Models of Spiritual and Transpersonal Development
Harris L. Friedman, Stanley Krippner, Linda Riebel, Chad Johnson
The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality January 23, 2024 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190905538.013.7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that philosophical dilemmas about whether spiritual development can be understood without religious metaphysical assumptions complicate any consensual cross-cultural definition. Reviews traditional indigenous, Eastern, and Western models alongside integrative philosophical and scientific models from psychology of religion, transpersonal psychology, and neurobiology, and proposes that future work compare their commonalities and differences and evaluate them critically. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter focuses on exploring various models of spiritual and transpersonal development. It first addresses philosophical dilemmas underpinning the concept of spiritual development by questioning whether these can be addressed without metaphysical assumptions embedded in religious worldviews and thus understood in any consensual way across different historical and cultural contexts. Traditional models of spiritual development are then reviewed, drawing from indigenous, Eastern, and Western cultures. Integrative-philosophical and scientific models, including those from the psychology of religion, transpersonal psychology, and neurobiology, are then presented. The chapter concludes by noting the complexities involved in understanding spiritual development accompanied by suggestions on future directions for these models by highlighting their commonalities and differences, and by providing some evaluative perspectives for thinking critically about them.