In this book, Catherine Lucas writes about how to support someone through a mental/spiritual health crisis. I agree that some people have unusual experiences, which can be brought on by intense spiritual practices. When people are in crisis they need care, protection and emotional support; in this situation, psychotropic drugs should be used carefully and sparingly. Good outcomes are optimised by support and encouragement to integrate the experiences and in this way emotional damage can be avoided.
The author seeks to differentiate between psychosis and spiritual emergence. I am not clear about this distinction - in my view, there is one type of experience, the outcome depending on how the person is supported. I found this book difficult, not intellectually but in terms of differing world views. The author's transpersonal perspective is a New Age blend of Eastern philosophies with science: spiritual emergencies are caused by, for example, excess universal energy, communication with spirit guides, or past life memories. Here we part company. When the author blames her current gynaecological problems on past life experiences (p. 65), I find it difficult to comprehend. That South American natives could not perceive Western explorers’ advancing ships because they did not fit known categories seems unbelievable (p. 72).
There is an implication that members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group agree with the author's views (p. 73). It is true that some members of the group do hold these views but others would be profoundly uncomfortable with past life regression and ‘channeling’. Just because the special interest group had a day conference including a speaker on spirit release therapy does not signify validation. Several of the members of the group follow Abrahamic faiths - Judaism, Christianity, Islam - and each have their own mystic traditions, and teach that spiritual experience is not to be sought for its own sake, and not without risk; there are unhealthy, negative spiritual forces as well as healthy ones.
This book is an interesting introduction to the transpersonal perspective and is useful for understanding this world view. However, this is not an approach I personally find internally consistent, helpful or believable, and I cannot recommend this book without serious reservations. It reaches conclusions which I can neither endorse nor recommend to others.
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