The Great Within: The Transformative Power and Psychology of the Spiritual Path

A book for anyone who wants to understand the psychological nature of contemplative practice as a transformative process.

Renowned psychologist Han de Wit explores the psychology found in age-old contemplative traditions and takes us deep into the mind of the spiritual practitioner. Using Buddhism as a framework, and drawing insights from several world religions, he demonstrates how contemplative practices can open us up to our own wisdom and compassion. The result is a vivid illumination of the process of spiritual transformation and an important contribution to contemporary psychology and psychotherapy.

HAN F. DE WIT received his PhD in psychology from the University of Amsterdam in 1977. In 1983, as a visiting scholar at Naropa University, he started a research program that brought him international acclaim as a founder of contemplative psychology. Trained as a Buddhist teacher by Chögyam Trungpa and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, he is also involved through his writings in the dialogue of Buddhism with Western psychology, philosophy, and religion.