Psicología del despertar: Budismo, psicoterapia y transformación personal

by John Welwood, David González Raga (Translator)

Have you ever noticed that self-described spiritual people are not necessarily all that easy to be with? John Welwood has a term for what often happens--spiritual bypassing. This is when a person reaches for the stars while forgetting about the goop on his shoes. Welwood, author of the popular Love and Awakening and Journey of the Heart has made a profession out of bringing East and West together, integrating the path to enlightenment with the techniques of psychotherapy. In Toward a Psychology of Awakening, Welwood integrates a series of his articles written over a period of 30 years in an attempt to explain the dynamics of psychologies East and West. The hope is that, combined, they can create a wholeness that encompasses the various levels of human experience. Since many of these articles were written for specialist readers, they won't have the verve and inspiration of Welwood's other books, but Welwood fans and enthusiasts of transpersonal psychology will be delighted to have all these ground-breaking articles together in one place. So go ahead and reach for the stars--just don't forget that you still have to slog through the mire with the rest of us. --Brian BruyaHow can we connect the spiritual realizations of Buddhism with the psychological insights of the West? In Toward a Psychology of Awakening John Welwood addresses this question with comprehensiveness and depth. Along the way he shows how meditative awareness can help us develop more dynamic and vital relationships and how psychotherapy can help us embody spiritual realization more fully in everyday life. Welwood's psychology of awakening brings together the three major dimensions of human experience: personal, interpersonal, and suprapersonal, in one overall framework of understanding and practice.

Genres: Psychology, Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Self Help, Religion

440 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

John Welwood (1943-2019) was an American clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, teacher, and author, known for integrating psychological and spiritual concepts. Trained in existential psychology, Welwood earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Chicago in 1974. He was the Director of the East/West Psychology Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and associate editor of Journal of Transpersonal Psychology.

Reviews

[Steve Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most important books I have ever read. As a veteran of armed conflict in both Vietnam and Cambodia and a survivor of extreme abuse in childhood, the best that traditional mental health services based on the medical model could offer failed me. To begin with, there was no entry for PTSD in the DSM before 1982, so whatever I suffered from was either misdiagnosed or labelled some kind of malingering. That fact in and of itself points pretty clearly to the hopelessly inadequate and some might say criminally negligent approach of the so called professionals to a major problem then and an increasingly critical problem now. Returning veterans trying to cope with difficulties still poorly understood and inadequately treated.

For myself I reached a point where I simply gave up. That decision led me down a very dark road the destination of that path would inevitably have been for me as it is now for so many in the same position suicide. I was lucky, I eventually realized that the system supposedly there to support me was killing me. Nothing that was being put to me as therapy nor any medication was helping and in fact it was all compounding the issue and making matters worse. In a fit of defiance, I made a commitment to do whatever it took myself, that led me to do the only thing I knew how to do and that was to research. I have spent 10 years reading everything I could find on the condition of what is now called PTSD, from the American Civil War right through to conflicts today, together with all the basic texts I could find on psychotherapy, and the theories of personality development and adjustment; these ranging from the classical theorists, eg. Jung, Freud through to the later thinkers,e.g. Rogers, Epstein. Then there were the revolutionaries e.g. Szaz, Grof, Gendlin. It would probably be reasonable to say that I am at least as well read as anyone who has completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology at any major university. All this reading provided much fodder for tough, some insight and a great deal of perspective that just confirmed my view that whatever the latest fad might be in the treatment of PTSD; Cbt, ACT, whatever it would always fall short in exactly the same ways that my own experience had done.

The inadequacies of the medical model condemned it so. The idea that the person so affected was sick and had to be cured simply rammed home the sense of being broken and helpless that are so much part of the condition. There had to be more.

I was fortunate enough, having done what so many Vietnam Veterans and done and bailed out to SE Asia, shunning the country and the society I grew up in as having nothing to offer me, but further angst, I had started to explore meditation and psychology in the context of Buddhist teaching. Here was the more. No longer regarding the condition of my mind as "abnormal" but simply another aberration of the aberrant human condition. No more no less dysfunctional than any other and so the same approach to an enlightenment of sorts was now on the cards for me. I have never looked back.

Initially my response to having seen the light was to dump anything that was related to western psychology or psychotherapy into the garbage, since it had all served me so poorly. Over recent years however given all the reading and all the lived experience, now leavened with a little more compassion and open mindedness I felt that there had to be a wy forward incorporating the bestow both worlds, never quite able to see how that might be possible. Well here in this book greater minds have also done some thinking. This pulls it all together for me. There is the basis here for a therapeutic approach that would definitely work, it worked for me even though I found my way rather by accident than by design. It would however require a massive shift in philosophy, theory and approach. An uphill battle no doubt given the vested interests and the inbuilt cultural inertia that prevails but definitely worth some exploration.

[Jaren · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible read. Experientially-based and clearly written, it's got so much good stuff on openness, ego, love, spirituality, and the beneficial intermingling of psychology and spirituality, psychotherapy and meditation... It had quite an influence on me.

[Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Welwood does a wonderful job on showing the differences between Western views of consciousness (based on psychotherapy) and Buddhism. Neither Buddhism or Western psychotherapy deny the need for a strong ego. (Imagine ego as the continued ideas and representations that we have of ourselves.) A strong ego controls impulses, has adequate self-esteem (neither too high or too low) and is competent in worldly functioning. The problem is that for Buddhism (and the other great world religions) a functioning ego is not enough. Another way of saying this is that you can have a functioning ego and still miss out on much more that this existence has to offer. And still another way of saying this is that you can have a functioning ego (you can be wonderfully self-confident, fully in control of your impulses and function in such a way as to meet all your physical needs and still be miserable. Buddhists would not be surprised since the ego wants to be somebody always and to be somebody you must be constantly grasping and grasping is the source of suffering. Meditation and the development of mindfulness slowly reveals an awareness that is egoless or beyond the ego. In its intermediate stage this awareness is the witness that recognizes the ego's painful doings. In its ultimate stage this awareness is non-dual. I don't know what it is like to reach that ultimate expansive stage where there is no ego, no you or me, no this or that, but I have feeling that it is an extremely wholesome state. The beauty of a book like this one is that it encourages and shows how even small steps in the development of mindfulness can have a healing effect on the mental illnesses that afflict us. All mental illness is in some way or another at bottom a form of identification with a story, a self-image, a world view so narrow and constricted that it causes pain. Mindfulness creates the space necessary to see the pain, the narrowness and falsity of the mental construct. This is one of those books that develops awareness of your own mind, of your own ego doings, healthy and unhealthy, even as you read. And that is a good start.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this is sacrelig, but I could barely get through this. I thought it was fairly cumbersome and largely unreadable. The book makes the same mistake a lot of new-agey academics make: it wants to sounds science-y so it uses lots of obtuse sentence structure and language borrowed from the physics department to make it sound legit. If I ever smoke weed again, maybe I'll try and give this another shot.

[ABleu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, this book has been a challenge to get through. There are such long, abstract discussions about states of consciousness. I am a student of psychology and spirituality, but I can only grasp abstract concepts to a point. Quite often through out the book, Welwood will give you a gem of spiritual knowledge about the nature of suffering, unconditional presence, or the limited quality of the ego that will make you set the book down and go "wow."

I also did not like that EVERY SINGLE solution to living a deeper, fuller life was mediation. In my opinion, mediation isn't for everyone, and I don't know how helpful it would be for people who are very lost.

Every humanistic psychologist should have this book in his collection. Welwood provides valuable insight for therapists and healers. I wish he'd give a workshop or seminar so I could understand some of the more abstract concepts he writes about.

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

My fascination with Welwood's concept of "spiritual bypass" led me to conduct research on the defense mechanism as it relates to recovery. This topic is the basis for my book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing & I need to own it because I know it will become a major reference throughout my life. I think it is one of the most helpful & profoundly truthful books I have read. From cover to cover, this book is so thoughtful that u almost have to be in the right frame of mind to absorb it all. It took me 3 times taking this book out of the library over the course of a few years to get through all 3 sections of this book & to realize how much I fully appreciate it. It is worth reading the last section of this book if u can‘t get through the first two because section 3 is about relationships. I also highly recmmend the chapter on Depression. I will need to reread this book again one day, not necessarily because it is dense, it is not a difficult read, but because my experiences change & I so easily forget some of the truths outlined here. I didn‘t find this book overly “ Buddhist“, but that it seeks to find the congruencies between Psychology & Eastern Philosophy. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to be a counsellor or psychologist.

[Marco · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a psychology graduate and a self-declared buddhist I couldn't get past the first chapter after barely being able to finish the introduction. I suppose it has to do with my disagreeing with his basic premise, i.e., that buddhism doesn't deal with intrapersonal and interpersonal matters, and focuses only on the transcendental. My experience with buddhism has been of a tradition which values tremendously interpesonal relationship (heck, the Buddha said that Metta is the fastest way to reach nirvana) and has A LOT to teach about you as an individual and as a part of a community. I also found the author often on the self-promoting side which kinda rubbed me the wrong way.

Well, I really wanted to like the book but it didn't happen. I'll go back to reading https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...

PS: I just remembered that at the time of this review this book is 16 years old and many of the good books that I've been reading were written more recently, which might partially explain the amount of positive reviews posted here

[Michael Sasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll return to this often -- especially the first two sections -- both for personal guidance and direction when I begin practicum and then professional life as a therapist.

I was saddened by the framing of the third section. On the one hand, the connection between romantic engagement and spiritual awakening is incredibly rich and challenging. Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationship remains important to my wrestling on this question. In part 3's briefer exploration, it struck me both that there was nothing inherent in the analysis or vision that rested on a commitment to gender polarity theories, but the narrative still always assumed a male/female couple. Welwood lived in the Bay Area, taught in San Francisco, and the book was published after Ammiano's leadership on the school board and while he was on the City Council so it's hard to imagine that the possibility of same-gender love wasn't present in Welwood's practice and/or social circles.

[Hlyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an easy read for me. It took me four months to finish. Welwood’s writing is quite academic, but I felt it was worth enduring.

He talks about the limitations of psychotherapy, such as being limited to ego-level healing, pathologising normal human experiences, over-emphasising the personal, and focusing more on coping than awakening.

(At the same time, he also highlights the disconnected or ungrounded ways we often use spirituality. One that stood out for me was “spiritual bypassing”, the tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to avoid facing our unfinished emotional businesses.)

Welwood doesn’t reject psychotherapy. He values it deeply, but he sees its full potential only when it’s integrated with spiritual wisdom. That integrated approach is what he’s advocating throughout the book.

[Emily Daquelente · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great tool to open my mind to some thoughts on meditation and therapy that I had not considered. Or it allowed me to certainly think of these ideas on a deeper level. I also loved that the author included real case examples when explaining some methods, this helped me see how these could be used in a real world context. The overall layout of the book to me was off putting. At the beginning of each section each chapter of that section is broken down and your told what every chapter will be about. I understanding wanting to introduce the topics before you fully dive in but the way it is written felt redundant. The content however is still valuable and I’m happy I purchased my own copy to keep on bookshelf in reference in the future when I need.

[Christopherseelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A remarkable look at the ways Eastern spiritual traditions fall short of helping Westerners affect change in their psyches, and how Western psychology fails to be as fearless as meditation. However, this book has little negativity and a lot of heart directed at consolidating the 2 spheres of personal transformation. The chapters on Depression, Addiction, and how an intimate relationship can be a vehicle of spiritual growth are some of the highlights.

[Brandon M. Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first learned of John Welwood when a friend mentioned the term “spiritual bypassing” to me. Seeing that he had varied interests in psychotherapy and Buddhism interested me and I decided to dig deeper. When reading through his bibliography, this book in particular seemed to be of great importance in its efforts to bridge the gap between spiritual insight and traditions and Western reason and scientific methods. I decided to take my time with this book because I realized right at the onset that it was going to be of immense value to me. Welwood acutely describes the faults and the strengths of both Western psychotherapy and Eastern spiritual traditions while also somewhat miraculously building the necessary bridge between them. Some authors have tried to find the balance between heaven and earth; Welwood is among the few that knows that space intimately. There were several times in reading this book that I considered it a gift to be able to find such an insightful work at such a time in my life. Even towards the end, I felt the power and belongingness of Grace in words that spoke just to me. I am truly grateful for the work of John Welwood and for finding this book when I did. It has left me more balanced, more calm, and more eager to constantly discover the beauty of the relationship between heaven and earth.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is an attempt to put aside contradictions between the philosophies of western psychology and Buddhism and bring them together as complementary, working with rather than against each other. I like the concept, as both approaches have something to offer, and the text outlines the main ideas in a way that is easily comprehensible to even casual readers. But it's not clear whether this book is for counsellors, clients or both. Despite his occasional use of case studies, my own background in applied psychology left me with a yearning for something a bit more workable other than what basically amounts to a philosophical presentation. At one point, he even uses poetry, which is aesthetically pleasing but robs the text of some of its academic credibility. Later, instead of appealing to readers who may remain sceptical of a spiritual approach, the author talks about religious cults in a way that only serves to build resistance to his point of view rather than simply improve awareness of the frauds who seduce followers with false teachings. Finally, I couldn't really see the point of the transcript of a rather esoteric conversation at the end. With no clear demonstration of how to put the two points of view together in practice, the text is an interesting introduction to the idea, but I'm afraid that's all it is. I was quite disappointed.

[Andrea Amaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m amazed at Welwood’s capacity of integrating eastern and western viewpoints. This book brings so much insight into the ways we deny our human nature by trying to cover it up with spiritual teachings and practices -a path I myself have walked before. He helps understand the importance of accepting and meeting ourselves fully, acknowleging the fact that we’re both human and spiritual beings, flawed and perfect at the same time.
Im so glad he got to walk this Earth and provided this much wisdom.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah this is wonderful. Clear exposition of how the vertical ego-transcending approach of Eastern spiritual practice can intermingle with the horizontal ego-developing approach of Western psychology. Reconfirms all my beliefs about the core of healing being turning TOWARD the wound to understand where the wisdom lies in it. Will definitely return to this later to run through the many many passages I underlined.

[Alex Pérez · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Feelings in themselves don't lead to wisdom, but the process of opening fully to them can. When we no longer maintain distance from a feeling, it cannot preserve its apparent solidarity, which only cristallyzes when we treat it as an object separate from ourselves"

I loved this book, there's so much in here that's hard to describe. It is about the work the we do with others as much as the inner work with do with ourselves.

[Usama Saeed · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most wonderful books I have ever read , never before I had any clear idea about the unconscious , the ego , dealing with emotions and transmutation . John Welwood will always be remembered as one of the greatest spiritual authors who contributed to the evolution of human consciousness

[Kai Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Potent. Down to earth. Worthwhile.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a very thought provoking book that challenges some of the conventional psychological approaches.

[Danielle Shroyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful book by the person who coined the term spiritual bypassing. I plan to read his other books now.

[Meredith Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soon to be included in my fall thesis Welwood Is an inspiration beyond measure

[Carolyn Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in a Buddhism psychology advanced theories course and I’m obsessed! Read cover to cover. This book has already influenced my work with clients in a positive way.

[Steph Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for school, but would recommend it to anyone. It was a bit heady and I had to read a chapter then take a break to digest it. But the ideas were fascinating and the other helps make it understandable via metaphors.

[Aidan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for Mahayana Buddhism with Prof Vale. Pretty solid mobilization of Buddhist concepts as they apply to psychotherapy. I enjoyed. Now time to write a paper on it!

[IAO131 · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting exploration of the intersection of psychotherapy and spirituality. In particular Welwood talks about Buddhism and Gendlin's Focusing most often. Particularly interesting were his concepts of 'spiritual bypassing' (a fairly well known idea nowadays in spiritual circles) and his different theory about the unconscious as part of an informational interpretation gestalt rather than a treasure chest of secret contents. Recommended for those who attempt to reconcile the impersonal & personal in their paths.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Welwood integrates spirituality and psychology in an excellent overview of Buddhist Psychology. This integration of Eastern spiritual discipline with Western psychology purports to fully integrate mind, body, and spirit for the overall development of the individual. Welwood presents some very important and thought-provoking concepts in this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in psychology or spirituality.

[R.G. Bullet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is truly amazing.
I admit I had to really concentrate to get through it at times, but to be totally fair the words in it can be so life-changing that I think fuses were blown while reading, and I found myself falling asleep with it on my chest. It had a strange affect of resonating for ages. I am happy to see it here with high ratings.

[Natacha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can only wish you all to read this book!
No need to be buddhist or have interest in psychology.
This book is about life, human being, being, discovering, understanding, love, personal and interpersonal relationships, awakening.
The whole written with so much justness and such a level of humanity.
So much wisdom contained in few pages.

[Vicente Villela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really beautiful and insightful book.

Can't believe Welwood is not as well known as Kornfield, Siegel, Epstein, Batchelor and all the rest. His name should be up there with all the big western exponents of buddhism.

For me the last chapter felt unnecessary and maybe would a better fit for another volume -if it wasn't for that, would've given it 5 stars.