Christina Grof: Spirituality In The Human Being
Founder of the Spirtual Emergence Network (SEN), Christina Grof was a brilliant and innovative psychotherapist. He was president of Transpersonal Training and vice president of the International Transpersonal ITA Association.
Chistina Grof was also one of the creators and the main inspirer of holotropic breathing . He wrote numerous books and left psychology a masterful study of the human mind.
Many know her only for having been the wife of Stanislav Grof, but in reality Christina contributed a lot to the work of the great American psychiatrist. For more than 30 years, Christina Grof worked in the field of transpersonal psychology.
He devoted much of his business to giving seminars and conferences around the world. Today it is remembered above all for the creation of one of the most innovative therapeutic techniques: the spiritual emergency.
The story of Christina Grof
Christina Grof generously shared her story, experiences and difficulties due to her numerous states of altered consciousness. From an early age he became interested in yoga and began to have strange psychic and physiological experiences.
It was a spiritual awakening, as she herself defined it later. In fact, all the symptoms at the time indicated a type of psychosis that made her think she was on the verge of going crazy.
Doctors treated her with morphine and chlorpromazine, but this led to a worsening of the situation. One of her teachers, the anthropologist Joseph Campbell, then decided to introduce her to therapist Stan Grof, with whom she married shortly after.
It was precisely the transpersonal crises (or spiritual emergencies) from which she suffered that led her to found with her husband the Esalen Institute of the Spiritual Emergency Network (SEN).
The SEN spiritual emergency network
For a few decades, this organization helped people with psycho-spiritual crises. Its foundation took place precisely to provide specialized assistance without resorting to psychiatry. Hence, the Grofs developed alternative treatments to address mystical quest, attachment and addictions.
They worked together on holotropic breathing, a therapy based on breathing techniques that Christina Grof had learned in the East. Ultimately, their goal was to replace psychedelics with those experimented by Stan Grof to cure states of altered consciousness.
The International Transpersonal Association ITA
Later, they founded the ITA and developed a comprehensive treatment program for alcoholism and drug addiction. During this time, Christina Grof wrote various books on addictions and their relationship to spiritual research.
Among his books we find: G
Transpersonal psychology
Christina Grof was one of the pioneers of transpersonal psychology, a therapeutic approach open to the emotional, physical, mental and spiritual aspects of human nature. Together with her husband, she explored aspects of the human being that traditional Western psychology had always ignored. His study of spiritual emergencies is considered unique.
But his work went further. With great courage, he decided to work with people who experienced another kind of consciousness. And many of these patients, with a diagnosis difficult to establish, thus avoided being admitted to psychiatric centers.
Having remained in the shadow of her husband, Christina Grof did not receive due recognition. Despite this, the couple always worked together, and many ideas for more effective therapies are due to her. Christina Grof’s work and life are still a source of inspiration for millions of people today.
He was one of those people who, when they leave, leave the world a little better than they found it. Courageous and innovative, she bequeaths a work from which to draw inspiration and enrichment.
