Essays on Spiritual Psychology

Two essays from psychologist Carolyn Blackmer examine the psyche of Swedish scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772).

The first essay, "Journal of Dreams and The Spiritual Diary," examines Swedenborg's dream diaries, written during a period of spiritual awakening. She concludes that they offer a valuable opportunity to witness the Swedenborg's transformation into "a man prepared to dissipate the narrow one-world view of reality of the Western world."

The second essay, "Swedenborg, Psychologist Extraordinaire," looks at Swedenborg's view of the mind, focusing on what he called "rational psychology." Blackmer describes Swedenborg's view of the interaction between soul and body, drawing from his often-neglected scientific works to provide a fascinating, complex model of the human mind.

An introduction from Stephen Larsen puts both Swedenborg's writings and Blackmer's analysis in the context of modern transpersonal psychology.