Hamlet's transformation: An application of Stanislav Grof's holotropic theory to adolescents who are experiencing grief and loss

Abstract

This thesis extends Stanislav Grof's work on psycho-spiritual transformation by considering whether adolescents can experience what he and Christina Grof (1989, 1990) have called „spiritual emergency‟ (SE). Grof contends that the human psyche, when stimulated by new material originating from loss experiences, may spontaneously reorganise itself. This process either unfolds gently as spiritual emergence or overwhelms the individual as SE. This thesis examines Grof‟s holotropic theory, using Shakespeare‟s Hamlet as an illustration, to establish theoretically how SE might be experienced and observed in an adolescent. Hamlet‟s powerful responses to the death of his father, the loss of his inheritance and the remarriage of his mother are explored via Grof‟s extended cartography of the human psyche and a close analysis of Hamlet‟s soliloquies. As counselling verbatim, the soliloquies provide an important opportunity to discuss how significant experiences of loss have the potential for developmental transformation in adolescence. The possible incidence of SE in adolescence raises questions about how we identify, understand and support young people undergoing this process of transformation. In addition to analysing Hamlet‟s experiences in the light of Grof‟s theoretical framework, the thesis discusses the broader literature on grief and loss and the work of a range of other developmental, spiritual, transpersonal and integral psychologists and philosophers. The thesis engages Grof‟s ideas critically and assesses their relevance for adolescent counselling practice and counsellor education in the New Zealand context. This thesis challenges some widely accepted views among counsellors and educators. It argues for the acknowledgement and identification of the SE experience and recommends that further research be conducted with adolescents. It concludes that an understanding of the deeper dimensions of personal experience can assist professionals to be more effectively engaged with young people throughout their educational journeys.