Module 1 – spiritual psychology
Definition, Meaning and Nature of Spiritual Psychology History of Spiritual Psychology Theories of
Spiritual Development
1. Definition, Meaning and Nature of Spiritual Psychology
Transpersonal psychology, or spiritual psychology, is an area of psychology that
seeks to integrate the spiritual and transcendent aspects of the human experience
within the framework of modern psychology. [ Walsh, R.; Vaughan, F. (1993). "On
transpersonal definitions". Journal of Transpersonal Psychology. 25 (2): 125–182].
The meaning of spirituality has developed and expanded over time, and various
meanings can be found alongside each other [McCarroll, O'Connor & Meakes 2005],
Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to
recover the original shape of man", oriented at "the image of God" [Waaijman 2000],
as exemplified by the founders and sacred texts of the religions of the world. The
term was used within early Christianity to refer to a life oriented toward the Holy
Spirit and broadened during the Late Middle Ages to include mental aspects of life. In
modern times, the term both spread to other religious traditions and broadened to
refer to a wider range of experiences, including a range of esoteric and religious
traditions. Modern usages tend to refer to a subjective experience of a sacred
dimension, and the "deepest values and meanings by which people live", often in a
context separate from organized religious institutions. This may involve belief in
a supernatural realm beyond the ordinarily observable world,] personal growth, a
quest for an ultimate or sacred meaning, religious experience,[16] or an encounter with
one's own "inner dimension".
According to Mario Beauregard and Denyse O’Leary, researchers and
authors of The Spiritual Brain, “spirituality means any experience that is
thought to bring the experiencer into contact with the divine (in other words,
not just any experience that feels meaningful).”
In spirituality one can ask question like – what is the meaning of life. There are no rules in
spirituality.
Spirituality can be defined generally as an individual's search for ultimate or sacred meaning,
and purpose in life.[15] Additionally it can mean to seek out or search for personal
growth, religious experience, belief in a supernatural realm or afterlife, or to make sense of
one's own "inner dimension"
Spirituality And Spiritual psychology
The concept Spirituality is a holistic one, which encompasses the physical, emotional, social and the
spiritual aspects of an individual. Spirituality is a unified quality of body, mind, heart spirit or soul.
Spirituality is one of the most important sources of strength and direction in people‗s lives. A
spiritual side of human nature remains important to Asian lives. A number of important
psychologists such as William James, Carl Jung, Gordan Allport and Abraham Maslow have
considered spirituality as part of their theory of human behavior. Spirit is a human phenomenon,
which exists in almost all persons. It is define spirituality is not an easy task. Spirituality is complex
and has many dimensions. Spirituality like personality, character, temperament or health is an
attribute of individual. Holistic living is the art of living in balance with our environment and us.
Understanding and respecting that all things are interconnected is at the heart of a holistic lifestyle.
Holistic living is about taking responsibility for our actions and choices in the knowledge that these
choices have consequences for all living things on the planet.
Gilder (1997) stated that the view of a spiritual dimension to human kind is receiving increasing
support. Spirituality is a word used in an abundance of contexts that means different things for
different people at different times in different cultures. Although expressed through religions, art,
nature and the built environment for centuries, recent expressions of spirituality have become more
varied and diffuse. The term "spirituality" has changed throughout the ages. Spirituality is a state of
consciousness that reflects engagement the deep and often urgent need to understand, a need to
know. The state of consciousness can be characterized in biological as well as phenomenological
terms. Spirituality like personality, character, temperament or health is an attribute of individual.
1) Spirituality brings a feeling of unity with nature and people. 2) Spirituality is an inner belief
system, which concerns the essence of my being. 3) Spirituality develops a sense of higher
consciousness that connects the creator and the created. 4) Spirituality helps people in reaching and
exploring challenges, seeking personal truth, development the sense of unity of life and developing a
personal philosophy. 5) Spirituality is refers to the relationship between others and me and between
god and me. 6) Spirituality is unique to each individual, influenced by culture, development,
experiences and ideas, meaning, transcendent, hope, love, quality, relationship and existence.
Huddleston (1992) defined Spirituality is the vision of who we are as human begins
. According to Wong (2006), Spirituality is the motivational emotional source of an individual‘s quest
for a personally defined relationship with people and the non-human environment for it includes a
connectedness with a higher being, leading to enhanced feeling of well being, inner peace and
satisfaction.
According to the Bhagavat Gita, meaning spirituality means diving deep into inner self and realizing
identity of our soul (Atman) the spirit within! It is only through path of spirituality human beings
gained enlightenment (Kavalla jnana) and finally salvation (moksha).the stage enlightens can never
be reached via path of religion, path of rituals!
Spiritual psychology is a branch of psychology like child psychology and social psychology and a
system of psychology like psychoanalysis. The study of consciousness as such in relation to thinking,
mind and the sensing- brain constitutes the subject matter of spiritual psychology. Spiritual
psychology is the science of being happy, complemented by new science and new biology, its
foundation is the rock of ancient knowledge, it methodology is 21st century art and its functionality
enables perfect health, mind, body and soul. Science, art and spirituality unite creating a conscious
vision through the purification of consciousness. Spiritual psychology is the study and practice of art
and science of human evolution in consciousness. Spiritual psychology walks with consciousness in
both its depth, breadth. It has a sound basis in metaphysics, theoretical, and philosophical
psychology and ancient philosophy combined with innovative science and the largest breakthrough
in cellular biology.
Spirituality helps us to heal our consciousness through self-development. It provides the tools and
techniques for the process of reflection used to empower individuals to honestly review and learn
from their own experiences. This is about learning from self and having the courage to own what
feel and create. On the surface, these two terms 'Spirit' and 'Psychology' seem to oppose each other.
Typically, when we imagine anything spiritual we conjure images related to formlessness. Anything
psychological would be mental, an aspect of the process of thinking. Spiritual Psychology directs
attention to how these conditions support each other. In fact, how one cannot exist without the
other. There is a relationship between thoughts and things. Things are the physical aspects of
thoughts and thoughts are the mental aspects of things. No-thing can exist within the consciousness
of any person absent of their ability to think about it. The more capable you are of discerning details
(thinking), the more of any-thing you can see. Therefore, how humans manifest material items,
relationships, health is by thinking things into existence.
According to the divine science school (2004) Washington Dc, Spiritual psychology is an examination
of the relationship between human and divine mind and role of mind in attracting abundance,
achieving inner serenity and spiritual growth.
Akbar Husain (2005) defined the field of spiritual psychology focuses on understanding the ways of
spiritual fullness (e.g. believing in sacredness, unity and transformation),the knowledge of the self
use of prayer, meditation, spiritual practices as the techniques for the treatment, assessment of
spiritual diseases etc. This field is unified in two respects the first one is linking body, mind, heart
spirit and secondly it established the relationship between theory and practice.
K.Ramakrishna Rao (2005) stated Spiritual psychology is the study of mind/consciousness at the
point of science religion interface. Spiritual psychology is the discipline that studies the way of
knowing and realizing the self. Indian tradition it is asserted as atmanam viddhi.The duty is to know
the self. Spiritual psychology aspires for total transformation of the person to achieve higher levels
of awareness and excellence.
According to research by Frankl (1962), they both exceed other aspects of positive psychology
toward its highest reach. Therefore, search for meaning of life is a key part of positive psychology,
which is interested in the psychic health and satisfaction, psychological aspects of quality of life,
positive emotionality and experiencing, and its equivalent personality dimensions such as happiness,
overwhelming feeling, hope, modesty.
Steve Rother stated twelve paradigms of the field in his book ‗The spiritual psychology‘- Focus on
Empowerment, Healing by Request, Intent, Perception, and Truth. Balanced Ego, Discernment,
Creating Safe Space, Vulnerability, Mastery of Thought, Motivation and Responsibility
2. History of spiritual psychology
Origins
In 1968, Abraham Maslow was among the people who described transpersonal
psychology as a "fourth force" in psychology. Early use of the term "transpersonal"
can also be credited to Stanislav Grof and Anthony Sutich. At this time, in 1967–68,
Maslow was in close dialogue with both Grof and Sutich regarding the name and
orientation of the new field. Originally called Humanistic Psychology,
The field formally began in the late 1960s and was co-founded by
psychologist Abraham Maslow and psychiatrist Stanislav Grof. 3
Grof S. Brief history of transpersonal psychology. Int J Tranpers Stud. 2008;27(1):46-
54. doi:10.24972/ijts.2008.27.1.46
However, transpersonal psychology also has roots in earlier work by
psychologists such as William James and Carl Jung, who were deeply
interested in the spiritual aspects of human nature.
Other notable dates in transpersonal psychology include:
In 1969, The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology began publication.
[Friedman HL. Transpersonal psychology as a heterodox approach to
psychological science: Focus on the construct of self-expansiveness and its
measure. Arch Sci Psychol. 2018;6(1):230-242. doi:10.1037/arc0000057]
In 1971, the Association for Transpersonal Psychology was established.
In 1978, the International Transpersonal Association was formed. [Grof
S. Brief history of transpersonal psychology. Int J Tranpers Stud.
2008;27(1):46-54. doi:10.24972/ijts.2008.27.1.46]
In the early 1990s, researchers Lajoie and Shapiro attempted to clarify
what transpersonal psychology means. While not all definitions are
exactly the same, they suggested that there are several key factors that
figure into most explanations within this field. They include spirituality,
higher potential, transcendence, and other states of consciousness
Formative period
Gradually, during the 1960s, the term "transpersonal" was associated with a distinct
school of psychology within the humanistic psychology movement.[3] This branch of
psychology was introduced to a time where the majority of schools were
teaching Freudian Psychology.[2] In 1969, Maslow, Grof and Sutich were among the
initiators behind the publication of the first issue of the Journal of Transpersonal
Psychology.
The Association for Transpersonal Psychology was established in 1972,
the International Transpersonal Psychology Association in 1973,
the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in 1975 . The institute was founded by Robert
Frager and James Fadiman in response to an academic climate that they felt was hostile to
such ideas.
3. Theories of Spiritual Development
James Fowler's Stages of Faith Development
James Fowler's Stages of Faith Development is a theory that outlines
a framework for understanding how individuals develop their faith and
spirituality throughout their lives. Fowler proposed six stages of faith
development, each representing a different way of approaching and
understanding one's faith. Here are the stages:
o Stage 0 - Primal or Undifferentiated Faith (Infancy to 2 years): At
this stage, infants and very young children have a basic trust in their
caregivers, but they have not yet developed a distinct religious or
spiritual faith. Their faith is undifferentiated and based on their primary
relationships.
o Stage 1 - Intuitive-Projective Faith (Ages 3-7): In this stage, children
begin to develop a rudimentary understanding of religious and spiritual
concepts. Their faith is often characterized by imagination, simple
stories, and concrete beliefs. They tend to see the world in a very black-
and-white manner, and their faith is highly influenced by the beliefs and
values of their parents or caregivers.
o Stage 2 - Mythic-Literal Faith (Ages 7-11): Children in this stage
start to understand religious stories and symbols more literally. They
may develop a moral and ethical framework based on these stories. Their
faith is often strongly tied to the religious traditions and practices of
their family or community.
o Stage 3 - Synthetic-Conventional Faith (Adolescence to Early
Adulthood): This stage typically corresponds to adolescence and young
adulthood. Individuals in this stage begin to question and critically
examine their beliefs. They start to form a more personal and reflective
faith that may incorporate elements from various sources, including their
family, religious community, and personal experiences.
o Stage 4 - Individuative-Reflective Faith (Adulthood): In this stage,
individuals continue to develop a more independent and self-reflective
faith. They are willing to question and challenge their beliefs, seeking a
deeper understanding of spirituality that is personally meaningful. This
stage often involves a more nuanced and complex approach to faith.
o Stage 5 - Conjunctive Faith (Mid-Life and Beyond): Individuals in
this stage have a greater capacity for empathy, understanding, and
integration of diverse perspectives. They can appreciate the value of
multiple belief systems and see the interconnectedness of all humanity.
There is a recognition of the limits of human understanding, leading to
increased humility and acceptance.
o Stage 6 - Universalizing Faith (Rarely Achieved): According to
Fowler, only a few individuals reach this stage. Universalizing faith is
characterized by a transcendent and selfless faith that seeks to promote
justice, compassion, and the well-being of all people. It is an extremely
rare and highly evolved form of faith.
It's worth noting that not everyone progresses through all these stages,
and some people may remain at a particular stage throughout their lives.
People can also move back and forth between stages, especially when
facing significant life events or challenges that prompt a reevaluation of
their faith. Fowler's theory is a useful framework for understanding the
diversity of spiritual development but should be viewed as a guideline
rather than a rigid model.
Mod 3- eastern perspective
A] Vedic Perspective/ Hinduism
The historical Vedic religion, also called Vedicism or Vedism, and
sometimes ancient Hinduism or Vedic Hinduism,[a] constituted the religious ideas
and practices prevalent amongst some of the Indo-Aryan peoples of the northwest
Indian subcontinent (Punjab and the western Ganges plain) during the Vedic
period (c. 1500–500 BCE).
Specific rituals and sacrifices of the Vedic religion include, among others:
the Soma rituals; Fire rituals involving oblations (havir); and the Ashvamedha (horse
sacrifice).[15][16] The rites of grave burials as well as cremation are seen since the
Rigvedic period.[17] Deities emphasized in the Vedic religion
include Dyaus, Indra, Agni, Rudra and Varuna, and important ethical concepts
include satya and ṛta.
Hinduism (/ˈhɪnduˌɪzəm/)[1][2] is an Indian religion or dharma, a religious and universal
order by which its followers abide.[note 1][note 2] The word Hindu is an exonym,[note 3] and
while Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world,[note 4] it has also been
described as sanātana dharma (lit. 'the eternal dharma'), a modern usage, based on
the belief that its origins lie beyond human history, as revealed in the Hindu texts.[note
5]
Another endonym for Hinduism is Vaidika dharma (lit. 'Vedic dharma').
Hindu texts have been classified into Śruti ("heard") and Smṛti ("remembered").
The major Hindu scriptures are the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Purānas,
the Mahābhārata (incl Bhagavad Gita), the Rāmāyana, and the Āgamas.[4][5]
Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include karma (action, intent and consequences)[4]
[6]
and the four Puruṣārthas, proper goals or aims of human life,
namely: dharma (ethics/duties), artha (prosperity/work), kama (desires/passions)
and moksha (liberation/freedom from the passions and the cycle of death and
rebirth).
Hindu religious practices include devotion (bhakti), worship (puja), sacrificial rites
(yajña), and meditation (dhyāna) and yoga.
