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Shadows Along the Spiritual Pathway.

Caroline Humphrey¹

¹School of Social Sciences, University of Hull, Room 242 Wilberforce Building, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK. c.humphrey@hull.ac.uk.

Journal of Religion and Health

|March 22, 2015

Summary

Contemporary spirituality often ignores humanity's dark side, leading to negative spiritual development. Transpersonal psychology offers methods to integrate unconscious depths, preventing spiritual aberrations and promoting genuine holistic growth.

Keywords:

Religion Shadows Spirituality The daimonic The demonic Transpersonal psychology

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Spirituality Studies

Background:

Contemporary spiritual discourses often promote a simplistic view of light and love.
This overlooks the 'dark side' of human nature, which can manifest negatively in personal and group spiritual development.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the negative consequences of denying the unconscious 'dark side' in spiritual development.
To highlight the potential of transpersonal psychology in addressing these issues.

Main Methods:

Conceptual analysis of spiritual discourses.
Application of transpersonal psychology concepts (shadows, daimons, polarity integration).

Main Results:

Denial or repression of the dark side leads to aberrations in personal spirituality, relationships, and movements.
Transpersonal psychology provides a framework for confronting and integrating these darker aspects.

Conclusions:

Spirituality that ignores the unconscious depths risks detrimental outcomes.
Integrating psychological shadow work is crucial for authentic holistic spiritual growth.