Spiritual Bypass

Hi Cara

Thank you very much for your reply.

You’ve really answered my initial question/request for information!

So clearly, within a therapeutic setting, “spiritual bypass” is a term that is rather specific and using it in this setting is clearly appropriate, particulary with a competent therapist.

What I feel sometimes happens is that it is used by those who are not competent therapists and in settings that are just the run of the mill, ordinary life situations and about people who only qualified people should be diagnosing (and then usually with their permission). It’s so easy to look at someone and say, “this is what’s wrong with you”. In terms of spiritual practice and psychological growth, I feel this is a purely personal business and people should only interfere if invited to do so.

Many thanks again Cara.

With Metta

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Before I continue to read I would like to express my gratitude for starting this topic. I was about to start a topic about spiritual bypassing in relation to buddha dhamma and EBT but searched first and found this. Thank you for expressing so eloquently that which I would have struggled to do so.

:pray::pray::pray:
Tom

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There is an aphorism of the Persians, which shows they’ve known about “Spiritual Bypass” for a long time already (however, they of course never phrased it using that much more recent terminology):

“The lower the soul of a person, the higher the nose stretches up. He stretches his nose to where the soul has not grown”

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Yes, this is an excellent topic. Thank you Gabriel!

Even with its general hubris, the field of psychology has been quite useful for me in my Buddhist path and practice. I have no illusions that therapy has any hope of being that which leads me out of samsara, but it has often helped me uncover blind spots, areas where fetters and hinderances are operating.

For instance, through marital counseling and discussing recurring issues in my marriage, I’ve been able able to see subtle manifestations of all manner of delusion including self-identification, restlessness and ignorance. Once seen, the Dhamma, the 37 Wings to Awakening, Dependent Origination as well as sound psychological relational principals are where I put effort. Instead of Spiritual Bypass, “unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks” can be addressed skillfully with the Dhamma.

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Hi Tom @Buddho93

You might be interested in my 4 part series on spiritual bypassing and Buddhism that I did last year for Tilorien monastery’s public programs.

And this talk about ignorance/delusion and spiritual bypassing that I did with the Australian Association of Buddhist Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

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After watching Bhante @Akaliko’s AABCP presentation, I am lead to wonder how much of the spiritual bypassing which happens in Buddhist circles is down to what I will term ‘Buddhist Religious Culture’ or even moreso, the Westernisation of it?
It seems like the EBT are all for pointing out the areas where we trip up. They present practice, deep meditation and attainments as a progressive process and have excellent pointers for if defilement x happens then the antidote is y type suttas, especially in AN.
Within modern goal oriented cultures we have the tendency to want to skip the messy or ‘boring’ stuff, practice to get something and shoot for the end goal straight away.
However, one of the things I got out of Bhante’s presentation is that spiritual bypassing kind of a natural thing for us to do. It’s just our inbuilt avijja. So don’t get too hung up on it if you find yourself going ‘oops’ or ‘ouch’.

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Thanks Ven @Pasanna , I think you are right in your analysis. For me it’s that gap between how we perceive our spiritual self and the reality of our deluded mind that we constantly have to interrogate. I think we all need to become more reflective spiritual practitioners and as you say, it’s likely we will all have areas we can improve and it’s okay, but that’s where the work is if we want to make actual progress on the path!

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Thank you Bhante @Akaliko I will be sure to take a look at these :pray:

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