Shadows along the spiritual pathway
Journal of Religion and Health March 21, 2015 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-015-0037-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Shadow work Shadow integration Unconscious integration Dark side integration Inner polarity integration Spiritual development Holistic spirituality Authentic spirituality Personal spiritual growth Transpersonal psychology Transpersonal therapy Spiritual psychology Self-awareness Inner exploration Psychological insight Authenticity |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key points | Argues that transpersonal psychology offers a way to approach and redeem the unconscious dark side of the psyche, and that spirituality without such tools may engender the reverse of holistic growth. |
Abstract
Contemporary spirituality discourses tend to assume that a canopy of light and love overarches all spiritual pathways. Unfortunately, the dark side of humanity cannot be spirited away so easily, and aberrations of personal spiritual development, interpersonal spiritual relationships and new spiritual movements can often be traced to the denial, repression and return of our dark side. Transpersonal psychology offers a way of approaching, reframing and redeeming the unconscious depths of our psyche, with its metaphors of shadows and daimons on the one hand, and its therapeutic practices for symbolically containing and transcending polarities on the other. In its absence, any spirituality which eulogises holistic growth is likely to engender the reverse effect