Kabbalistic Psychology and the Shadow of the Western Mind

This book explores the sophisticated insights into consciousness and the mind that may be found in the Kabbalah, and the value of bringing the lens of modern psychology to the study and practice of this ancient path of mysticism. But this is not a book only about individuals and their spiritual paths; the larger context is the “shadow” of the western mind that, so argues Lancaster, continues to play an unconscious role in catalysing many crises we are experiencing today. The shadow stems from events in ancient Israel at the beginning of the Common Era from which the religions of Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity emerged. These two religions brought worldviews and ideas about the sacred that fundamentally conflicted with each other, with the result that, as it gained political and cultural ascendency, Christianity projected its shadow onto its “parent”, Biblical Judaism. In addition to having devastating consequences for Jews throughout much of European history, this rift continues to haunt the western psyche. Lancaster argues that a Kabbalistic psychology can play a central role in healing the rift. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in a psychological approach to Kabbalah, scholars of western religious history, and practitioners alive to the inner dimensions of social change in cultures shaped by the western heritage.