Living at the Edge of Chaos: Complex Systems in Culture and Psyche

Helene Shulman integrates experiences of synchronicity, altered states of consciousness, trance, ritual, Buddhist meditation practice and creativity into a broad perspective on cross-cultural psychology. What emerges is a comprehensive way to understand psychological illness and healing as a perpetual work-in-progress near the edge of chaos, where the seeds for new models of reality lie. With mental illness as the focus, she leads us on a fascinating interdisciplinary exploration, linking such areas as cultural studies, anthropology, evolutionary science and new work in mathematics and computer science “ known as complexity theory “ to Jungian psychology. A new paradigm for postmodern psychology emerges as the author presents a dynamic theoretical model containing rational and irrational aspects of individual and collective life.

Helene Shulman has a Ph.D. in philosophy and a diploma from the C.G. Jung Institute in Zürich. She has taught philosophy, psychology and intercultural studies at several universities in the United States and maintains a private practice as a Jungian analyst in upstate New York.