Toward a psychology of awakening : Buddhism, psychotherapy, and the path of personal and spiritual transformation

Can the meditative traditions of Buddhism be integrated with the practice of Western psychology? John Welwood's latest book addresses this question with new comprehensiveness and depth, building on the innovative psychospiritual approach of his six previous books (with total sales of over 300,000 copies). The questions he addresses include: What can the spiritual methodologies of the East teach us about psychological health? What issues arise when the recognition of our larger nature challenges our very conception of individual self ? What new directions become possible when psychological work is undertaken in a spiritual context? How does Western psychological understanding affect our approach to spirituality? Welwood's psychology of awakening brings together three major dimensions of human existence: personal, interpersonal, and suprapersonal in one overall framework of understanding and practice. The book's first section addresses basic questions about the relationship between psychology and contemplative spirituality. The second explores the practical implications of this convergence for psychological health and healing. The third considers the implications for relationship and community.