Beyond the Brain: Birth, Death, and Transcendence in PsychotherapyBeyond the Brain seriously challenges the existing neurophysiological models of the brain. After three decades of extensive research on those non-ordinary states of consciousness induced by psychedelic drugs and by other means, Grof concludes that our present scientific world view is as inadequate as many of its historical predecessors. In this pioneering work, he proposes a new model of the human psyche that takes account of his findings. Grof includes in his model the recollective level, or the reliving of emotionally relevant memories, a level at which the Freudian framework can be useful. Beyond that is perinatal level in which the human unconscious may be activated to a reliving of biological birth and confrontation with death. How birth experience influences an individual's later development is a central focus of the book. The most serious challenge to contemporary psycho-analytic theory comes from a delineation of the transpersonal level, or the expansion of consciousness beyond the boundaries of time and space. 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 reinterpretation of some of the most agonizing aspects of human behavior proves thought provoking for both laypersons and professional therapists. |
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Beyond the Brain: Birth, Death, and Transcendence in Psychotherapy Stanislav Grof Limited preview - 1985 |
Beyond the Brain: Birth, Death, and Transcendence in Psychotherapy Stanislav Grof No preview available - 1985 |
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aggression anxiety approach archetypal aspects associated basic biographical biological birth birth trauma BPM III characteristic client clinical COEX COEX systems collective unconscious complex concept connection consciousness research context cosmic death death-rebirth process deep experiential disorders ego death elements emphasis energy existence experienced feelings Freud Freudian function gestalt human important individual insights integration interpretation involved LSD subjects manifestations material mechanisms mechanistic science memories mental mystical nature neurosis Newtonian-Cartesian observations organism orgasm Otto Rank pain paradigm patients perennial philosophy perinatal and transpersonal perinatal dynamics perinatal level perinatal matrices personality phenomena philosophy physical principle problems psyche psychedelic experience psychedelic sessions psychedelic therapy psychiatry psychoanalysis psychological psychopathology psychosis psychosomatic psychotherapy psychotic reality reflect relevance reliving represent revolutions role sadomasochism scientific seems self-exploration sense sexual situation specific spiritual stages suicide superego symptoms techniques theory therapeutic therapist transcendence transpersonal experiences unconscious universe various world view