Jenseits von Mythos und Ritual: Religion und Spiritualität aus experienzieller Sicht

Abstract

Beyond Myth and Religion. An experiential approach to Religion and Spirituality. This article deals with the question of whether person-centered psychotherapy and religion (or spirituality) can bear each other. Opinions on this issue are widely divergent. The reason is that no clear distinction is made between the various prototypes of religion and spirituality. When religion is understood as a system of myths that are practiced in the form of rituals, then person-centered psychotherapy and religion are not compatible. But if religion refers to experiential and personal events and insights, then not only are religion and person-centered psychotherapy compatible, they can even be considered congenial. From this perspective, person-centered therapy is described here as an approach that strives for direct contact with reality, going beyond myth and ritual. A similar approach can be found in the religious domain, but must explicitly be distinguished from institutional religion.