The Holotropic Mind: The Three Levels of Human Consciousness and How They Shape Our Lives

Uses case studies to examine the biographical, perinatal, and transpersonal levels of consciousness

Grof ( The Stormy Search for Self , LJ 4/1/90) offers this New Age book which purports to unravel the complexities of the human mind through the assessment of observations of "non-ordinary" states of consciousness (LSD-induced, etc.). The mind, according to Grof, is essentially "holotropic," that is, like a hologram wherein the whole can be reconstructed from a tiny part. The book's first part analyzes memories of life in the womb and the painful process of birth. This is largely a rehash of Grof's Realms of the Human Unconscious ( LJ 7/75, o.p.). The rest of the book is given to a discussion of our "infinite transpersonal consciousness," wherein we can transcend not only the time-space continuum but even visit other dimensions and parallel universes. Grof purports to be scientific--the word appears often throughout the book--but he is surprisingly short on validation. He accepts without question the spoon bending of Uri Geller and the mental photography of Ted Serios. This book is suitable for the New Age shelf if you don't have the author's earlier treatment.
- Dave Summers, Holly Twp. Lib., Mich.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.