Stanislav Grof

Stanislav "Stan" Grof is a Czech-born psychiatrist who has been living in the United States since the 1960s. Grof is one of the principal developers of transpersonal psychology and research into the use of non-ordinary states of consciousness for purposes of psychological healing, deep self-exploration, and obtaining growth and insights into the human psyche. In 1993, Grof received an Honorary Award from the Association for Transpersonal Psychology (ATP) for major contributions to and development of the field of transpersonal psychology, given at the occasion of the 25th Anniversary Convocation held in Asilomar, California. He also received the VISION 97 award granted by the Foundation of Dagmar and Václav Havel in Prague on October 5, 2007. In 2010, he received the Thomas R. Verny Award from the Association for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health (APPPAH) for his pivotal contributions to this field. On the other hand, Grof has been criticized by the skeptic group Český klub skeptiků Sisyfos in the Czech Republic for furthering what they view as nonscientific psychology. He is the only person to have been awarded the anti-prize Erratic Boulder Award twice in that country.

Education and career

Grof received his M.D. from Charles University in Prague in 1957 and then completed his Ph.D. in medicine at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in 1965, training as a Freudian psychoanalyst at this time. Grof’s early research in the clinical uses of psychedelic substances was conducted at the Psychiatric Research Institute in Prague, where he was principal investigator of a program that systematically explored the heuristic and therapeutic potential of LSD and other psychedelic substances.

In 1967, he received a scholarship from the Foundations Fund for Research in Psychiatry in New Haven, CT, and was invited by Joel Elkes to be a Clinical and Research Fellow at Henry Phipps Clinic, a part of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, United States. In 1969, he went on to become Chief of Psychiatric Research for the Spring Grove Experiment at the Research Unit of Spring Grove State Hospital (later part of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center where he worked with Walter Pahnke and Bill Richards among others. In 1969, Grof also became Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University. In 1973 he was invited to the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, and lived there until 1987 as a Scholar-in-Residence, developing his ideas and conducting monthlong workshops cohosted by Christina Grof and other luminaries in the field of transpersonal psychology and new-paradigm science.

Grof was the founding president of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA) (in 1977) and served for several decades as its president. He went on to become distinguished adjunct faculty member of the Department of Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness at the California Institute of Integral Studies, a position he remains in .

Thought

Psychedelics and breathwork

Grof is known in scientific circles for his early studies of LSD and its effects on the psyche—the field of psychedelic therapy. Building on his observations while conducting LSD research and on Otto Rank's theory of birth trauma, Grof constructed a theoretical framework for prenatal and perinatal psychology and transpersonal psychology in which experiences in psychedelic sessions and other holotropic states are understood as being influenced by biographical material, fetal and perinatal experiences, and a range of transpersonal phenomena. Over time, this theory developed into what Grof called an "expanded cartography of the human psyche." Following the suppression of legal LSD use in the early 1970s, Grof went on to discover that deep layers of the unconscious could be explored without drugs by using a combination of deep and rapid breathing, evocative music, focused bodywork, and mandala drawing. Originally termed " Holotropic Breathwork," he now uses the term Grof® Breathwork to describe this breathwork technique he codeveloped with Christina Grof.

Interplay of hylotropic and holotropic impulses in the psyche

Grof distinguishes between two modes of consciousness: the ''hylotropic'' and the ''holotropic''. The hylotropic mode relates to "the normal, everyday experience of consensus reality". We need to be in this here-and-now mode of consciousness to function successfully and fulfill our responsibilities in the material world. In order to find higher meaning in life and solve our deepest problems, we need to periodically enter the holotropic mode of consciousness. Holotropic states help to aim our psyches toward wholeness and the totality of existence. The holotropic is characteristic of non-ordinary states of consciousness such as meditative, mystical, or psychedelic experiences. According to Grof, contemporary psychiatry often categorizes these non-ordinary states as pathological. Grof connects the hylotropic to the Buddhist conception of namarupa ("name and form"), the separate, individual, illusory lower self. He connects the holotropic to the Hindu conception of Atman-Brahman, our true inner identity which is commensurate with the Universal Self. Thus he is not concerned to explore the concept or state of being of non-self, despite its putative transcendental power.

Hypothesis on near-death experiences

In the late 1970s Grof proposed a psychological hypothesis to explain the near-death experience (NDE). According to Grof the NDE reflects memories of the birth process with the tunnel representing the birth canal. Susan Blackmore claimed the hypothesis is "pitifully inadequate to explain the NDE. For a start the newborn infant would not see anything like a tunnel as it was being born." The psychologist Chris French has written "the experience of being born is only very superficially similar to the NDE" and the hypothesis has been refuted as it is common for those born by caesarean section to experience a tunnel during the NDE. Michael Shermer also criticized the hypothesis "there is no evidence for infantile memories of any kind. Furthermore, the birth canal does not look like a tunnel and besides the infant's head is normally down and its eyes are closed." An article in the peer-reviewed APA journal ''Psychology of Consciousness'' suggested that Grof's patients may have experienced false memories of birth and before birth. However, more recent research has confirmed many of Grof's findings regarding the validity of both perinatal and transpersonal experiences in holotropic states.

Proposed expanded cartography of the psyche

Stanislav Grof has researched the effects of psychedelic substances, which he found can also be induced by non-pharmacological means. Based on his clinical work with psychedelics, he developed an "expanded cartography of the psyche" , which describes the "basic types of experience that become available to an average person" when using psychedelics or "various powerful non-pharmacological experiential techniques".

According to Grof, traditional psychiatry, psychology, and psychotherapy uses a model of the human psyche that is limited to postnatal biography and the Freudian individual unconscious. This model does not account for the experiences and observations from holotropic states of consciousness, which activate "deep unconscious and superconscious levels of the human psyche". These domains include:
* The Recollective-Biographical Layer
* The Perinatal Layer
* The Transpersonal Layers

Sensory barrier and the recollective-biographical barrier

"Deep self-exploration" starts for many people with unspecific sensory experiences, referred to as synaesthesias; these can include hearing colors, tasting sounds, and so on. These represent a sensory barrier that one has to pass through.

The next level is the recollective-biographical level and the individual unconsciousness. These involve the personal biography, and unresolved emotional issues. In "experiential work" this autobiographical material is fully relived. Relevant memories and associated fantasy material may emerge as a single episode or a condensed series of experiences - all of which share a similar emotion or sensation - which Grof calls COEX systems. According to Grof, many COEX memory systems have roots in the biographical layer of the psyche, with the deepest layer being some aspect of the birth process. Other COEXs have components in the biographical and perinatal layers, with even deeper roots extending into the transpersonal realms. Memories of physical traumas, such as serious illnesses, accidents, and injuries, form an integral part of this level of the psyche.

Encounter with birth and death: dynamics of the perinatal matrices

Grof found that when self-exploration continues, individuals in holotropic states begin to face powerful experiences based on the human confrontation with death and reliving of birth; he called these experiences perinatal.
According to Grof, the reliving of emotional and physical pain can become so intense that journeyers can identify with "the pain of entire groups of unfortunate people, all of humanity, or even all of life." This is accompanied by "dramatic physiological manifestations, including powerful releases of energy and emotion."

Grof further observed that perinatal experiences tend to emerge in four distinct clusters of experience, which he called the "Basic Perinatal Matrices" or "BPMs". These are "hypothetical dynamic matrices governing the processes related to the perinatal level of the unconsciousness". The four BPMs are based on: I) the period of late gestation, II) the onset of labor with the cervix still closed, III) the slow propulsion down the birth canal with the cervix now open and, IV) the crowning, completed birth and situation in the delivery room. As well as these obstetric components, each perinatal matrix contains resonant themes from nature, sociology, history, mythology, and the archetypal realm which share with that stage of birth the same emotional and sensory qualities.

=BPM I: The amniotic universe

=
BPM I experiences are based on the original symbiotic unity of the fetus with the maternal organism. In an ideal situation, oxygen is supplied and waste products are taken away through the umbilical cord and the fetus enjoys a serene and peaceful amniotic existence. This state can be accompanied with, or alternate with, natural phenomena which share a similar lack of boundaries or obstructions, such as the ocean and the cosmos. Some of the sacred and spiritual qualities of BPM I experiences include a deep sense of cosmic unity, existence in heaven or paradise, connection with the Great Mother Goddess or God, Atman-Braham unity, harmony of the spheres, unio mystica, or the Tao. Subjects in psychotherapy may also work through "toxic womb" memories or "disturbances of intrauterine life" in situations where the mother was under stress, using drugs or alcohol, or experiencing illness during pregnancy.

=BPM II: Cosmic engulfment and no exit

=
This matrix starts with the onset of labor. The intrusion of chemicals and the pressures of labor change the situation in the womb, and "interrupt the fetus' blissful connection with the mother and alter its pristine universe." At this stage, the cervix is still closed and there is no way out or forward. When people access this layer of the psyche in holotropic states, they can have overwhelming feelings of "no exit" entrapment, encagement, hopelessness, helplessness, guilt, loss, and victimization.

These feelings can be accompanied by images of entrapment by a spider or engulfment in a whale, of natural disasters, floods, droughts, famines, and plagues, or by scenes of animals killing other animals in nature. Journeyers may identify with the helpless suffering of other groups in history, such as Jews killed in the concentration camps, First Nations people dying of smallpox, or Arabs massacred during the Mongol invasions. They may also experience existence in hell. Grof found that this stage of labor is an important source of clinical depression of the endogenous or inhibited type and that full experience of the feelings of pressure and constriction consumes them from the psyche and allows the process to move to the next stage.

=BPM III: The death-rebirth struggle

=
This matrix is based on the long, slow propulsion of the fetus through the narrow birth channel, pushed by powerful uterine contractions that oscillate between 50 and 100 pounds of force. Journeyers accessing this memory in holotropic states can have the sense of a titanic struggle for survival, with activation of powerful aggressive feelings. The compression of the arteries feeling oxygen through the umbilical cord can also lead to experiences of suffocation and sexual arousal. Journeyers may also encounter demonic archetypes and scatological material, with feelings of nausea and disgust. Finally, they can have images of passing through purifying fire, what Grof calls "pyrocatharsis".

Thematically resonant scenes that can surface during the facing of this matrix includes active attacks in wars or revolutions, volcanic eruptions, blasting rockets, and atomic explosions. Archetypal material includes scenes of sacrifice and purgatory. Biographical memories associated with BPM III include struggles, fights, and adventurous activities.

=BPM IV: Rebirth

=
This matrix is related to the final stage of birth: the crowning and completed delivery of the newborn. The build up of tension, pain and anxiety is suddenly released, as the infant exits the life-threatening birth canal and, after the cutting of the umbilical cord, begins separate biological existence.

The symbolic counterpart of this experience is the death-rebirth experience or rebirth, in which the individual may have strong feelings of impending catastrophe, and may be desperately struggling to stop this process. The transition from BPM III to BPM IV can involve a sense of total annihilation:
This is then almost immediately followed by visions of blinding white or golden light, peacock feathers and spectra patterns, images of the inside of giant halls or cathedrals, or scenes of the ending of a war or revolution.

Grof found that individuals who reach states of rebirth in psychotherapy experience a major lessening or elimination of their fear of death. They also automatically discovery what he calls "intrinsic positive human values." These include a desire to live a more simple and satisfying life closer to nature, to have meaningful work, and to cooperate with others to solve shared ecological and other problems. They also have critical attitudes toward the abuse of power.

According to Grof what dies in this process is "a basically paranoid attitude toward the world which reflects the negative experience of the subject during childbirth and later." When experienced in its final and most complete form,

Transpersonal experiences

Grof found that when self-exploration continues, subjects in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy can access even deeper layers of the psyche. He coined the term "transpersonal" to describe these experiences.

Transpersonal experiences in holotropic states seem to mediate access to experiences beyond the usual boundaries of our lifespan and senses. Grof observed several important categories of transpersonal experiences. They can involve:
* Expansion of space
* Expansion of time
* Transcendence of the space-time continuum

=Expansion of space

=

Grof observed that individuals in deep holotropic states of consciousness can experience direct personal identification with other people, groups of people, all of life, or all of creation. They can also experience the awareness of specific animals, plants, or even inorganic materials, such as granite, the ocean, or the Earth.

=Expansion of time

=

Journeyers in holotropic states of consciousness can also experience meaningful family, ancestral, racial, or collective memories. These experiences from the "historical unconscious" are in basic agreement with C. G. Jung's observations. Another category that Jung did not study or document are past-life experiences. The authenticity of these can sometimes be independently verified.

=Transcendence of the space-time continuum

=

Finally, Grof observed that individuals in holotropic states may gain access to experiences beyond the space-time continuum as we know it altogether. These include experiences of the mythologies, archetypal terrains, and deities known from cultures around the world.

Influence on other researchers

* Richard Tarnas Grof's collaboration with Tarnas began in the early 1970s, when Tarnas moved to the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, to write his dissertation on psychedelic therapy under the auspices of Grof. They went on to research a new way of understanding the timing and content of experiences encountered in holotropic states of consciousness, which Tarnas refers to as "archetypal cosmology".

Influences in popular culture

* Grof served as a consultant for special effects in the experiential sequences of the MGM science fiction movie Brainstorm (with Christina Grof) (1983).
* Served as consultant for special effects in the 20th Century Fox science fiction movie Millennium (with Christina Grof) (1989).
* In 1992, he was a consultant for the BMW Museum “Horizons in Time” in Munich, Germany.
* Grof was featured in the film ''Entheogen: Awakening the Divine Within'', a 2006 documentary about rediscovering an enchanted cosmos in the modern world.
* In 2020, the documentary ''The Way of the Psychonaut'' was released, which explores Grof's lifework and contributions to transpersonal psychology.https://www.thewayofthepsychonaut.com/

Bibliography

* ''Realms Of The Human Unconscious: Observations From LSD Research'' (1975), republished by Souvenir Press in 2010
* ''The Human Encounter With Death'' (1977) with Joan Halifax
* ''LSD Psychotherapy'' (1980)
* ''Beyond Death: The Gates Of Consciousness'' (1981) with Christina Grof
* ''Ancient Wisdom And Modern Science'' (1984) Edited by Stanislav Grof
* ''Beyond the Brain: Birth, Death And Transcendence In Psychotherapy'' (1985)
* ''Human Survival And Consciousness Evolution'' (1988) Edited with Marjorie L. Valier
* ''The Adventure Of Self-Discovery: Dimensions of Consciousness And New Perspectives In Psychotherapy'' (1988)
* ''Spiritual Emergency: When Personal Transformation Becomes A Crisis'' (1989) Edited with Christina Grof
* ''The Stormy Search For The Self: A Guide To Personal Growth Through Transformative Crisis'' (1990) with Christina Grof
* ''The Holotropic Mind: The Three levels Of Human Consciousness And How They Shape Our Lives'' (1992) with Hal Zina Bennet
* ''Books Of The Dead: Manuals For Living And Dying'' (1993)
* ''The Thirst For Wholeness: Attachment, Addiction And The Spiritual Path'' (1994) with Christina Grof
* ''The Transpersonal Vision'' (1998) book and audio
* ''The Cosmic Game: Explorations Of The Frontiers Of Human Consciousness'' (1998)
* ''The Consciousness Revolution: A Transatlantic Dialogue'' (1999) with Peter Russell and Ervin Laszlo. Foreword by Ken Wilber
* ''Psychology Of The Future: Lessons From Modern Consciousness Research'' (2000)
* ''The Call of the Jaguar'' (2002)
* ''Caterpillar Dreams'' (2004) with Melody Sullivan
* ''When The Impossible Happens: Adventures In Non-Ordinary Reality'' (2006)
* ''The Ultimate Journey: Consciousness And The Mystery Of Death'' (2006)
* "New Perspectives in Understanding and Treatment of Emotional Disorders," Chapter 13 in ''Psychedelic Medicine: New Evidence for Hallucinogens as Treatments,'' Michael J. Winkelman and Thomas B. Roberts (editors) (2007). Westport, CT: Praeger/Greenwood.
* ''LSD: Doorway to the Numinous: The Groundbreaking Psychedelic Research into Realms of the Human Unconscious'' (2009) (This may be a renamed version of "Realms Of The Human Unconscious")
* ''Holotropic Breathwork: A New Approach to Self-Exploration and Therapy'' (2010) with Christina Grof
* ''Healing Our Deepest Wounds: The Holotropic Paradigm Shift'' (2012)
* ''The Way of the Psychonaut Volume One: Encyclopedia for Inner Journeys'' (2019)
* ''The Way of the Psychonaut Volume Two: Encyclopedia for Inner Journeys'' (2019)

Grof's books have been translated into twenty-two languages: German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Russian, Ukrainian, Slovenian, Romanian, Czech, Polish, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Latvian, Greek, Turkish, Korean, Japanese, and Mandarin.

See also

* Perinatal matrices
* Breathwork
* Psychedelic therapy

Notes

References

Printed sources

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Further reading

# Grof, Stanislav (2019). ''The Way of the Psychonaut: Encyclopedia for Inner Journeys''.
# Howe, ML & Courage, ML (2004). ''Demystifying the beginnings of memory''. Developmental Review, 24(1), 1-5.
# Jacobson, B, Eklund, G, Hamberger, L, Linnarsson, D, Sedvall, G & Valverius, M (1987). ''Perinatal origin of adult self-destructive behavior''. ''Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica'', 76(4), 364-71.

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Grof, Stanislav
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American psychedelic drug advocates
American consciousness researchers and theorists
Czechoslovak emigrants to the United States
Johns Hopkins University faculty
University of Maryland, Baltimore faculty
Charles University alumni
Physicians from Prague
Living people
Breathwork practitioners
Year of birth missing (living people)