Lawrence LeShan

American psychologist (1920–2020)

Lawrence LeShan

Born| (1920-09-08)September 8, 1920
Died| November 9, 2020(2020-11-09) (aged 100)
Occupation(s)| psychologist, parapsychologist, educator, and author
Known for| psychological intervention for cancer

Lawrence LeShan (September 8, 1920 – November 9, 2020)[1] was an American psychologist, educator, and the author of the best-selling How to Meditate (1974) a practical guide to meditation.[2] He authored or co-authored approximately 75 articles in the professional literature and more than fifteen books on a diverse range of topics including psychotherapy, war, cancer treatment, and mysticism. He also wrote science fiction under the pseudonym Edward Grendon.

## Biography[edit]

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LeShan received a bachelor's degree from The College of William and Mary, a masters from University of Nebraska and a Ph.D. in Human Development from the University of Chicago. He taught at Pace College, Roosevelt University, and the New School for Social Research. He worked as a clinical and research psychologist for more than 50 years, including six years as a psychologist in the United States Army. He served in the army from 1943 to 1946 and from 1950 to 1952.

In the 1960s and 1970s, LeShan conducted extensive research in the field of parapsychology. In his book The Medium, the Mystic, and the Physicist: Toward a General Theory of the Paranormal, he investigated paranormal topics, mystical thought and quantum mechanics.[3] In the book LeShan claimed to have tested his hypothesis of "clairvoyant reality". He said the results were a success and he could heal with mental power and train others to do the same. However, Tim Healey wrote the results were not convincing as nine of his students had eight attempts at using a clairvoyant training technique and all scored four to fives misses.[3]

In World of the Paranormal: The Next Frontier, LeShan advanced his paranormal ideas further, claiming that psychic abilities such as clairvoyance, precognition, and telepathy can be explained using quantum theory.

In the 1980s, LeShan's focus shifted to the psychotherapy of cancer support, a field in which he is considered a pioneer. LeShan lived in New York City. LeShan was married to the late Eda LeShan, who was also a writer.[4] He died at the age of 100 in 2020.[5]

## Publications[edit]

* The Medium, the Mystic, and the Physicist: Toward a General Theory of the Paranormal (1974)[6]
* How to Meditate: A Guide to Self-Discovery (1974)[7]
* Alternate Realities: The Search for the Full Human Being (1976)[8]
* You Can Fight For Your Life: Emotional Factors in the Treatment of Cancer (1980)[9]
* Einstein's Space & Van Gogh's Sky: Physical Reality and Beyond (with Henry Margenau)(1982)[10]
* The Mechanic and the Gardener: How to Make the Most of the Holistic Revolution in Medicine (Introduction by Norman Cousins) (1982)
* Holistic Health: How to Understand and Use the Revolution in Medicine (1984)[11]
* From Newton to Esp: Parapsychology and the Challenge of Modern Science (1985)[12]
* Cancer As a Turning Point: A Handbook for People with Cancer, Their Families, and Health Professionals (1994)[13]
* An Ethic for the Age of Space: A Touchstone for Conduct Among the Stars (1996)[14]
* Beyond Technique: Psychotherapy for the 21st Century (1996)[15]
* The Dilemma of Psychology: A Psychologist Looks at His Troubled Profession (2002)[16]
* The Psychology of War: Comprehending Its Mystique and Its Madness (2002)[17]
* World of the Paranormal: The Next Frontier (2004)[18]
* Patriotism for Grownups (with Eda J. LeShan)(2005)[19]
* The Pattern of Evil: Myth, Social Perception and the Holocaust (2006)[20]
* A New Science of the Paranormal: the Promise of Psychical Research (2009)[21]
* Landscapes of the Mind: The Faces of Reality (2012)[22]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "encyclopedia.com".
2. ^ Fields, Tracy. (1995). Cancer Patients Call On Mind To Help Heal The Body. Ocala Star-Banner.
3. ^ a b Healey, Tim. (1976). The Medium, the Mystic, and the Physicist: Toward a General Theory of the Paranormal by Lawrence LeShan. Leonardo. Volume 9, No. 2. pp. 154-155.
4. ^ (20 August 1944). Eda Joan Grossman Wed. The New York Times.
5. ^ "LAWRENCE LESHAN". Legacy.com. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
6. ^ Leshan, Lawrence (1 May 2003). The Medium, the Mystic, and the Physicist: Toward a General Theory of the Paranormal. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-62153-593-5.
7. ^ LeShan, Lawrence (1979). How to Meditate: A Guide to Self-discovery. Bantam Books. ISBN 978-0-553-13515-2.
8. ^ LeShan, Lawrence (12 November 1987). Alternate Realities. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-345-34924-8.
9. ^ LeShan, Lawrence (1980). You Can Fight for Your Life: Emotional Factors in the Treatment of Cancer. M. Evans. ISBN 978-0-87131-494-9.
10. ^ LeShan, Lawrence L.; Margenau, Henry (1983). Einstein's Space and Van Gogh's Sky: Physical Reality and Beyond. Collier Books. ISBN 978-0-02-093180-5.
11. ^ LeShan, Lawrence (1984). Holistic Health: How to Understand and Use the Revolution in Medicine. Turnstone. ISBN 978-0-85500-203-9.
12. ^ LeShan, Lawrence L. (1984). From Newton to ESP: Parapsychology and the Challenge of Modern Science. Turnstone Press. ISBN 978-0-85500-200-8.
13. ^ LeShan, Lawrence (1 August 1994). Cancer As a Turning Point: A Handbook for People with Cancer, Their Families, and Health Professionals - Revised Edition. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-452-27137-1.
14. ^ LeShan, Lawrence L. (1 January 1996). An Ethic for the Age of Space: A Touchstone for Conduct Among the Stars. Weiser Books. ISBN 978-0-87728-854-1.
15. ^ LeShan, Lawrence L. (1996). Beyond Technique: Psychotherapy for the 21st Century. Jason Aronson. ISBN 978-1-56821-550-1.
16. ^ LeShan, Lawrence L. (1990). The Dilemma of Psychology: A Psychologist Looks at His Troubled Profession. Dutton. ISBN 978-0-525-24928-3.
17. ^ LeShan, Lawrence L. (1992). The Psychology of War: Comprehending Its Mystique and Its Madness. Noble Press. ISBN 978-1-879360-20-4.
18. ^ LeShan, Lawrence (15 August 2013). A New Science of the Paranormal: The Promise of Psychical Research. Quest Books. ISBN 978-0-8356-3053-5.
19. ^ LeShan, Eda J.; LeShan, Lawrence L. (2005). Patriotism for Grownups. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4120-5665-6.
20. ^ Leshan, Lawrence (2006). The Pattern of Evil: Myth, Social Perception and the Holocaust. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 978-1-59926-885-9.
21. ^ LeShan, Lawrence (15 August 2013). A New Science of the Paranormal: The Promise of Psychical Research. Quest Books. ISBN 978-0-8356-3053-5.
22. ^ LeShan, Lawrence (2012). LANDSCAPES of the MIND: The Faces of Reality. Eirini Press. ISBN 978-0-9799989-8-0.

## External links[edit]

* Cancer as a Turning Point

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