Grof, Stanislav

Stanislav "Stan" Grof is a Czech-born psychiatrist who has been living in the United States since the 1960s. Grof is one of the principal developers of transpersonal psychology and research into the use of non-ordinary states of consciousness for purposes of exploring, healing, and obtaining growth and insights into the human psyche.

Related Terms

Grof, Stanislav >

Notes

https://stangrof.com/

https://stangrof.com/images/joomgallery/ArticlesPDF/Global_Crisis_Future_of_Humanity.pdf

Foerster, H. rnn. (1965). "Memory Without A Record". In: The Anatom\' of Memory (D. P. Kimble, ed.). Pal~ Alto, CA: Science and Bch1n·ior Books.

Spirituality

"To prevent confusion and misunderstanding that in the past have plagued similar discussions, it is critical to make a clear distinction between spirituality and religion. Spirituality is based on direct experiences of other realities. It does not necessarily require a special place, or a special person mediating contact with the divine, although mystics can certainly benefit from spiritual guidance and a community of fellow seekers. Spirituality involves a special relationship between the individual and the cosmos and is in its essence a personal and private affair. At the cradle of all great religions were visionary (perinatal and/or transpersonal) experiences of their founders, prophets, saints, and even ordinary followers. All major spiritual scriptures -- the Vedas, the Buddhist Pali Canon, the Bible. the Koran, the Book of Mormon, and many others are based on revelations in holotropic states."

Religion

By comparison, the basis a organized religion is institutionalized group activity that takes place in a designated location (temple, church), and involves a system of appointed mediators. Ideally, religions should provide fur its members access to and support for direct spiritual experiences. However, it often happens that a religion completely loses the connection with its spiritual source and becomes a secular institution exploiting the human spiritual needs without satisfying them. Instead. it creates a hierarchical system focusing on the pursuit of power, control, politics. money, and other possessions. Under these circumstances, religious hierarchy tends to actively discourage and suppress direct spiritual experiences of its members, because they fuster independence and cannot be effectively controlled.