This book is a clarion call for an expanded vision of human possibilities. In it, many of the best thinkers of our day ask us to renew the perennial search for self-knowledge and to discover the deeper meaning of our lives. For this, they offer the transpersonal perspective -- which extends beyond consciousness in its myriad forms, including altered states, yoga, dreams, and contemplation. This marriage of psychology and science with the spiritual traditions has borne ripe fruit: the transpersonal vision, which offers a uniquely generous and encompassing view of human nature. The fifty essays that make up Paths Beyond Ego apply transpersonal thinking to individual growth, psychotherapy, meditation, dreams, psychedelics, science, ethics, philosophy, ecology, and service. The result is an integrated and comprehensive overview of the many dimensions of human experience. In clear, accessible writing, the contributors suggest that our potential for enhancing human abilities is much greater than previously suspected and that our tools for this grand undertaking are widely available today. The transpersonal vision offers great hope for the future -- and links us to the timeless wisdom of the ages.

"Essential Spirituality beautifully articulates the benefits of spiritual living in the material world."-Dan Millman, author, Everyday Enlightenment and The Way of the Peaceful Warrior "Deceptively simple. Its power is rooted not only in Dr. Walsh's formidable intellectual capacity to deal effectively with a vast body of religious literature but in his own deep spiritual practices in a multitude of disciplines over many years. An important contribution."-Ram Dass, author, Be Here Now "An absolute masterpiece . . . Essential Spirituality is helpful to both the unseasoned and seasoned seeker. The writing is deep, simple, and clear yet at the same time poetic and musical. A must read."-GERALD G. JAMPOLSKY, M.D. author, Love Is Letting Go of Fear "Energetic, engaged, and occasionally electrifying. . . . The field of spiritual books has been looking for its own Lewis Thomas or Carl Sagan, and I believe Roger Walsh may be that one."-KEN WILBER, author, One Taste and A Brief History of Everything Based on over twenty years of research and spiritual practice, this is a groundbreaking and life-changing book. In his decades of study, Dr. Roger Walsh has discovered that each of the great spiritual traditions has both a common goal and seven common practices to reach that goal: recognizing the sacred and divine that exist both within and around us. Filled with stories, exercises, meditations, myths, prayers, and practical advice, Essential Spirituality shows how you can integrate these seven principles into one truly rewarding way of life in which kindness, love, joy, peace, vision, wisdom, and generosity become an ever-growing part of everything you do.

The freshest and most respected thinkers in transpersonal psychology explore the myriad pathways to knowledge.

Brings together the writings of key explorers and theorists in the field of transpersonal psychology, including Abraham Maslow's delineation of the psychology of well-being and Ram Dass's examination of meditation

From the Back Cover: Psychedelics have been a part-often a central and sacred part-of most societies throughout history, and for half a century psychedelics have rumbled through the Western world, seeding a subculture, titillating the media, fascinating youth, terrifying parents, enraging politicians, and intriguing researchers. Not surprisingly, these curious chemicals fascinated some of the foremost thinkers of the twentieth century, fourteen of whom were interviewed for this book. Because no further human research can be done, these researchers constitute an irreplaceable resource. Higher Wisdom offers their fascinating anecdotes, invaluable knowledge, and hard-won wisdom-the culmination of fifty years of research and reflection on one of the most intriguing and challenging topics of our time.

Building on the concept of Transpersonal Leadership, Leading Beyond the Ego offers a practical approach to becoming an authentic, ethical, caring and more effective leader. Rooted in the experience of senior organisational leaders and mentors, readers embark on a personal journey to innovate and enhance their leadership skills. Reflections are rooted in recent advances in neuroscience and acknowledge the challenges faced by leaders in light of new organisational and commercial structures, in a volatile and uncertain world. The reader is supported to transcend individual ego to develop beyond emotional intelligence to a higher level of consciousness and ethical behaviour; able to build strong, collaborative relationships and to create a caring, sustainable and performance-enhancing culture. Emboldened by the changing world and inspired by leaders around us, this new edition is enriched by new chapters on leading with purpose; managing (and benefitting from) diversity; health, resilience and well-being; sustainable leadership; and leading in complex adaptive systems. Every other chapter has been thoroughly updated and upgraded in the light of experience and feedback from readers, including a new section in key chapters challenging readers to put theory into practice. Learn how to lead beyond the ego! An essential manual for current and aspiring organisational leaders, HR professionals, executive coaches and mentors, Leading Beyond the Ego is a vital reference source for anyone in a position of leadership.

In this book, Seymour Boorstein builds upon his classical training as a psychiatrist to show the dramatic results of blending the traditional with the transpersonal approach to psychotherapy. By providing case studies from his own practice that cover the spectrum of traditional psychological categories, he demonstrates the vast possibilities and some of the pitfalls inherent in joining psychotherapy and spirituality and also gives the reader a glimpse into the psychiatrist's mental processes as he considers patients' dilemmas and seeks to help them find solutions. The specific techniques Boorstein describes serve as guideposts for other psychotherapists and clinicians, for laypeople interested in psychological healing, and for spiritual leaders and seekers. Boorstein's message to mental-health practitioners is clear: Transpersonal therapists should make use of the valuable traditional techniques that have proved useful, and traditional therapists should explore the enormous impact spiritual issues have on our lives.

"For decades social scientists have observed that Americans are becoming more selfish, headstrong, and callous. Instead of lamenting a cultural slide toward narcissism, Transcending Self-Interest: Psychological Explorations of the Quiet Ego provides a constructive framework for understanding--and conducting research on--both the problems of egocentrism and the ways of transcending it. Heidi A. Wayment and Jack J. Bauer have assembled a group of contributors who are helping to reshape how the field of psychology defines the self in the 21st century. In the spirit of positive psychology, these authors call us to move beyond individualistic and pathological notions of self versus other. Their theories and research suggest two paths to this transcendence: (a) balancing the needs of self and others in one's everyday life and (b) developing compassion, nondefensive self-awareness, and interdependent self-identity. At the end of these converging paths lies a quiet ego--an ego less concerned with self-promotion than with the flourishing of both the self and others. Readers will find in this volume inspiration not only for future work in psychology but also for their own efforts toward personal development"--Jacket. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Fascinating, comprehensive, and eminently readable, this guide explores shamanism—the world's most enduring healing and religious tradition—in the light of modern medicine, psychology, neuroscience, consciousness disciplines, and religious studies. Praise: "As if on cue, just when I am beginning to think that shamanism is the ground from which all religions spring, along comes this book. I cannot imagine a book that would be more helpful to me in thinking through this important subject."—Huston Smith, author of The World's Religions "...Unquestionably the most rounded compact introduction to shamanism, particularly the inner world of shamans, available today. A door-opening book for students of consciousness and spirituality."—Georg Feuerstein, PhD, M.Litt, author of The Yoga Tradition "A splendidly clear and timely survey of shamanism."—Jean Achterberg, PhD, author of Imagery in Healing "Quite simply, this book is a major step forward in understanding the vital phenomenon of shamanism. I recommend it highly."—Charles Tart, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of California at Davis, author of States of Consciousness "...Eminently useful and inspiring. A brilliant integrative work that pushes the frontiers of consciousness in insightful, practical, and powerful ways."—Angeles Arrien, PhD, Cultural Anthropologist, author of The Four-Fold Way and The Second Half of Life"... Unique in bringing together the full range of anthropological, psychological, and psychiatric literature on this vital subject. It does so with admirable scholarship yet still manages to be sensitive and clear."—Christie W. Kiefer, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of California at San Francisco

Since 1976, the channeled writings of A Course in Miracles have touched millions of readers, seekers, and students of self-development. The widely regarded spiritual and psychological scholars Frances Vaughan, Ph.D., and Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D., distilled the most poignant passages from the Course in their beloved volume Accept This Gift-now returned to print in this Tarcher Cornerstone Edition. This slender, immensely powerful book provides the perfect gleanings for anyone at any level of interest in A Course in Miracles.