Claudio Naranjo
The art of human transformation
Dr Claudio Naranjo, Chilean psychiatrist and spiritual master of our time, is renowned for his countless contributions to 21st century psychotherapy. A direct disciple of Fritz Perls, he is a world reference in both Gestalt therapy and Transpersonal Psychology. He is a tireless researcher, writer and lecturer of international renown. With more than 30 published titles, his wide-ranging knowledge covers several areas of influence.
Claudio Naranjo has been the greatest disseminator of the Gestalt therapy The Gestalt-transpersonal approach, a personal perspective with novel contributions, as well as the free spirit of Perls, has been developed over the years, both in the Spanish and English-speaking world.
He has also been a great disseminator of meditation and the knowledge of contemplative spiritual traditions from both East and West, building bridges and updating these ancient wisdoms for their use in psychotherapy. He has integrated meditation as a psychotherapeutic tool, discovering the potential of interpersonal meditation, as well as the use of music as a mobilising and communicative tool in therapy. Understanding music as food for the soul and listening to music as a meditative act capable of accompanying you to the deepest spheres of your being.
Creator of the Enneatype Psychology (Enneagram).
Creator of the Psychology of the Enneatypes (Enneagram), a deep and exhaustive study of the different psychological characters - mainly described in his book "Character and Neurosis" and deepened in "27 characters in search of the self" - which Dr. Naranjo has turned into a great tool for self-knowledge.
He has also developed the SAT, a programme of self-knowledge and individual transformation, based on the Psychology of the Enneatypes, which has benefited thousands of people, leaving its mark on several generations of gestaltists in Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Russia, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay, etc... In 2007 he created the Claudio Naranjo Foundation with the aim of embracing all the proposals, both educational and therapeutic, and preserving the legacy of his approach.
He is also a referent of Transpersonal Psychology, being "The only search" one of the first books of what is nowadays considered the 4th force of Psychology. He has also pioneered research into psychedelic-assisted therapy used as a catalyst for transformative processes.
All his knowledge has crystallised in a proposal to change education in order to change the world. At the end of the 1990s, he became involved in transforming education through the use of existential competencies, a proposal that advocates how self-knowledge and love can lead to individual transformation; and from there to change values in the classroom and in society.
In short, he has been a great integrator of psychology and spirituality, promoting the transformation of the individual and society. For his extensive career and the breadth of his work, he has received three honorary doctorates from universities in Italy and Mexico. He was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015, in recognition of his life dedicated to the betterment of the individual and the improvement of society.
"Why be afraid of shadows? Where you see shadow means that in a nearby place light is shining."
~Claudio Naranjo.
Claudio's legacy at Cercle Conciència
Our relationship with Claudio Naranjo is one of learning and close collaboration. Antoni Aguilar, director of Cercle de Consciència, was part of his team for more than 20 years, coordinating and participating as a teacher in the SAT programmes in several countries in Europe, Mexico, Uruguay and the USA. Montse Coll, co-founder of Cercle de Consciència, has also taken part as coordinator of the SAT programme teams in Spain on several occasions.
Many Cercle therapists have also been part of the teaching teams of the SAT programmes, drinking directly from Claudio Naranjo's source of knowledge; and also contributing to the study and realisation of the characters described in this great encyclopaedia of reference in the study of personality which is the "Psychology of the Enneatypes" by Editorial La llave.
At Cercle de Consciència we have the unique Transpersonal Integrative Training endorsed by Claudio Naranjo. The teachers and themes, as well as the direction and teaching staff have been chosen by Claudio Naranjo in collaboration with Antoni Aguilar, with the Ego/Essence model being the main reference for this training.