AWAKENING TO THE TRANSPERSONAL PARADIGM: DISCERNING TRANSCENDENT EXPERIENCES FROM PATHOLOGY
R. Bhagwan
June 27, 2014 DOI: 10.15270/43-4-265 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that social work, once suspicious of unquantifiable spiritual and mystical experience due to its scientific professionalisation, has become more accepting of spirituality, citing evidence that spiritual growth and experiences foster physical and psychological well-being, and links this acceptance to the growth of transpersonal social work focused on empowerment, spiritual experience, personal transformation and health. |
Abstract
Historically social work has shared a tenuous relationship with religion and spirituality. In an effort to hold onto its scientific roots, which began with the quest for professionalisation, it became suspicious of knowledge and experience that could not be fully quantified or rationally derived. It began to “distrust the language of higher transcendence, mystical connection, intuitive grasp” (Besthorn, 2001:38). More recently, however, the profession has become more accepting of spirituality, in the light of evidence that spiritual growth and experiences foster physical and psychological well-being (Pargament, 1997). Parallel to the acceptance of the spiritual paradigm is the growing interest in transpersonal social work, which focuses on empowering the client as well as on spiritual experiences, personal transformation and health (Canda & Furman, 1999; Cowley, 2001; Cowley & Derezotes, 1994).