“The renaissance of interest in Eastern spiritual philosophies, various mystical traditions, meditation, ancient and aboriginal wisdom, as well as the widespread psychedelic experimentation during the stormy 1960s, made it absolutely clear that a comprehensive and cross-culturally valid psychology had to include observations from such areas as mystical states; cosmic consciousness; psychedelic experiences; trance phenomena; creativity; and...

Transpersonal (beyond-ego/self) psychology – also known as the Fourth Force of psychology – has been around formally for over 50 years and has its roots in the humanistic psychology movement of the 50’s and 60’s. Although the field was formally established around 1967, the term “transpersonal” was first used in print by William James in 1905 and the role of spiritual, self-transcendent and exceptional...

“In the beginning nothing comes, in the middle nothing stays, in the end nothing goes.” ~ Jetsun Milarepa Over time, meditation/mindfulness and many other contemplative practices LITERALLY RE-WIRES THE BRAIN producing permanent changes to one’s psychology, emotional stability, character and overall ways of being. I know this from the neuroscience, the psychological science, the spiritual and mind-science literature of the East and I...

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience” ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Some people define “spirituality” as going to church and believing in a God. Others may define spirituality along the lines of one of the Eastern non-theistic traditions such as Buddhism, Taoism or Hinduism. Others still, may define spirituality simply as becoming a better person, engaging in...

“Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn’t more complicated than that. It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is, without either clinging to it or rejecting it.” ~Sylvia Boorstein   What exactly is mindfulness and where did this simple psychological and spiritual practice get its start? Why is everyone doing it and why are so many doctors...

  “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” (Gandhi) “Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” (Einstein) We tend to (conveniently) convince ourselves that certain animals, below some sort of arbitrarily chosen phylogenetic level, are less conscious,...