THE IMPACT OF SPIRITUAL AWAKENING ON PSYCHOTHERAPY

If trained in psychoanalysis, would Buddha be a better therapist than Sigmund Freud or Carl Jung? Intuitively it would seem that the answer would be yes. The purpose of this study was to empirically assess whether that intuition is correct, and to examine whether nontraditional therapists including spiritually enlightened therapists perform and perceive therapy in a way that is deeper, more profound, and perhaps ultimately more effective than two groups of therapists who are not spiritually illumined. A battery of tests was administered to determine the impact that purportedly high levels of spiritual development had on personality traits, worldview, and client report. The purportedly awakened group means were the highest of the three groups on all of the assessments and six unusual personal qualities emerged from a thematic analysis of interviews conducted with the purportedly awakened group. This study could be useful for people interested in the intersection of psychotherapy and spirituality including the fields of: transpersonal, humanistic, and positive psychology; nondual wisdom; contemplative psychotherapy; spiritual guidance; developmental and integral psychology.