Stanislav Grof

RE: Stanislav Grof

Hi Joanna, Must admit, thats has been in my mind recently. I feel it should be a natural progression....a step forward. Towards a completeness.......

Oakapple xx

RE: Stanislav Grof

Hi Joanna

I read your post because seeing the name Stanislav Grof rang a bell: I first heard of him through a book written by his wife Christina about spiritual emergency (unheralded spiritual awakenings and kundalini openings). I had also heard Stan Grof's name a number of times from various therapists I've come into contact with over a number of years.

However, I didn't know about this hyperventilation stuff ('holotropic' is surely a word he's made up himself) so I've just had a look at his website to find out more. I was immediately reminded of something I once tried called 'Rebirthing' which was, I believe, a Scientology technique which utilised overbreathing to achieve shifts in awareness. I have to say that I found it interesting but not earthshaking.

Personally I think that if this sort of thing doesn't resonate with you then you have no need to delve into it. I can imagine that it attracts certain people but I can't see that it can have much to do with the path of shamanism that you envisage.

Horses for courses: nothing wrong with it but it's not for me. Doesn't sound as though it would be for you, either. But I don't believe there's anything wrong with it or with Stan Grof.

Love
Sunanda xxx

RE: Stanislav Grof

Hi sunanda

I first heard of him through a book written by his wife Christina about spiritual emergency

Actually they co-authored it, it's called The Stormy Search For The Self, and I have a copy.

If you've visited his website, could you possibly post a link? Thanks.

Holistic

RE: Stanislav Grof

Hi Hol

Yes, that was the book.

Happy to oblige with the link to the website:

Love
Sunanda xxx

PS I remember being quite shocked at the bit in the book where Christina, almost offhandedly, admits that she became an alcoholic during her 'struggle' with her kundalini awakening.

RE: Stanislav Grof

Thanks for the link. 'Holotropic' does ring a bell ... perhaps I've more recently read about it in Kindred Spirit magazine.

Although it's years since I read the book whose title I posted earlier, today I discovered from his website there are actually TWO, with similar titles. I looked on [link= http://www.amazon.co.uk ]www.amazon.co.uk[/link] for 'grof' and they are:

[link= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stormy-Search-Self-Personal-Transformational/dp/087477649X/ref=sr_1_1/202-6070011-4813417?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175615112&sr=1-1 ]Stormy Search for the Self: A Guide to Personal Growth Through Transformational Crisis[/link] by Christina Grof and Stanislav Grof (as already mentioned, but to give it its full title)

and

[link= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spiritual-Emergency-Personal-Transformation-Consciousness/dp/0874775388/ref=sr_1_2/202-6070011-4813417?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175615112&sr=1-2 ]Spiritual Emergency: When Personal Transformation Becomes a Crisis [/link]

which he wrote and they both edited.

Both books got good reviews on amazon.

PS I remember being quite shocked at the bit in the book where Christina, almost offhandedly, admits that she became an alcoholic during her 'struggle' with her kundalini awakening.

I don't recall her being 'offhand' about it ... IIRC, she had a very traumatic experience and turned to drunk as a result. Maybe she was trying to make light of it? I dunno. (I just realised 'make light of it' could be taken in two ways ;)).

She isn't unique in this. The irony is that people join AA to be cured of their alcoholism by way of spirituality, and others hit the spiritual path so suddenly it drives them to drink!

There are several interesting past threads on HP discussing whether the use of drink and/or drugs enhances or hinders the spiritual experience, with some big differences of opinion!

Hol. xx

RE: Stanislav Grof

i know nothing of holotropic but from what little i know it sounds the same as rebirthing......which i rate as the most powerful therapy i have come across to date, whichis not surprisingas its so primal.

RE: Stanislav Grof

Here's Wikipedia's offering:

[link= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holotropic_Breathwork ]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holotropic_Breathwork[/link]

RE: Stanislav Grof

cheers guys. i know we have to use our own discernment but it's always interesting to hear other peoples views as well. looks like i'm just gonna have to read the book!!

RE: Stanislav Grof

Hi I've read some of Grof's work and have also done breathwork (although not with their organisation).
I found the breathwork (long periods ofhyperventilation)potent but severe and some of the physical affects quite disturbing, lips and hands going into spasm and release of body memories.
I've also done some bioenergetic therapy which had similarities.
The deeper igo into this workthe more Ifeel that therapy (whetherany kind of psychotherapy, body therapy or spiritual development)needs to bring us to a place of safety, where we can be vulnerable and supported in the work.
Some of the techniques out there can be less than life affirming and, at worst, border on abuse. I'm not particularly saying that about the Groffs, but it's important to discern exactly what you are looking for from a given technique.
I did think Cristina Groff's work on spiritual emergency/kundalini was useful.We're led to believe that spiritual awakening is all bliss andecstasy. The realitycan be very different.
Lynn

RE: Stanislav Grof

thanks for posting lynn, i found what you say very interesting. i think there has been a lot of controversy surrounding their work, even though they are held up to be leaders in their field - because of the forceable manner their techniques promote. i think anything that is forced before it's time could be quite dangerous for the soul and psyche. I hope you are well and happy now

x x x

RE: Stanislav Grof

[color="#000000"]'Holotropic Breathwork TM - healing through a non-ordinary state of consciousness'

[color="#000000"]Dr. Nicola Crowley

The concepts of 'healing', and the 'therapeutic power of altered states' of consciousness are not mainstream concepts in psychiatry, but are increasingly being considered as valid and necessary subjects to consider in our expanding understanding of brain, mind and consciousness.

This is challenging to doctors who are grounded in the biomechanical model and the Newtonian-Cartesian paradigm within which it is structured. Experiential data derived from work with non-ordinary states of consciousness challenges these basic tenets.

Definitions form an important basic frame of reference as we start to explore a field that is essentially experiential, about experiences that can be beyond words.

Healing

The concept of healing is different to curing. The word 'heal' traces its roots back to the Anglo-Saxon word hal, which means 'whole'. Curing on the other hand, implies that someone is trying to eliminate a disease, symptom or crisis. In psychiatry, medication is our curing tool. Suppressing symptoms to buy time, containment, and comfort and to gain balance and perspective are all possible. But the healing process is one of not suppressing symptoms but actually moving into them as a way of reaching wholeness.

Sometimes our attempts at cures can deny the possibility of healing rather than facilitate it. Curing as an attempt to control our experiences can interfere with our ability to move into the unsolicited experiences we need to restructure our lives 1. In his essay 'The Spirit in Health and Disease' psychiatrist Laurence Bendit 2 spoke of healing as rebuilding one's life anew from chaos and disorder:

'Healing is basically the result of putting right our wrong relationship to the body, to other people and…to our own complicated minds, with their emotions and instincts at war with one another and not properly understood by what we call 'I' or 'me'. The process is one of re-organisation, reintegration of things which have come apart'.

you can read the whole article here

[link= http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/PDF/CrowleyHolotropic1.6.05.pdf ]http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/PDF/CrowleyHolotropic1.6.05.pdf[/link]

[color="#000000"]and here's more PDF's from the [color="#000000"]the Royal College of Psychiatrists

[link= http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/college/specialinterestgroups/spirituality/publications.aspx ]http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/college/specialinterestgroups/spirituality/publications.aspx[/link]

Grof is certainly worth reading imho.