Transpersonal Psychology

Lucid dreaming and transpersonal studies are two vigorous and important fields with overlapping interests and much to contribute to one another. Unfortunately, they have remained largely isolated and ignorant of each other, in spite of the fact that lucid dreaming research has significant transpersonal implications. Researchers are now investigating advanced forms of lucidity, finding technological means to enhance it, observing physiological correlates, using lucid dreaming as a spiritual practice, and building conceptual bridges to ancient techniques such as Tibetan dream yoga. Recently, dreams have been regarded psychologically as 'the royal road to the unconscious' (Freud), and as messages of healing and intuitive wisdom from the unconscious (Jung). However interpreted, dreams are a nightly 'miracle' in which a whole universe arises populated with people, places and creatures that seem solid, independent and 'real'. Moreover, in our dreams we appear to possess an equally solid, 'real' body that seems to be the source and support of our lives, our pleasures and our pains, whose eyes and ears provide sensory input, and whose death means our death. In short, the dream world and body seem to create and control us. Yet this seemingly objective universe is a creation of our own minds, a subjective, illusory, transient, production that we create and control. When we awaken, we say 'It was only a dream' implying that it was 'unreal'. In the technical terms of Indian Vedantic philosophy we 'sub rate' it (Deutsch, 1969). That is, we accord it less validity or ontological status in light of our waking consciousness. Yet in spite of each awakening, night after night, time after time, we take our dreams to be 'real' and therefore flee and fight, laugh and cry, curse and rejoice within the dream.

Dr. Roger Walsh graduated from Australia's Queensland University with degrees in psychology, physiology, neuroscience, and medicine and then came to the US as a Fullbright Scholar. He's now a professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology at the University of California Irvine. Dr. Walsh has written several books and collectively, Dr. Walsh's writings and research have received over two dozen national and international awards and honors, while his teaching has received one national and six university awards. He's a close friend and confidant of The Dalai Lama, Ken Wilber, Stan Grof, and other legends in the field.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/nLMUQOFKcxw



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Conscious Electromagnetic Information (CEMI) Field Theory

Image
Consider driving along a familiar road. You may be listening to the radio, thinking about some problem at work, but your brain is busy performing all the complex computations necessary to control your limb movements and maintain your car on the busy road, unconsciously. You spot a hazard sign 'Roadworks Major Congestion Ahead' and immediately your conscious mind takes control, to slow the car and perhaps try to find an alternative route home. What is it that is taking control in these situations? What we need to look for is something that is a product of the brains activity, that integrates information but which also has the power to influence that activity. Surprisingly, we have known for years that such an entity exists within our brain. The neurons in our brain transmit electrical signals along and between nerve fibers. It is always assumed that the electrons and neurotransmitters moving down these nerves are the movers and shakers of neuronal computation. However, all elect
Read more

Dreaming Is A DMT Experience

Image
Dimethyltryptamine, or DMT , is a potent psychedelic drug commonly found in nature. DMT is also produced by our brains and contribute to a wide variety of experiences. Scientists have also been intrigued by the possibility that DMT would be involved in, for example, the generation of psychedelic experiences or dreamlike states. This video will briefly examine the physiological function of endogenous DMT from a pharmacological perspective. You can get a chemical version of course, and the resulting trip or hallucination is very profound and many would say life changing. But there's a problem with reading loads of peoples stories about DMT and I think by reading and hearing about peoples stories, you're actually changing what might have happened to you if you'd never heard the stories. The same can be said of lucid dreaming, if you constantly hear things like 'when you lucid dream, you'll be met by the terrifying sleep paralysis demon' then you start to believe it
Read more

You Are The Universe

Image
The universe is a reflection of consciousness. Everything in your life, your reality and your experiences is like an audition for your attention just as celestial bodies orbit around the sun. Your thoughts, feelings, perceptions and sensations depend entirely on the energy you invest. That which you ignore ceases to exist in your experiential realm. The challenge arises from the unconsciousness with which we often navigate this process. Anything that transpires in your life need not become your experience if you choose not to lend it your attention. This may sound counterintuitive but it's a fact worth considering. When you refuse to invest your attention, events and circumstances lose their impact on your vibrational frequency. In the realm of the Law of Attraction, thoughts are often touted as creators of reality. However, thoughts in and of themselves are empty vessels, they simply vie for your attention. You hold the power to energize them by saying "yes" or dismiss t
Read more