web analytics

Ledbysource

Tag: spiritual bypassing

  • What Is Spiritual Bypassing? (3 Common Examples)

    What Is Spiritual Bypassing? (3 Common Examples)

    what is spiritual bypassing

    Spiritual bypassing or the spiritual bypass is defined as: the “tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks”. The term was first introduced in the 1980s by John Welwood, a Buddhist teacher and psychotherapist.

    Spiritual bypassing is something which we can observe clearly in both religious, New Age/spiritual groups, where there is a distinct seperation between physicality and spirituality.

    In this post I want to explore what spiritual bypassing is, provide some common examples and how we can avoid bypassing to the best of our abilities.

    (more…)
  • What Is the ‘Spiritual Ego’?

    What Is the ‘Spiritual Ego’?

    spiritual ego

    The ego is not something to be ashamed by but aware of. We all have an ego: the aspect of ourselves that deals with self-image, self-esteem and self-importance.

    The ego deals with the ‘self’, all of the things we put after the statement ‘I am’.

    It’s common to see the ego talked about with negative connotations, and we can see from the definition why this might be. We can over-identify with the ego and become unaware, arrogant and selfish.

    However there is another side to the ego that isn’t talked about as much. The ego is an essential part of human life, it develops over the course of our childhood (and further into adulthood) as we figure out our place in the world.

    The ego allows us to differentiate between ourselves and others – this can be a positive thing. Knowing who and what we are is how we navigate everyday life. Imagine not knowing what your name was, your nationality, your age, your values and morals. It would be impossible to get through the day.

    With that being said, I want to explore the concept of the ‘spiritual ego’. This might sound like a contradiction in terms, and on some level it is, but this is where the ego takes our spiritual awareness, and uses it as just another way to put ourselves above others.

    (more…)