Healing the Split: Integrating Spirit Into Our Understanding of the Mentally Ill

Nelson, M.D. John E.

ISBN 10: 079141986X / ISBN 13: 9780791419861

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany, NY, 1994

About this Item

Clean, tight, unmarked; spine straight and uncreased; very minimal wear; appears unread; In this book, Nelson brings the lofty ideas of transpersonal psychology down to earth so they can be applied in a practical way to explain the bizarre effects of insanity on the human mind. Drawing on a vast knowledge of Eastern philosophy and mainstream neuropsychiatry, he heals the split between orthodox and alternative views iwth a comprehensive approach that goes beyond both. Starting where R.D. Laing and Thomas Szasz left off, Nelson revises and expands their radical views in light of modern brain science. He then turns to ancient tantric yoga for a synthesis that weaves brain, psyche, and spirit into a compelling new conception of mental illness.

Seller Inventory # 005780

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Healing the Split: Integrating Spirit Into Our Understanding of the Mentally Ill
• Publisher: State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
• Publication Date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 079141986X
• ISBN 13: 9780791419861
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition: 2nd Edition
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

The links between madness, creative genius, and spiritual experiences have tantalized philosophers and scientists for centuries. In Healing the Split, John Nelson brings the lofty ideas of transpersonal psychology down to earth so they can be applied in a practical way to explain the bizarre effects of insanity on the human mind. Drawing on a vast knowledge of Eastern philosophy and mainstream neuropsychiatry, he heals the split between orthodox and alternative views with a comprehensive approach that goes beyond both. Starting where R. D. Laing and Thomas Szasz left off, Nelson revises and expands their radical views in light of modern brain science. He then turns to ancient tantric yoga for a synthesis that weaves brain, psyche, and spirit into a compelling new conception of mental illness.

For professionals who seek to meet the needs of their patients more creatively, this book offers a unique synthesis. For people in emotional crisis, it clarifies the distinctions among intractable psychosis, temporary breakdowns in the service of healing (spiritual emergencies), and psychic breakthroughs (spiritual emergence). And for anyone interested in the seemingly inexplicable workings of the human mind gone mad, this fascinating exploration of psychotic states of consciousness will be exciting reading.

About the Author

Michael Washburn is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Indiana University South Bend. He is the author of Embodied Spirituality in a Sacred World, The Ego and the Dynamic Ground: A Transpersonal Theory of Human Development, and Transpersonal Psychology in Psychoanalytic Perspective, all published by SUNY Press.