Understanding the Moments That Touch and Transform Our Lives Who hasn't experienced that eerie coincidence, that sudden, baffling insight, that occasional flash of extrasensory perception that astonishes? Can these events be dismissed as mere chance, or do they have some deeper significance for us? The twenty-fifth anniversary edition of this classic explores the inter-relationship between these meaningful coincidences and our intuitive sense that we are part of some deep oneness with the universe -- a oneness called Tao in Eastern philosophy and synchronicity in Jungian psychology. By relating the concepts of Tao and synchronicity, Dr. Bolen reveals important links between psychology and mysticism, right brain and left, the individual and the external world. The Tao of Psychology provides the key for each individual to interpret the synchronistic events in his or her life and gives fresh insight into the relationships, dreams, and flashes of perception that transform our existence. “Scholarly…fascinating.” - Omni “Successfully presented, with the freshness of a personal response…interesting and very instructive….” - --The Journal of Analytical Psychology “[Bolen] charts a path that will lead many readers to the heart of their own emotional and spiritual pilgrimages.” - --San Francisco Chronicle on Crossing to Avalon “[W]ise and challenging...an absorbing, often uncannily perceptive, and useful companion for the soul journeys of our time....” - --Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple on Crossing to Avalon Understanding the Moments That Touch and Transform Our Lives Who hasn't experienced that eerie coincidence, that sudden, baffling insight, that occasional flash of extrasensory perception that astonishes? Can these events be dismissed as mere chance, or do they have some deeper significance for us? The twenty-fifth anniversary edition of this classic explores the inter-relationship between these meaningful coincidences and our intuitive sense that we are part of some deep oneness with the universe -- a oneness called Tao in Eastern philosophy and synchronicity in Jungian psychology. By relating the concepts of Tao and synchronicity, Dr. Bolen reveals important links between psychology and mysticism, right brain and left, the individual and the external world. The Tao of Psychology provides the key for each individual to interpret the synchronistic events in his or her life and gives fresh insight into the relationships, dreams, and flashes of perception that transform our existence. Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD, is a psychiatrist, a Jungian analyst, and an internationally known author and speaker. Her books include Goddesses in Everywoman , Gods in Everyman , and many others. She is a distinguished life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and was a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco. She lives in Marin County, California. The Tao of Psychology By Bolen, Jean Shinoda HarperSanFrancisco ISBN: 006078220X Chapter One What the Tao Is ... What the Dance Is A personal perspective on understanding the Tao of Eastern religion • How synchronicity is the only psychological equivalent to the Tao • Why we Westerners have so much trouble with the concept -- it's the way our minds work I went to the mountains when I was a youngster and lay in my sleeping bag under the stars, seeing the vastness of the Milky Way above. What my eyes saw, my soul experienced. I felt a sense of reverence and awe at the boundlessness and beauty of the universe. It touched me. I felt God's presence in the mountains, trees, and immense sky. What was above me and around me and included me was unlimited, eternal, and alive. It moved me. Wisps of clouds would pass overhead. I would see a shooting star and make a wish, and, without knowing when, seeing would end and sleep would begin. It comforted me. Then morning would come, crisp and invigorating, and I would awaken to find the sky blue or gray or brilliantly dawning in gold and orange. Not a star would be seen in the now bright sky. It would be time to get up and get moving, to be up and about ... Continues... Excerpted from The Tao of Psychology by Bolen, Jean Shinoda Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.