Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2024

Abstract

The interplay between Judaism, especially its mystical tradition, and transpersonal psychology is examined, focusing on two major aspects. The first concerns stages in the spiritual journey, which are analyzed for their psychological import. The stages are symbolically depicted in the biblical narrative of the Exodus from Egypt, a journey from "slavery" to "freedom." Here the Hebrew term translated as "wilderness" is seen to act as a code word, applying to five successive stages each of which I analyze in psychospiritual terms. The role of the divine feminine, the Shekhinah, is emphasized on account of Her specific role in exile and return. The second area explored is more historical, detailing ways in which Jewish and Kabbalistic ideas have impacted western culture in directions that underpinned the later rise of transpersonal psychology.

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