Inconștientul spiritual: Adâncul neștiut al inimii

by Jean-Claude Larchet

This work extends Dr, Larchet's prior research, underscores the dependence of our psychological state on our spiritual state, and shows how certain psychological disorders stem from spiritual illnesses. These disorders can therefore be trated and healed through treatment of these spiritual illnesses. Building upon Patristic tradition, the author brings to light the existence of a dual spiritual unconscious in man, and delineates both its nature and its function with respect to pathology and therapy. Posing the problem of the respective place and role for spiritual therapeutics and psychotherapy, he offers new perspectives on the development of a treatment of psychological illnesses fully respectful of Christian anthropology, putting to good use the rich experience of the care of souls acquired, over the centuries, by the Christian East,.

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Jean-Claude Larchet, né le 9 août 1949 à Badonviller (Meurthe-et-Moselle), est un patrologue et théologien orthodoxe français.

Auteur de nombreux ouvrages publiés aux éditions du Cerf et traduits dans dix-neuf langues, il est notamment spécialiste de Maxime le Confesseur.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent dialogue entre théologie ascétique/pastorale et psychothérapie

[Jorge Campos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book gives an overview of how Freudian psychoanalysis and Jungian analytical psychology treat and address "unconscious" illnesses. The author then contrasts these differing methods and approaches with an Eastern Orthodox anthropology and spirituality; and offers specific approaches to treat the "spiritual subconscious" that the other methods lack.

[Anonymous Writer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book tries to answer to the following question: what is the relationship between theology/spirituality and psychotherapy?

Has psychotherapy arisen out of nowhere? In the context of Protestantism, the class of priesthood has been abolished, making people feel left with no spiritual guidance other than their own Bible. This gave the suitable environment to the apparition of so-called science of psychology, in the hope of healing the sick soul of mankind, usurping the role of the church. The author tries to compare psychology with the Christian spirituality, finding both similarities and differences. While the revelation of inner thoughts becomes the starting point of the healing process in both, there are various differences in the nature of such causes. Disorders are classified as either spiritual or psychological, making them different yet related in the sense that some psychological disorders are caused by spiritual ailments.

The notion of the unconscious is borrowed by the author to represent the "spiritual unconscious", which, according to the writer, has two meanings, the first referring to the idea that man is linked to God in a more subtle way, while, on the other hand, mankind is cut off from the Divine, leaving the spiritual side unconscious. The second meaning could make us think to Kierkegaard's idea of human despair that claims that despair exists because man is completely unaware of sinfulness, and, therefore, leaving him with no spiritual sense or guidance to his fate. This type of spiritual blindness makes man vulnerable to various spiritual diseases that the author tries to describe in order to exorcise and, therefore, correct the ailments.

The sources of the disorders have been firstly described by various spiritual masters in the text of Philokalia. The profound exploration of such topic might leave the readers in a state of perplexity, reminding them of the introspective stories of Dostoyevsky, where the soul is firmly judged with the eyes of a spiritual doctor. As a side note, let us not forget the fact that Dostoyevsky himself was familiarized with Philokalia and considered it one of his sources of inspiration. The nightmarish demons are given names, making them easily expelled from the human consciousness. The conclusion of the book makes the ones who read it curious about the wisdom of Christianity and invites them to inspect with courage and caution their own minds.

[Filothea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extraordinara pt. ultimele 2 mari capitole.