Plaidoyer for Transpersonal Psychology: Theoretical and Practical Importance of its Discoveries

Stanislav Grof describes holotropic states of consciousness—those that move toward wholeness—which conventional psychology and psychiatry typically label as altered. He argues that these states are not pathological but can be healing and transformative, offering access to deeper dimensions of the psyche beyond the personal unconscious. The paper explores the potential of such states for personal growth, spiritual development, and understanding the human mind, challenging mainstream views that pathologize non-ordinary experiences.

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Abstract

Stanislav Grof describes the meaning of Holotropic states of conscience, the “states moving toward wholeness”, such as that kind of states which “traditional” psychology and psychiatry normally call altered.