 Transpersonal psychology is a truly integral psychology in that it systematically attempts to include and integrate the enduring insights of premodern religion, modern psychological science, and constructive postmodern philosophy in its investigation of transpersonal experiences and behaviors (de Quincey, 2002; Ferrer, 2002; Griffin, 1988, 1997; H. Smith, 1976, 1989). Transpersonal psychology proposes original models of human development that integrate Western and Eastern (notably Hindu and Buddhist) perspectives and concepts of identity and consciousness (e.g., Wilber, 1977, 1980, 1981). Transpersonal psychology seeks to expand the boundaries of ego-awareness so as to include portions of the unconscious psyche and integrate the insights obtained into the individual’s everyday life. Transpersonal psychotherapy develops and utilizes a wide variety of mind-body approaches to therapy that integrate conscious and subconscious levels of personality functioning in order to promote exceptional states of psychological well-being (e.g., Walsh & Shapiro, 1983).
Transpersonal psychology is not trying to indulge in “metaphysics” or to deify humans or humanize God. Its intent is much more humble, more personal, and more specific. Its intent is to encourage us to examine the age-old notion of the soul in an unprejudiced way and to test its empirical justification in our own experience and to keep spirituality in connection with the rest of science. A transpersonal orientation to the psyche - its human expression - is psychologically sound because it reinforces our uniqueness in the universe while also emphasizing the source of that separateness in the unity of that inconceivable interaction between Being and being. It is compatible with the enduring truths of premodern spiritual tradition because it views us as basically good creatures, alive in a meaningful universe that was fashioned by some kind of transcendent-immanent Source of all that is.
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Evolutionary significance of the contemporary search for spirituality. The ancient, spiritual traditions of our species have had their extraordinary influence, I believe, because behind their power lies the unending reality of our species’ inner source, and that it is this inner reality that each individual tries to explore, express, and define in his or her private or personal struggle to believe. In the great sweeping changes in religious concepts that are abroad in our world today, perhaps our consciousness – our psyche – is constructing and projecting greater images of our own probable fulfillment, and these are seen in our changing concepts of God (Chandler, 1988; Lewis & Melton, 1992; Needleman & Baker, 1981; T. Peters, 1991). Often the personality of God as generally conceived is based upon our small knowledge of our own psychology (Vitz, 1977). The promise and hopeful outcome of the sweeping changes in religious concepts that are abroad today is that in our attempt to reshape our understanding of God, in so doing we reshape ourselves.
The fact is that while you hold limited concepts of your own reality, then you cannot practically take advantage of many abilities that are your own; and while you have a limited concept of the soul, then to some extent you cut yourself off from the source of your own being and creativity. (Roberts, 1972, p. 92)
The human personality is multidimensional (Roberts, 1972, 1974, 1977a, 1979a, 1979b, 1981b, 1986a, 1986b). Until mainstream psychology recognizes and acknowledges the multidimensional reality of human personality, it will not have any understanding of the abilities that lie within each individual.
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