TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGY Introduction Program Audience Program Objectives Program Concentrations Master of Science in Transpersonal Psychology Doctor of Philosophy in Transpersonal Psychology (by Dissertation) Program Faculty Transpersonal Resources Welcome to Transpersonal Psychology! For hundreds of years the world has treated consciousness as a sort of by-product of chemical, mechanical, or mathematical processes. These processes might be understood by merely looking at the physical functioning of the brain and nervous system. This thinking has reduced reality itself to a system of algorithms designed to control risk in an orderly world. Today scientists, psychologists, managers, and other leaders in the system are discovering that the world exists with both order and disorder side by side. We are finding that our very observation affects the outcomes of our own examinations. These effects have caused us to stop and examine what consciousness actually is and how it functions. Philosophy has attempted on several occasions to answer these questions based on theoretical logic. The difference between a philosophical model and the model that we here at Akamai provide is simply this: we are concerned with how consciousness, transpersonal consciousness, and transpersonal psychology interact and integrate with everyday experience. In this way we hope to build programs that not only allow the scientific exploration, but how that exploration actually affects you life, the human condition, and the world at large. Recognition of these studies is based on the idea that we, as human beings, are having a human experience, and that that experience influences our comprehension and interaction with other consciousnesses existing on this planet. We have too long attempted to place people in molds that simply can no longer contain them. We have at one time considered humans to be clocks that apparently wear down over time, machines that can be moved and replaced like cogs in a greater machine, or computers that see our knowledge as a basic input, storage, and retrieval system. Each of the methodologies has given us both freedom and limitations. They have given us freedom to interact in the world by modeling the world itself and placing that model over the brain, the mind, and the nervous system of the individual. They have limited us by ignoring the designs, artists, and creators that do not fit the model of the time. We have been moving toward a new system of understanding. Our realization that information contains energy and energy contains information has expanded our awareness beyond that of mere input, throughput, and output. We have something between these three areas that causes us to think, react, and experience the world individually. Today we can no long be content with having experience defined for us by externalities that fit some mold or a conceptual format the world is going through at any particular moment. We need to build a new scientific model for the nature of consciousness. Our investigations should include a multidimensional approach to experience and its associated behaviors, perceptions, mnemonics, and the accompanying states of awareness that exist within each combination. This program will explore the states and processes of individuals, groups, governments, organizations, and other movements. We emphasize the experience of both internal and external realities these various areas. We examine this experience using an organized scientifically based model. Akamai will, of course, integrate the historical, present, and possible future theories of consciousness with those of transpersonal states of awareness. We need to build a background for a new way of connecting to our inner lives and our outer world. We are being forced to update our systems just about every eighteen months. This is a left over from the computer model, where systems double every eighteen months. And yet humanity seems to be falling behind schedule. Our science can now do things beyond our ability to manage. These include areas as diverse as cloning, leaving the planet, destroying life on a massive scale, instantaneous communication, and tracking just about every aspect of an individual's life. Soon we will be using nanotechnology along side of genetically produced food. We will be using three dimensional representations of computer realities with a full surround sound and visual environments. And still we have not been able to deal with the addictions of our past. Our addictions stem from our willingness to escape reality, for whatever reason. We have moved from physical addictions, drugs, alcohol, smoking, and sex, to mental addictions: gambling, addictive shopping, and credit cards. It can easily be imagined that soon we will enter into computer created realities and the accompanying addictions therein, this fact is being noticed today, where individuals are being labeled cyber-addicts. Meanwhile, much of the world still lives in poverty, surrounded by hatred, and war, and disease, and death. Our present systems of understanding human nature have led us to a threshold we are fast approaching. This threshold contains a new awareness of human consciousness and all of its related fields. It is our hope that the students in this program take their learning back into their daily lives, their jobs, their relationships, and even their play. It is hoped that by understanding the consciousness of self and organization the graduate will have the tools for change and change management; whether that be through understanding static states, transpersonal states, or the scientific approach of transpersonal psychology. We can move away from the restrictions of risk management and toward a new frontier of discovery, where everything is open to investigation. Everything is once again on the table as it relates to everyday experience. Regards, Steven J. Cox, Ph.D. Program Director Return to Top PROGRAM OBJECTIVES The Transpersonal Psychology Program focuses upon the following objectives: Deepening knowledge of the transpersonal realm. Deepening and widening knowledge of the Transpersonal realm, including the means for its access, self-control, and relationship to power. This deepening involves an integration/adaptation of past practices to the present and future possibilities, the development of techniques in accordance with the evolution of consciousness, and the building of a bridge between contemporary science and technology and traditional spiritual practices. It includes the study of dreams, visions and hallucinations, mythological symbolism, and the arts, how they contribute and relate to contemporary understanding of concrete reality and the subjective participation of the observer. Mapping the history of religions. Mapping the history of how great religions and shamanic traditions have interpreted and contained transpersonal experiences. Differences between how East and West, North and South functioning have molded our politics and economics is explored; lunar and solar, monotheistic and polytheistic approaches are compared. Differentiating between illness and health.,br> While highly gifted and disciplined individuals, those with trans-rational potential, have achieved control over their transiting across levels of reality, others, functioning at a pre-rational level, find themselves swept away to levels of otherness that they have no control over, and/or no awareness of. While trans-rational individuals are often teachers and healers, sometimes prophets and visionary artists who help move culture to its next stage of development, the pre-rational individuals are dysfunctional and need help with adapting to ordinary reality. Correct differentiation between these two types ensures that the appropriate treatment is given in times of spiritual emergence. Healing the split between realities, within and without. The split within addresses individuals or groups that fail to entertain smooth communications between realities caused by illness such as schizophrenia or various forms of cults that overemphasize one reality at the expense of balance. The split without addresses the problem of hatred, disrespect, indifference for and neglect of other individuals, groups or the environment. In this Center, special emphasis is placed on healing the split between social group/nations that differ in belief systems and developmental level, seeking to find the deeper level of communication that holds the power to heal hatred and separation, and the split between Culture and Nature. Return to Top PROGRAM CONCENTRATIONS The Transpersonal Psychology Program offers the following major concentrations for pursuit of study: Consciousness Studies Divinity Studies Dream Studies Hypnosis Studies Intentionality Studies Magickal Studies Metaphysical Studies Spiritual Psychology Transpersonal Studies Return to Top PRIMARY FACULTY Steven J. Cox, PhD. Center Director Stanley Krippner, Ph.D. Christopher Johannes, Ph.D. Claudine Jeanrenaud, Ph.D. Joann S. Bakula, Ph.D. Elliot Benjamin, Ph.D. Michael Cohen, Ed.D. Peter N. Jones, Ph.D. Stefan J. Kasian, Ph.D, Lezlie A. Kinyon, Ph.D. Niko Kohls, Ph.D. Marena Koukis, Ph.D. Juanita J. Rinas, MA, LPC Return to Top TRANSPERSONAL RESOURCES Association for Humanistic Psychology Center for Consciousness Studies Institute of Noetic Sciences ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) Integral Institute Integral World International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Journal of Transpersonal Psychology Journal of Consciousness Studies Journal of Humanistic Psychology PSYCHE: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Research and Consciousness Saybrook Graduate School What is Enlightenment? Return to Top