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And by a prudent flight and cunning save A life which valour could not, from the grave. A better buckler I can soon regain, But who can get another life again? Archilochus

Friday, October 17, 2025

Spiritual Bypassing


“Spiritual bypassing is a term I coined to describe a process I saw happening in the Buddhist community I was in, and also in myself. Although most of us were sincerely trying to work on ourselves, I noticed a widespread tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks.

When we are spiritually bypassing, we often use the goal of awakening or liberation to rationalize what I call premature transcendence: trying to rise above the raw and messy side of our humanness before we have fully faced and made peace with it. And then we tend to use absolute truth to disparage or dismiss relative human needs, feelings, psychological problems, relational difficulties, and developmental deficits. I see this as an ‘occupational hazard’ of the spiritual path, in that spirituality does involve a vision of going beyond our current karmic situation.”
― John Welwood
"Intelligence is a fixed goal with variable means of achieving it"

― William James 

11 comments:

Les Carpenter said...

It seems you have a rather limited understanding of Buddhist philosophy/psychology. What you are describing is simply the which you see in yourself and transferring your experience to others.

In the process you make a conceptual judgment based in YOUR experience about them. Unless of course they were all non Buddhist or Dharma practitioners. Which is of course fine be that the case.

I commend you for at least trying. Enlightenment does not occur with a bang or fanfare.it just happens when you reconnect with who you really are. It's a practice and a discipline that leads you to a better understanding of what you've always possessed, but like most of us we just haven't awakened to it.

And those who say they've become enlightened most likely haven't. I recommend the 20 minute video, on you tube, with Richard Gere discussing Tibetan Buddhism, H.H. the Dalai Lama, and the documentary just out with His Holiness.

If you're sincere in understanding Buddhism better it's worth the 20 minutes of your time.

Les Carpenter said...

Or rather John Welwood's understanding is either limited or flawed by his own bias.

-FJ the Dangerous and Extreme MAGA Jew said...

Richard Gere? I don't think so.

Les Carpenter said...

Your point? Listen with open mind. You just might learn something.

-FJ the Dangerous and Extreme MAGA Jew said...

I don't look to celebrities for knowledge.

Les Carpenter said...

You only look to your usual confirmation bias material eh?

-FJ the Dangerous and Extreme MAGA Jew said...

Do you only watch television for the paid commercials?

-FJ the Dangerous and Extreme MAGA Jew said...

Why would watch YouTube videos featuring highly paid actors?

Les Carpenter said...

Because you could learn something... Something I realize you're disinterested in.

But this video has nothing to do with acting. It has something to do with humanity and a path to a better and more balanced world view... I know, I know... you couldn't care less.

-FJ the Dangerous and Extreme MAGA Jew said...

There is no "humanity", Les. There are only individual humans.

Les Carpenter said...

Whatever.