This textbook was published in 1996, but is still a good read. Much practical and clinical discussion of spiritual emergency and kundalini, as well as treatment options. The contributing authors are excellent, and the book is well written for use in the classroom as well as by clinicians.

Amazon Book Link

However, most of the contributing authors are members of the Association of Transpersonal Psychology, so a year membership with ATP would give you access to the full article library that might be as good or better.

Hi Kristine,

I remember this book when it came out, during which time I was a member of the ATP. Wilber has since "moved on," no longer considering himself and his writings to be Transpersonal Psychology.

After a few years, I let my membership lapse, as the ATP seemed to have become something akin to a neo-Theosophical organization. Its Eastern bias is obvious, even in this book. Since that time, transpersonal psychology has been on a downturn, and never really caught on as a viable therapeutic practice.

Yes, after my kundalini awakening I, too, joined ATP back in the '90s. Even went to a conference in San Francisco, and enjoyed it very much. However, you are correct that the bias is Eastern, though a few deal from the Christian perspective. Check out the Table of Contents for the textbook and you will see a wide perspective, not just Eastern.

My readings are an attempt to balance information from three key areas: 1) classic Christianity (i.e., writings of the saints, etc.), 2) medical practitioners (i.e., psychiatrists or reputable psychologists), and 3) lay writers (i.e., those not in the above two categories). Although knowledgeable, I put Wilber in category 3, along with the Eastern saints such as Aurobindo, etc.

ATP is useful as it essentially covers categories 2 and 3 simultaneously, and they do spend some time trying to resolve the differences in language/terminology between East and West (i.e., Self, ego, soul, etc.). Therefore, for me at least, ATP makes synthesis of the East/West literature easier.

quote:

Originally posted by Phil:
Since that time, transpersonal psychology has been on a downturn, and never really caught on as a viable therapeutic practice.

It always would have been a niche interest, but since the 1980s psychotherapy itself has been in a downturn. Until that time, people suffering from anxiety and depression might have been motivated to seek therapy. Now, the treatment of choice is to pop a pill: the "Prozac nation."

Yeah, in our country the insurance folks don't want to pay for any mental health support as well.

Fortunately, my psychiatrist was emphatic that I not be on any medication during the "K." This textbook also makes that recommendation, unless there is an underlying pathology such as schizophrenia, which is generally felt to have both psychological and biological components.

At least some parts of the medical community are making advances in acknowledging issues around spiritual transformation. Regardless of whether their orientation is Eastern or Christian, improved support from the medical community for kundalini issues is welcome in my book. ATP seems to be the only medical group doing such work. Let's start a new topic if there are others advancing the ball.