The Primary Aspect Of A Spiritual Experience

By Stephanie Reed


When looking for a divine intervention, there are generally two ways to do so. One involves the traditional aspects of God and religion. Whereas, the other involves creating a spiritual experience based on aspects of Eastern traditions like that of transcendental medication or Zen Buddhism.

Other differences between a spiritual and religious experience involve belief systems, format and structure. For example, individuals identifying as religious are most likely going to be avid churchgoers. Whereas, those identifying as spiritual can often be found at meetings or rituals put on by a number of non-profit organizations. In either case, those attending church services, meetings or rituals are most likely going to have some aspect of a spiritual or religious experience.

While some may find it hard to separate religiousness from spirituality, philosophers and theorists have shown it can be done. In most cases, these individuals agree that organized religion deals with issues related to a church building, congregation, minister, deacons, Sunday school teachers, choir, conductors and other leaders. Whereas, spirituality can be experienced by believers and non-believers while also being found in and outside church walls.

Some psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists now use spirituality as part of treatment. While others, many having tried, have now turned away from the idea. Whether using religion and spirituality or otherwise, it is always important that client and provider always respect and protect any privileged information provided in the process.

Gendlin has provided one of the best definitions for spirituality to date. In this definition, it is believed that spirituality is content and process. As such, there is a physical and emotional aspect to the overall experience. When the physical body reacts to the emotional response, then the body creates an overall release of negative emotions, energies and thoughts.

Spirituality could also be defined as an overall feeling of newness and transcendent growth after having participated in a physical experience which created an emotional response. While some believe this experience can be felt as a bodily sensation, others believe the feeling is psychological. Whether emotional, or physical, feeling any aspect of bodily change most likely also indicates an emotional response.

While a number of experiences associated with religion, spirituality or the divine can be happy and joyful, others can be quite painful. For example, the death of a loved one, the loss of a pet, or a child moving away to college are all experiences that will create a sad emotional response. Whereas, a graduation, marriage, new home, new baby or other joyous life event can create a very different though still emotional response.

While some therapists and others have chosen to use spirituality during treatment, others have rejected the idea as an invalid approach. For those who do use religion and spirituality, its important to remember and adhere to client provider privilege when it comes to religious identity as well as others. Otherwise, should the religious or spiritual identity of a client be released without permission, the provider, client and others may be seeing one another in a courtroom rather than an office.




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