Измененные состояния сознания

by Charles T. Tart, Чарльз Тарт, Е. Филина (Translator)

Сон или явь? Бодрствование или грезы? Любой, хоть раз переживший измененное состояние сознания, понимает, чем оно отличается от обычного, нормального. Но не всегда способен это объяснить, отдавая себе отчет лишь в том, что подобный опыт необычен и ценен. За тонкой поверхностью сознания человека лежит относительно неизведанная область психической деятельности, природа и функции которой никогда не были ни систематически исследованы, ни адекватно изучены.

Чарльз Тарт, классик мировой психологии, попытался прояснить это, охарактеризовать измененное сознание, а также проиллюстрировать способы, какими можно его вызвать.

Genres: Psychology, Science, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Philosophy, Drugs, Mysticism

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Charles T. Tart was an American psychologist and parapsychologist known for his psychological work on the nature of consciousness (particularly altered states of consciousness), as one of the founders of the field of transpersonal psychology, and for his research in parapsychology.

Reviews

[Erik Graff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best collection of essays I've ever seen on the topic of altered states of consciousness. It is dated, but then little research has occurred in the field since the Nixon adminstration began restrictions of aspects of such work and it is interesting and important to read some of the older material to get a sense of how seriously the implications of induced altered states were taken by such luminaries as William James, Carl Gustav Jung and Sigmund Freud. Indeed, some of the century-past authors suggest fields for future research which have yet to be tilled.

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lately, I have an interest in unusual claims made in the field of psychology, for it seems to me that at least some of these claims are well founded--arguably, more well founded than Fortean claims in other fields. I got this book from a used bookstore in my neighborhood.

This book, first published in 1969, is a collection of readings about altered states of consciousness. Some of the papers report quantitative information, such as an electroencephalograhic study of Yogis. However, other papers, usually the older ones, are more like a personal essay. For example, the philosopher William James writes about his experience under the influence of nitrous oxide.

Here are some claims I came across in this book which I found fascinating:

--- Rachmaninoff, in order to deal with depression, saw a therapist who specialized in hypnotic treatments. Rachmaninoff was told under hypnotic suggestion to write music and work with great facility. Rachmaninoff's gloom evaporated and he wrote Concerto Number Two in C Minor for Piano and Orchestra.

--- Two Yogis were able to keep a hand in ice cold water for 44-55 minutes without experiencing any discomfort.

--- The Senoi, a tribe which lives in the Malay Peninsula, claims that there has been no violent crime or an intercommunal conflict in 200-300 years. They credit this to a psychotherapy of dream interpretation which is an integral part of their society.

The book also contains an impressive list of References. I find it exciting to think that further research has gone on since the time when this book was first published, and that there is still much to be explored.

[Lottie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Man, they sure used to publish anything in psychological journals in the 60s.

I really couldn't finish this book, not only because it's incredibly long but because the outdated and debunked sections just kept eroding at my enjoyment. I should've called it quits when two of the Altered States of Consciousness listed in the long list of phenomena that Tart counted as such... were brainwashing and Satanic worship, two of the hottest fears at the time which were quite literally never proven to have existed and were just made-up political talking points to push anti-Communist and anti-non-Christian sentiment akin to today's Havana Syndrome.

It was such a huge slog that by the time I read the author's remarks about the "Senoi Dreaming Tribe," something that sounded suspiciously like our modern day understanding of lucid dreaming, I couldn't take it anymore and had to Google search it.

When asked, members of the Senoi tribe had no clue what the researcher who first coined the theory was talking about. He completely made it up to craft an exoticized narrative around his own American-centric proposals and ideas, and the researchers around him bought what has now been called a "fairytale" without a moment's hesitation.

It's a shame because I actually would love to have a book that just dives into the current research on how we understand consciousness, what we have yet to know, how it can be altered, and what experiments have been done to expand ones' own understanding of consciousness. Just y'know, not this.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a survey book from the late 60's, covering the seminal research that had been conducted until then on altered states of consciousness. Some of the papers are highly technical, others less so. It deals with the psychology of mysticism, psychedelic drugs, meditation, similarity to pathologies, etc. The fundamental premise of the book is that ASCs are normal not necessarily pathological and in cultures other than Western, they are viewed as beneficial and desired.

The one negative of the book is that it is so far out of date and since the 1980s there has been a lot more work done that must be tracked down. This is a good foundation for future study though.

[Ard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in my early twenties when I had just started learning about altered states and this book was everything I could have wished for. Over the years I have reread many of the articles and although some are a little dated by now, they are still fascinating and inspiring. This book is still an excellent introduction and springboard for anybody's quests into the deeper and higher levels of consciousness.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

to be aware of what we have not shared here, read the senoi (malay) article. it will change you forever. or at least until you are 'dead.'

[Fernando · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just read everything related to dreams.

[Ishrat Rathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of works by various authors, edited by Charles T. Tart from the University of California, Davis. For your information, Charles Tart is an Associate Distinguished Professor of Integral and Transpersonal Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Charles T. Tart is a renowned psychologist and parapsychologist, recognized as one of the founding figures in the field of transpersonal psychology.
So anyway, the book is an academic exploration of psychoactive and psychedelic drugs, meditation, and various aspects of the mind and consciousness, supported by scientific references and research. If anyone is interested in these topics, this book offers valuable insights.

[Mahdikhazaee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to understand English language is used in this book. foreign readers can read easily. After reading this book, you will sense world in a very different way. detailed information about the structure of mind and consciousness is also included in this book.

[Tom Kidd]

A collection of papers from the 1960s on everything from psychedelic drugs to meditation. Excellent reading for anyone interested in how we think.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some fascinating essays, a number quite dull, some dated.