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A site about mental health and spirituality in general and contemporary (New Age, Western esoteric, holistic, etc) spirituality in particular. Something that is usually summed up as "new spirituality". Existential, misc.
Consultations, supervision, training assignments.
Stefan Hellsten
Licensed Psychologist
I have an interest in psychology and spirituality. An overview: Psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychology originated with Sigmund Freud. At the beginning of the 1900th century, he developed psychoanalysis in theory and clinic. Others have further developed his ideas: Donald Winnicott, Wilfred Bion, Melanie Klein and others. Humanistic psychology emerged partly as a counterforce. To instead focus on "the healthy": Abraham Maslow. The next step was transpersonal psychology, which to an even greater degree (as far as I understood) was open to higher aspects in man: Stanislav Grof, experimenting with drugs for personal development and psychic healing. Integral psychology has even emerged from this. Ken Wilber. Positive psychology: Míhály Csíkszentmihályi. Religion has always existed. Therapeutic: Soul care, Christian deep meditation. In the 60s and early 70s, what we today call new spirituality and the New Age arose. Inspired by Eastern spiritual practice and theology – yoga and meditation, reincarnation and karma, gurus and disciples. And theosophy, including: Madame Blavatsky. Important names in this context: Jiddu Krishnamurti, who was raised by theosophists Annie Besant and Charles Webster Leadbeater and predicted to be the new World Teacher. He dropped out in his thirties. In connection with this, the Theosophical Society underwent a crisis. Rudolf Steiner dropped out and founded the Anthroposophical Society, which we know through Walldorf pedagogy, biodynamic cultivation, Vidarkliniken, etc. A Scandinavian in the same genre: Martinus Thomsen, "Martinus", whose teaching is usually called Martinus' cosmology. At the intersection between new spirituality and psychology/therapy we have phenomena such as: Pre/trans fallacy (Wilber), spiritual bypass/bypassing (John Welwood). Even what are usually called "therapeutic sects". It is not clear who should be included here: Scientology by L Ron Hubbard, etc. This should probably also include various spiritual gurus/inspirers/teachings/systems that focus on personal/spiritual development: Byron Katie, Deepak Chopra, The Secret, Mirakelkursen - A Course in Miracles. Many things that fit within holistic spirituality have also gained great acceptance among the general public. Interest in yoga, meditation, astrology, etc. Also reincarnation and karma. In several surveys, it has been shown that as many as 25% of people in the West embrace the belief that one is reborn, living life after life. There is also an anti-cult movement, more or less agitated. Many with their own experiences, so-called defectors, or affected relatives, but also psychologists, psychotherapists, etc. who are interested in this area. In Sweden, among others: Håkan Järvå, Helena Löfgren, Anette Nyman, Clas Svahn. In that context, the religious skeptic, Sigmund Freud should be highlighted, of course. Magical thinking in all its forms. In recent years, the concept of Conspirituality has begun to be used. A mix of New Age Spirituality and Conspiracy theories. Not least in the wake of Donald Trump and the conspiracy culture that has flourished around him. QAnon. Things like Chem trails, notions about the danger of vaccines for Covid-19, 5G, Illuminati, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, etc. are also absorbed here.