“A cognitive perspective on spirituality - with a little help from psychosis" “A cognitive perspective on spirituality - with a little help from psychosis"

““A cognitive perspective A cognitive perspective on spirituality - with a on spirituality - with a

little help from psychosis"little help from psychosis"

Isabel ClarkeIsabel Clarke

Consultant Clinical Consultant Clinical PsychologistPsychologist

Some QuestionsSome Questions

Why do spiritual/religious concerns persist in Why do spiritual/religious concerns persist in the face of the dominance of science?the face of the dominance of science?

Why is there such a religious flavour and Why is there such a religious flavour and preoccupation to much "psychotic" talk?preoccupation to much "psychotic" talk?

Where does the sense of unshakeable Where does the sense of unshakeable conviction come from that we find both in conviction come from that we find both in delusional ideas, and in religious/spiritual delusional ideas, and in religious/spiritual thinking – conviction that, in extreme cases, thinking – conviction that, in extreme cases, leads both groups to acts of violence etc. that leads both groups to acts of violence etc. that are otherwise out of character for the are otherwise out of character for the individual?individual?

Two IdeasTwo Ideas The apparent “two realities”; “higher and The apparent “two realities”; “higher and

lower consciousnesses” etc. is the result of lower consciousnesses” etc. is the result of properties of human perception and properties of human perception and information processing – not the world out information processing – not the world out there!there!

There is a universal process, found in There is a universal process, found in individuals, groups and societies, starting individuals, groups and societies, starting with a state of boundariless euphoria and with a state of boundariless euphoria and ending in paranoiaending in paranoia

This gives us a ‘normalising’ way of This gives us a ‘normalising’ way of understanding psychosis as well as a richer understanding psychosis as well as a richer but humbler perspective on spirituality. but humbler perspective on spirituality.

Putting Psychosis and Spirituality Putting Psychosis and Spirituality together: what is the evidence?together: what is the evidence?

Schizotypy – a diminsion of Schizotypy – a diminsion of experience: Gordon Claridge.experience: Gordon Claridge.

Mike Jackson’s research on the Mike Jackson’s research on the overlap between psychotic and overlap between psychotic and spiritual experience.spiritual experience.

Emmanuelle Peter’s research on New Emmanuelle Peter’s research on New Religious Movements.Religious Movements.

Wider sources of evidence – e.g.Cross Wider sources of evidence – e.g.Cross cultural perspectives; anthropology.cultural perspectives; anthropology.

Religious experience, spirituality and Religious experience, spirituality and psychosis: a little reorganisation.psychosis: a little reorganisation.

Instead of psychosis and spirituality, I Instead of psychosis and spirituality, I propose two ways of operating in the propose two ways of operating in the world: world:

Two modes of experiencing:Two modes of experiencing: The everydayThe everyday The transliminalThe transliminal

Both of these are available to all human Both of these are available to all human beings.beings.

Both are incomplete.Both are incomplete.

The Everyday The Everyday TheTransliminalTheTransliminal

OrdinaryOrdinary Clear limitsClear limits Access to full memory Access to full memory

and learningand learning Precise meanings Precise meanings

availableavailable Separation between Separation between

peoplepeople Clear sense of selfClear sense of self Emotions moderated Emotions moderated

and groundedand grounded

NuminousNuminous UnboundedUnbounded Access to ordinary Access to ordinary

knowledge/memory is knowledge/memory is patchy. patchy.

Connections abound - or Connections abound - or all is meaninglessall is meaningless

Self: lost in the whole or Self: lost in the whole or supremely importantsupremely important

Emotions: swing Emotions: swing between extremes or between extremes or absentabsent

Looking at this cognitivelyLooking at this cognitively

Two complementary approachesTwo complementary approaches

Kelly’s Personal Construct TheoryKelly’s Personal Construct Theory

Interacting Cognitive Subsystems Interacting Cognitive Subsystems (Teasdale and Barnard).(Teasdale and Barnard).

ConstructsConstructs

Are based on past Are based on past experience/memoryexperience/memory

New experience is filtered through our New experience is filtered through our constructsconstructs

They colour and help to define our They colour and help to define our worldworld

Each person’s construct system is Each person’s construct system is unique to them.unique to them.

Transliminal Experience = Transliminal Experience = operating Beyond the operating Beyond the

Construct SystemConstruct System No means of anticipating or No means of anticipating or

discriminatingdiscriminating

A state without boundariesA state without boundaries

Both/and - two contradictory things Both/and - two contradictory things can be simultaneously validcan be simultaneously valid

Moving beyond the Moving beyond the constructsconstructs

Is hard for mostIs hard for most but not for others - cf. Schizotypybut not for others - cf. Schizotypy Is often mediated by change in state Is often mediated by change in state

of arousal/consciousness - e.g. mind of arousal/consciousness - e.g. mind altering spiritual practices or drugs.altering spiritual practices or drugs.

It can be a response to crisis or It can be a response to crisis or impasseimpasse

Beyond Constructs and Beyond Constructs and BoundariesBoundaries

Liberating; ecstatic; one with the universeLiberating; ecstatic; one with the universe BUTBUT

Mind is no longer privateMind is no longer private

Open to any influence or “insertion”Open to any influence or “insertion”

Loss of the construct “safe/dangerous” - danger Loss of the construct “safe/dangerous” - danger can come from anywhere.can come from anywhere.

The boundary between inner and outer is lost.The boundary between inner and outer is lost.

Introducing Interacting Introducing Interacting Cognitive Subsystems Cognitive Subsystems (Teasdale & (Teasdale &

Barnard 1993).Barnard 1993).

Interacting Cognitive Subsystems Interacting Cognitive Subsystems provides provides An information processing model of An information processing model of

cognitioncognition Developed through extensive research into Developed through extensive research into

memory and limitations on processing.memory and limitations on processing. A way into understanding the “Head/Heart A way into understanding the “Head/Heart

split in people.split in people.

BodyState

subsystem

Auditoryss.

Visualss.

Interacting Cognitive Subsystems.

Implicational subsystem

ImplicationalMemory

Propositional subsystem

PropositionalMemory

Verbalss.

Important Features of this Important Features of this modelmodel

Our subjective experience is the result of Our subjective experience is the result of two overall meaning making systems two overall meaning making systems interacting – neither is in control.interacting – neither is in control.

Each has a different character, Each has a different character, corresponding to “head” and “heart”.corresponding to “head” and “heart”.

The IMPLICATIONAL Subsystem (which I The IMPLICATIONAL Subsystem (which I will also call RELATIONAL) manages will also call RELATIONAL) manages emotion – and therefore relationship.emotion – and therefore relationship.

The verbal, logical, PROPOSITIONAL ss. The verbal, logical, PROPOSITIONAL ss. gives us our sense of individual self.gives us our sense of individual self.

A challenging model of the A challenging model of the mind.mind.

The mind is simultaneously individual, and The mind is simultaneously individual, and reaches beyond the individual, when the reaches beyond the individual, when the relational ss. is dominant.relational ss. is dominant.

This happens at high and at low arousal.This happens at high and at low arousal. There is a constant balancing act between There is a constant balancing act between

logic and emotion – human fallibilitylogic and emotion – human fallibility Mindfulness is a useful technique to Mindfulness is a useful technique to

manage that balance.manage that balance.

More about the relational mode of More about the relational mode of beingbeing

In our relational mode we are part of the In our relational mode we are part of the whole – and open to that which is beyond whole – and open to that which is beyond ourselvesourselves

We are defined by all our relationships – We are defined by all our relationships – they are a part of usthey are a part of us

This includes relationship with that which is This includes relationship with that which is deepest and furthest – which is beyond our deepest and furthest – which is beyond our naming capacity, but is sometimes called naming capacity, but is sometimes called God, Goddess, Spirit etc.God, Goddess, Spirit etc.

Relationship is something we experience – Relationship is something we experience – so it can be beyond propositional knowledge so it can be beyond propositional knowledge – we can feel more than we know.– we can feel more than we know.

Web of RelationshipsWeb of Relationships

Self asexperienced

in relationshipwith primary

caregiver

Sense ofvalue comes

from rel. withthe spiritual

primarycare-giver

In Rel. with wider

group etc.

In Rel. withearth:

non humansetc.

Two Ways of KnowingTwo Ways of Knowing

Good everyday functioning = good Good everyday functioning = good communication between communication between implicational/relational and implicational/relational and propositionalpropositional

At high and at low arousal, the At high and at low arousal, the relational ss becomes dominantrelational ss becomes dominant

This gives us a different quality of This gives us a different quality of experience – one that is both sought experience – one that is both sought and shunned.and shunned.

Implicational Subsystem Implicational Subsystem concernsconcerns

Meaning and meaningfulnessMeaning and meaningfulness The self; threat and valueThe self; threat and value Intense, extreme feelings (all or nothing)Intense, extreme feelings (all or nothing) Loss of fine discrimination and boundaries Loss of fine discrimination and boundaries

(the domain of the propositional) (the domain of the propositional) This gives us the quality of experience I This gives us the quality of experience I

will call the “transliminal”will call the “transliminal”

I suggestI suggest

Both ways of encountering reality are Both ways of encountering reality are equally validequally valid

Both are intrinsically incompleteBoth are intrinsically incomplete Human beings have always honoured Human beings have always honoured

the transliminalthe transliminal Made space for the sacred.Made space for the sacred.

Advantages of this modelAdvantages of this model

It clarifies the characteristics of the transliminal;It clarifies the characteristics of the transliminal; both/and, not either/orboth/and, not either/or paradoxparadox numinositynuminosity

It helps to explain common psychotic experiences, such as:It helps to explain common psychotic experiences, such as: thought insertionthought insertion distortions in the sense of selfIt brings psychosis into the realm distortions in the sense of selfIt brings psychosis into the realm

of universal human experienceof universal human experience It brings psychosis into the realm of universal human It brings psychosis into the realm of universal human

experienceexperience It enables us to take experience and its consequences at It enables us to take experience and its consequences at

face value without judgingface value without judging It provides a model to help people to learn to manage the It provides a model to help people to learn to manage the

threshold; to be able to pass across and back and know threshold; to be able to pass across and back and know which side they are on.which side they are on.

Web addresses Web addresses

www.SpiritualCrisisNetwork.org.ukwww.SpiritualCrisisNetwork.org.uk www.scispirit.com/Psychosis_Spiritualwww.scispirit.com/Psychosis_Spiritual

ity/ity/