A measure of our need for integrity, John Beebe writes, is that we rarely allow ourselves an examination of the concept itself. To do so would betray an unspoken philosophic, poetic, and psychological rule of our culture; not to disturb the mystery of what we desire most. In this book, Beebe reveals much about the nature of integrity while honoring its central mystery. Beebe traces the evolution of the concept from a moral and theological notion to a psychological one. He explores the Eastern understanding of integrity, as well, basing his discussion on pre-Confucian manuscripts of the Tao Te Ching. Viewing anxiety and shame as functions of integrity, he shows the contributions depth psychology can make to integrity's development. He also looks at the ways sex difference and our resulting notions of gender have colored our culture's experience and expression of integrity. Drawing on his own years of experience as a psychotherapist, Beebe shows how the holding environment of psychotherapy can use delight and rage, and dreams and transference to reveal and foster individual integrity.
