Paths beyond Ego (New Consciousness Reader) (Paperback)

~ Roger Walsh (Author), Frances Vaughan (Author) "WE ARE astoundingly ingenious creatures..." (more)
Key Phrases: transpersonal disciplines, multistate disciplines, transpersonal crises, Ken Wilber, Transpersonal Bands, William James (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book is a clarion call for an expanded vision of human possibilities. The 50 essays that make up Paths Beyond Ego apply transpersonal thinking to individual growth, psychotherapy, meditation, dreams, psychedelics, science, ethics, philosophy, ecology and service. The result is an integrated and comprehensive overview of the many dimensions of human experience.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (September 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874776783
• ISBN-13: 978-0874776782
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #400,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Introduction to a Hopeful Vision of Humanity, April 24, 2000

By	William Andrew (San Rafael, California) - See all my reviews

I love this book and am glad to see it has passed the test of twenty years of use. I found its first incarnation as "Beyond Ego," a wonderful distillation of transpersonal psychology and consciousness research, and am happy to recommend what is now a completely rewritten, updated, and even better version to clients and friends today. I appreciate writing that makes learning easy, and the current "Paths Beyond Ego" succinctly introduces its readers to the key ideas of more than thirty five of the most influential thinkers in the field, thus saving the effort of wading through the hundreds of original texts.

Although easy to read, this is a rigorous work that integrates scientific and psychological thinking with the spiritual traditions to create a comprehensive transpersonal vision of the highest possibilities of what human beings can be. The media is full of the wonders of physical technology, while this book offers a much needed counterbalance by examining the less commonly known wonders of psychospiritual technology. One of the most interesting questions this book explores is how something non physical like spirituality can be studied with scientific rigor rather than being left adrift in the realms of arbitrary belief, superstition, and dogma.

"Paths Beyond Ego" examines some of the major ideas, practices, goals, and experiences, that underlie the spiritual traditions and the new discipline of transpersonal psychology. It does this in a non-denominational way that avoids getting lost in the beliefs and details of any particular path or religion. The editors paint a broad interdisciplinary overview of what leading researchers of consciousness are exploring today, including; personal growth, transpersonal psychotherapy, spiritual emergency, addiction, meditation, enlightenment, gurus, lucid dreaming, psychedelics, science and spirituality, ethics, philosophy, mysticism, love, near death experiences, service, and ecology.

I have used this book as an introductory text for university undergraduates, who rated it highly, as well as an introduction to transpersonal thinking for "growth oriented" therapy clients. I have also recommended it to corporate managers and trainers who wanted a quick overview of how "normal every day consciousness" can be developed by practice into much more effective "higher states of consciousness" through self awareness, self transcendence, and ultimately, enlightenment.

For those who find the gems in this collection of fifty essays engaging and want to go deeper, you will have both the "big picture" and a reading list with which to select among authors and longer works that will take you there. In this field, theory is only proven by personal application of the understanding it offers, so if you are inspired by the possibilities of inner exploration, and ready to move beyond theory into actual exercises and practices, Dr. Walsh's newest book, "Essential Spirituality," is an excellently written, user friendly, and highly recommended place to start. (Recommended by Wilber, Grof, Tart, Ram Dass, Jampolsky, Arrien, and other leaders in the field, with a forward by the Dalai Lama.)

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book on transpersonal Psychology, February 18, 2003

By A Customer

This book is a wonderful series of essays for those of us interested in transpersonal experiences. It was very inspiring and helped me experientially get closer to transcendence. The richness in content comes from many people discussing the transpersonal experience from many different perspectives. I'd highly recommend this book. Another book on transpersonal psychology I'd recommend is "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. It is the best book that explains what transcendence really means! It explains these things in a way that everyone can understand! Both books are excellent!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best "New Consciousness" books, March 21, 2002

By	Shawn Regan (marietta, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

An outstanding book on the subject of transpersonal psychology. This is a collection of essays from the leaders in the field. I Especially enjoyed the articles by Ken Wilber (of course) and Roger Walsh