Authors: Stanislav Grof, Christina Grof, and contributors of individual chapters
Rating: Excellent — a must-read for anyone who has gone through a mystical experience and is questioning their mental health
Genre: Esoteric, spiritual, psychological
Language: Available in Czech; I read the English version, which was at times quite challenging — definitely not a book for casual or fast reading.
Short Summary
A fascinating book about a topic that Western psychology and psychiatry have long ignored. Even though Christianity is a foundation of our culture, try telling your local priest that you’ve had a mystical experience — chances are, he’ll send you to a psychiatrist. In indigenous cultures or in ancient times, altered states of consciousness were often honored. In our modern Western society, they’ve long been dismissed as pathological. And like many topics today, the conversation has become polarized: traditional psychiatrists often label mystical experiences as psychosis, while some New Age circles claim every psychotic episode is a spiritual awakening.
This book strikes a much-needed balance. It acknowledges that some crises require traditional psychiatric or psychological treatment — e.g., organic psychoses or trauma-related conditions — but it also shows when it’s better to support and guide a person through a spiritual process, allowing the psyche to fully express what is emerging. Doing so often prevents those experiences from recurring obsessively and can lead to healing.
Highlights from the Book
Chapter by Roberto Assagioli – The Stages of Spiritual Awakening
One of the most fascinating parts of the book, which I reread multiple times. Assagioli discusses how each person has multiple subpersonalities — not only the roles we fulfill in daily life (father, husband, clerk…), but also idealized roles we aspire to (the hero, etc.). Integrating these subpersonalities into a functional whole is crucial; otherwise, internal conflict remains unresolved.
Another striking element is the classification of psychological challenges associated with spiritual awakening. Assagioli divides them into:
- Pre-awakening difficulties
- Problems arising during the awakening
- Post-awakening challenges
- Issues related to integrating the experience
What stayed with me most was his distinction between regressive and progressive problems. Regressive issues are the classic therapeutic ones, linked to personal biography. Progressive problems, however, aren’t rooted in the past — they emerge from the process of spiritual awakening. It becomes clear that regressive tools won’t help when dealing with progressive issues.
Chapter by R.D. Laing – Transcendental Experience in Religion and Psychosis
This chapter didn’t resonate with me as much. Still, an interesting observation: in the past, people waged religious wars over which god was the “true” one — but no one doubted that gods existed. Today, we question even the existence of any deity at all, which can lead many to deep existential insecurity and mental health issues.
Chapter by John Weir Perry – Spiritual Emergence and Renewal
Whew. A challenging but very worthwhile read. The English was quite complex, and the ideas even more so. I had to read slowly and reflect deeply to grasp the meaning. A few key takeaways:
Where to Get the Book
- Czech translation: Krize duchovního vývoje – Knihy Dobrovský
- English original: Spiritual Emergency: When Personal Transformation Becomes a Crisis – Amazon.com