by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Jul 17, 2024 | Phenomenology and Existential Psychology, Psychology of Buildings and Architecture, Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers
What Can the Origins of Religion Teach Us? The origins and evolution of human religious like thought have long fascinated scholars, but they may also hold the keys to therapy and religion. . By examining the archaeological record, mythological narratives, and the...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Jul 5, 2024 | Phenomenology and Existential Psychology, Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers
The Cardinal of Paradox: Bridging the Medieval and the Modern In the transition from the rigid structures of the Middle Ages to the fluid creativity of the Renaissance, one mind stands as the supreme architect of the bridge: Nicholas of Cusa (1401–1464). A German...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Jul 5, 2024 | Christian Mysticism in Therapy, Depth Psychology Approaches and Techniques, Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers
The Radical Pantheism of Amalric of Bena In the constellation of medieval mystics, few stars burned as brightly—or were extinguished as violently—as Amalric of Bena (died c. 1205). A theologian at the University of Paris, Amalric proposed a vision of God so radical...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Jul 5, 2024 | Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers
The Mystic of Paradox: Johannes Scheffler’s Transformation In the history of Christian mysticism, few figures are as polarizing and profound as Angelus Silesius. Born Johannes Scheffler in 1624, amidst the chaos of the Thirty Years’ War, he began his life...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Jul 5, 2024 | Christian Mysticism in Therapy, Jungian Therapy and Depth Psychology, Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers, Psychotherapy Biographies: Historical Figures in the History of Psychology
The Mysterious Monk of Divine Darkness In the history of Western thought, few figures are as enigmatic or as influential as Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. Writing under the pseudonym of a convert of St. Paul mentioned in Acts 17:34, this mysterious 5th or...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Jul 5, 2024 | Depth Psychology Approaches and Techniques, Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers
I. Introduction: The Bishop Who Calculated the Light In the modern world, we operate under a convenient fiction: that science and spirituality are non-overlapping magisteria. We are told that one deals with facts, the other with meaning, and never the twain shall...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Apr 25, 2024 | Jungian Therapy and Depth Psychology, Psychotherapy Biographies: Historical Figures in the History of Psychology
Mapping the Mythic Psyche The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a popular tool for understanding individual personality differences. But when combined with John Beebe’s model of the eight cognitive functions, it becomes a powerful lens for exploring not just...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Apr 16, 2024 | Phenomenology and Existential Psychology, Psychology of Conspiracy Theories, Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers
What is Gnosticism? Gnosticism, a multifaceted religious and philosophical movement that flourished in the early centuries of the Common Era, has captivated the minds of spiritual seekers and scholars alike. Originating in the Mediterranean region, Gnosticism derived...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Apr 7, 2024 | Psychology of Buildings and Architecture, Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers, Psychotherapy Biographies: Historical Figures in the History of Psychology
“To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.” – William Blake, Auguries of Innocence Who was William Blake? William Blake (1757-1827) was an English poet, painter,...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Apr 7, 2024 | Alternative Medicine and Holistic Health, Christian Mysticism in Therapy, Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers, Spirituality and The Transcendent Function in Psychotherapy
Who was George Fox? George Fox (1624-1691), the founder of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), developed a form of Christian spirituality that continues to offer valuable insights for contemporary psychology and spiritual practices. This article...
