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The Impact of Kundalini Yoga on Concepts and Diagnostic Practice in Psychology and Psychotherapy

2013; Springer Nature; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-3-319-00315-3_4

2191-6578

Liane Hofmann,

Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs

The teachings and practices of the Eastern spiritual and contemplative traditions have witnessed an enormous rise in popularity in Western society since the early 1980s at latest, and also been steadily propagated among the general public. Parallel to this, what is known as “spiritual crises” or “spiritual emergencies” have increasingly become the object of attention of the psychotherapeutic profession. The present article focuses on the way psychology throughout its history has studied and reflected on the intended goal of Kundalini Yoga, the so-called “kuṇḍalinī awakening,” and its influence on the current conceptualization and diagnosis of such spiritual crises. This example will be used to illustrate the input that psychology, and in particular its practical applications in psychotherapy and psycho-diagnostics, have received from culture-bound concepts and practices. The example of kuṇḍalinī awakening is a fine case in point for outlining the specific challenges and adaption processes, as well as some of the major developments in psychology, psychotherapy, and psycho-diagnostics that have recently emerged in response to the need to show greater consideration towards world views and culture-specific patterns of interpretation in the psychotherapeutic context, and as a result of the transcultural encounter of health- and development-related concepts and methodologies.