Spring 2010 Vol. 20, No. 1 Special Edition: Psychedelics, Death and Dying
The Ultimate Journey: Consciousness and the Mystery of Death, Second Edition, by Stanislav Grof, M.D.
with new preface by David Jay Brown & Peter Gasser, M.D.
Beyond personal history and archetypal themes, a comprehensive psychology must also address the fundamental significance of birth and death. Stanislav Grof, M.D., renowned for his pioneering contributions regarding the psychological and spiritual aspects of the birth process, now adds invaluable insights from more than half a century of research and personal discovery into the experience of death and dying. Dr. Grof distills teachings from ancient wisdom and modern science that suggest how to face the process of death and dying. The ultimate journey challenges us all, and how we approach it is much more than major personal issue. Those who come to terms with death in deep experiential self-exploration tend to develop a sense of planetary citizenship, reverence for life in all its forms, and spirituality of a universal and all-encompassing nature. Such radial inner transformation might be humanity’s only real chance for survival. The Ultimate Journey describes ancient and aboriginal ritual and spiritual practices that help us understand the experience of death, develop effective ways of making dying easier, and integrate it as a meaningful part of life. The book also summarizes modern studies that shed new light on a variety of phenomena related to death and dying, including psycho-spiritual death and rebirth, near-death experiences, and the new expanded cartography of the psyche that has emerged from Grof’s fifty years of research of psychedelic therapy, Holotropic Breathwork, and spontaneous psychospiritual crises.
About the Author
Stanislav Grof, M.D., internationally acclaimed psychiatrist and co-founder of the transpersonal psychology, has taught and lectured in academic and workshop settings worldwide. He has served as Chief of Psychiatric Research at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Scholar-in-Residence at Esalen Institute, and Co-President of the Grof Transpersonal Training Program. Dr. Grof is a distinguished faculty member at the California Institute of Integral Studies and the author of many books, including LSD Psychotherapy, The Adventure of Self-Discovery, The Cosmic Game, and Psychology of the Future.
The Ultimate Journey is available on the MAPS website now, 100% of the profits go toward furthering psychedelic research.
Mavericks of the Mind, Second Edition: Loaded with New Material!
by David Jay Brown & Rebecca McClen Novick
David Jay Brown and Rebecca McClen Novick’s classic interview collection–Mavericks of the Mind–will soon be back in print! This stimulating collection features in-depth conversations with accomplished thinkers, such as Terence McKenna, Laura Huxley, Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary, John Lilly, Carolyn Mary Kleefeld, Rupert Sheldrake, Riane Eisler, and Robert Anton Wilson. The interviews explore such fascinating topics as the frontiers of consciousness exploration, how psychedelics effect creativity, the relationship between science and spirituality, lucid dreaming, quantum physics, morphic field theory, interspecies communication, chaos theory, and time travel.
Loaded with new material–a new introduction, additional interviews, as well as new photos and artwork–the second edition of Mavericks of the Mind also includes the transcripts from the events that brought together interviewees from the book to debate philosophical topics in roundtable discussions. Designed by MAPS Bulletin graphic designer Mark Plummer, with beautiful new cover artwork by Carolyn Mary Kleefeld, this exciting new edition will be available in May, 2010.