From Spiritual Emergency to Healing and Rebirth
Increasing numbers of people involved in personal transformation are
experiencing spiritual emergencies -- crises when the process of growth
and change becomes chaotic and overwhelming. Individuals experiencing
such episodes may feel that their sense of identity is breaking down,
that their old values no longer hold true, and that the very ground
beneath their personal realities is radically shifting. In many cases,
new realms of mystical and spiritual experience enter their lives
suddenly and dramatically, resulting in fear and confusion. They may
feel tremendous anxiety, have difficulty coping with their daily lives,
jobs, and relationships, and may even fear for their own sanity.
Unfortunately, much of modern psychiatry has failed to distinguish these
episodes from mental illness. As a result, transformational crises are
often suppressed by routine psychiatric care, medication, and even
institutionalization.
However, there is a new perspective developing among many mental health
professionals and those studying spiritual development that views such
crises as transformative breakthroughs that can hold tremendous
potential for physical and emotional healing. When understood and
treated in a supportive manner, spiritual emergencies can become
gateways to higher levels of functioning and new ways of being.
In this book, foremost psychologists, psychiatrists, and spiritual
teachers address the following questions: What is spiritual emergency?
What is the relationship between spirituality, "madness," and healing?
What forms does spiritual emergency take? What are the pitfalls -- and
promises -- of spiritual practice? How can people in spiritual emergency
be assisted by family, friends, and professionals?
This groundbreaking work reveals that within the crisis of spiritual
emergency lies the promise of spiritual emergence and renewal.
