Sri Aurobindo, Carl Jung, Jean Gebser, & Richard Maurice Bucke

Todisco, Maria A.

The psychology of consciousness evolution: an inquiry into the psychological dimensions of current theories (transpersonal, Sri Aurobindo, Carl Jung, Jean Gebser, Richard Maurice Bucke)

Degree: PH.D./ California Institute of Integral Studies; 0392. Adviser: Lawrence M. Spiro.- 1997 // DAI, Vol. 58-05b, page 2725, 00289 Pages.

ABSTRACT: The psychology of consciousness evolution is not currently established as a coherent field of study in its own right. This work selects four major theorists that discuss themes pertinent to the psychology underlying the posited expansion of self from the personal to the transpersonal. The increasing spiritual intimations that accompany this shift are given voice by evoking and unfolding the elements in the four theorists' work which express them. The writings of Sri Aurobindo, Carl Jung, Jean Gebser, and Richard Maurice Bucke are analyzed according to four developed Dimensions of relevant literature, which, together, form a gestalt that allows for a richer, more comprehensive vision of the material than is readily available in most other sources.

The bulk of the work addresses what these four theorists express as a current qualitative shift in consciousness and communicates some of its intimate psychological dynamics. Similar concepts are then extracted from the selections of these theorists' works and synthesized into five prominent themes. Speculations regarding the possible future of this emerging consciousness, as exemplified by the vision of Andrew Harvey and others, are then tentatively discussed. This effort is offered as preliminary research towards establishing a field of study directly concerned with the psychology of consciousness evolution.