and circulatory processes in the brain. Such conditions can certainly result in profound mental changes that would qualify them as non-ordinary states of consciousness. However, they cause “trivial deliria” or “organic psychoses”, states that are very important clinically, but are not relevant for our discussion. People suffering from delirant states are typically disoriented in space and time and might not know who they are. In addition, their mental functioning is significantly impaired. They typically show a disturbance of intellectual functions and have subsequent amnesia for the experiences they have had. I would, therefore, like to narrow our discussion to a large and important subgroup of nonordinary states of consciousness for which contemporary psychiatry does not have a specific term. Because I feel strongly that they deserve to be distinguished from the rest and placed into a special category, I have coined for them the name “holotropic” (Grof 1992). This composite word means literally “oriented toward wholeness” or “moving in the direction of wholeness” (from the Greek holos = “whole and trepein” = “moving toward or in the direction of something”). The full meaning of this term and the justification for its use will become clear later in this article. It suggests that in our everyday state of consciousness we are fragmented and identify with only a small fraction of who we really are. Holotropic states are characterized by a specific transformation of consciousness associated with dramatic perceptual changes in all sensory areas, intense and often unusual emotions, and profound alterations in the thought processes. They are also usually accompanied by a variety of intense psychosomatic manifestations and unconventional forms of behavior. Consciousness is changed qualitatively in a very profound and fundamental way, but it is not grossly impaired as it is in the delirant conditions. We are experiencing invasion of other dimensions of existence that can be very intense and even overwhelming. However, at the same time, we typically remain fully oriented and do not completely lose touch with everyday reality. We experience simultaneously two very different realities, have “each foot in a different world”. The famous Swiss psychiatrist Eugene Bleuler coined for this condition the term “double book-keeping” (doppelte Buchfuehrung). Extraordinary changes in sensory perception represent a very important and characteristic aspect of holotropic states. Our visual perception of the external world is usually significantly illusively transformed and when we close our eyes, we can be flooded with images drawn from our personal history and from the individual and collective unconscious. We can also have visions portraying various aspects of nature, of the cosmos, or of the mythological realms. This can be accompanied by a wide range of experiences engaging other senses – various sounds, physical sensations, smells, and tastes. The emotions associated with holotropic states cover a very broad spectrum that extends far beyond the limits of our everyday experience. They range from feelings of ecstatic rapture, heavenly bliss, and “peace that passes all understanding” to episodes of abysmal terror, murderous anger, utter despair, consuming guilt, and other forms of unimaginable emo4 Stanislav Grof
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