Returning the Soul to Psychology, an Islamic Sufi Perspective
Faith Nouri, PhD- Lifepulse Center (moderator)
Nasim Bahadorani, PhD- California State University, Northridge
Saloumeh Bozorgzadeh, PsyD, President, Sufi Psychology Association
Lynn E. Wilcox, PhD- California State University, Sacramento
Returning the Soul to Psychology, an Islamic Sufi Perspective
Psychology was originally intended to treat the soul, however over the years in an attempt to become more of a measurable science, Western Psychology has focused on the observable aspects of the human being and the soul has faded from the field. Currently, Western Psychology is attempting to remedy this by incorporating and researching various religious practices and their effects on mental health. There is a great deal of research and emphasis on Christian and Buddhist practices, however, Islamic practices have largely been ignored. This panel will examine the teachings, clinical practice, and research around the use of Islamic Sufism in returning Psychology to its origins.
Sufism introduces a different paradigm of human functioning than that postulated and accepted as correct by most of Western psychology, founded on the basic spiritual principles taught by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Its focus is internal, centering on the human heart. M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism®, has a 1400-year-old history of development of a precise system of training, whereby each person is individually trained to discover a dimension within his or her own being where the positive attributes are manifested. It is a discipline that teaches each person the science of exploring his/her being and discovering hidden potentials. Islamic Sufism is a spiritual path characterized by love which evokes profound personal changes, both physiologically and psychologically, including the emergence of unsuspected abilities, as well as a new level of calmness, peace, and serenity. These positive changes occur as one progresses along the path toward the goal of Sufism, which is oneness with what philosophers call Existence, scientists call Nature, and theologians call God. The journey of the sincere seeker promotes all aspects of health and can be seen in multiple settings.
Clinical
The principles of Sufism focus on turning an individual’s focus inward to their stable self. It reintroduces the individual to their true identity which has remained constant throughout external circumstances and the shift of time. Sufi principles teach a person to move beyond schemas created by social, family, and cultural influences and to recognize his/her innate strength, love, resiliency, compassion, and individuality. The positive effects of this recognition are not only felt on an individual level but are transmuted to communities and society. This shift of locus of control from external to internal can be a useful tool in clinical psychology, especially in a time of increased anxiety and external stressors, as is the current state of our society. This presentation will explore the use of Sufi Psychology in a clinical setting with different individuals and cultures. Case examples will demonstrate various methods and interventions.
Research
Depression, anxiety, hopelessness, poor sleep quality, somatic pain, high risk of substance abuse, and suicide ideation are positively correlated with perceived stress. Spirituality and positive emotions have profound, positive impacts on health and reduce perceived stress. This presentation will explore the effects of Tamarkoz®, a Sufi meditation, as a pathway to decrease perceived stress and increase spirituality and positive emotions. Participants were recruited from the University of California, Berkeley for a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest and follow-up assessments of the 10-item perceived stress scale, 38-item dispositional positive emotions scale, and the 16-item daily spiritual experiences scale in a Tamarkoz® group, a wait-list control, and a third group utilizing stress management resources. Generalized linear mixed model showed significant increase in positive emotions and daily spiritual experiences, and reduction in perceived stress and heart rate in the experimental group compared to the two control groups. Half of the participants in the Tamarkoz® group were atheists, and agnostics, but had increases in daily spiritual experiences; thus, the technique is not limited to those who self-designate as religious or who declare a religious affiliation. This study provides implications on Tamarkoz® as an integrative technique for health promotion and stress-reduction interventions as it also increases spirituality and positive emotions.
Nasim Bahadorani, PhD- California State University, Northridge
Saloumeh Bozorgzadeh, PsyD, President, Sufi Psychology Association
Lynn E. Wilcox, PhD- California State University, Sacramento
Returning the Soul to Psychology, an Islamic Sufi Perspective
Psychology was originally intended to treat the soul, however over the years in an attempt to become more of a measurable science, Western Psychology has focused on the observable aspects of the human being and the soul has faded from the field. Currently, Western Psychology is attempting to remedy this by incorporating and researching various religious practices and their effects on mental health. There is a great deal of research and emphasis on Christian and Buddhist practices, however, Islamic practices have largely been ignored. This panel will examine the teachings, clinical practice, and research around the use of Islamic Sufism in returning Psychology to its origins.
Sufism introduces a different paradigm of human functioning than that postulated and accepted as correct by most of Western psychology, founded on the basic spiritual principles taught by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Its focus is internal, centering on the human heart. M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism®, has a 1400-year-old history of development of a precise system of training, whereby each person is individually trained to discover a dimension within his or her own being where the positive attributes are manifested. It is a discipline that teaches each person the science of exploring his/her being and discovering hidden potentials. Islamic Sufism is a spiritual path characterized by love which evokes profound personal changes, both physiologically and psychologically, including the emergence of unsuspected abilities, as well as a new level of calmness, peace, and serenity. These positive changes occur as one progresses along the path toward the goal of Sufism, which is oneness with what philosophers call Existence, scientists call Nature, and theologians call God. The journey of the sincere seeker promotes all aspects of health and can be seen in multiple settings.
Clinical
The principles of Sufism focus on turning an individual’s focus inward to their stable self. It reintroduces the individual to their true identity which has remained constant throughout external circumstances and the shift of time. Sufi principles teach a person to move beyond schemas created by social, family, and cultural influences and to recognize his/her innate strength, love, resiliency, compassion, and individuality. The positive effects of this recognition are not only felt on an individual level but are transmuted to communities and society. This shift of locus of control from external to internal can be a useful tool in clinical psychology, especially in a time of increased anxiety and external stressors, as is the current state of our society. This presentation will explore the use of Sufi Psychology in a clinical setting with different individuals and cultures. Case examples will demonstrate various methods and interventions.
Research
Depression, anxiety, hopelessness, poor sleep quality, somatic pain, high risk of substance abuse, and suicide ideation are positively correlated with perceived stress. Spirituality and positive emotions have profound, positive impacts on health and reduce perceived stress. This presentation will explore the effects of Tamarkoz®, a Sufi meditation, as a pathway to decrease perceived stress and increase spirituality and positive emotions. Participants were recruited from the University of California, Berkeley for a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest and follow-up assessments of the 10-item perceived stress scale, 38-item dispositional positive emotions scale, and the 16-item daily spiritual experiences scale in a Tamarkoz® group, a wait-list control, and a third group utilizing stress management resources. Generalized linear mixed model showed significant increase in positive emotions and daily spiritual experiences, and reduction in perceived stress and heart rate in the experimental group compared to the two control groups. Half of the participants in the Tamarkoz® group were atheists, and agnostics, but had increases in daily spiritual experiences; thus, the technique is not limited to those who self-designate as religious or who declare a religious affiliation. This study provides implications on Tamarkoz® as an integrative technique for health promotion and stress-reduction interventions as it also increases spirituality and positive emotions.