]. Several of the academic profiles of the early transpersonal movement, such as Abraham Maslow and Anthony Sutich, had their background in Humanistic Psychology. <ref name="Keutzer 1984">Keutzer, C.S. Transpersonal Psychotherapy: Reflections on the Genre. ''Professional Psychology: Research and Practice'', 1984, Vol. 15, No. 6, 868-883</ref><ref name="Valle & Harari 1985"/><ref name="Taylor 1992">Taylor, Eugene. Transpersonal Psychology: Its several Virtues. ''The Humanistic Psychologist'', Vol. 20, Nos. 2 and 3, pp. 285-300, 1992. </ref><ref name="Walsh 1993"> Walsh, R. The Transpersonal Movement: A History and State of the Art. ''Journal of Transpersonal Psychology'', 1993, Vol. 25, No. 2</ref>


⚫
The collective of people and organizations with an interest in the transpersonal is called the transpersonal movement. Walsh and Vaughan<ref name="Walsh & Vaughan 1993"/> defines the transpersonal movement as the interdisciplinary movement that includes various individual transpersonal disciplines.
⚫
The formative years of the transpersonal movement can be characterized by the founding of a few key organizations and institutions, such as: the [[Institute of Noetic Sciences]] in 1973, ''The International Transpersonal Psychology Association'' in 1973, [[Naropa University|Naropa Institute]] in 1974, and the [[Sofia University (California)|California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology]] in 1975.<ref name="Taylor 1992"/> The ''California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology'' later emerged as the ''Institute of Transpersonal Psychology'' and is today known as [[Sofia University (California)|Sofia University]].


⚫
The philosophy of [[William James]], the school of [[psychosynthesis]] (founded by Roberto Assagioli), and the analytical school of [[Carl Jung]] are often considered to be forerunners to the establishment of transpersonal theory.<ref name="Miller 1998"/> However, the start of the movement is associated with the emergence and growth of the related field of [[Humanistic Psychology|humanistic psychology]]. Several of the academic profiles of the early transpersonal movement, such as [[Abraham Maslow]] and Anthony Sutich, had their background in humanistic psychology.<ref name="Keutzer 1984">Keutzer, C.S. Transpersonal Psychotherapy: Reflections on the Genre. ''Professional Psychology: Research and Practice'', 1984, Vol. 15, No. 6, 868-883</ref><ref name="Valle & Harari 1985"/><ref name="Taylor 1992">Taylor, Eugene. Transpersonal Psychology: Its several Virtues. ''The Humanistic Psychologist'', Vol. 20, Nos. 2 and 3, pp. 285-300, 1992.</ref><ref name="Walsh 1993">Walsh, R. The Transpersonal Movement: A History and State of the Art. ''Journal of Transpersonal Psychology'', 1993, Vol. 25, No. 2</ref>
⚫
Contemporary [[transpersonal disciplines]] include [[Transpersonal psychology]], [[Transpersonal anthropology]], [[Transpersonal sociology]] and [[Transpersonal ecology]]. Other academic orientations, whose main focus lies elsewhere, but that are associated with a transpersonal perspective, include [[Humanistic psychology]] and [[Near-Death Studies]]. <ref name="Scotton Chinen Battista"> Scotton, B.W., Chinen, A.B. and Battista, J.R. (ed. 1996). ''Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology''. New York: Basic Books.</ref> Contemporary institutions include: the [[Association for Transpersonal Psychology]] (ATP), the ''European Transpersonal Psychology Association'' (EPTA), the ''International Transpersonal Association'' (ITA), and the ''European Transpersonal Association'' (Eurotas). Leading publications within the movement include: the [[Journal of Transpersonal Psychology]], the [[International Journal of Transpersonal Studies]], and the ''Journal of Transpersonal Research''.

⚫
The formative years of the transpersonal movement can be characterized by the founding of a few key organizations and institutions, such as: [[Transpersonal Institute]] in 1969, the [[Institute of Noetic Sciences]] in 1973, The International Transpersonal Psychology Association in 1973, [[Naropa University|Naropa Institute]] in 1974, and the [[Sofia University (California)|California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology]] in 1975.<ref name="Taylor 1992"/> The California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology later emerged as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP) and is today known as [[Sofia University (California)|Sofia University]].

⚫
Contemporary [[transpersonal disciplines]] include [[transpersonal psychology]], [[transpersonal psychiatry]], [[transpersonal anthropology]], [[transpersonal sociology]] and transpersonal ecology. Other academic orientations, whose main focus lies elsewhere, but that are associated with a transpersonal perspective, include [[humanistic psychology]] and [[Near-Death Studies|near-death studies]].<ref name="Scotton Chinen Battista">Scotton, B.W., Chinen, A.B. and Battista, J.R. (ed. 1996). ''Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology''. New York: Basic Books.</ref> Contemporary institutions include: the [[Association for Transpersonal Psychology]] (ATP), the European Transpersonal Psychology Association (EPTA), the [[International Transpersonal Association]] (ITA), the Ibero-American Transpersonal Association (ATI) and the European Transpersonal Association (Eurotas). Leading publications within the movement include: the ''[[Journal of Transpersonal Psychology]]'', the ''[[International Journal of Transpersonal Studies]]'', and the ''Journal of Transpersonal Research''.


==Transpersonal studies==
==Transpersonal studies==


Several commentators note how the transpersonal field, and its vision, moved beyond the perspective of psychology and into other transpersonal domains during the 1980s and 1990s.<ref name="Grof Friedman Lukoff Hartelius">Grof, S., Friedman, H., Lukoff, D., & Hartelius, G. (2008). The past and future of the International Transpersonal Association. ''International Journal of Transpersonal Studies'', 27(1), 55–62.</ref><ref name="Caplan Hartelius Rardin">Caplan, Hartelius & Rardin. Contemporary viewpoints on Transpersonal Psychology. ''The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology'', 2003, Vol. 35, No. 2.</ref> This expansion of the transpersonal concept resulted in an interdisciplinary situation, and a dialogue with such fields as [[social work]], [[ecology]], [[art]], [[literature]], [[acting]], [[law]], [[business]], [[entrepreneurship]], [[ecopsychology]], [[feminism]] and [[education]].<ref name="Caplan Hartelius Rardin"/><ref name="Grof Friedman Lukoff Hartelius"/><ref name="Atlas">Atlas, N. (2016). (Book Review) The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of transpersonal psychology, by Harris L. Friedman & Glenn Hartelius (Eds.) ''International Journal of Transpersonal Studies'', 35 (2).</ref>
Several commentators have suggested a differentiation of the transpersonal field, according to the scope of the subjects under study, and the interest of researchers and theorists. The broad conception of transpersonal inquiry is, in this context, often referred to as ''Transpersonal studies''.


In their review of transpersonal definitions Walsh and Vaughan <ref name="Walsh & Vaughan 1993"/> noted that ''Transpersonal studies'' had grown beyond the founding field of [[Transpersonal psychology]]. Commenting on the criticisms of Transpersonal psychology in the 1980's, Chinen <ref name="Chinen 1996">Chinen, Allan B. ''The emergence of Transpersonal psychiatry''. In Scotton, Bruce W., Chinen, Allan B. and Battista, John R., Eds. (1996) ''Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology''. New York: Basic Books.</ref> suggested that there is a difference between [[Transpersonal psychology]] and psychiatry, on the one hand, and a broad range of popularized transpersonal orientations, on the other. The same line of of reasoning was picked up by Friedman,<ref name="Friedman 2002"> Friedman, H. (2002). Transpersonal psychology as a scientific field. ''International Journal of Transpersonal Studies'', 21(1), 175–187.</ref> who differentiated between a broad domain of inquiry known as Transpersonal studies, and a more narrow field of Transpersonal psychology. In a summary of ''contemporary viewpoints on Transpersonal psychology'', <ref>Caplan, Hartelius & Rardin. Contemporary viewpoints on Transpersonal Psychology. ''The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology'', 2003, Vol. 35, No. 2.</ref> Jorge Ferrer referred to the wide "umbrella of transpersonal studies". He situated Transpersonal psychology within the scope of Transpersonal studies.
In this respect, commentators have suggested that there is a difference between the founding field of [[transpersonal psychology]] and a broader field of transpersonal inquiry, transpersonal studies.<ref name="Chinen 1996"/><ref name="Atlas"/><ref name="Friedman 2002">Friedman, H. (2002). Transpersonal psychology as a scientific field. ''International Journal of Transpersonal Studies'', 21(1), 175–187.</ref> This differentiation of the transpersonal field has to do with the scope of the subjects under study, and the interest of researchers and theorists.

In their review of transpersonal definitions, published in 1993, Walsh and Vaughan<ref name="Walsh & Vaughan 1993"/> noted that transpersonal studies had grown beyond the founding field of [[transpersonal psychology]]. Commenting on the criticisms of transpersonal psychology in the 1980s, Chinen<ref name="Chinen 1996"/> noted how the criticism did not differentiate between transpersonal psychology, on the one hand, and a broad range of popularized transpersonal orientations, on the other. The same line of reasoning was picked up by Friedman,<ref name="Friedman 2002"/> who differentiated between a broad domain of inquiry known as transpersonal studies, and a more narrow field of transpersonal psychology. Both authors argued that the confounding of the two domains resulted in confusion. In a summary of contemporary viewpoints on transpersonal psychology [[Jorge Ferrer]]<ref name="Caplan Hartelius Rardin"/> placed transpersonal psychology within the wider "umbrella" known as transpersonal studies.

Among institutions of higher learning that promote transpersonal studies we find [[Sofia University (California)|Sofia University]]<ref name="PRWEB 2012">PRWEB. (July 16, 2012) Institute of Transpersonal Psychology Becomes Sofia University. PRWEB: Palo Alto, CA. Retrieved Saturday, December 8, 2018.</ref> and [[California Institute of Integral Studies]].<ref name="Integral Review 2011">Subbiondo, Joseph L. CIIS and American Higher Education. ''Integral Review'', June 2011, Vol. 7, No. 1</ref> In 2012 [[Sofia University (California)|Sofia University]] announced that they were expanding their graduate program in order to include transpersonal studies. The new program was named the Graduate School of Transpersonal Studies.<ref name="PRWEB 2012"/>

The [[International Journal of Transpersonal Studies]] was established in 1981. It is sponsored by the [[California Institute of Integral Studies]] and serves as the official publication of the International Transpersonal Association.<ref name="Atlas"/>


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 43: Line 53:
:b. See Winkelman & Roberts, 2007: "Part III. Transpersonal Dimensions of Healing with Psychedelic States"
:b. See Winkelman & Roberts, 2007: "Part III. Transpersonal Dimensions of Healing with Psychedelic States"
:c. John Beebe, San Francisco Jung Institute Library Journal
:c. John Beebe, San Francisco Jung Institute Library Journal
:d. The term was considered to be an improvent upon an earlier term called «transhumanistic». <ref name="Vich 1988"/><ref name="Judy 1994"/>
:d. The term was considered to be an improvent upon an earlier term called «transhumanistic».<ref name="Vich 1988"/><ref name="Judy 1994"/>


== References ==
== References ==
Line 49: Line 59:


[[Category:Human development]]
[[Category:Human development]]
⚫
[[Category:Transpersonal studies]]
[[Category:Transpersonal psychology]]
[[Category:Transpersonal psychology]]
⚫
[[Category:Transpersonal studies]]

Latest revision as of 07:50, 16 September 2022

The transpersonal is a term used by different schools of philosophy and psychology in order to describe experiences and worldviews that extend beyond the personal level of the psyche, and beyond mundane worldly events.

Definition and context[edit]

The transpersonal has been defined as experiences in which the sense of identity or self extends beyond (trans) the individual or personal to encompass wider aspects of humankind, life, psyche or cosmos.[1] On the other hand, transpersonal practices are those structured activities that focus on inducing transpersonal experiences.[1]

In the Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology, Scotton[2] defined the term as "development beyond conventional, personal or individual levels." It is associated with a developmental model of psychology that includes three successive stages: the prepersonal (before ego-formation), the personal (the functioning ego), and the transpersonal (ego remains available but is superseded by higher development).[2]

One of the founders of the field of transpersonal psychology, Stanislav Grof, has defined transpersonal states of awareness as such: "The common denominator of this otherwise rich and ramified group of phenomena is the feeling of the individual that his consciousness expanded beyond the usual ego boundaries and the limitations of time and space."[3]

The term is related to the terminology of peak experience, altered states of consciousness, and spiritual experiences.[4][5] Note a The term is also associated with psychedelic work, and psychotechnologies, that includes research with psychedelic plants and chemicals such as LSD, ibogaine, ketamine, peyote, ayahuasca and the vast variety of substances available to all human cultures throughout history.Note b

Etymology[edit]

The term has an early precedent in the writing of philosopher William James, who used the term "Trans-personal" in one of his lectures from 1905.[6][7] However, this early terminology, introduced by James, had a different meaning than the current one[7] and its context was philosophy, not psychology,[6] which is where the term is mostly used these days.

There has also been some speculation of an early precedent of the term in the writings of Carl Jung, as a result of the work of Jung's translators. It regards the Jungian term ueberpersonlich, used by Jung in a paper from 1917, which in later English translations appeared as superpersonal, and later, transpersonal.[6][2] Note c In a later, revised, version of the Psychology of the Unconscious (1942) there was even a chapter heading called "The Personal and the Collective (or Transpersonal) Unconscious".[6][8]

However, the etymology, as it is currently used in academic writing, is mostly associated with the human potential movement of the 1960s and the founders of the field of transpersonal psychology; Anthony Sutich, Abraham Maslow and Stanislav Grof.[9][6][10][11][8] According to Vich[6] all three had used the term as early as 1967, in order to describe new ideas in the field of Psychology. In 1968 the term was selected by the founding editors of the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, Abraham Maslow and Anthony Sutich, in order to represent a new area of psychological inquiry.[6]Note d Porter[12] locates the start of the so-called transpersonal psychology movement to the American west-coast in the late 1960s. In addition to Maslow, Vich and Grof the movement was associated with the names of Ken Wilber, Frances Vaughan, Roger Walsh and Seymoor Boorstein.

According to Powers[13] the term "transpersonal" starts to show up in academic journals from 1970 and onwards. The use of the term in academic literature is documented in Psychological Abstracts and Dissertations Abstracts. The use of the term grew during the 1970s and 1980s and stabilized in the 1990s.[14]

Movement[edit]

The collective of people and organizations with an interest in the transpersonal is called the transpersonal movement. Walsh and Vaughan[1] defines the transpersonal movement as the interdisciplinary movement that includes various individual transpersonal disciplines.

The philosophy of William James, the school of psychosynthesis (founded by Roberto Assagioli), and the analytical school of Carl Jung are often considered to be forerunners to the establishment of transpersonal theory.[4] However, the start of the movement is associated with the emergence and growth of the related field of humanistic psychology. Several of the academic profiles of the early transpersonal movement, such as Abraham Maslow and Anthony Sutich, had their background in humanistic psychology.[15][9][16][17]

The formative years of the transpersonal movement can be characterized by the founding of a few key organizations and institutions, such as: Transpersonal Institute in 1969, the Institute of Noetic Sciences in 1973, The International Transpersonal Psychology Association in 1973, Naropa Institute in 1974, and the California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in 1975.[16] The California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology later emerged as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP) and is today known as Sofia University.

Contemporary transpersonal disciplines include transpersonal psychology, transpersonal psychiatry, transpersonal anthropology, transpersonal sociology and transpersonal ecology. Other academic orientations, whose main focus lies elsewhere, but that are associated with a transpersonal perspective, include humanistic psychology and near-death studies.[18] Contemporary institutions include: the Association for Transpersonal Psychology (ATP), the European Transpersonal Psychology Association (EPTA), the International Transpersonal Association (ITA), the Ibero-American Transpersonal Association (ATI) and the European Transpersonal Association (Eurotas). Leading publications within the movement include: the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, the International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, and the Journal of Transpersonal Research.

Transpersonal studies[edit]

Several commentators note how the transpersonal field, and its vision, moved beyond the perspective of psychology and into other transpersonal domains during the 1980s and 1990s.[19][20] This expansion of the transpersonal concept resulted in an interdisciplinary situation, and a dialogue with such fields as social work, ecology, art, literature, acting, law, business, entrepreneurship, ecopsychology, feminism and education.[20][19][21]

In this respect, commentators have suggested that there is a difference between the founding field of transpersonal psychology and a broader field of transpersonal inquiry, transpersonal studies.[14][21][22] This differentiation of the transpersonal field has to do with the scope of the subjects under study, and the interest of researchers and theorists.

In their review of transpersonal definitions, published in 1993, Walsh and Vaughan[1] noted that transpersonal studies had grown beyond the founding field of transpersonal psychology. Commenting on the criticisms of transpersonal psychology in the 1980s, Chinen[14] noted how the criticism did not differentiate between transpersonal psychology, on the one hand, and a broad range of popularized transpersonal orientations, on the other. The same line of reasoning was picked up by Friedman,[22] who differentiated between a broad domain of inquiry known as transpersonal studies, and a more narrow field of transpersonal psychology. Both authors argued that the confounding of the two domains resulted in confusion. In a summary of contemporary viewpoints on transpersonal psychology Jorge Ferrer[20] placed transpersonal psychology within the wider "umbrella" known as transpersonal studies.

Among institutions of higher learning that promote transpersonal studies we find Sofia University[23] and California Institute of Integral Studies.[24] In 2012 Sofia University announced that they were expanding their graduate program in order to include transpersonal studies. The new program was named the Graduate School of Transpersonal Studies.[23]

The International Journal of Transpersonal Studies was established in 1981. It is sponsored by the California Institute of Integral Studies and serves as the official publication of the International Transpersonal Association.[21]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

a. Grabovac & Ganesan, 2003: Table 3.
b. See Winkelman & Roberts, 2007: "Part III. Transpersonal Dimensions of Healing with Psychedelic States"
c. John Beebe, San Francisco Jung Institute Library Journal
d. The term was considered to be an improvent upon an earlier term called «transhumanistic».[6][10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Walsh, R. and F. Vaughan. "On transpersonal definitions". Journal of Transpersonal Psychology. Vol. 25, No2, pp. 199-207, 1993.
  2. ^ a b c Scotton, Bruce W. "Introduction and Definition of Transpersonal Psychiatry". In Scotton, Bruce W., Chinen, Allan B. and Battista, John R., Eds. (1996) Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology. New York: Basic Books.
  3. ^ Grof, Stanislav. (1975, 1993). Realms of the Human Unconscious: Observations from LSD Research. New York: Viking, London: Souvenir Press.
  4. ^ a b Miller, John J. "Book Review: Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology". Psychiatric Services 49:541-542, April 1998. American Psychiatric Association
  5. ^ Grabovac, Andrea D. & Ganesan, Soma. "Spirituality and Religion in Canadian Psychiatric Residency Training". Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, Vol 48, No 3, April 2003
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Vich, M.A. (1988) "Some historical sources of the term 'Transpersonal' ". Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 20 (2) 107-110
  7. ^ a b Freeman, Anthony. "A Daniel Come To Judgement? Dennett and the Revisioning of Transpersonal Theory". Journal of Consciousness Studies, 13, No. 3, 2006, pp. 95–109
  8. ^ a b Lukoff, David and Lu, Francis. A Transpersonal-Integrative Approach to Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapy, in L. Sperry and E. P. Shafranske (2005) Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapy, American Psychological Association.
  9. ^ a b Valle, Ronald S. & Harari, Carmi. Current developments in...Transpersonal Psychology. The Humanistic Psychologist, 11, Vol. 13, NO. 1, Winter 1985
  10. ^ a b Judy, Dwight. Transpersonal psychology: Coming of age. ReVision, 02756935, Winter94, Vol. 16, Issue 3.
  11. ^ Ferrer, J. N. (2002). "Revisioning transpersonal theory: A participatory vision of human spirituality". Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
  12. ^ Porter, Kenneth. Book review: Spirituality in Clinical Practice: Incorporating the Spiritual Dimension in Psychotherapy and Counseling. American Journal of Psychotherapy, Volume 56, Issue 101 Jan 2002
  13. ^ Powers, Robin. "Counseling and Spirituality: A Historical Review". Counseling and Values, Apr 2005, Vol.49(3), pp.217-225.
  14. ^ a b c Chinen, A.B. The emergence of Transpersonal psychiatry, in Scotton, Bruce W., Chinen, Allan B. and Battista, John R., Eds. (1996) Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology. New York: Basic Books
  15. ^ Keutzer, C.S. Transpersonal Psychotherapy: Reflections on the Genre. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 1984, Vol. 15, No. 6, 868-883
  16. ^ a b Taylor, Eugene. Transpersonal Psychology: Its several Virtues. The Humanistic Psychologist, Vol. 20, Nos. 2 and 3, pp. 285-300, 1992.
  17. ^ Walsh, R. The Transpersonal Movement: A History and State of the Art. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 1993, Vol. 25, No. 2
  18. ^ Scotton, B.W., Chinen, A.B. and Battista, J.R. (ed. 1996). Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology. New York: Basic Books.
  19. ^ a b Grof, S., Friedman, H., Lukoff, D., & Hartelius, G. (2008). The past and future of the International Transpersonal Association. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 27(1), 55–62.
  20. ^ a b c Caplan, Hartelius & Rardin. Contemporary viewpoints on Transpersonal Psychology. The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 2003, Vol. 35, No. 2.
  21. ^ a b c Atlas, N. (2016). (Book Review) The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of transpersonal psychology, by Harris L. Friedman & Glenn Hartelius (Eds.) International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 35 (2).
  22. ^ a b Friedman, H. (2002). Transpersonal psychology as a scientific field. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 21(1), 175–187.
  23. ^ a b PRWEB. (July 16, 2012) Institute of Transpersonal Psychology Becomes Sofia University. PRWEB: Palo Alto, CA. Retrieved Saturday, December 8, 2018.
  24. ^ Subbiondo, Joseph L. CIIS and American Higher Education. Integral Review, June 2011, Vol. 7, No. 1
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