Transpersonal psychology (TP) studies phenomena beyond the ego and their transformative and healing potential. Adopting the perspective that the human being is intimately interconnected to the cosmos in many ways, TP acknowledges the relevance and value of spiritual, mystical, and other exceptional human experiences.
This course examines the core epistemological and philosophical issues underlying a transpersonal approach to human psychology, and covers the major theoretical orientations in the field, reviewing the models they propose to understand these experiences and situate them in the larger context of human transformation and spiritual development.
Transpersonal theories are inherently cross-disciplinary and often cross-cultural, attempting to integrate insights developed by the world’s great spiritual traditions and non-Western cultures with the knowledge generated by the Western approach to psychology. Transpersonal models are developed with critical discernment in order to respect the multiple epistemologies that they aim to integrate.
The course also covers other complementary topics which reflect the growing edges of TP as a vibrant and multifaceted field. These include feminist perspectives within transpersonal studies, discussions about what approaches to science most effectively support research into transpersonal phenomena, a transpersonal approach to engaged spirituality, and transpersonal perspectives on technology.
