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Transpersonal Psychology Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Transpersonal Psychology

Embodied Transcendence: Psychedelics And The Evolution Of Moral Abstraction, Emanuel Jas Mar 2026

Embodied Transcendence: Psychedelics And The Evolution Of Moral Abstraction, Emanuel Jas

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This paper explores the role of psychedelics in the context of evolutionary brain development and the conceptual capacity for moral realism. Drawing on theories from evolutionary anthropology, neuroscience, and moral philosophy, the first part provides a brief overview of human evolution and brain expansion. From here, recent empirical data from the neurosciences is assessed on the effect psychedelics have on the brain, along with speculations on the role of psychedelics in our hominoid evolutionary history—specifically, the capacity for phenomenologically rich, conscious, subjective experiences that are incredibly vivid and real. This imaginative capacity for transcendence and disembodiment could enable the realization …


Unveiling The Pathways: The Effects Of Mindfulness And Recreational Psychedelic Experiences On Well-Being; The Mediating Roles Of Non-Dual Awareness, Pro-Sociality, And Meaning In Life., Sebastian Ehmann Jan 2024

Unveiling The Pathways: The Effects Of Mindfulness And Recreational Psychedelic Experiences On Well-Being; The Mediating Roles Of Non-Dual Awareness, Pro-Sociality, And Meaning In Life., Sebastian Ehmann

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Contemplative practices and psychedelic experiences have demonstrated significant benefits for psychological health and general human flourishing. Both practices share neuroscientific (i.e., cognitive flexibility), psychological (i.e., insight), and phenomenological (i.e., self-loss) overlap, but the combined effects remain underexplored. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the influence of drug-induced ego-dissolution and dispositional mindfulness on subjective well-being while testing the potential mediating role of compassion, meaning in life, and non-dual awareness (NDA; awareness without the typical subject-object dichotomy). The initial hypothesis posited that selfless experiences and mindfulness cultivate non-dual embodied cognition, leading to increased compassion and meaning and, in turn, …


Tripping In The Moment: The Spiritual Journey Of Baba Ram Dass, Charles S. Hamilton Jan 2022

Tripping In The Moment: The Spiritual Journey Of Baba Ram Dass, Charles S. Hamilton

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

Ram Dass, the iconic, countercultural, spiritual seeker, brought the wisdom of the East to those of us in the West through his many books and frequent, charismatic dharma talks. This view of his spiritual journey describes the transformation of Richard Alpert, clinical psychologist and product of the Western milieu’s often-shackling conventional expectations, into Ram Dass, the free, embodied soul who, through explication and example, and with witnessing attention, tries to guide us all to the always present abode of loving awareness. Ram Dass’s idea of self in existence was transformed: first, from a psychological object of clinical study, to a …


Visionary Art As Evolving Consciousness, Azul Delgrasso Jan 2022

Visionary Art As Evolving Consciousness, Azul Delgrasso

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Visionary art is art that is not confined by form, it argues that the artist who creates spiritual art allows the spirit to guide them, rather than relying on traditional form or technique. This can result in art that is incredibly unique and expressive, as it comes from a place of pure creativity and intuition. It also examines the visionary art of Alex Grey whose works offer a gateway into a different state of consciousness, where the viewer can access new insights and perspectives. In in a world that is becoming increasingly disconnected from the creative body, visionary art can …


Tripping In The Moment: The Spiritual Journey Of Baba Ram Dass, Charles S. Hamilton Dec 2021

Tripping In The Moment: The Spiritual Journey Of Baba Ram Dass, Charles S. Hamilton

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Ram Dass, the iconic, countercultural, spiritual seeker, brought the wisdom of the East to those of us in the West through his many books and frequent, charismatic dharma talks. This view of his spiritual journey describes the transformation of Richard Alpert, clinical psychologist and product of the Western milieu’s often-shackling conventional expectations, into Ram Dass, the free, embodied soul who, through explication and example, and with witnessing attention, tries to guide us all to the always present abode of loving awareness. Ram Dass’s idea of self in existence was transformed: first, from a psychological object of clinical study, to a …


Entheogenic And Nature-Oriented Transpersonal Experiences, And Inspirations And Challenges Of Ecological And Sociopolitical Activism: Applying Participatory Action Research, Heuristic Inquiry, And Thematic Analysis To Empower Activists, Heather L. Walker Jan 2019

Entheogenic And Nature-Oriented Transpersonal Experiences, And Inspirations And Challenges Of Ecological And Sociopolitical Activism: Applying Participatory Action Research, Heuristic Inquiry, And Thematic Analysis To Empower Activists, Heather L. Walker

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

In original research on empowering adult North Americans who aspire to address the ecological crisis (N = 21), heuristic inquiry, participatory action research, and thematic analysis were applied to examining the challenges and inspirations to coresearchers' broadly defined activism. The following themes emerged: Entheogenic and nature-oriented transpersonal and awe-evoking experiences; identifying origins of the ecological crisis; high and low political efficacy—inspired activism; relations with nature increased wellbeing; psychospiritual development and activism were mutually stimulating; challenges to activism and nurturing selfgrowth to overcome challenges; individuation needs inspired and were a challenge to activism; ecologically conscious collaboration and lifestyle transformation fostered psychospiritual …


Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy For Existential Suffering: Facilitating Self-Transcendence At The End-Of-Life, Kevin O. St. Arnaud Jan 2019

Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy For Existential Suffering: Facilitating Self-Transcendence At The End-Of-Life, Kevin O. St. Arnaud

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Although existential suffering is amongst the most devastating forms of distress experienced by many patients nearing the end-of-life, it is often unsatisfactorily addressed due to a paucity of effective interventions. However, both historic and recent studies of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy have reported marked alleviation of this suffering. As such, this article seeks to advance the rationale for the use of psychedelic substances in the provision of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for patients nearing the end-of-life. It begins with an overview of the classic psychedelics and their application in psychotherapy, highlighting recent studies. This is followed with a conceptual overview of existential suffering at …