The Adventure of Self-Discovery: Dimensions of Consciousness and New Perspectives in Psychotherapy and Inner ExplorationHere Grof presents a useful model of the psyche--a model extended by his thirty years of studying non-ordinary states of consciousness. It is useful for understanding such phenomena as shamanism, mysticism, psychedelic states, spontaneous visionary experiences, and psychotic episodes. The model is also useful in explaining the dynamics of experiential psychotherapies and a variety of sociopolitical manifestations such as war and revolution. This book might have been entitled Beyond Drugs. The second part describes the principles and process of the non-pharmacological technique developed by the author and his wife, Christina, for self-exploration and for psychotherapy. Grof explores in detail the components of this technique. He describes its method, its effective mechanisms, as well as its goals and potential. Its practice is simple, since it utilizes the natural healing capacity of the psyche. |
Contents
The Sensory Barrier and the RecollectiveBiographical Level | 3 |
Dynamics of the Perinatal Matrices | 7 |
The Amniotic Universe | 11 |
Cosmic Engulfment and No Exit | 15 |
The DeathRebirth Struggle | 21 |
The DeathRebirth Experience | 29 |
Transpersonal Dimensions of the Psyche | 37 |
Experiential Extension Within Consensus Reality and SpaceTime | 45 |
Effective Mechanisms of Healing and Personality Transformation | 219 |
Intensification of Conventional Therapeutic Mechanisms | 222 |
Dynamic Shifts in the Psyches Governing Systems | 227 |
Therapeutic Potential of the DeathRebirth Process | 234 |
Therapeutic Mechanisms on the transpersonal level | 236 |
Healing as a Movement Toward Wholeness | 238 |
Potential and Goals of Experiential SelfExploration | 249 |
Emotional and Psychosomatic Healing | 250 |
Experiential Extension Beyond Consensus Reality and SpaceTime | 105 |
Transpersonal Experiences of Psychoid Nature | 148 |
Philosophical Challenges from Transpersonal Experiences | 160 |
New Perspectives in Psychotherapy and Inner Exploration | 165 |
Principles of Holotropic Therapy | 167 |
Therapeutic Effects of Intense Breathing Pneumocatharsis | 170 |
The Healing Potential of Music | 184 |
Focused Body Work | 194 |
The Procedure of Holotropic Therapy | 200 |
Other editions - View all
The Adventure of Self-Discovery: Dimensions of Consciousness and New ... Stanislav Grof Limited preview - 1988 |
The Adventure of Self-Discovery: Dimensions of Consciousness and New ... Stanislav Grof Limited preview - 1988 |
The Adventure of Self-Discovery: Dimensions of Consciousness and New ... Stanislav Grof No preview available - 1988 |
Common terms and phrases
abreaction animal archetypal aspects associated biographical biological birth body breathing session Carl Gustav Jung chakra client clinical COEX connection consciousness consensus reality context cosmic cultures death death-rebirth deities described developed dramatic dynamic elements emotional and psychosomatic empathogens energy episodes Esalen Institute existence expe experienced experiential identification experiential psychotherapy feelings felt Grof healing holotropic breathing holotropic mode holotropic sessions holotropic therapy human hyperventilation images important individual insights involved Jung karmic ketamine Kundalini manifestations MDMA memories mother mystical nature nonordinary occur one's pain parapsychology perinatal perinatal matrices person physical plants potential powerful problems profound psilocybine psyche psychedelic experience psychedelic sessions psychedelic therapy psychiatry psychic psychoid Psychokinesis psychological psychotherapy reality realm reliving riences ritual seems self-exploration sense sequences sexual shamanic sitter situation specific spiritual spontaneous techniques tensions therapeutic therapist tion traditional Transcendence transpersonal experiences transpersonal phenomena trauma typically unconscious universe various
Popular passages
Page xi - It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is within you and it is outside you. When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty.
Page xi - Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment. Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength.