Discover the meaning of transpersonal psychology through a personal experience of transformation, exploring expanded states of consciousness, holistic self-awareness, and spiritual growth.
Transpersonal Psychology Definition and a Personal Experience of Transformation
I had a profound transpersonal experience while working as a senior manager in a major multi-national corporation. I loved my job and worked really hard to perform above and beyond the call of duty. One day, I was called for a sudden meeting with no agenda and I presumed we would discuss preparations for the upcoming annual budget meeting. I remember that I was shocked and froze for a moment when my boss shared unexpected news that I no longer had my job. I had an out-of-body experience in that meeting room when my boss was still explaining things. I was looking at the meeting taking place from above and could see myself and boss, and I noticed details in the meeting room that were irrelevant to the topic being discussed. During that experience, I had a deep sense of self-expansiveness, where my consciousness seemed expanded beyond its conventional limits, which Hartelius et al. (2007) described as the domain of transpersonal psychology.
I remember being surprised that I was not angry as I watched myself and boss sitting in that meeting room as he shared the shocking news with me. What was the source of this unexpected calm and compassion that I felt for everyone and everything in that room? According to Friedman (1983), the notion of an expanded self beyond conventional boundaries implies that the self is relationally interconnected with the community and world. This is the second domain of transpersonal psychology, defined as an integrative/holistic approach (Hartelius et al., 2007). Is the notion of expanded self a mechanism that somehow protects us when facing traumatic situations in our life? According to Daniels (2021), transformation may be our only solution if we are suffering or in a state of spiritual emergency. Hillman (1977) mentions, ‘Through depression, we enter depths, and in depths we find soul… The true revolution begins in the individual who can be true to his own depression’ (pp. 98–99).
This experience was a key milestone in my life where I started searching for the meaning and purpose of life. I have begun to understand the world as a living process that purposefully evolves toward a meaningful end (Neville, 2007). I had many transpersonal experiences before in my life where I felt a deep sense of belonging to something larger. However, this experience was the main cause why I started walking a transformative path that brought me where I am today. I have been going through an accelerated transformative process since that experience which challenged the sense of who I am, gave me a deepened sense of reality, and made me a more loving and compassionate person.
We all know everybody suffers in life. However, spiritual emergencies are major events in one’s life. I had prior transpersonal experiences during meditation, yoga practices, while in nature… etc. However, these mundane experiences by themselves did not result in major transformation. I am now exploring how society and individuals will benefit from a “science” of transpersonal psychology if the experience of spiritual emergency is lacking, hence limiting a true transformation.
References
Daniels, M. (2021). Shadow, self, spirit: Essays in transpersonal psychology (2nd ed.). Imprint Academic.
Hartelius, G., Caplan, M., & Rardin, M. A. (2007). Transpersonal psychology: Defining the past, divining the future. The Humanistic Psychologist, 35(2), 135–160. https://doi.org/10.1080/08873260701274017
Hartelius, B., Rothe, G., & Roy, P.J. (2013). A brand for the burning: Defining transpersonal psychology. In H. Friedman & G. Hartelius (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of transpersonal psychology (pp. 3-22). Wiley-Blackwell.
Hillman, J. (1997). Re-visioning psychology (Reissue ed.). William Morrow Paperbacks.
