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Spiritual transformation involves a fundamental change in a person's
sacred Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
or spiritual life.
Psychologist A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and explanation, interpretatio ...
s examine spiritual transformation within the context of an individual's ''meaning system'', Israela Silberman (2005)
Religion as a meaning system: Implications for the new millennium
''Journal of Social Issues'', v61 n4, pp641-663.
especially in relation to concepts of the
sacred Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
or of ultimate concern.Robert A. Emmons (1999). ''The psychology of ultimate concerns: Motivation and spirituality in personality''. New York: Guilford. Two of the fuller treatments of the concept in psychology come from Kenneth Pargament and from Raymond Paloutzian. Pargament holds that "at its heart, spiritual transformation refers to a fundamental change in the place of the sacred or the character of the sacred in the life of the individual. Spiritual transformation can be understood in terms of new configurations of strivings" (p. 18). Kenneth I. Pargament. (2006). The meaning of spiritual transformation. In Joan D. Koss-Chioino & Philip Hefner (Eds.),
Spiritual transformation and healing: Anthropological, theological, neuroscientific, and clinical perspectives
' (pp. 10-39), Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
Paloutzian suggests that "spiritual transformation constitutes a change in the meaning system that a person holds as a basis for
self In philosophy, the self is an individual's own being, knowledge, and values, and the relationship between these attributes. The first-person perspective distinguishes selfhood from personal identity. Whereas "identity" is (literally) same ...
-definition, the interpretation of life, and overarching purposes and ultimate concerns" (p. 334). Raymond F. Paloutzian. (2005). Religious conversion and spiritual transformation: A meaning-system analysis. In: Raymond F. Paloutzian & Crystal L. Park (Eds.),
Handbook of the psychology of religion and spirituality
' (pp. 331-347), New York: Guilford.
One school of thought emphasises the importance of "rigorous self-discipline" in spiritual transformation.


Research

The Metanexus Institute (founded 1997) in New York has sponsored scientific research on spiritual transformation. Solomon Katz (2008)
A brief history of the Spiritual Transformation Scientific Research Program
''The global spiral''. Metanexus Institute, Accessed 9 Nov., 2009.


Terminology

Occurrences of the phrase "spiritual transformation" in Google Books suggest a surge in the popularity of the concept from the late-20th century.Google Books Ngram Viewer statistical chart


See also

* Aurobindo * Integral transformative practice * Meditation * Sivananda * Spiritual evolution * Supermind * Transpersonal psychology * Shriram Sharma Acharya *
Mahdi The Mahdi () is a figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the Eschatology, End of Times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad, and will appear shortly before Jesu ...


References


External links


The Spiritual Transformation Scientific Research Program

The University of Philosophical Research Transformational Psychology program

Article about Spiritual Transformation for ChristiansOn the Spiritual Path of The Fourth Way and Advaita: ''Teachers of No-Thing & Nothing''
{{Authority control Spiritual evolution