Spiritual bypassing

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Spiritual bypassing is the use of spiritual rationalization to avoid painful emotions or unfulfilled needs. This often manifests itself as using quick fix solutions to emotional problems or denying any problem exists, rather than finding a deeper understanding of oneself.

"[...] I refer to the use of spirituality to avoid unmet needs, painful feelings, and unresolved wounds as spiritual bypassing.[1]"
"[Spiritual bypassing is] avoidance in holy drag[2]"
"A woman who is just beginning to voice anger at her parents may abruptly stop speaking and say, “But I’ve forgiven them. I’m not interested in blaming—they did the best they could.” In that moment, she has moved out of an emerging feeling and into a spiritual concept[...] Although forgiveness is a powerful concept that almost all spiritual traditions share, it undermines mental health when it is used to avoid knowing more about oneself or the truth of one’s life.[1]"

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Alyson M. Stone, Thou Shalt Not: Treating Religious Trauma and Spiritual Harm With Combined Therapy, Group, Vol. 37, No. 4 (Winter 2013), pp. 323-337
  2. Masters, R. A. (2010). Spiritual bypassing: When spirituality disconnects us from what really matters. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.