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Transpersonal Psychology: Introductory Comments

Transpersonal psychology addresses ego integration and ego transcendence as two facets of the primary psychological process in a person's life. This process of development not only progresses in a stage-like, linear way (pre-egoic, egoic, existential, and spiritual), but it also intertwines, spirals, and overlaps throughout an individual's life. Our beliefs, patterns, and values are created as we grow, and are greatly influenced by the way we are raised. We are born, however, with an innate drive towards wholeness, and beneath the veil of how we have learned to be in the world lies that essence with which we were born. This essence is the core of our being and manifests in our day-to-day awareness in a number of ways, most especially when we feel confident, fearless, peaceful, joyful, loving, and passionately inspired.

Transpersonal is a word which is derived from two Latin words: "trans" meaning beyond or through, and "persona" meaning mask. Our personality is a mask we put on in order to adapt to our external reality. Transpersonal psychology honors the need to integrate one's personality and yet move beyond and through the personality in order to become aware of one's essence. The relationship between ego identity and spiritual essence is, therefore, central in this approach. According to Sankhya philosophy, for example, Spirit or soul forgets its true nature and identifies with the forms in which it reflects--- the body, thoughts, and emotions (Arya, 1986; Tigunait, 1983). Transpersonal psychology sees the individual as progressively remembering his or her true nature and, thereby, evolving toward spiritual realization (see Valle, 1989; Valle & Mohs, 1997).

Addictive Behavior and Personality: An Overview

In chemical addiction, alcohol/drugs become the main theme in an individual's life. There is a preoccupation with using and the person will do almost anything to protect his or her source. Narcotics Anonymous says that addiction is a disease composed of three elements: (a) the compulsive use of chemicals, (b) an obsession with further use, and (c) an almost complete self-centeredness (Doweiko, 1996). In order to continue using, the individual develops a life style that includes the defense mechanisms of denial, rationalization, and projection. There is a lack of humility and an unwillingness to really look honestly at oneself. Despair and loss of faith result as the person, lost in the addictive patterns, gradually tunes out more and more of his or her true Self.

With the regular use of alcohol and other drugs, there is also an accompanying illusory or false sense of well-being. This false sense prohibits one from going into the depths of one's being. In Concepts of Chemical Dependency, a scholarly review of all major aspects of the field, Doweiko (1996) paraphrases Millon: "In the process of sidetracking the drive for truth and spiritual growth, the addict develops a sense of false pride that is expressed as a form of narcissism. The clinical phenomenon of narcissism is itself a reaction against perceived worthlessness, loss of control, and emotional pain so intense that it almost seems physical (p. 241)." It seems then that the return to hope and the way back to a saner life is through the addicted person's willingness to let down his or her defenses and to take an honest look at the problem. This most often requires both humility and a strong support system.

Current Models of Addiction

What follows are overviews of the two major theoretical/practical approaches to the nature and treatment of addictive behavior. These models are respectively based on the natural scientific and transpersonal approaches to chemical dependency and substance abuse.

The Disease Model

Addiction has been regarded as a disease by the American Medical Association since 1956. The disease model of chemical dependency holds that: (a) addiction is a medical disorder, (b) there is a biological predisposition to this disorder, and (c) the disease is progressive. If one looks at any condition more routinely considered as a disease, such as heart disease, the comparison becomes clearer. There are various ways one can acquire heart disease. There may be an inherited genetic factor, or it may occur due to lack of exercise or an unhealthy diet. Heart disease is also progressive. If changes are not made (e.g., in diet and exercise), the condition will become worse. One cannot, of course, control the future. No matter how many changes one may institute, one may still, for example, suffer another heart attack. So it is with addiction. There are inherited factors, yet one may become addicted through the misuse of alcohol and other drugs. The disease is also progressive; it can be arrested, but not "cured". If a person doesn't take care of the problem, it often progresses until death occurs. On the other hand, if one attends to the disorder, the prognosis can be good. Even with careful attention, however, one may relapse (Mohs, 1985).

The 12-Step Program

The 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous teaches individuals to accept their limitations. The addicted person has been relying on his/her own methods which have continuously led them back to the alcohol or drugs. In the first 3 steps, individuals learn to trust in a power greater than what they have been relying on. This power is usually seen as God, love, or the wisdom of the 12-step program itself. The Serenity Prayer is used to help them gain the strength they need to resist their addictive inclinations. Steps 4 through 9 help them to identify and change their lifestyle. Steps 11 and 12 help them to continue their spiritual growth. They choose a sponsor who will support them in their recovery, preferably someone who has been in the program for at least two years. The sponsor should be someone who will confront the addicted person's old thinking patterns. Due to the emotional vulnerability of the newly recovering individual, the sponsor should not be of one's sexual preference.

Transpersonal Perspectives on Addiction

Addiction as a "Disease of the Spirit"

The interrelatedness of addiction and one's spiritual nature has become more widely perceived. Most notably the 12-step program, that sees addiction as a disease of the Spirit and recovery as a spiritual process, has been included in the treatment programs of many who follow the medical or disease model, that regards addiction as a disease of the body and mind. From a transpersonal perspective, one recognizes the separateness from one's spiritual essence that has evolved, and longs to be reunited with this true essence or Creator. The ego-self, accustomed to finding answers to its problems in the outside world, turns to chemicals in an attempt to fill that emptiness. It is an illusion that happiness can be found in anything less than the direct, personal experience of one's essential sovereign nature (whether one sees this experience as Divine, spiritual, sacred, transcendent, the higher Self, or God). True joy and peace of mind only come from a surrendering of who one believes oneself to be (i.e., a separate being who habitually repeats self-harming behaviors).

From this perspective, recovery becomes a spiritual process that leads one to inner wholeness and unity. Addressing these factors, Carl Jung once wrote to Bill Wilson, one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, that: "Alcohol in Latin is spiritus, and you use the same word for the highest religious experience as well as for the most depraving poison. A helpful formula therefore is spiritus contra spiritum," meaning that the Spirit of the Divine is contrary to (i.e., heals) the ravages of alcohol or the "spirits" (in Grof, 1993, p.20). This healing perspective can, of course, be applied to any addiction whether it be to drugs, food, sex, relationships, or gambling. Christina Grof (1993) in her book, The Thirst for Wholeness: Attachment, Addiction, and the Spiritual Path, states: "If we begin to quench our thirst with the experience of God instead of with our addictions, we will eventually know the satisfaction for which we have been longing (p. 20)."

Attachment, Addiction, and Fear of Death

From a transpersonal perspective, addiction per se becomes a process whereby personal-self or ego-identified awareness turns away from its true spiritual nature and becomes tied up with or attached to things in the world. More specifically, addiction attaches desire to specific behaviors, things, and/or persons, thereby enslaving the energy of desire. These objects of attachment then become preoccupations and obsessions; they come to rule our lives. In this sense, we are all addicted, as the same process of attached desire which underlies the addiction to alcohol or narcotics is also responsible for the addiction to ideas, work, relationships, power, moods, and fantasies (from May, 1988).

It is interesting to note that addiction is not just a problem of the poor and underprivileged. Many individuals, in spite of all their wealth and material possessions, are not content and find themselves addicted to food, drugs, sex, or the day-to-day demands of their lives. Instead of simply enjoying the objects and people in their lives, they cling to them, own them, and fear losing them (from Rama, 1996). From these observations, Swami Rama (1996) concludes:

Over the course of a lifetime of needing, having, and clinging, the fear of death grows and hovers, creating a spiral of more need, greater fear, and inescapable pain. In this way, life cannot be lived effectively and is merely squandered. Death is feared, denied, and pushed as far away from consciousness as possible instead of being accepted as a natural and inevitable part of human experience. Thus, no one is prepared for death. This fear of death is the reason for the insatiable need for more things, ever new relationships, material comforts, endless entertainment, and the excessive use of alcohol and drugs. All of these keep the reality of death in the distance. They are the tools of denial (p. 1).

If, indeed, the denial and fear of death lie at the heart of all addictive inclinations and behaviors, then bringing death into one's daily awareness and, more specifically, working directly with those facing a life-threatening illness become very real ways to treat addictive behavior. As one faces one's fears and slowly integrates the fact of dying into one's daily life, addictive tendencies and behaviors slowly dissolve.

Transpersonal Psychotherapy: Insights and Guidelines

Transpersonal approaches to psychotherapy begin with the premise that who we really are is much more than our body, mind, and emotions, that we are united at the core of our being to all that is (e.g., Wittine, 1989). Central to this view is the therapist's own awareness of and willingness to be with his/her higher, essential, or deeper sense of Self in such a way as to gain a mastery over his/her own habitual mental, emotional, and behavioral patterns. This core is where we find our spiritual essence. The therapist is thus able to model and hold this transpersonal view for the addicted client while the client evolves into this realization. A goal of transpersonal psychotherapy is to recognize one's personality and habits of mind as part of a greater, transcendent realm of being. Before one's ego-identity can be transcended, however, one first needs to build a well-integrated ego-self. This includes the ability to separate and individuate by healing unfinished stages of one's development. Frances Vaughan (1985) says it well when she states:

Healthy transpersonal identity depends on self-knowledge, self-regulation, self-mastery, and a new experience of Self in which separate egoic and existential identifications dissolve (p. 45).

The client-therapist relationship starts with the attitude of the therapist, and involves the degree of the therapist's presence, compassion, and authenticity. These three elements provide a living space in which the client can explore and discover who he or she is behind and, ultimately, beyond the current self-abusive behaviors. More specifically, the following represent suggested guidelines for the transpersonal psychotherapist when working with a chemically dependent client:

1. Assess and record a detailed history of the client's use as well as the consequences of his/her use; this both informs the therapist and helps the client to bring awareness to the extent of the problem thus breaking the patterns of denial.

2. Refer to an M.D. who specializes in chemical dependency and detoxification; refer to a treatment program if necessary.

3. Incorporate the client's input into the treatment process/plan; determine the guidelines and goals of treatment; establish a discharge and aftercare plan that includes a strong support system.

4. Provide a therapeutic container for the client that includes a loving presence and few but firm limitations; be as consistent as possible (e.g., meeting at the same time in the same place).

5. Explore and identify the client's motivation for stopping (e.g., spouse threatens to leave, doesn't want the children to be influenced by the use, sick and tired of being sick and tired).

6. Confront the inconsistencies in what the client says while not being caught up in trying to catch the client in his/her attempts to manipulate; assume he/she wishes to quit using and appeal to that side; explore the resistance, don't fight it.

7. Explore the nature of the client's addictive patterns; encourage him/her to attend a 12-step group (it is extremely difficult to stay clean and sober if the therapist is the client's only support system).

8. Encourage whatever motivates the client to stop using; encourage the client to imagine a future without chemicals.

9. Explore and identify what fears the client may have if he/she was to stop using (e.g., the fear of being violent if one gave up smoking marijuana); explore ways other than drug use to cope with fears and stress.

10. Help the client to see how powerful the mind can be when the urge to drink or use is there, and that his/her willingness to ask for help is crucial in recovery (the will to stop using has not kept the client clean and sober).

11. Hold a non-judgmental attitude; let the client be responsible for his/her addiction (a seed is being planted; it's up to the client as to whether this seed grows now, later, or not at all).

12. See attachment as a problem that we all have to deal with and can all learn from; we are all attached to things, places, and people--- addiction is an exaggerated form of this.

13. Have the client explore his/her mind and be aware of what the mind is saying when he/she wants to use or drink; recommend that the client keep a journal including what it's like before he/she uses, while using, and how he/she feels afterward.

14. Emphasize the client's positive qualities and encourage the client to see these qualities as well.

15. Teach the wisdom of the 12-step program, including: (a) pay attention to anniversary dates (e.g., the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th month of sobriety); (b) repeat the Serenity Prayer; (c) rather than saying "I'll never use again," commit to sobriety one day at a time; and (d) teach the acronym HALT--- remind the client not to get too hungry (H), too angry (A), too lonely (L), or too tired (T).

16. Encourage the client to be more confident and assertive in expressing preferences and feelings.

17. Identify and encourage the client to see the aspects of his/her deeper self (e.g., love, joy, wisdom, confidence, creative energy, peacefulness, courage); display your confidence in the client as he/she lets go of his/her old ways of being; the client will eventually regain his/her higher qualities, with the support of God and others.

18. Encourage a healthy way of life: time in nature, creative expression, healthy diet, regular exercise.

19. Practice quieting techniques such as deep relaxation and meditation.

20. Realize the client's potential so he/she can also.

An Integrated Therapy Approach to Addictive Experience and Behavior: A Contemporary Transpersonal Model

An Integrated Therapy approach (described below) represents a direct application of the ancient principles of yoga philosophy and practice into modem Western medical and psychological systems (Rama, 1978; Nuernberger, 1981). Addressing the balance and health of body, mind, and spirit in a simple and practical way, this application has the power to transform the suffering associated with mental, emotional, and physical pain (Harvey, 1988; O'Brien, 1993). In this way, an Integrated Therapy approach is directly applicable to the treatment of substance abuse and addictive behaviors of all kinds.

In the same way that the physical and emotional distress experienced by those coping with the myriad organic and psychosomatic disorders are a reflection/ manifestation of a deep, inner imbalance (the spiritual disconnection and misidentification described above), so it is with addictive patterns. That is, they represent an emotional and behavioral manifestation of being separate from one's core inner being, from the confident, fearless, peaceful, loving, joyful, and passionate beings that we truly are.

This imbalance reflects our lack of awareness or forgetfulness regarding our ability to remain non-reactive and compassionate even though emotional and physical pain have become part of our daily lives. We do not have the power to undo what has occurred in the past, but we can change how we are with what is being experienced in the present. The spiritually unconscious use of alcohol, cocaine, pain-killers, marijuana, and other chemical agents can be transformed when systematic efforts to regain a living connection with our true Self are made.

Transforming Addictive Habits and Reactions

What follows are our thoughts and suggestions regarding the nature of this situation, and how the approach of yoga can be applied as an Integrated Therapy Program. This program is designed to assist individuals who wish to transform their habitually addictive and reactive ways of feeling and living that contribute so directly to the suffering in their lives.

Current Views of Health and Medical Practice

In our Western world, we tend to view health as the absence of disease, as something that can be taken for granted or that we have "a right to". We are seen as unfortunate victims of our illness who are often provided with antibiotics or surgical intervention. When illness befalls us, we submit to the health care system and open ourselves to its "cure".

But health implies more than the mere absence of disease. Being healthy is a dynamic state involving all levels of our existence--- the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. When we begin to delve into these complex layers, an inner awareness unfolds, and inevitable questions begin to arise: "What is life?", "Where am I going and why?", "What does it mean to die?" These are all questions that most of us have pondered, questions that lead us on a search. It is in this search that we find personal growth and change.

When we view life as a series of experiences, each representing an opportunity for growth, then illness is one event that opens doors for exploration. Instead of being an inconvenience, it becomes a valuable time to understand how we are functioning in our daily lives. It is a time to examine our various habits and see what questions arise. With this model of health, the psychologist and physician do not see their clients/ patients with an intent to "fix" or "cure" them, but, rather, each acts as both guide and teacher as well as a resource for helping the individual with the discomfort at hand. By encouraging the client to take responsibility for his or her own condition, the health professional can then work with individuals in their personal process of change. Medication, surgical intervention, physical therapy, and chiropractic care thereby become supportive, and hopefully temporary, measures for a more permanent transformation built on increased self-awareness, an emerging sense of self-responsibility, and the daily practice of recommended techniques applied in various aspects of the client's life.

The Nature of Stress

Stress is an imbalance among one's physical, mental, and spiritual sides. When one is discontent, unhappy, or experiencing physical and/or emotional pain, there is a tendency to look outside oneself for both the causes and solutions to these problems. No one would deny that modem living presents many potentially stress-producing situations. Medical professionals must make daily life and death decisions, students are pressured by exams and social conformity, the homemaker's life has become more and more complex, and workers find themselves in demanding and pressure-filled jobs. In the end, however, the stress comes not from the external pressures, but from the way one responds to these perceived pressures. Searching outside, rather than within, for a resolution to these problems results in a sense of powerlessness and a dependence on external solutions including, all too often, alcohol and other drugs. Anxiety, tension, and addictive behavior are often the result.

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is one of the most frustrating medical and emotional problems. Whether caused by accident, illness, or stress-induced, pain transforms one's entire life by causing irritability, erratic sleep, and difficulty in both concentrating and performing routine tasks. One of the things that makes chronic pain so difficult to treat is one's own reaction to that pain. When a part of the body is in pain, there is a natural, automatic tendency to tense the muscles in and around that particular area. In addition, the pain becomes a stressor in and of itself. This increases tension throughout the body making it more difficult for the affected areas to heal. A vicious cycle of pain, stress, and tension is thus created. Substance abuse often follows.

An Integrated Therapy Approach

As a complement to medical treatment and evaluation, an integrated therapy approach offers foundational ways to break the cycle of pain, stress, and tension. Although changing the world is often difficult or impossible, one can change one's self by learning to become quiet in body and mind. This is the essence of stress- and pain-management as, from this more peaceful place, one learns to respond to pain and stress-inducing situations in more healthful ways. Each of us has the ability to shape our own destiny, to find within ourselves the solutions to our problems.

This approach emphasizes the well-being of the whole person, not just the treatment of specific symptoms. Given that body, mind, and spirit form an indivisible unity, it is assumed that one cannot alter any one of these without affecting the other two. Moreover, the balanced development of one's physical, psychological, and intuitive potentials is true health. Emphasis is placed, therefore, on prevention rather than intervention, as one learns to take care of oneself in new and better ways. And, perhaps most importantly in this context, as one integrates these new ways into one's daily life, addictive cravings, inclinations, and patterns slowly and steadi
ly disappear.

It is within this framework that the health professional acts as an advisor who suggests specific techniques that one can then use to help alleviate tension-related distress. This approach thereby encourages one to take primary responsibility for his or her own state of physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

An Integrated Therapy Program

By learning ways of coping with pain and stress, one develops a state of harmony and balance within. Through a variety of interrelated methods or techniques that includes breath awareness training, autogenic relaxation, biofeedback, aerobic exercise, hatha yoga, transpersonal psychotherapy, meditation, and recommendations for a natural, stimulant-free diet, this program helps individuals realize the power they have to take charge of their lives. An Integrated Therapy Program is not, however, a patch-work quilt made up of these various treatment modalities. Rather, the various components of the program are like different facets of the same jewel. They each work to promote three things: (a) autonomic (sympathetic-parasympathetic) balance, (b) bringing awareness to previously unconscious habit patterns (behavioral and emotional), and (c) helping one to recognize and then follow one's intuitive, heart-felt sense of things.

Successful completion of the program depends on each person's willingness to make a commitment to practice the skills being taught. No therapist or doctor can predict the future, so the client is not promised any particular form or amount of pain relief. But one thing can be promised: there are no harmful side effects from taking care of oneself in a balanced and natural way. The practice of these methods over a period of time allows one to experience the usefulness of these techniques, and with regular practice, one can only improve.

The therapist acts as teacher, guide, and friend, but it is the client alone who acts to change his or her life. Giving the individual responsibility for his or her own treatment throughout the sessions facilitates both the transition to a non-treatment situation and the continuation of the new healthful habits that have been established, namely, a life free from chemical dependency and addictive patterns.

References

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Doweiko, H. (1996). Concepts of chemical dependency. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

Grof, C. (1993). The thirst for wholeness: Attachment, addiction, and the spiritual path. San Francisco: Harper.

Harvey, J. (Ed.) (1988). The quiet mind. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan Press.

May, G. (1988). Addiction and grace: Love and spirituality in the healing of addictions. San Francisco: Harper Collins.

Mohs, M. (1985). The disease alcoholism. The centerfold, 4(3), 4-5.

Nuernberger, P. (1981). Freedom from stress: A holistic approach.
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O'Brien, J. (1993). The wellness tree. Saint Paul, MN: Yes International Publishers.

Rama, S. (1978). A practical guide to holistic health. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan Press.

Rama, S. (1996). Sacred journey: Living purposefully and dying gracefully. New Delhi, India: Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy.

Tigunait, R. (1983). Seven systems of Indian philosophy. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan Press.

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Valle, R. and Mohs, M. (1997). Towards a transpersonal- phenomenological psychology: Philosophy and recent research. In W. Braud and R. Anderson (Editors), Honoring human experience: Transpersonal research methods for the social sciences. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Vaughan, F. (1985). The inward arc: Healing and wholeness in psychotherapy and spirituality. Boston: Shambhala.

Wittine, B. (1989). Basic postulates for a transpersonal psychotherapy. In R. Valle and S. Halling (Eds.), Existential-phenomenological perspectives in psychology. New York: Plenum Press. pp. 269-287.