Metapsychiatry

Template:Short description Metapsychiatry is a spiritual form of psychotherapy developed by American psychiatrist Thomas Hora (1914–1995) in the second half of the 20th century. Hora described it as "a scientific method of healing and education based on metaphysical concepts of man and the universe".Template:Sfnp Hora created metapsychiatry because he felt existing psychoanalysis failed to account for human spirituality,Template:Sfnp and felt that current psychiatric healing was often temporary.Template:Sfnp It is characterized by a hermeneutic approach.Template:Sfnp

Characteristics

Metapsychiatry borrows from Judeo-Christian, Zen Buddhist and Taoist religious traditions, along with theistic existentialist philosophy and phenomenology;Template:Sfnp similarities to Morita therapy have been noted.Template:Sfnp It makes a distinction between religious practice and spiritual interest.Template:Sfnp God is perceived as "limitless, infinite and non-material".Template:Sfnp Its style originates with the assertion that "the meaning and purpose of life are to come to know reality",Template:Sfnp which is defined as "God", "Love-Intelligence" or "Infinite Mind".Template:Sfnp The qualities of peace, assurance, gratitude and love (PAGL) are cited as indicating a state of spiritual consciousness.Template:Sfnp

The study of metapsychiatry includes the implementation of "the two intelligent questions", which seek to distinguish between experiential and spiritual existence. The first question is "What is the meaning of what seems to be?" The second question asks, "What is what really is?" The aim is a reorientation from a preoccupation with material appearances toward the apprehension of spiritual reality.Template:Sfnp

Metapsychiatry maintains that the problems of humankind are based on ignorance, and may be overcome through "Knowledge of the truth of what really is."Template:Sfnp Problems are viewed as psychological; answers are spiritual.Template:Sfnp Metapsychiatry holds that suffering is the product of self-confirmatory thought, the insistence on affirming one's existence, and that relief from suffering is realized through enlightened transcendence of the material world.Template:Sfnp

External links

• Introduction to Metapsychiatry
• The PAGL Foundation