Books by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos
Equinox Publishing, 2025
Psychology today pathologizes all aspects of the human condition without ever examining its own i... more Psychology today pathologizes all aspects of the human condition without ever examining its own ills, which have caused it to become fragmented. People from non-Western backgrounds are often adversely affected by the limitations of the discipline, and often avoid treatment altogether. By contrast, a true “science of the soul” has existed for millennia in all the world’s diverse spiritual cultures. Although a plethora of modern therapies are now available, they are hindered in their efficacy by having become entirely divorced from sacred reality. This work argues that it is necessary to restore this “science of the soul” by drawing on the perspective of non-Western wisdom traditions as understood since time immemorial. Examples are given of the fundamental differences that are found between modern psychology and the traditional psychologies of various religions, which also existed in the West prior to the Enlightenment era. Furthermore, this book will show how non-Western philosophy can help rehabilitate an authentically healing psychology in support of promoting sound mental health in our afflicted modern culture. Sacred psychologies, therefore, afford us the best opportunity to tackle the innumerable challenges that confront human beings today, such as trauma, mental illness, addiction, death, and the meaning of our lives.
Sentient Publications, 2025
Authentic cross-cultural approaches to mental health treatment are urgently needed to restore it ... more Authentic cross-cultural approaches to mental health treatment are urgently needed to restore it to its rightful place as an effective healing modality. Modern Western psychology asserts a monopoly by silencing traditional “sciences of the soul” and imposing itself on a diverse humanity, with its “one size fits all” approach. This is a hegemony that must be opposed, but the call to “decolonize” therapy is ineffective without a thorough diagnosis of what has gone wrong with psychology today. It is now apparent that we need to return to an authentic metaphysical outlook that is accepted across the wisdom traditions of the world. The reclaiming of epistemological pluralism that is grounded in the sacred provides a remedy for the modern impoverishment of psychology so that, in recognizing the fullness of what it means to be human, it can secure our true well-being.
Fons Vitae, 2023
Psychology today is in a state of confusion. It has failed to understand our true human identity ... more Psychology today is in a state of confusion. It has failed to understand our true human identity and to provide a satisfactory answer to the perennial question: “Who AM I?”. The scope of present-day mental health treatment has been reduced to purely profane considerations, ignoring the fullness of what it means to be human, and neglecting the sacred dimension of life altogether. Due to mainstream psychology’s rejection of its metaphysical roots, our relationship with other sentient beings and the natural world has been fractured, which has brought devastating consequences to our lives. In the interest of developing more holistic modes of therapeutic treatment, we need to restore the traditional notion of a “science of the soul” as it has been known since the earliest times across the diverse spiritual cultures of humanity.
Angelico Press, 2020
Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, remains also ... more Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, remains also one of its most controversial. Far from being an outmoded icon of modern psychology’s early historical development, Freud’s doctrines (the “talking cure” in particular) have irrevocably shaped the way human behavior is understood today. Psychoanalysis has waged an assault on traditional conceptions of human nature by eclipsing everything of a transcendent order—even branding religion itself a kind of psychopathology. The corrosion of religion and spirituality in our human collectivity has left an epistemological and ontological vacuum that has been largely been filled by psychoanalysis and its off-shoots, as also the welter of psycho-babel we encounter at every turn. Psychoanalysis, like behavioristic psychology, has not died or disappeared, as is too often assumed—on the contrary, it forms the very substratum upon which all contemporary therapies are formulated. The consequences for Western civilization have been destructive and far-reaching, as this masterful study—nay, dissection and diagnosis—of the disease makes blisteringly clear.
Matheson Trust, 2020
This book is at first sight a selection of reviews spanning many years, including some fundamenta... more This book is at first sight a selection of reviews spanning many years, including some fundamental well-known works and some rare gems of world religions, their spirituality and mysticism, touching on theology, ecology and art; as such, it is useful and interesting in itself, not least because the selection of titles under review follows rigorous criteria. But this collection is also much more than its description implies, for the objective and informative aspect of every chapter is inseparable from an intimate aspect, a recurrent invitation to tread the Path within every path. It is written from first-hand acquaintance and from study, but also from passion and certainty. The concrete and diverse examples shed light on the key to solve the religious puzzle of our times: that is, they delineate an integral framework, that of Perennial Wisdom, the Sophia Perennis as understood in the Traditionalist School, which allows both for religious diversity and for religious unity. The voices of tradition are all, and have to be, different, and yet they are of a compelling unanimity on the essentials. Samuel Bendeck Sotillos draws our attention generously to these voices and this One Voice.
Some endorsements for "Paths That Lead to the Same Summit: An Annotated Guide to World Spirituality":
"Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is a professional book reviewer—all done as a labor of love. In these reviews, he demonstrates his wide knowledge of the world's religions and their mystical dimension along with their respective saints and sages. It is a book that will broaden the intellectual horizon of the reader."
—William Stoddart, author of Remembering in a World of Forgetting: Thoughts on Tradition and Postmodernism
"Given the fleeting nature of our sojourn on this earth, it is imperative that we use our time wisely. This work is an aid to making wise choices. Focused throughout on the essentials of the spiritual journey, it assists the wayfarer in navigating the often confusing topography of the terrain that lies ahead by distinguishing truly salvific paths—those which lead toward the One or the Absolute, the goal of all orthodox religions—from the useless, the bogus, and the outright dangerous. I recommend this book to everyone whose heart yearns for the True and the Real."
—James S. Cutsinger, author of Advice to the Serious Seeker: Meditations on the Teaching of Frithjof Schuon
"[A]n excellent annotated bibliography for the whole field of perennial wisdom."
—Robert D. Crane, author of Shaping the Future: Challenge and Response
"[T]his book can serve as a primer to the field across multiple religious and spiritual traditions.... We urgently need a metaphysical ... reorientation ... that underlie the approach of this book."
—Paradigm Explorer
Institute of Traditional Psychology (Kazi Publications), 2018
Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, is also one o... more Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, is also one of its most controversial. Far from being an outmoded icon of the early formation of modern psychology's historical development, the Freudian doctrine of the "talking cure" has irrevocably shaped the ways in which human beings and human behavior are understood today. Freudian thought has infiltrated the inner recesses of the collective consciousness and the lexicon of psychology. Psychoanalysis has waged an assault on traditional conceptions of the human experience by eclipsing everything of a transcendent order and branding religion itself as a kind of psychopathology. The corrosion of religion and spirituality in the lives of the human collectivity has left an epistemological and ontological vacuum which has been largely filled by psychoanalysis and its off-shoots. Psychoanalysis, like behavioristic psychology, has not died or disappeared, as is often assumed, for the shibboleths of psychoanalysis and behaviorism form the very substratum upon which all contemporary therapies are formulated. The consequences for Western civilization have been destructive and far-reaching.
Contents
Introduction: Sigmund Freud and the Emergence of the Modern World
Chapter 1: The Psychoanalytic Revolution: The Succession to the Copernican and Darwinian Revolutions
Chapter 2: Psychoanalysis, the Loss of Faith, and the Signs of the Times
Chapter 3: The Secret Inner Circle of the Psychoanalytic Movement
Chapter 4: The Censoring and Mythologizing of Psychoanalytic History
Chapter 5: The Deification of Freud and the Birth of the Freudian Myth of the Hero
Chapter 6: The Making of Psychological Man: From Imago Dei to Homo Naturalis
Chapter 7: Psychologism: The Reduction of Reality to Psychological Criteria
Chapter 8: Freudianism: The Counter-Religion to Replace Sacred Tradition
Chapter 9: From Metaphysics to Metapsychology
Chapter 10: The Freudian Colonization of the Human Psyche: Id, Ego, and Super-Ego
Chapter 11: The "Oceanic Feeling": Mysticism versus Regression
Chapter 12: The Eclipse of the Sacred and the Rise of Psychopathology
Chapter 13: The Couch and the Confessional
Chapter 14: The Satanic Pact and the Psychologizing of Evil
Chapter 15: The Ethical Void and the Crisis of the Super-Ego
Chapter 16: Freud and the Question of Jewish Identity
Chapter 17: Anti-Semitism and the Vengeance on Christianity
Chapter 18: Psychoanalysis and the Heretical Jewish Messianic Movements
Chapter 19: Psychoanalysis as Pseudo-Science
Chapter 20: Psychoanalysis and Its Discontents: Corrosive Ideology and Debunked Case Histories
Chapter 21: Freud on the Psychoanalytic Couch: A Case History of Unfinished Self-Analysis
Chapter 22: Freud's Cocaine Episode
Chapter 23: Childhood Sexual Abuse and the Betrayal of Truth
Chapter 24: Freud, Eros, and the Sexual Revolution
Chapter 25: The Neo- and Post-Freudian Revolution: Apologists, Heretics, and Revisionists
Conclusion: Founder of the Greatest Revolution in Psychology or "the Greatest Con Man in the History of Medicine"?
Some Endorsements for Psychology Without Spirit: The Freudian Quandary:
“This valuable and timely work [Psychology Without Spirit: The Freudian Quandary] lays bare the demonic nature of Freudianism which went even beyond the realm of psychoanalysis to become an all-embracing world view that has played an important role in the dissolution of the spiritual elements of today's world. The author [Samuel Bendeck Sotillos] casts light upon many of the dark and pernicious elements of this anti-traditional pseudo-science and is to be commended for his penetrating analysis.”
—Seyyed Hossein Nasr, University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University, author of The Need for a Sacred Science and Knowledge and the Sacred
“Samuel Bendeck Sotillos takes us beyond the familiar image to Freud himself. Calling in part upon primary documents rarely seen, he offers us a glimpse of the man: of what—or who!—is driving him. Given the fact that Freud has left an indelible imprint upon our contemporary postmodern civilization, this treatise can hardly fail to be of profound interest to everyone yet capable of serious and critical thought.”
—Wolfgang Smith, Founder of the Philos-Sophia Initiative Foundation, author of Cosmos and Transcendence and The Quantum Enigma: Finding the Hidden Key
“Samuel Bendeck Sotillos, informed by a deep understanding of traditional modes of thought and drawing on prodigious research, develops a searching critique of the very foundations of modern psychoanalysis and exposes the ways in which this totalitarian pseudo-science is symptomatic of the profane worldview which is at the root of our contemporary spiritual crisis. This is a penetrating study of wide-ranging significance and the most urgent relevance.”
—Harry Oldmeadow, former Coordinator of Philosophy and Religious Studies at La Trobe University, Bendigo, author of Journeys East: 20th Century Western Encounters with Eastern Religious Traditions and Touchstones of the Spirit: Essays on Religion, Tradition and Modernity
“This book [Psychology Without Spirit: The Freudian Quandary] places Freud s doctrines in their true meaning, which we never do. As this author [Samuel Bendeck Sotillos] shows with lucidity and depth, what is in question in this book is the destiny of the human being, a destiny that would be urgent to realize, because there is only freedom in and through the Spirit; instead of this, Freud, under the guise of liberating the human being, trapped him into the determinism of the unconscious, that is to say, the most inferior impulses of our soul. In some respects, it is a work of public safety.”
—Jean Borella, retired Professor at the University of Nancy II, author of The Crisis of Religious Symbolism & Symbolism and Reality and The Sense of the Supernatural
Institute of Traditional Psychology (Kazi Publications), 2017
Over a hundred years have passed since the birth of behaviorism or behavioristic psychology, ofte... more Over a hundred years have passed since the birth of behaviorism or behavioristic psychology, often regarded as the "first force" in contemporary psychology. Many might assume that "the dark night of behaviorism" has subsided once and for all, especially since the behavioristic paradigm has been superseded by the cognitive revolution and other developments, such as psychoanalysis ("second force"), humanistic psychology ("third force") and transpersonal psychology ("fourth force"). However, this assumption would be incorrect as it initiated one of the most powerful currents of modern psychology in the twentieth century. Thus it launched an assault on the human microcosm by decisively abolishing, if not radically trivializing, the role of the psyche or soul and the spiritual dimension in an unparalleled fashion. Although less known, this destructive paradigm was perhaps even more influential than psychoanalysis that predates its existence but did not emerge into a movement in America until later on, nonetheless behaviorism has had an irrevocable impact on the way that the human psyche was universally understood across the diverse cultures prior to the advent of modernism and the development of modern psychology.
Some Endorsements for Behaviorism: The Quandary of a Psychology without a Soul:
“This very concise, compact, and thoughtful book offers an important reflection on the challenges and downside of behaviorism and the bias behind this influential perspective in psychology and the mental health field in general. It also highlights how psychology in an attempt to be empirical and scientific pushed spirituality and religion off to the side consequences that are still felt in the field today. Worth a read for those with interest in this important area.”
—Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D., ABPP is the Augustin Cardinal Bea, S.J. University Professor at Santa Clara University and adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is the author of Contemplative Practices in Action: Spirituality, Meditation, and Health
“This book critiques behaviorism from both a philosophical and practical perspective. Its unique contribution, in my view, is its inclusion of many direct quotations from the literature which show, in devastating fashion, what happens when psychology is based on mechanistic assumptions and attempts to exclude, the ‘inner life’ of human beings, including the soul. Samuel Bendeck Sotillos does an excellent job of showing how original behaviorism took away almost everything that makes us human and how that dark legacy continues to permeate modern psychology. The book is an excellent reflection on the foundations of modern psychology.”
—David N. Elkins, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Pepperdine University, author of The Human Elements of Psychotherapy, Past President of Division 32, Society for Humanistic Psychology, American Psychological Association
“This is a brief, succinct exposition of Behaviorism, a psychology created by an American John Watson in the early 20th Century which has had a profound impact on Western thinking and has now become increasingly influential right through out the world to the extent that it is no longer questioned. India is one of the few cultures left which actively affirms the transcendental nature of reality and in the coming decades we shall see behaviorism and its adjunct consumerism threaten the sacred tenets of the sanātana dharma. The author analyses this school of psychology in the light of the perennial philosophy. There are ‘four forces’ in psychology today namely, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, humanistic and transpersonal. Though behaviorism has been supplanted it nevertheless influences modern thought with its reductionist thinking. It is based on two suppositions: scientism which denies anything that cannot be verified by the five senses and psychologism which reduces an understanding of what is reality to psychological criteria. Mechanized man is reduced to numbers, uniformity, and in distinction from the ‘masses’. Our worth is according to financial currency which is the modern day criterion of what is valuable. It is the triumph of quantity over quality. Guénon called it the ‘Reign of Quantity’ and denotes the degeneration of human values and negates the opportunity of divinity, for Behaviorism denies the reality of the soul and states that humankind is simply a machine that responds to positive and negative stimuli. The behaviorist denies that there is anything more to a human being than behavior. The traditionalist affirms that the human being has a soul who participates in the Divine and has an inherent essence which can transcend the limitations of the human body and mind.
The author has with profuse citations delved into this malaise and the influence it holds on the modern mind. Though it would mainly interest those in the field of psychology, for the general reader this is a sobering and intelligent exposé.”
—The Mountain Path journal
Studies in Comparative Religion (World Wisdom), 2013
In order to better cope with the pressures and stresses of the current day, modern psychology is ... more In order to better cope with the pressures and stresses of the current day, modern psychology is anxiously seeking to find new therapies to address the increasing disorders within the human psyche. In the process new fields of research, such as humanistic and transpersonal psychology, curiously appear to borrow more and more from the wisdom of the ages. This volume, containing eighteen articles by noteworthy expositors of the perennial philosophy such as Huston Smith, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and Frithjof Schuon, presents the spiritual psychology of the wisdom traditions as a much-needed antidote to the current impasse in modern psychology.
Some Endorsements for Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy:
“[Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy] is more than an anthology. It is a wisely crafted collection of classic and contemporary scholarship noting that what many are seeking is what has always been, a perennial philosophy, that remains foundational. As one of the authors, Tage Lindbom, properly notes, ‘Secularization is a fish in troubled waters.’ This book claims the waters and is essential reading for all those who may have forgotten or are simply ignorant of the rich foundation provided by the perennial philosophy.”
—Ralph W. Hood, Professor of Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, past president of the Psychology of Religion division of the American Psychological Association, co-founder of The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion and co-author of The Psychology of Religion
“A necessary and bracing critique of the assumptions and limitations of contemporary Western psychology, this generous volume is also a passionate call and learned guide towards a truer perspective that embraces man's spiritual nature.”
—Gabor Maté, M.D., and author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction
“Knowing the nature of the mind is perhaps the most difficult undertaking, especially in today’s world. To comprehend the nature of mind one needs to turn to the domain of religion and spirituality. Yet the truth of the mind and its complexity cannot explicitly be defined in words. Inner or transcendent wisdom sees the mind’s own nature without the duality of the seer. Suchness (tathatā) of mind is only experiential and not expressible. The words used to describe thought are themselves a product of thought, which is conditioned and limited. Thus, differences and contradictions are unavoidable. Therefore, a comparative study of different viewpoints and commentaries is immensely important to awaken the inner intelligence to see the mind as it is. Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy: Studies in Comparative Religion edited by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is an outstanding effort in this direction.”
—Samdhong Rinpoche, former Prime Minister (Kalon Tripa) of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, author of Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World: Tibetan Buddhism and Today’s World
“The rise of psychology has impacted the study and practice of spirituality, the experiences and attitudes relevant to ultimate human values that transcend ordinary behavior. Each chapter of this remarkable book demonstrates this interaction in a unique and provocative way. But rather than using psychology to reduce and ‘psychologize’ spiritual topics, its authors demonstrate how directives from the spiritual traditions can enhance and even illuminate the enduring importance of psychology in the 21st century.”
—Stanley Krippner, Saybrook University, co-author of Spiritual Dimensions of Healing
“The work at hand is a thinking and debating man’s delight. If you have any interest at all in attempting to include an educated and enlightened view of man’s higher functions in your purview of the world, you will learn from and enjoy this collection of essays. If you already have some knowledge in this area, brace yourself: you may see some of your favorites sharply criticized. A thought-provoking work.”
—Bruce W. Scotton, University of California, San Francisco, co-editor of Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology
“This book, superbly edited by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos, is a masterful critique of the field of psychology and its loss of the sacred ground in which it once was rooted. It offers depth psychologists an opportunity to contemplate timeless truths echoed through the centuries by perennial philosophers who have always claimed psyche is subordinate to Spirit. Although ignored in depth psychology’s early years due to prejudice and lack of understanding, this is a message today’s psychotherapists must take seriously. Human beings need a deeper and wider transpersonal vision of who and what we are, which the saints and sages of the world’s spiritual traditions have always pointed to. In psychotherapy with a therapist committed to such a vision, patients penetrate into their unconscious depths and not infrequently awaken to the Ground of all Being. Their suffering itself occurred because they had turned away from Spirit. Above all, this volume passionately calls upon depth psychology to remember its origin in the perennial wisdom at the core of the great religions. There is something of a polemic in these pages. It deserves to be considered by depth psychologists of all persuasions.”
—Bryan Wittine, Transpersonal psychologist and Jungian psychoanalyst
“This anthology from Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is a must reference for anyone who is interested in psychology and its relationship to spirituality, and in developing an inclusive dialogue between disciplines that favor an integral outlook on the person and his or her potential. Selections in this anthology will inspire us to reexamine the metaphysical underpinnings of psychology, and remind us how important it is to rise above science’s attempt to reduce the human being to an epistemic object.”
—Sangeetha Menon, National Institute of Advanced Studies (Bangalore, India), Board Member of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA), author of The Beyond Experience: Consciousness in Bhagavad Gita
“This anthology has some of the most discerning essays and reviews on spirituality and psychology, which provide much-needed care and caution to all those engaged in bringing them together or who wish to do so in future. Therefore, it is a must-read for all those who teach, research, consult, or study in such frontier areas as transpersonal psychology, states of consciousness, mind-body relation, holistic health, Indian psychology, and so on. It will be an invaluable textbook for courses in these and other related areas. I congratulate the editor of the book.”
—Kiran Kumar K. Salagame, University of Mysore (India), Board Member of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA), author of The Psychology of Meditation: A Contextual Approach
“One of the finest collections of essays on the Perennial Philosophy—a must-read for all psychologists who are engaged with spirituality and transpersonal psychology. The essays which critique modern psychology (including transpersonal psychology, and the framework of Carl Jung), in the light of the Perennial Philosophy are a revelation and make compelling reading. The book serves as a corrective to the excesses of modern psychology, and to this end Sotillos has done a commendable job. I for one will include the book in some of the graduate courses that I teach.”
—Suneet Varma, University of Delhi, co-editor of Foundations of Indian Psychology
“To its credit modern science by-and-large is becoming more cognizant of the essential connection between spirituality and psychological health and well-being and most of all its positive implications within the field of psychology. While there is ample data to document this in a plethora of academic journals and books, this new book Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy adds a novel contribution to the dialogue between psychology and spirituality, which captures many nuances that for the most part go unnoticed within these discussions, and last but not least, it provides a keen eye of discernment to understand this intricate relationship on a deeper level that is crucially needed. This work will be a valuable asset to students and long term mental health practitioners and professors alike who seek to better understand the relationship between psychology and spirituality.”
—Harold G. Koenig, Duke University, Director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, co-author of The Handbook of Religion and Health
Papers by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos
René Guénon (1886–1951) was among the very few thinkers to first recognize the spiritual crisis o... more René Guénon (1886–1951) was among the very few thinkers to first recognize the spiritual crisis of the modern world. He was also unique in articulating the universal principles that are needed to restore traditional metaphysics to its rightful place in our intellectual culture. A staunch critic of the profane tendencies emerging in modern psychology, he saw the religious traditions of humanity as the only way to rehabilitate psychology by reclaiming the sacred significance of the human psyche. Guénon’s remarkable insights are proving increasingly more prophetic with the passage of time, due to the accelerating dissolution being ushered in by modernity. He rightly discerned the many dangers posed by psychology today, given its tendency towards subverting all things spiritual. Guénon thus furnishes us with the keys to allowing this discipline to resume its proper role in helping us understand human beings in their cosmic totality.
Each of the world's great spiritual traditions, including the religion of the First Peoples, has ... more Each of the world's great spiritual traditions, including the religion of the First Peoples, has inherited a fully integrated "science of the soul." However, due to the dominance (and limitations) of modern psychology as practiced in the West today, other ways of understanding the human psyche have been largely neglected or dismissed. These are not simply "gaps" in knowledge to be filled, but altogether methodological, for horizontal epistemologies are partial and contingent on vertical ones. By reclaiming more holistic modes of knowing and healing, we can better tackle the grave mental health crisis we currently face. At the heart of every religion can be found the unanimous affirmation of a divine reality. By exploring this mystical dimension found in all traditions, we can access the most complete sacred psychologies known to humanity.
As conditions in contemporary life become increasingly perplexing and difficult, where greater nu... more As conditions in contemporary life become increasingly perplexing and difficult, where greater numbers of humanity are living on the margins of existence, it has become apparent to all that something has gone terribly awry. Never have there been so many crises, in every domain existence-humanitarian, social, political, economic, ecological, and educational, just to name a few. Everywhere we turn, we see signs of personal and collective disequilibrium. It may be wellnigh impossible to escape this dystopic reality, as there are few places on earth that remain untouched by this malaise. As the outer world becomes engulfed in strife and chaos, there is nowhere to turn but inwards. Are we still able to maintain personal well-being and mental resilience when the world has utterly lost its bearings in relation to what is needed for our spiritual health? It is time to consider whether the plight of humanity today might have its roots in a crisis that is fundamentally spiritual. If so, we would do well to return-with some urgency-to the sapiential traditions of the world and their sacred psychologies, in which may be found an enduring remedy for our profoundly divisive and disordered times.
Anxiety and depression are ubiquitous in the present day. It is as though everyone is afflicted b... more Anxiety and depression are ubiquitous in the present day. It is as though everyone is afflicted by these maladies, either directly or indirectly. Throughout the history of psychopathology, the term melancholia had several meanings assigned to it, such as fear and sadness. They are, in many ways, two faces of a single disorder. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 4.0% (301 million people) suffer from an anxiety disorder, and a further 3.8% (280 million people) of the population are struck by depression. This global mental health epidemic is surely a sign of the times, but it is also an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the human psyche and the impact on it of the modern world's spiritual crisis. This article aims to get a better handle on this farreaching phenomenon with reference to humanity's wisdom traditions and its sacred psychologies. In doing so, it is hoped that we may be able to enhance our clinical comprehension of these devastating ailments, and to develop treatments that support abiding well-being.
The epidemic of homelessness has grown exponentially, to the point where it can be found in any m... more The epidemic of homelessness has grown exponentially, to the point where it can be found in any major city around the world. The heartbreaking images of people living in these subhuman conditions are beyond belief. Explanations for the rise in homelessness remain murky, inconsistent, and not well articulated. While much funding and resources are directed toward resolving this problem, it continues unabated. Modern psychology and its mental health treatments are also at a loss to account for this affliction. Shifting the terminology from "homeless" to "unhoused," in order to reduce the stigma, does little to mitigate the crisis. Homelessness is a complex and enigmatic phenomenon, which explains why its real genesis remains undetected: namely, the acute spiritual crisis that plagues the modern world. In restoring mental health treatment to its ontological foundations in sacred psychology, we will have the most promising means available to understand this deeply troubling scourge that is not only social but, ultimately, metaphysical in nature.
The widespread estrangement felt by human beings in the present day has led to what has been call... more The widespread estrangement felt by human beings in the present day has led to what has been called an "epidemic of loneliness." Although a plethora of studies have explored this theme in an attempt to address the problem, effective solutions have proved elusive. Some will no doubt claim that alienation has always been with us, yet what we are witnessing right now is on a scale that is arguably unprecedented. The vacuum created by the loss of connection to a transcendent reality has directly contributed to the dissolution of society, family, and personal relationships. If we broaden the scope of this phenomenon to include metaphysical and cosmological factors, we can better understand the mental health consequences of loneliness as stemming from the spiritual crisis of the modern world, and the corresponding loss of meaning in people's lives. In order to heal the trauma of secularism, which has led to the burgeoning alienation we see today, we need to go to the root of this affliction by offering a radical response that is grounded in the sacred and its manifestations in humanity's spiritual traditions.
Sacred Web: A Journal of Tradition and Modernity
Carl Jung (1875–1961) was a pivotal figure in modern Western psychology. He understood the malais... more Carl Jung (1875–1961) was a pivotal figure in modern Western psychology. He understood the malaise of the modern world from its loss of religion, and the resulting mental health crisis it brought in its wake. He countered the dominant scientific reductionism pervasive in his time, and pursued a more holistic form of treatment when this was not popular. He treated his patients as real people rather than merely objects of diagnostic interest, and promoted a more expansive understanding of mental illness. At the same time, Jung remains a controversial figure within and beyond the discipline. His purported alliance with religions, and his efforts to introduce a spiritual dimension into modern psychology, have arguably led to deleterious consequences. By attempting to construct a psychological system that spiritualizes the human soul without any reference to the transpersonal dimension of the psyche, Jung replaced sacred tradition with a secular psychology that offered a new—yet fundamentally misguided—path of salvation for seekers in a post-Christian world.
Sacred Web: A Journal of Tradition and Modernity
A tribute to the physicist and metaphysician Wolfgang Smith (1930–2024).
Transcendent Philosophy: An International Journal for Comparative Philosophy and Mysticism
The immense confusion surrounding sexuality is a powerful indication of the spiritual crisis of t... more The immense confusion surrounding sexuality is a powerful indication of the spiritual crisis of the modern world. What are the causes and underlying factors of this state of confusion? The effects of the sexual revolution of the 1960s—a movement rooted in much earlier ideologies—have not diminished but, rather, expanded. The gradual emergence of the Enlightenment project has led to the desacralization of human existence, reducing higher realities to the plane of the material. Modern psychology has played a decisive role in this problem by limiting its account of sexuality to the purely horizontal level of the psycho-physical, when a true comprehension requires the vertical dimension of the Spirit. Modern mental health treatments initially identified the lack of sexual fulfillment as the etiology of psychopathology itself and, while many novel treatment modalities have since been created, to a great extent they only add to the confusion. By contrast, sacred psychology and its metaphysical foundations provide a framework that integrates the horizontal and vertical dimensions of sexuality.
Spirituality Studies
The emergence, in the modern West, of the nine-pointed Enneagram continues to confound and intrig... more The emergence, in the modern West, of the nine-pointed Enneagram continues to confound and intrigue. Furthermore, the true source of this symbol (and its application) also remains enigmatic to a secular mentality. Due to the diminishment of religious consciousness in today’s world, esoteric wisdom has been appropriated for mass consumption and relegated to the psychic dimension of life only. Given its powerful influence, the Enneagram has also been weaponized by profane forces to, paradoxically, undermine the sacred altogether. At the heart of all wisdom traditions around the globe, one finds a rich “science of the soul.” Its far-reaching metaphysical outlook can help to demystify the inscrutable origins of the Enneagram, thus making its esoteric symbolism not only intelligible to modern seekers, but also spiritually operative. The quest to understand ourselves beyond our mere egoic personality is key to an authentic spiritual life, and to unveiling the true significance of the Enneagram. In exploring this phenomenon, a “transpersonal” framework has been adopted that aligns with the insights found in the world’s great wisdom traditions and their sacred psychologies.
Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics
Modern Western psychology is largely defined by its dissociation from philosophy and religion. Ye... more Modern Western psychology is largely defined by its dissociation from philosophy and religion. Yet, prior to the post-medieval world, psychology, philosophy, and religion were unified—and while there was no separate name for what we now know as the formal discipline of psychology, it nonetheless existed since the earliest times. The formation of the modern world and its secularizing outlook led to the gradual divorce of metaphysics and ontology from psychology. Having discarded transcendence and the intermediary realm of the psyche, the discipline has, by and large, forfeited its ability to truly heal the mind. Given its fragmented condition today, psychology is incapable of discerning the mind-body unity and its relationship to the tripartite structure of Spirit, soul, and body—something that was always recognized as central to any spiritually informed therapeutic approach. Ensuring the well-being of the human psyche requires access to a transpersonal order of reality. Only in this way can the metaphysical dimension to psychology be restored, so that it can become, once again, a true “science of the soul.”
Spiritual Psychology and Counseling
The notion of self-care—like its precursor, self-help—has emerged due to a spiritual vacuum in th... more The notion of self-care—like its precursor, self-help—has emerged due to a spiritual vacuum in the contemporary world. The burgeoning mental health crisis that is prevalent today appears inseparable from the broader existential predicament facing humanity. Mainstream psychology and its therapies have not been able to address these challenges, in response to which we have seen the inevitable rise of self-care remedies. Across humanity’s diverse spiritual cultures, these have always been available, yet they were invariably grounded in a religious tradition and its sacred psychology. The more we are marginalized from such roots, the more self-care is required—our current obsession with which is the unacknowledged search for wholeness due to modern people having lost their sense of the sacred.
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Books by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos
Some endorsements for "Paths That Lead to the Same Summit: An Annotated Guide to World Spirituality":
"Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is a professional book reviewer—all done as a labor of love. In these reviews, he demonstrates his wide knowledge of the world's religions and their mystical dimension along with their respective saints and sages. It is a book that will broaden the intellectual horizon of the reader."
—William Stoddart, author of Remembering in a World of Forgetting: Thoughts on Tradition and Postmodernism
"Given the fleeting nature of our sojourn on this earth, it is imperative that we use our time wisely. This work is an aid to making wise choices. Focused throughout on the essentials of the spiritual journey, it assists the wayfarer in navigating the often confusing topography of the terrain that lies ahead by distinguishing truly salvific paths—those which lead toward the One or the Absolute, the goal of all orthodox religions—from the useless, the bogus, and the outright dangerous. I recommend this book to everyone whose heart yearns for the True and the Real."
—James S. Cutsinger, author of Advice to the Serious Seeker: Meditations on the Teaching of Frithjof Schuon
"[A]n excellent annotated bibliography for the whole field of perennial wisdom."
—Robert D. Crane, author of Shaping the Future: Challenge and Response
"[T]his book can serve as a primer to the field across multiple religious and spiritual traditions.... We urgently need a metaphysical ... reorientation ... that underlie the approach of this book."
—Paradigm Explorer
Contents
Introduction: Sigmund Freud and the Emergence of the Modern World
Chapter 1: The Psychoanalytic Revolution: The Succession to the Copernican and Darwinian Revolutions
Chapter 2: Psychoanalysis, the Loss of Faith, and the Signs of the Times
Chapter 3: The Secret Inner Circle of the Psychoanalytic Movement
Chapter 4: The Censoring and Mythologizing of Psychoanalytic History
Chapter 5: The Deification of Freud and the Birth of the Freudian Myth of the Hero
Chapter 6: The Making of Psychological Man: From Imago Dei to Homo Naturalis
Chapter 7: Psychologism: The Reduction of Reality to Psychological Criteria
Chapter 8: Freudianism: The Counter-Religion to Replace Sacred Tradition
Chapter 9: From Metaphysics to Metapsychology
Chapter 10: The Freudian Colonization of the Human Psyche: Id, Ego, and Super-Ego
Chapter 11: The "Oceanic Feeling": Mysticism versus Regression
Chapter 12: The Eclipse of the Sacred and the Rise of Psychopathology
Chapter 13: The Couch and the Confessional
Chapter 14: The Satanic Pact and the Psychologizing of Evil
Chapter 15: The Ethical Void and the Crisis of the Super-Ego
Chapter 16: Freud and the Question of Jewish Identity
Chapter 17: Anti-Semitism and the Vengeance on Christianity
Chapter 18: Psychoanalysis and the Heretical Jewish Messianic Movements
Chapter 19: Psychoanalysis as Pseudo-Science
Chapter 20: Psychoanalysis and Its Discontents: Corrosive Ideology and Debunked Case Histories
Chapter 21: Freud on the Psychoanalytic Couch: A Case History of Unfinished Self-Analysis
Chapter 22: Freud's Cocaine Episode
Chapter 23: Childhood Sexual Abuse and the Betrayal of Truth
Chapter 24: Freud, Eros, and the Sexual Revolution
Chapter 25: The Neo- and Post-Freudian Revolution: Apologists, Heretics, and Revisionists
Conclusion: Founder of the Greatest Revolution in Psychology or "the Greatest Con Man in the History of Medicine"?
Some Endorsements for Psychology Without Spirit: The Freudian Quandary:
“This valuable and timely work [Psychology Without Spirit: The Freudian Quandary] lays bare the demonic nature of Freudianism which went even beyond the realm of psychoanalysis to become an all-embracing world view that has played an important role in the dissolution of the spiritual elements of today's world. The author [Samuel Bendeck Sotillos] casts light upon many of the dark and pernicious elements of this anti-traditional pseudo-science and is to be commended for his penetrating analysis.”
—Seyyed Hossein Nasr, University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University, author of The Need for a Sacred Science and Knowledge and the Sacred
“Samuel Bendeck Sotillos takes us beyond the familiar image to Freud himself. Calling in part upon primary documents rarely seen, he offers us a glimpse of the man: of what—or who!—is driving him. Given the fact that Freud has left an indelible imprint upon our contemporary postmodern civilization, this treatise can hardly fail to be of profound interest to everyone yet capable of serious and critical thought.”
—Wolfgang Smith, Founder of the Philos-Sophia Initiative Foundation, author of Cosmos and Transcendence and The Quantum Enigma: Finding the Hidden Key
“Samuel Bendeck Sotillos, informed by a deep understanding of traditional modes of thought and drawing on prodigious research, develops a searching critique of the very foundations of modern psychoanalysis and exposes the ways in which this totalitarian pseudo-science is symptomatic of the profane worldview which is at the root of our contemporary spiritual crisis. This is a penetrating study of wide-ranging significance and the most urgent relevance.”
—Harry Oldmeadow, former Coordinator of Philosophy and Religious Studies at La Trobe University, Bendigo, author of Journeys East: 20th Century Western Encounters with Eastern Religious Traditions and Touchstones of the Spirit: Essays on Religion, Tradition and Modernity
“This book [Psychology Without Spirit: The Freudian Quandary] places Freud s doctrines in their true meaning, which we never do. As this author [Samuel Bendeck Sotillos] shows with lucidity and depth, what is in question in this book is the destiny of the human being, a destiny that would be urgent to realize, because there is only freedom in and through the Spirit; instead of this, Freud, under the guise of liberating the human being, trapped him into the determinism of the unconscious, that is to say, the most inferior impulses of our soul. In some respects, it is a work of public safety.”
—Jean Borella, retired Professor at the University of Nancy II, author of The Crisis of Religious Symbolism & Symbolism and Reality and The Sense of the Supernatural
Some Endorsements for Behaviorism: The Quandary of a Psychology without a Soul:
“This very concise, compact, and thoughtful book offers an important reflection on the challenges and downside of behaviorism and the bias behind this influential perspective in psychology and the mental health field in general. It also highlights how psychology in an attempt to be empirical and scientific pushed spirituality and religion off to the side consequences that are still felt in the field today. Worth a read for those with interest in this important area.”
—Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D., ABPP is the Augustin Cardinal Bea, S.J. University Professor at Santa Clara University and adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is the author of Contemplative Practices in Action: Spirituality, Meditation, and Health
“This book critiques behaviorism from both a philosophical and practical perspective. Its unique contribution, in my view, is its inclusion of many direct quotations from the literature which show, in devastating fashion, what happens when psychology is based on mechanistic assumptions and attempts to exclude, the ‘inner life’ of human beings, including the soul. Samuel Bendeck Sotillos does an excellent job of showing how original behaviorism took away almost everything that makes us human and how that dark legacy continues to permeate modern psychology. The book is an excellent reflection on the foundations of modern psychology.”
—David N. Elkins, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Pepperdine University, author of The Human Elements of Psychotherapy, Past President of Division 32, Society for Humanistic Psychology, American Psychological Association
“This is a brief, succinct exposition of Behaviorism, a psychology created by an American John Watson in the early 20th Century which has had a profound impact on Western thinking and has now become increasingly influential right through out the world to the extent that it is no longer questioned. India is one of the few cultures left which actively affirms the transcendental nature of reality and in the coming decades we shall see behaviorism and its adjunct consumerism threaten the sacred tenets of the sanātana dharma. The author analyses this school of psychology in the light of the perennial philosophy. There are ‘four forces’ in psychology today namely, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, humanistic and transpersonal. Though behaviorism has been supplanted it nevertheless influences modern thought with its reductionist thinking. It is based on two suppositions: scientism which denies anything that cannot be verified by the five senses and psychologism which reduces an understanding of what is reality to psychological criteria. Mechanized man is reduced to numbers, uniformity, and in distinction from the ‘masses’. Our worth is according to financial currency which is the modern day criterion of what is valuable. It is the triumph of quantity over quality. Guénon called it the ‘Reign of Quantity’ and denotes the degeneration of human values and negates the opportunity of divinity, for Behaviorism denies the reality of the soul and states that humankind is simply a machine that responds to positive and negative stimuli. The behaviorist denies that there is anything more to a human being than behavior. The traditionalist affirms that the human being has a soul who participates in the Divine and has an inherent essence which can transcend the limitations of the human body and mind.
The author has with profuse citations delved into this malaise and the influence it holds on the modern mind. Though it would mainly interest those in the field of psychology, for the general reader this is a sobering and intelligent exposé.”
—The Mountain Path journal
Some Endorsements for Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy:
“[Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy] is more than an anthology. It is a wisely crafted collection of classic and contemporary scholarship noting that what many are seeking is what has always been, a perennial philosophy, that remains foundational. As one of the authors, Tage Lindbom, properly notes, ‘Secularization is a fish in troubled waters.’ This book claims the waters and is essential reading for all those who may have forgotten or are simply ignorant of the rich foundation provided by the perennial philosophy.”
—Ralph W. Hood, Professor of Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, past president of the Psychology of Religion division of the American Psychological Association, co-founder of The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion and co-author of The Psychology of Religion
“A necessary and bracing critique of the assumptions and limitations of contemporary Western psychology, this generous volume is also a passionate call and learned guide towards a truer perspective that embraces man's spiritual nature.”
—Gabor Maté, M.D., and author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction
“Knowing the nature of the mind is perhaps the most difficult undertaking, especially in today’s world. To comprehend the nature of mind one needs to turn to the domain of religion and spirituality. Yet the truth of the mind and its complexity cannot explicitly be defined in words. Inner or transcendent wisdom sees the mind’s own nature without the duality of the seer. Suchness (tathatā) of mind is only experiential and not expressible. The words used to describe thought are themselves a product of thought, which is conditioned and limited. Thus, differences and contradictions are unavoidable. Therefore, a comparative study of different viewpoints and commentaries is immensely important to awaken the inner intelligence to see the mind as it is. Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy: Studies in Comparative Religion edited by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is an outstanding effort in this direction.”
—Samdhong Rinpoche, former Prime Minister (Kalon Tripa) of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, author of Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World: Tibetan Buddhism and Today’s World
“The rise of psychology has impacted the study and practice of spirituality, the experiences and attitudes relevant to ultimate human values that transcend ordinary behavior. Each chapter of this remarkable book demonstrates this interaction in a unique and provocative way. But rather than using psychology to reduce and ‘psychologize’ spiritual topics, its authors demonstrate how directives from the spiritual traditions can enhance and even illuminate the enduring importance of psychology in the 21st century.”
—Stanley Krippner, Saybrook University, co-author of Spiritual Dimensions of Healing
“The work at hand is a thinking and debating man’s delight. If you have any interest at all in attempting to include an educated and enlightened view of man’s higher functions in your purview of the world, you will learn from and enjoy this collection of essays. If you already have some knowledge in this area, brace yourself: you may see some of your favorites sharply criticized. A thought-provoking work.”
—Bruce W. Scotton, University of California, San Francisco, co-editor of Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology
“This book, superbly edited by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos, is a masterful critique of the field of psychology and its loss of the sacred ground in which it once was rooted. It offers depth psychologists an opportunity to contemplate timeless truths echoed through the centuries by perennial philosophers who have always claimed psyche is subordinate to Spirit. Although ignored in depth psychology’s early years due to prejudice and lack of understanding, this is a message today’s psychotherapists must take seriously. Human beings need a deeper and wider transpersonal vision of who and what we are, which the saints and sages of the world’s spiritual traditions have always pointed to. In psychotherapy with a therapist committed to such a vision, patients penetrate into their unconscious depths and not infrequently awaken to the Ground of all Being. Their suffering itself occurred because they had turned away from Spirit. Above all, this volume passionately calls upon depth psychology to remember its origin in the perennial wisdom at the core of the great religions. There is something of a polemic in these pages. It deserves to be considered by depth psychologists of all persuasions.”
—Bryan Wittine, Transpersonal psychologist and Jungian psychoanalyst
“This anthology from Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is a must reference for anyone who is interested in psychology and its relationship to spirituality, and in developing an inclusive dialogue between disciplines that favor an integral outlook on the person and his or her potential. Selections in this anthology will inspire us to reexamine the metaphysical underpinnings of psychology, and remind us how important it is to rise above science’s attempt to reduce the human being to an epistemic object.”
—Sangeetha Menon, National Institute of Advanced Studies (Bangalore, India), Board Member of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA), author of The Beyond Experience: Consciousness in Bhagavad Gita
“This anthology has some of the most discerning essays and reviews on spirituality and psychology, which provide much-needed care and caution to all those engaged in bringing them together or who wish to do so in future. Therefore, it is a must-read for all those who teach, research, consult, or study in such frontier areas as transpersonal psychology, states of consciousness, mind-body relation, holistic health, Indian psychology, and so on. It will be an invaluable textbook for courses in these and other related areas. I congratulate the editor of the book.”
—Kiran Kumar K. Salagame, University of Mysore (India), Board Member of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA), author of The Psychology of Meditation: A Contextual Approach
“One of the finest collections of essays on the Perennial Philosophy—a must-read for all psychologists who are engaged with spirituality and transpersonal psychology. The essays which critique modern psychology (including transpersonal psychology, and the framework of Carl Jung), in the light of the Perennial Philosophy are a revelation and make compelling reading. The book serves as a corrective to the excesses of modern psychology, and to this end Sotillos has done a commendable job. I for one will include the book in some of the graduate courses that I teach.”
—Suneet Varma, University of Delhi, co-editor of Foundations of Indian Psychology
“To its credit modern science by-and-large is becoming more cognizant of the essential connection between spirituality and psychological health and well-being and most of all its positive implications within the field of psychology. While there is ample data to document this in a plethora of academic journals and books, this new book Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy adds a novel contribution to the dialogue between psychology and spirituality, which captures many nuances that for the most part go unnoticed within these discussions, and last but not least, it provides a keen eye of discernment to understand this intricate relationship on a deeper level that is crucially needed. This work will be a valuable asset to students and long term mental health practitioners and professors alike who seek to better understand the relationship between psychology and spirituality.”
—Harold G. Koenig, Duke University, Director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, co-author of The Handbook of Religion and Health
Papers by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos
Some endorsements for "Paths That Lead to the Same Summit: An Annotated Guide to World Spirituality":
"Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is a professional book reviewer—all done as a labor of love. In these reviews, he demonstrates his wide knowledge of the world's religions and their mystical dimension along with their respective saints and sages. It is a book that will broaden the intellectual horizon of the reader."
—William Stoddart, author of Remembering in a World of Forgetting: Thoughts on Tradition and Postmodernism
"Given the fleeting nature of our sojourn on this earth, it is imperative that we use our time wisely. This work is an aid to making wise choices. Focused throughout on the essentials of the spiritual journey, it assists the wayfarer in navigating the often confusing topography of the terrain that lies ahead by distinguishing truly salvific paths—those which lead toward the One or the Absolute, the goal of all orthodox religions—from the useless, the bogus, and the outright dangerous. I recommend this book to everyone whose heart yearns for the True and the Real."
—James S. Cutsinger, author of Advice to the Serious Seeker: Meditations on the Teaching of Frithjof Schuon
"[A]n excellent annotated bibliography for the whole field of perennial wisdom."
—Robert D. Crane, author of Shaping the Future: Challenge and Response
"[T]his book can serve as a primer to the field across multiple religious and spiritual traditions.... We urgently need a metaphysical ... reorientation ... that underlie the approach of this book."
—Paradigm Explorer
Contents
Introduction: Sigmund Freud and the Emergence of the Modern World
Chapter 1: The Psychoanalytic Revolution: The Succession to the Copernican and Darwinian Revolutions
Chapter 2: Psychoanalysis, the Loss of Faith, and the Signs of the Times
Chapter 3: The Secret Inner Circle of the Psychoanalytic Movement
Chapter 4: The Censoring and Mythologizing of Psychoanalytic History
Chapter 5: The Deification of Freud and the Birth of the Freudian Myth of the Hero
Chapter 6: The Making of Psychological Man: From Imago Dei to Homo Naturalis
Chapter 7: Psychologism: The Reduction of Reality to Psychological Criteria
Chapter 8: Freudianism: The Counter-Religion to Replace Sacred Tradition
Chapter 9: From Metaphysics to Metapsychology
Chapter 10: The Freudian Colonization of the Human Psyche: Id, Ego, and Super-Ego
Chapter 11: The "Oceanic Feeling": Mysticism versus Regression
Chapter 12: The Eclipse of the Sacred and the Rise of Psychopathology
Chapter 13: The Couch and the Confessional
Chapter 14: The Satanic Pact and the Psychologizing of Evil
Chapter 15: The Ethical Void and the Crisis of the Super-Ego
Chapter 16: Freud and the Question of Jewish Identity
Chapter 17: Anti-Semitism and the Vengeance on Christianity
Chapter 18: Psychoanalysis and the Heretical Jewish Messianic Movements
Chapter 19: Psychoanalysis as Pseudo-Science
Chapter 20: Psychoanalysis and Its Discontents: Corrosive Ideology and Debunked Case Histories
Chapter 21: Freud on the Psychoanalytic Couch: A Case History of Unfinished Self-Analysis
Chapter 22: Freud's Cocaine Episode
Chapter 23: Childhood Sexual Abuse and the Betrayal of Truth
Chapter 24: Freud, Eros, and the Sexual Revolution
Chapter 25: The Neo- and Post-Freudian Revolution: Apologists, Heretics, and Revisionists
Conclusion: Founder of the Greatest Revolution in Psychology or "the Greatest Con Man in the History of Medicine"?
Some Endorsements for Psychology Without Spirit: The Freudian Quandary:
“This valuable and timely work [Psychology Without Spirit: The Freudian Quandary] lays bare the demonic nature of Freudianism which went even beyond the realm of psychoanalysis to become an all-embracing world view that has played an important role in the dissolution of the spiritual elements of today's world. The author [Samuel Bendeck Sotillos] casts light upon many of the dark and pernicious elements of this anti-traditional pseudo-science and is to be commended for his penetrating analysis.”
—Seyyed Hossein Nasr, University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University, author of The Need for a Sacred Science and Knowledge and the Sacred
“Samuel Bendeck Sotillos takes us beyond the familiar image to Freud himself. Calling in part upon primary documents rarely seen, he offers us a glimpse of the man: of what—or who!—is driving him. Given the fact that Freud has left an indelible imprint upon our contemporary postmodern civilization, this treatise can hardly fail to be of profound interest to everyone yet capable of serious and critical thought.”
—Wolfgang Smith, Founder of the Philos-Sophia Initiative Foundation, author of Cosmos and Transcendence and The Quantum Enigma: Finding the Hidden Key
“Samuel Bendeck Sotillos, informed by a deep understanding of traditional modes of thought and drawing on prodigious research, develops a searching critique of the very foundations of modern psychoanalysis and exposes the ways in which this totalitarian pseudo-science is symptomatic of the profane worldview which is at the root of our contemporary spiritual crisis. This is a penetrating study of wide-ranging significance and the most urgent relevance.”
—Harry Oldmeadow, former Coordinator of Philosophy and Religious Studies at La Trobe University, Bendigo, author of Journeys East: 20th Century Western Encounters with Eastern Religious Traditions and Touchstones of the Spirit: Essays on Religion, Tradition and Modernity
“This book [Psychology Without Spirit: The Freudian Quandary] places Freud s doctrines in their true meaning, which we never do. As this author [Samuel Bendeck Sotillos] shows with lucidity and depth, what is in question in this book is the destiny of the human being, a destiny that would be urgent to realize, because there is only freedom in and through the Spirit; instead of this, Freud, under the guise of liberating the human being, trapped him into the determinism of the unconscious, that is to say, the most inferior impulses of our soul. In some respects, it is a work of public safety.”
—Jean Borella, retired Professor at the University of Nancy II, author of The Crisis of Religious Symbolism & Symbolism and Reality and The Sense of the Supernatural
Some Endorsements for Behaviorism: The Quandary of a Psychology without a Soul:
“This very concise, compact, and thoughtful book offers an important reflection on the challenges and downside of behaviorism and the bias behind this influential perspective in psychology and the mental health field in general. It also highlights how psychology in an attempt to be empirical and scientific pushed spirituality and religion off to the side consequences that are still felt in the field today. Worth a read for those with interest in this important area.”
—Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D., ABPP is the Augustin Cardinal Bea, S.J. University Professor at Santa Clara University and adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is the author of Contemplative Practices in Action: Spirituality, Meditation, and Health
“This book critiques behaviorism from both a philosophical and practical perspective. Its unique contribution, in my view, is its inclusion of many direct quotations from the literature which show, in devastating fashion, what happens when psychology is based on mechanistic assumptions and attempts to exclude, the ‘inner life’ of human beings, including the soul. Samuel Bendeck Sotillos does an excellent job of showing how original behaviorism took away almost everything that makes us human and how that dark legacy continues to permeate modern psychology. The book is an excellent reflection on the foundations of modern psychology.”
—David N. Elkins, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Pepperdine University, author of The Human Elements of Psychotherapy, Past President of Division 32, Society for Humanistic Psychology, American Psychological Association
“This is a brief, succinct exposition of Behaviorism, a psychology created by an American John Watson in the early 20th Century which has had a profound impact on Western thinking and has now become increasingly influential right through out the world to the extent that it is no longer questioned. India is one of the few cultures left which actively affirms the transcendental nature of reality and in the coming decades we shall see behaviorism and its adjunct consumerism threaten the sacred tenets of the sanātana dharma. The author analyses this school of psychology in the light of the perennial philosophy. There are ‘four forces’ in psychology today namely, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, humanistic and transpersonal. Though behaviorism has been supplanted it nevertheless influences modern thought with its reductionist thinking. It is based on two suppositions: scientism which denies anything that cannot be verified by the five senses and psychologism which reduces an understanding of what is reality to psychological criteria. Mechanized man is reduced to numbers, uniformity, and in distinction from the ‘masses’. Our worth is according to financial currency which is the modern day criterion of what is valuable. It is the triumph of quantity over quality. Guénon called it the ‘Reign of Quantity’ and denotes the degeneration of human values and negates the opportunity of divinity, for Behaviorism denies the reality of the soul and states that humankind is simply a machine that responds to positive and negative stimuli. The behaviorist denies that there is anything more to a human being than behavior. The traditionalist affirms that the human being has a soul who participates in the Divine and has an inherent essence which can transcend the limitations of the human body and mind.
The author has with profuse citations delved into this malaise and the influence it holds on the modern mind. Though it would mainly interest those in the field of psychology, for the general reader this is a sobering and intelligent exposé.”
—The Mountain Path journal
Some Endorsements for Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy:
“[Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy] is more than an anthology. It is a wisely crafted collection of classic and contemporary scholarship noting that what many are seeking is what has always been, a perennial philosophy, that remains foundational. As one of the authors, Tage Lindbom, properly notes, ‘Secularization is a fish in troubled waters.’ This book claims the waters and is essential reading for all those who may have forgotten or are simply ignorant of the rich foundation provided by the perennial philosophy.”
—Ralph W. Hood, Professor of Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, past president of the Psychology of Religion division of the American Psychological Association, co-founder of The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion and co-author of The Psychology of Religion
“A necessary and bracing critique of the assumptions and limitations of contemporary Western psychology, this generous volume is also a passionate call and learned guide towards a truer perspective that embraces man's spiritual nature.”
—Gabor Maté, M.D., and author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction
“Knowing the nature of the mind is perhaps the most difficult undertaking, especially in today’s world. To comprehend the nature of mind one needs to turn to the domain of religion and spirituality. Yet the truth of the mind and its complexity cannot explicitly be defined in words. Inner or transcendent wisdom sees the mind’s own nature without the duality of the seer. Suchness (tathatā) of mind is only experiential and not expressible. The words used to describe thought are themselves a product of thought, which is conditioned and limited. Thus, differences and contradictions are unavoidable. Therefore, a comparative study of different viewpoints and commentaries is immensely important to awaken the inner intelligence to see the mind as it is. Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy: Studies in Comparative Religion edited by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is an outstanding effort in this direction.”
—Samdhong Rinpoche, former Prime Minister (Kalon Tripa) of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, author of Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World: Tibetan Buddhism and Today’s World
“The rise of psychology has impacted the study and practice of spirituality, the experiences and attitudes relevant to ultimate human values that transcend ordinary behavior. Each chapter of this remarkable book demonstrates this interaction in a unique and provocative way. But rather than using psychology to reduce and ‘psychologize’ spiritual topics, its authors demonstrate how directives from the spiritual traditions can enhance and even illuminate the enduring importance of psychology in the 21st century.”
—Stanley Krippner, Saybrook University, co-author of Spiritual Dimensions of Healing
“The work at hand is a thinking and debating man’s delight. If you have any interest at all in attempting to include an educated and enlightened view of man’s higher functions in your purview of the world, you will learn from and enjoy this collection of essays. If you already have some knowledge in this area, brace yourself: you may see some of your favorites sharply criticized. A thought-provoking work.”
—Bruce W. Scotton, University of California, San Francisco, co-editor of Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology
“This book, superbly edited by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos, is a masterful critique of the field of psychology and its loss of the sacred ground in which it once was rooted. It offers depth psychologists an opportunity to contemplate timeless truths echoed through the centuries by perennial philosophers who have always claimed psyche is subordinate to Spirit. Although ignored in depth psychology’s early years due to prejudice and lack of understanding, this is a message today’s psychotherapists must take seriously. Human beings need a deeper and wider transpersonal vision of who and what we are, which the saints and sages of the world’s spiritual traditions have always pointed to. In psychotherapy with a therapist committed to such a vision, patients penetrate into their unconscious depths and not infrequently awaken to the Ground of all Being. Their suffering itself occurred because they had turned away from Spirit. Above all, this volume passionately calls upon depth psychology to remember its origin in the perennial wisdom at the core of the great religions. There is something of a polemic in these pages. It deserves to be considered by depth psychologists of all persuasions.”
—Bryan Wittine, Transpersonal psychologist and Jungian psychoanalyst
“This anthology from Samuel Bendeck Sotillos is a must reference for anyone who is interested in psychology and its relationship to spirituality, and in developing an inclusive dialogue between disciplines that favor an integral outlook on the person and his or her potential. Selections in this anthology will inspire us to reexamine the metaphysical underpinnings of psychology, and remind us how important it is to rise above science’s attempt to reduce the human being to an epistemic object.”
—Sangeetha Menon, National Institute of Advanced Studies (Bangalore, India), Board Member of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA), author of The Beyond Experience: Consciousness in Bhagavad Gita
“This anthology has some of the most discerning essays and reviews on spirituality and psychology, which provide much-needed care and caution to all those engaged in bringing them together or who wish to do so in future. Therefore, it is a must-read for all those who teach, research, consult, or study in such frontier areas as transpersonal psychology, states of consciousness, mind-body relation, holistic health, Indian psychology, and so on. It will be an invaluable textbook for courses in these and other related areas. I congratulate the editor of the book.”
—Kiran Kumar K. Salagame, University of Mysore (India), Board Member of the International Transpersonal Association (ITA), author of The Psychology of Meditation: A Contextual Approach
“One of the finest collections of essays on the Perennial Philosophy—a must-read for all psychologists who are engaged with spirituality and transpersonal psychology. The essays which critique modern psychology (including transpersonal psychology, and the framework of Carl Jung), in the light of the Perennial Philosophy are a revelation and make compelling reading. The book serves as a corrective to the excesses of modern psychology, and to this end Sotillos has done a commendable job. I for one will include the book in some of the graduate courses that I teach.”
—Suneet Varma, University of Delhi, co-editor of Foundations of Indian Psychology
“To its credit modern science by-and-large is becoming more cognizant of the essential connection between spirituality and psychological health and well-being and most of all its positive implications within the field of psychology. While there is ample data to document this in a plethora of academic journals and books, this new book Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy adds a novel contribution to the dialogue between psychology and spirituality, which captures many nuances that for the most part go unnoticed within these discussions, and last but not least, it provides a keen eye of discernment to understand this intricate relationship on a deeper level that is crucially needed. This work will be a valuable asset to students and long term mental health practitioners and professors alike who seek to better understand the relationship between psychology and spirituality.”
—Harold G. Koenig, Duke University, Director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, co-author of The Handbook of Religion and Health