Reviving the Soul: Navigating the Self at the Intersection of Psychology and Christian Spirituality

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CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY
Reviving the Soul: Navigating the Self at the
Intersection of Psychology and Christian
Spirituality
by
Shane Fenwick
(BAPsych, Macquarie University, 2014; GDTheol, Charles Sturt University, 2015)
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Theology
in the
School of Theology
Charles Sturt University
October 2019

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Abstract
Today, our world is facing increasing levels of mental illness. The following paper seeks to
respond to this current situation, exploring what both psychology and Christian spirituality
have to contribute towards the goal of fostering human flourishing. Drawing from both
empirical research and accounts of lived experience, differing perspectives of what
constitutes human persons and, consequently, human flourishing are explored through the
representative figures of Carl Gustav Jung and Thomas Merton. Specifically, an integrative
methodology is utilised to discuss the notion of the human ‘soul’ and its centrality in
fostering well-being. That is, that the soul is the nest of true human flourishing. Following
this, a number of key implications are discussed. Particularly, what the outworking’s of such
an approach may look like in day-to-day practice. In doing so, the following paper presents
an integrative practical theology, adopting a hermeneutical approach in which theory and
practice are dialogically informed by one another. In concluding, some suggestions for
further research are briefly explored, including the possibility of an integral
psychotherapeutic framework which fosters a soulful human flourishing.

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................7
i. Mental health: a modern epidemic and a missional opportunity ...............................7
2. The Soul, Psychology, and Christian Spirituality.....................................................9
i. Lived experience: an absence of flourishing..............................................................9
ii. Has psychology lost its soul? ...................................................................................13
iii. The soul and Christian spirituality ...........................................................................17
iv. Methodology: segregation or integration? ...............................................................19
v. Representative figures: Carl Gustav Jung and Thomas Merton...............................23
3. Carl Jung’s Analytical Psychology...........................................................................24
i. The human psyche....................................................................................................24
ii. Psychological development of the human person....................................................32
iii. Individuation, synchronicity, and the emergence of the self....................................38
4. The Spirituality of Thomas Merton .........................................................................43
i. The human selves.....................................................................................................43
ii. Christ and true self ...................................................................................................45
iii. Contemplation and the hidden wholeness................................................................47
5. Reviving the Soul........................................................................................................51
i. Metaphysics of the soul............................................................................................51
ii. The soul as the nest of human flourishing................................................................58
6. The Soul and Human Flourishing ............................................................................63
i. Wholeness and the embrace of paradox...................................................................63
ii. Solitude and community...........................................................................................66
iii. Consciousness, nonduality, and the body ................................................................69
iv. The cultivation of compassion .................................................................................71
v. Contemplation and action.........................................................................................73
vi. Surrender, non-attachment, and the transcendent ....................................................74

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vii. The existential quest for meaning ............................................................................76
7. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................78
i. Toward the lived experience of soulful human flourishing .....................................78
ii. The soul and the development of an integral psychotherapeutic framework...........80
8. Bibliography...............................................................................................................82
9. Appendices..................................................................................................................89

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Acknowledgements
One of the implications of reviving the soul, rightly understood, is the notion that we are not,
ultimately, sovereign individuals. Or, put another way, there is no such thing as the ‘self-
made’ person. My own lived experience undoubtedly attests to this! This paper would not
have been completed if it were not for the grace, patience, and wisdom of a number of people
close to me. So, for what it is worth, I would like to acknowledge them. Firstly, my family:
my generous parents and wonderful siblings. Thank you for your continual love and support
of me, even in the darkest of moments. To my partner Belle, who has had to put up with my
numerous idiosyncrasies, particularly whilst being consumed by the task of completing this
paper and the remainder of my master’s degree: thank you. I am in awe of the beautiful,
soulful person you are. And lastly, to my supervisor, the very Rev. Dr. Geoff Broughton. You
are an exemplar scholar-practitioner and, perhaps more importantly, a trusted pastor and
friend to so many, including me. Thank you for always being there and for helping me get
this one over the line.

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Declaration of Originality
I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor
material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or
diploma at Charles Sturt University or any other educational institution, except where due
acknowledgment is made in the dissertation. Any contribution made to the research by
colleagues with whom I have worked at Charles Sturt University or elsewhere during my
candidature is fully acknowledged.
I agree that this thesis be accessible for the purpose of study and research in accordance with
the normal conditions established by the Executive Director, Library Services or nominee, for
the care, loan and reproduction of theses.
Signature: Date:

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“When we catch sight of the soul, we can become healers in a wounded place―in the
family, in the neighbourhood, in the workplace, and in political life―as we are called back to
our “hidden wholeness” amid the violence of the storm.”1
― Parker J. Palmer
1
Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life (San Francisco, California:
Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2004), 2.

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1. Introduction
i. Mental health: a modern epidemic and a missional opportunity
According to the World Health Organisation, depression is now the leading cause of
disability worldwide, with more than 300 million people affected.2
In Australia alone, rates of
clinically diagnosed anxiety, depression, and a range of other mental health disorders have
risen over the last number of decades, placing an increasing burden on families, communities,
and the healthcare system.3
And, whilst the awareness around mental health diagnosis and
treatment has continued to improve, the stigma and isolation experienced by those suffering
from mental illness continues to be commonplace. By all measures, mental health disorders
are a modern epidemic. Whether the rising rates are due to individuals becoming increasingly
open to seeking treatment or are a direct rise in the prevalence of such disorders is difficult to
determine. Nevertheless, this epidemic poses a number of serious questions for us as a
society. Modern psychology and psychiatry, in particular, shoulder the burden of such
questions. Despite the advances in our understanding of the brain, mental health, and human
wellbeing, are our treatments truly adequate? Have the higher rates of public spending on
diagnosis and treatment improved our nation’s psychological wellbeing? The evidence, both
researched and anecdotal, would suggest this not to be the case.4
Take, for example, the
standard course of treatment for someone diagnosed with clinical depression.
Pharmacological intervention and psychotherapy are still deemed the most effective forms of
treatment. Yet, the research indicates that antidepressant medications, though effective in
comparison to placebos, have an at best modest effect size.5
Cognitive behavioural therapy
2
See World Health Organisation, “Depression”.
3
See Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, “Mental health services in Australia”.
4
See Graham Meadows, Joanne Enticott, and Sebastian Rosenberg, “Three charts on: why rates of mental
illness aren’t going down despite higher spending”.
5
Arif Khan and Walter A Brown, “Antidepressants versus placebo in major depression: an overview,” World
Psychiatry 14 (2015): 294-300.

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(CBT), considered one of the most effective forms of psychotherapy, has been deemed as
probably effective in the treatment of major depression, with a small-to-moderate effect in
comparison to care-as-usual or a pill placebo.6
Whilst much may not be clear, it is evident
that mental health and, by consequence, human wellbeing is complex. There is, simply, no
such thing as an easy solution.
The mental health epidemic, moreover, presents a unique challenge for the Christian
Church. What does the Church – its traditions, practices, and communities – have to offer those
suffering from mental health disorders? If the statistics are indeed correct, a significant number
of people filling the pews each Sunday are either directly or indirectly dealing with a mental
health issue of some sort, whether it be themselves or a loved one. Yet, how comfortable do
these members feel to seek support from their community of faith? Moreover, consider the
many in our communities not directly connected with the Church. Do they see the Church as a
place to seek refuge and healing amidst their suffering? Or, take the disciplines of modern
psychology and psychiatry. Does the Christian tradition – its spirituality, practices, and
understandings of the human person – have something unique to offer our understanding of the
human person and, consequently, human wellbeing? The purpose of this paper is to explore
these very questions.
I believe that the modern mental health epidemic presents a unique missional
opportunity for the Church. Informed by the integrative methodologies of scholars Ken Wilber,
Alvin Dueck, and Parker J. Palmer, the following paper will begin by describing current
practice, seeking to provide a description and answer the question: what theory or theories
currently inform practice? Following this, the theories of Carl Jung and Thomas Merton will
6
Pim Cuijpers, Ioana A. Cristea, Eirini Karyotaki, Mirjam Reijnders, and Marcus J.H. Huibers, “How effective
are cognitive behaviour therapies for major depression and anxiety disorders? A meta-analytic update of the
evidence,” World Psychiatry 15 (2016): 245-258.

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be explored, particularly their respective understandings of the human person and what
constitutes human flourishing. Jung will provide the psychological point-of-view whilst
Merton will provide the theological account. Next, after the theories of these two key figures
have been elucidated, this paper will endeavour to integrate each with the intention of providing
a fresh interpretation of the current situation. Finally, this integral framework will be brought
to bear on the present situation, providing a revised understanding for how we might practice
moving forward. As such, a hermeneutical approach will be utilised, moving from an analysis
of current practice, to an exploration of theory, and then back to practice in light of the previous
movements. Thus, the intention of this paper is to provide an integrative practical theology in
light of the present mental health epidemic. Moreover, it will make a bold yet much needed
case in our current era: that it is the soul which is the nest of true human flourishing. When the
soul, rightly understood, is acknowledged and given the space it requires, the flourishing of the
whole human person will follow. It is my hope that this paper will not only provide insight for
the mission of the local Church in our present situation, but that it will also contribute to the
practice of those scholar-practitioners standing at the intersection of Christian spirituality and
psychology as they seek to make a meaningful contribution toward improving the wellbeing of
those they serve.
2. The Soul, Psychology, and Christian Spirituality
i. Lived experience: an absence of flourishing
What, then, is the current experience of those living with a mental illness? And, subsequently,
the practice of those caring for the aforementioned? Clearly, this will differ according to
contextual factors such as one’s geographical location, socio-economic status, level of
education, employment status, and gender. Nevertheless, the starting point for our analysis
will be my own lived experience as the author of this paper. This will include not just my
own experience with mental illness but, also, the anecdotal accounts of those with whom I

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have worked and encountered. And, as the title of this section suggests, the reality of
flourishing has often been absent amongst these experiences.
For much of my life, clinical depression and anxiety have been fairly consistent yet
unwelcome companions. It began in my early twenties with a familiar pattern of events for
those diagnosed with such a condition: a destabilising (or traumatic) life event, a cluster of
debilitating symptoms, a visit to a general practitioner, a diagnosis, a prescription, and a
referral to a clinical psychologist. And, whilst the symptoms resolved after a number of
months of medication, regular psychotherapy, and personal life changes, this pattern has
repeated itself now on several occasions over the years since that first experience.
Hospitalisation in a private clinic has also featured in this pattern, something available only to
those with the means to afford a high level of private health insurance cover. I want to
acknowledge, from the outset, that I am amongst the privileged when it comes to treatment,
in both the options I have been afforded and the quality of the treatment I have been able to
access. As an Australian citizen, a relatively well-functioning public healthcare system means
that I have been able to receive significant rebates when accessing treatment from clinical
psychologists, general practitioners, and in paying for required medication. I have, likewise,
had the opportunity to access psychologists who have either been sympathetic towards or
held my own religious views. I am among a lucky minority who have had the best treatment
options available to them, if not by national standards then certainly in comparison to my
international counterparts. Nevertheless, the treatment options that are available today for
clinical depression and anxiety have not changed much over the past few decades. Even the
newest and most commonly prescribed forms of anti-depressant medications (selective-
serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors) come accompanied by a whole host of unpleasant side effects
and, for many, it is a lengthy game of trial-and-error before a suitable medication (or
combination of medications) is found. When it comes to therapeutic interventions, CBT is

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still the first choice of treatment for most psychologists. An increasing amount of research is
also beginning to demonstrate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapies in
treating depression, such as acceptance-and-commitment therapy.7
Yet, even when
combining medication and psychotherapy, it can be months or even years before individuals
experience long-term relief from the symptoms associated with severe depression. But, what
of the spiritual aspect of these treatments? How do such treatments take into account the soul
of a person and its role in human wellbeing? The experience of depression for myself and
indeed for many others is one which is deeply spiritual in nature. And, by spiritual, I mean
that it is an experience involving the deepest mysteries of human existence. One is, in a
unique yet devastating way, confronted with ultimate questions of existence, mortality, and
meaning when in the throes of a severe depressive episode. Each day can feel like a battle
between life-and-death, with even the most mundane of tasks consuming the little energy that
one feels they have to spare. To merely get out of bed each morning seems an overwhelming
task, yet to do so is to choose life-over-death. At its core, the feeling when amidst a severe
depressive episode is one of abandonment, loneliness, confusion, and a deep sense of despair.
The usual faculties which one may be able to draw on in times of adversity – one’s ego,
intellect, emotional resilience, and willpower – are nowhere to be found. One is, as St John of
the Cross puts it, in the midst of a dark night. Therefore, to reduce such an experience down
to a simple biological cause which can be corrected with the right medication, or to a pattern
of cognitions which can be corrected with five to ten sessions of CBT seems at the very least
trivial and, at its worst, deeply offensive. This is not to say that these treatments don’t form a
vital part of the bigger picture. I can, personally, attest to the important roles both medication
and CBT have played in my own recovery from severe depression and anxiety. However, to
7
M. Pleger, K. Treppner, A. Diefenbacher, C. Schade, C. Dambachner, and T. Fydrich, “Effectiveness of
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy compared to CBT+: Preliminary results,” The European Journal of
Psychiatry 32 (2018): 166-173.

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neglect the spiritual nature of depression is to neglect a fundamental part of the experience
and, consequently, a vital need to be met within the human person if they are to truly flourish.
The human person is not just a brain with a particular balance of neurotransmitters, nor a
pattern of cognitions, but is a soul connected with something deeper which transcends the
brain or cognition alone. For an approach to lack soul, then, is for it to neglect the spiritual;
an essential aspect of the human person. And, if we neglect this aspect of the human person
and, by consequence, the spiritual nature of these experiences, we risk missing out on the
gifts which may be found amidst them: for both the individual, the community of which they
are a part, and the broader society.
What, then, of Christian spirituality and its associated communities of faith? One
would hope that the Church is the place which promotes and displays a spirituality of human
flourishing, particularly when it comes to mental health. However, this is at times has been
far from the case. Once again, I cannot speak from any experience but my own. For the most
part, I have been fortunate to have key people within the faith communities of which I have
been a part show love, care, and support during the times I have not been well. And, if not,
many have shown respect in giving me the time and space to recover, without judgement or
uninvited advice-giving. Yet, as I reflect on my own experience and the experiences of many
whom I have encountered, there has been a noticeable gap in the Church’s understanding of
human flourishing and, by consequence, a flat spirituality which has failed to account for the
flourishing of the whole human person. The evangelical tradition in which I was formed
possessed a tendency to speak of spirituality in terms of one’s private relationship with God
and eternal destination in the afterlife: an afterlife often comprised of disembodied “souls” as
opposed to the cosmic redemption of all creation that the Scriptures speak so clearly of. This,
then, was the primary concern of this spirituality: an emphasis on the private management of
one’s sins in order to secure a place in the heaven of a distant future. Whilst one’s wellbeing

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in the here-and-now was not altogether out of the picture, it was always secondary to the
concern surrounding one’s future destination in the afterlife. This, ultimately, leads to a flat
spirituality: one largely unconcerned with what the Christian tradition, in all its depth, may
have to contribute towards the contemporary conversation on human flourishing and what
constitutes “the good life,” particularly as it pertains to the wellbeing of those recovering
from mental health disorders. Whilst assurance that Christ had secured my place in an other-
worldly afterlife provided some mild comfort amidst the turmoils of depression, it lacked the
depth required to provide tangible hope and, importantly, neglected the rich spiritual
resources within the Christian tradition that can lead to the transformation of suffering and
human flourishing. An authentic Christian spirituality, I am going to argue, has something
important to contribute to the contemporary conversation on the good life and human
wellbeing. If it is indeed the good news, it must be good news in the here-and-now, especially
to those who are not experiencing the fullness of flourishing.
ii. Has psychology lost its soul?
When spirituality is marginalised from contemporary understandings of human wellbeing, we
neglect a vital aspect of the human experience and, by consequence, an important ingredient
in the flourishing of the whole human person. Some have pointed to the way in which,
increasingly, the discipline of psychology has also “lost its soul.”8
By this, I mean the ways in
which mainstream psychology has become overly clinical and – to its detriment – its failure
to take into serious account the role of spirituality in mental health. In the West, this is
evident in how we have come to understand and treat what we categorise as mental illness.
Quaker elder, activist, and educator Parker J. Palmer, having suffered three profound
8
See Chidarikire, “Spirituality: The neglected dimension of holistic mental health care,” which explores
spirituality as a neglected dimension of psychiatric assessment and, subsequently, argues for its inclusion in
clinical mental health practice.

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experiences of clinical depression, has reflected publicly on each of them, including his
encounters with professionals when seeking treatment. These experiences, in turn, have
shaped his understanding of depression and, consequently, his thoughts on how society
defines and treats this phenomenon which touches so many. Specifically, Palmer argues that:
“Another way we need to redefine depression has to do with the way it has become
“medicalized,” which obscures the spiritual dimension of some forms of depression. I
do not reject medical approaches, especially with respect to those elements of
depression that are tied to genetic makeup and brain chemistry. I’m not against
antidepressants categorically… My objection has more to do with the fact that
many… simply prescribe drugs as the sole course of treatment. This tendency we
have to want to reduce depression to a biological mechanism seems to me misguided
and ultimately harmful.”9
It is important to emphasise that Palmer does not completely reject a biological or materialist
understanding of depression. His rejection is of the way in which this understanding of
depression has become absolutised by the disciplines of psychology and psychiatry. Why is
this so? Because, according to Palmer, the experience of depression is one ultimately
grounded in mystery, which “surrounds every deep experience of the human heart…
mysteries never yield to solutions or fixes – and when we pretend that they do, life becomes
not only more banal but also more hopeless, because the fixes never [completely] work.”10
When psychology views mental illness as solely a biological phenomenon, it lacks the
necessary tools to holistically support those in the grip of such an experience. Additionally, a
solely biological or materialist view lends itself to an understanding of mental health based
9
See Parker J. Palmer, “Welcome to the Human Race” an Interview with Parker J. Palmer on the Topic of
Depression. Center for Courage and Renewal, April 7, 2015.
10
Parker J. Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening to the Voice of Vocation (San Francisco, California: Jossey-
Bass Publishers, 2000), 60.

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largely on pathologisation. This view, primarily focussed on deficits and symptomology,
neglects to focus on the strengths of the whole person, something increasingly being
recognised as vital in the recovery process. Whilst it would be uncharitable to suggest the
entire disciplines of psychiatry and psychology are beholden to this view, Palmer rightly
points out that “it is not always easy to find a professional who fulfils the original meaning of
the word – a person grounded in a profession of faith, faith in the nature of ultimate reality, in
the matrix of mercy in which our lives are embedded.”11
This understanding, grounded in
materialist metaphysical assumptions, continues to occupy centre-stage within mainstream
psychology.
Moreover, there exists fields and voices within psychology who continue to pose a
challenge to mainstream psychological understandings of mental illness and the human
person. One such voice is academic psychologist Steve Taylor whose research sits within the
field of transpersonal psychology. In Moving Beyond Materialism, Taylor points to the way
in which mainstream psychology functions largely within a strictly materialistic framework.
Whilst some have argued that the field of psychology does not enter in to the realm of
metaphysics, Taylor rightly notes that “some form of metaphysical paradigm will always be
in the background, informing one’s attitude and approach with assumptions (often
unconscious and unacknowledged) about the nature of reality.”12
One cannot separate
metaphysics and psychology. Nor can metaphysics be divorced, on a broader scale, from the
sciences. Consequently, as a result of this dominant metaphysical paradigm, psychology has
established, primarily, a “mechanistic model of the human organism in which even
psychological conditions are treated as physical disorders that can be “fixed” through
pharmacological interventions, despite limited and questionable evidence for the efficacy of
11
Palmer, Let Your Life 65.
12
Steve Taylor, “Moving Beyond Materialism: Can Transpersonal Psychology Contribute to Cultural
Transformation?” International Journal of Transpersonal Studies 36, no. 2 (2017): 148.

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widely prescribed psychiatric drugs such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors.”13
Similarly to
Palmer, it is important to emphasise that Taylor does not outright reject materialism or
pharmacological interventions. Rather, it is when such a paradigm is absolutised that
problems arise, particularly when evidence (or lack thereof) exists to the contrary. For Taylor,
this is the strength of the field of transpersonal psychology: whilst traditionally being allied
with post-materialist science, it does not align itself to one particular set of metaphysical
assumptions. Rather, it remains open to a range of metaphysical paradigms according to the
evidence at hand. Nevertheless, Taylor points out that many of the post-materialist
metaphysical perspectives which find their place in transpersonal psychology share
commonalities, most notably a “rejection of the materialist view that matter is the primary
reality of the universe and that mental phenomena are reducible to [solely] materialist
causes.”14
It is for this reason that Taylor argues for transpersonal psychology to continue to
“challenge and influence mainstream psychology by committing itself to a post-materialist
metaphysical approach and [encourage] mainstream psychology to move beyond its present
materialist metaphysics, towards post-materialist perspectives.”15
Furthermore, Taylor argues
for an adoption of a “soft perennialism”16
. That is, to integrate the insights of various wisdom
traditions which view spirit as a universal quality that is at least as fundamental as matter, if
not one which precedes matter. Thus, in taking a rigorous scientific approach whilst
simultaneously adopting post-materialistic metaphysical perspectives, transpersonal
psychology will not only be able to influence mainstream psychology but also contribute to
wider cultural change in how society understands the human person, wellbeing, and the
importance of spirituality for a flourishing world.
13
Taylor, “Moving Beyond Materialism,” 150.
14
Ibid., 152.
15
Ibid., 153.
16
Ibid., 152.

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Palmer and Taylor, whilst coming from differing disciplines and experiences, point to
the way in which contemporary psychology has “lost its soul.” Likewise, they both argue for
the recovery of spirituality within contemporary psychology and our understanding of human
wellbeing. For Palmer, this stems from his personal experiences of and reflections on clinical
depression, as well as his extensive work with people from varying professions – doctors,
teachers, clergy, and others – on the cultivation of a healthy and whole inner life. Taylor, on
the other hand, argues from the standpoint of a psychologist and scholar, working within a
field on the edges of mainstream psychology. Overall, both figures highlight the need which
exists for the integration of wisdom found within both ancient spiritual traditions and modern
psychology, as have many others.
iii. The soul and Christian spirituality
Conversely, when the notion of holistic human flourishing is neglected in contemporary
understandings of Christian spirituality, we are left with a flat spirituality which is unable to
offer anything of tangible substance to the modern person, particularly those suffering at the
hands of mental illness. Spirituality, rather than being concerned with the wellbeing of the
whole human person, becomes narrowly fixated on the private management of one’s
iniquities and destination in an other-worldly afterlife. It becomes, ultimately, disembodied
and disconnected from the lived experience of everyday people. Unfortunately, this reality of
a flat spirituality is reflected in the lived experiences of many, particularly those living with a
mental illness. Rather than being a refuge, the institutional Church is experienced as being an
unwelcome place for those spiritual seekers struggling with a form of mental illness or,
worse, is experienced as hostile.17
This is not merely a problem of practice but is also one of
17
A large amount of data has been gathered to illustrate this point, both anecdotal and empirical. For further
reading, see Stanford & McAlister, “Perceptions of Serious Mental Illness in the Local Church,” LifeWay
Research, “Study of Acute Mental Illness and Christian Faith,” Neely, “How the Church’s Approach to Mental

19
theological imagination. A relevant yet faithful Christian spirituality must have something
tangible to gift to those in our world experiencing an absence of flourishing. Here, the work
Yale Divinity School’s God and Human Flourishing Program, led by public theologian
Miroslav Volf, provides a rich array of theological resources. Volf argues that, ultimately,
religion – in particular the Christian tradition – provides the resources necessary for true
human flourishing. In our current age, however, human flourishing has become defined
increasingly in terms of “experiential satisfaction”18
and a narrow focus on the pleasures of
the individual self. This narrowing down to mere self-interest has a devastating impact on
one’s sense of love and hope, also. When love “shrinks to self-interest, and self-interest
devolves into the experience of satisfaction, hope disappears as well. As Michael Oakeshott
rightly insisted, hope depends on finding some “end to be pursued more extensive than a
merely instant desire.”19
Volf goes on to rightly note that our ages dissatisfaction in striving
for experiential satisfaction can “find proper rest only when we find joy in something
infinite.”20
And, this ‘something infinite’ is what lies at the heart of the world’s great faith
and wisdom traditions. Human flourishing is inextricably linked with a connection with that
transcendent. To truly thrive as a human being is to awaken to and be connected with
something bigger than one’s own individual self. Religious faith, then, becomes distorted
when it serves the dominant belief of the age – that experiential satisfaction is the highest
good – and consequently becomes concerned merely with one’s personal spirituality. Thus,
the Christian version of this fallacy is the flat spirituality defined earlier. This is, moreover,
perhaps why many suffering at the hands of mental illness fail to find a place in the Church:
their lack of experiential satisfaction is perceived as evidence of a lack of faith, a lack of
Illness Can Shame the Suffering,” and Wells, “Pastoral Care and the Complexity of Mental Illness in
Pentecostal and Evangelical Churches.”
18
Miroslav Volf, “Human Flourishing,” presentation at the Institute for Theological Inquiry, n.d., 3.
19
Volf, “Human Flourishing,” 8.
20
Ibid., 9.

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prayer, unrepentant sin, or even demonic possession. Ultimately, Volf insists that
malfunctions of the Christian faith occur when we fail to either love God or our neighbour.
Herein lies the defining characteristic of this flat spirituality. For Christian spirituality, then, a
recovery of the soul entails the recovery of a spirituality which truly loves God and
neighbour. In order for this to be the case, we must possess a right understanding of the
whole human person, including its relation to the transcendent. For, we cannot love our
neighbour or indeed ourselves if we do not fundamentally understand who we are.
iv. Methodology: segregation or integration?
In moving from an account of current practice and lived experience to an analysis of theories,
the question of methodology becomes central. That is, what methodology will undergird this
conversation between psychology and Christian spirituality? As has already been stated, this
paper will seek to integrate the wisdom found within each of these disciplines in order to
provide a holistic approach to wellbeing in our current context. It is important, then, to
outline the reasons why such an approach will be utilised as well as what constitutes an
integrative methodology. Alvin Dueck, an Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Fuller
Theological Seminary, advocates viewing integration between psychology and theology as
“reconciliation between cultures.”21
Rather than viewing psychology and theology as just
disciplines, Dueck argues it is more appropriate to view them as cultures with their own
unique set of languages, practices, and ways of understanding reality. As a result, integration
is not an abstract academic practice but rather concerns the immersion of one cultured
scholar-practitioner into the culture of another. Dueck asserts that:
21
Alvin Dueck, “Babel, Esperanto, Shibboleths, and Pentecost: Can We Talk?” Journal of Psychology and
Christianity 21, no. 1 (2002): 72.

21
“Integration is not simply the coordination of psychological or theological
perspectives but learning how to be friends of both psychologists and theologians.
The gift of another culture is not simply the souvenirs one brings back. Integration as
immersion is not ordering ethnic food on a Saturday evening. More important are the
friends we may make and the transformation that may occur if one resides in another
culture long enough.”22
Dueck further notes the centrality of language in this cultural exchange. Rather than seeking
to create one unitary language, integration as reconciliation acknowledges the diversity of
languages spoken in various cultures. This diversity in language, then, becomes an
opportunity for unity. Integrative conversation both “transcends language and uses it.”23
The
biblical model that Dueck points to for this transformative conversation is that of Pentecost,
which can be viewed as a reversal of the story of the tower of Babel. As opposed to Babel,
those at Pentecost “came together not to create a centre but to celebrate one. They sought not
to reach heaven, but in the end they pointed to the possibility of unity among all cultures and
languages under heaven.”24
This centre, Dueck insists, is the incarnate Word of God, Jesus
Christ. As opposed to the attempt to create a unity through uniformity at Babel, diversity was
celebrated at Pentecost. Unity was forged not through the obliteration of difference, but
through the common foundation of Christ Jesus. Culture, then, is not simply transcended but
is included and celebrated in the life of the Church.
What, then, does this integrative conversation built on Pentecost look like in concrete
practice? Dueck suggests five key elements. First, there is a concerted effort to learn the
language of the other culture. Second, no one language is given priority over the other.
22
Dueck, “Can We Talk?” 74.
23
Ibid., 77.
24
Ibid., 77.

22
Rather, the language that is used “will depend on the situation, the problem at hand, the
wisdom of the community, and the leading of the Spirit.”25
Third, an effort is made to
translate the language of each discipline for one another. Fourth, there is active engagement
between theologians and psychologists to collaborate together on issues facing the Church
and the wider society. And finally, the personal formation of both the therapist and the
theologian are vital. Dueck notes that “integrated, Christ-like therapists create a context for
integrative conversation.”26
The same can, conversely, be said for integrative theologians and
pastors.
Ken Wilber, in a similar vein, developed what has come to be known as the ‘integral
approach’. Wilber states that this theory is “based on one basic idea: no human mind can be
one-hundred percent wrong. Or, we might say, nobody is smart enough to be wrong all the
time.”27
Consequently, the integral approach seeks to integrate knowledge from across the
plethora of academic disciplines, wisdom traditions, and other modes of knowing that
humanity has utilised from time immemorial. In order to undertake this task, Wilber created a
model termed the ‘four quadrants of existence’.28
Each quadrant contains a major class of
developmental sequences: the upper-left contains the intentional (interior-individual), the
upper-right the behavioural (exterior-individual), the lower-left the cultural (interior-
collective), and the lower-right the social (exterior-collective). As can be seen in Appendix 2,
the left-hand quadrants contain those systems of knowledge concerned with the interior life
of humanity and the right-hand quadrants with the exterior. Similarly, the upper quadrants
concern the life of the individual person whilst the lower quadrants concern collective life.
Thus, this integral model acts as a means to categorising and, importantly, synthesising
25
Ibid., 78.
26
Ibid., 79.
27
Ken Wilber, “Forward to Integral Medicine: A Noetic Reader,” Edited by Marylin Schlitz & Tina Hyman,
Ken Wilber Online (2006): 7.
28
See Appendix 2.

23
systems of human knowledge. Or, put in other terms, the four quadrants model aids the
scholar-practitioner in integrating varying systems of knowledge which, in their own unique
way, shed light on the truth of reality. Moreover, there exists within each quadrant levels (or
stages) of understanding, as can be seen in Appendix 3.29
These levels have developed over
time as we have evolved as a human species. Wilber, consequently, advocates for an “all-
quadrant all-level”30
approach: to have a holistic and full understanding of reality is to
integrate aspects of the truth present across all quadrants and levels of human knowledge.
Unfortunately, as many scholars tend to specialise within their own field of knowledge
(situated within one particular quadrant), it has been identified that they “tend to ignore or
even deny the existence of the other quadrants.”31
A strict scientific materialist (upper-right
quadrant), for example, may deny the empirical validity of the interior experiences (upper-left
quadrant) of a Zen monk skilled in the practice of meditation. This, subsequently, may
diminish the possibility of scholar-practitioners from various fields collaborating in order to
come to a greater understanding of reality which, ultimately, will aid humanity in its quest to
promote and preserve human flourishing.
Parker J. Palmer will, also, function as a guide in the integrative approach this paper is
utilising. As a scholar-practitioner who has worked at the intersection of education,
spirituality, and social change for decades, his insights will prove invaluable. In both his
personal and professional life, Palmer has exemplified the integrative approach: from his
profound writings on vocation and mental health, to his extensive work in higher education,
to his role as a spiritual leader in a Quaker community, Palmer has wisely and sensitively
brought together the insights of various traditions to, ultimately, be of service to the cause of
29
See Appendix 3.
30
Ken Wilber, “An Integral Theory of Consciousness,” Journal of Consciousness Studies 4, no. 1 (1997): 80.
31
Wilber, “Consciousness,” 76.

24
human flourishing. Throughout the remainder of this piece, his work will continue to be
drawn upon.
This paper, then, will seek to utilise this integral approach as it explores the insights
that psychology and Christian spirituality contain in understanding and fostering the
flourishing of the whole human person. Yet, it will seek to do so in a way which embodies
the spirit of Pentecost, reconciling the ‘cultures’ of each and their unique (and at times
convergent) views of human beings and what constitutes their wellbeing. If we are to revive
the soul, coming to a fuller understanding of reality and creating a world in which all human
beings truly thrive, then integrative conversation and collaboration will be vital.
v. Representative figures: Carl Gustav Jung and Thomas Merton
How, then, are we to begin this task of reviving the soul? This, evidently, is not a task that
can be tackled by a single person alone. Nonetheless, this paper will undertake a constructive
and critical conversation between Christian spirituality and psychology. This will be done
through the work of two leading figures in each field: the theologian, mystic, activist, and
American Trappist monk Thomas Merton and the Swiss Psychiatrist and father of Analytical
Psychology Carl Gustav Jung. Why these two figures in particular? Both Jung and Merton are
figures whom, during their lives and in the subsequent years after their deaths, have had a
major influence on their respective fields. Simultaneously, both figures pushed the
boundaries of the traditions in which they were situated. Many of their insights were not fully
appreciated and embraced within their traditions until years after their deaths. Still to this day,
Merton’s and Jung’s ideas continue to be explored, discussed, and brought to bear on our
current context. For Merton, this can be seen in his influence on scholars such as Parker J.
Palmer. Palmer regularly cites Merton as a major influence in his writings on spirituality,
education, vocation, and social change. One such idea is that of Merton’s notion of the hidden

25
wholeness – the “underlying unity of all things”32
– and the centrality of living the
contradictions in the spiritual life. Likewise, Jung’s ideas have received a resurgence in
recent times, such as in the writings of the popular clinical psychologist and academic
Professor Jordan B. Peterson. Jung, like Merton, challenged the traditional boundaries of his
discipline. Jungian analyst and author Dr Murray Stein has noted the way in which Jung’s
theories pushed the common boundary lines drawn between psychology, spirituality,
philosophy, physics, and biology.33
Moreover, both Jung and Merton contributed much to the
topics of the human self and what constitutes wellbeing. It is for these reasons that these
figures are representative voices through which we can conduct a dialogue between Christian
spirituality and psychology. And, in doing so, revive the centrality of the soul in how we
understand the flourishing of the whole human person.
3. Carl Jung’s Analytical Psychology
i. The human psyche
Once, when Jung was criticised by his students for being inconsistent on a particular point of
theory, he responded by saying: “I have my eye on the central fire, and I am trying to put
some mirrors around it to show others. Sometimes the edge of those mirrors leave gaps and
don’t fit together exactly. I can’t help that. Look at what I’m trying to point to!”34
As we
explore Jung’s complex theories of the human psyche, it is important to keep this caveat in
mind. His theories are to be understood collectively as a dynamic map of the psyche, as
opposed to mere static definitions. Stein rightly notes that Jung has a “deep respect for the
mysteries of the human psyche, and his attitude allows the horizons to go on expanding. His
32
Parker J. Palmer, The Promise of Paradox: A Celebration of Contradictions in the Christian Life (San
Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1980), 6.
33
Murray Stein, Jung’s Map of the Soul: An Introduction (Peru, Illinois: Carus Publishing Company, 1998),
203.
34
Stein, Soul, 11.

26
map opens vistas up rather than closes them off… As we try to grasp [his] vision in its full
magnitude, we need to bear in mind that he elaborated it over a period of some sixty years.
We should not be overly obsessed with exact consistency in a work this large and in one that
is attuned to empirical reality.”35
Jung’s understanding of the human psyche can, broadly, be categorised into two
spheres: those aspects which are conscious and those which are unconscious. Consciousness
can, at its simplest, be described as awareness: a “state of being awake, of observing and
registering what is going on in the world around and within.”36
To be a conscious human
being is to be a subject who experiences the world from a particular point-of-view (what one
refers to as “I”). Conversely, those aspects of the psyche which lie outside of this immediate
awareness belong to the sphere of the unconscious. Both spheres of the psyche are distinct yet
interrelated: the unconscious can influence and shape the conscious contents of an individual.
For Jung, this was the cause of what we would today name as mental illness: the unconscious,
unbeknownst to the individual, negatively impinging on one’s conscious experience.
Simultaneously, one can shape the impact of the unconscious through integrating its contents
into conscious awareness. This, for Jung, is the goal of clinical therapy: to assist the
individual in becoming aware of and integrating the contents of the unconscious into one’s
conscious awareness. And, in doing so, progressing towards wholeness and wellbeing.
What, then, are those aspects which constitute human consciousness? In a general
sense, consciousness consists of contents such as one’s thoughts, memories, emotions,
images, and words. These contents alone, however, cannot fully account for the subjective
experience of human beings: that “wilful centre”37
through which we come to know what it is
35
Ibid., 10-11.
36
Ibid., 16.
37
Ibid., 18.

27
like to be an “I”. In Jung’s understanding of the psyche, this can be accounted for through the
concepts of the ego and the persona, both of which foundationally shape the conscious
experience of human life. Jungian scholars have noted that these constitute the surface of the
human psyche.38
If consciousness is the state of being aware, the ego can be understand as
being that centre through which we experience and make sense of our inner and outer worlds.
The term ‘ego’ literally means, in the original Latin, ‘I’. For Jung, the ego is that which
“forms, as it were, the centre of the field of consciousness; and, in so far as this comprises the
empirical personality, the ego is the subject of all personal acts of consciousness.”39
It is that
centre through which one experiences oneself as a willing, reflecting, desiring, and acting
human being. The ego, then, is a necessary aspect of the psyche through which anything is
made conscious. To be clear, consciousness contains more than simply the ego. However, it
is the ego which forms its self-reflective centre, holding all contents of consciousness
together into a single, unifying narrative. It possesses the capacity to either retain or eliminate
contents from one’s conscious awareness. It is, for Jung, an innate feature of the human
psyche, present from the very beginnings of life. Whilst the ego can be understood as that
space in which self-centredness emerges (ego-ism), it is also the centre of altruistic intention
and, subsequently, wilful action directed towards the good of others. The ego, put simply, is
one vital aspect of the psyche which sets humanity apart from other conscious beings. And, it
has the capacity to develop in its ability to be self-reflective. That is, human beings are able
to attain high levels of self-knowledge and self-awareness through directed intention and
action. As far as we presently know, this is another factor which distinguishes human
consciousness from the consciousness of other living beings. Animals are not self-conscious
in the same way that human beings are. Language, then, is a primary medium through which
38
Ibid., 13.
39
Carl Jung, “Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,” translated by R. F. C. Hull, Collected
Works 9, part 2, 2nd
Edition (Third Avenue, New York: Routledge, 2014), para. 1.

28
we communicate our self-consciousness. Importantly, Jung insists that the ego, and indeed
the whole human psyche, cannot be reduced to simply an expression of the material body. It
is “not a simple or elementary factor, but a complex one, which as such, cannot be described
exhaustively. Experience shows that it rests on two seemingly different bases, the somatic
and the psychic.”40
The whole human psyche – including the ego – partakes in those spheres
of existence which include the mind, soul, and spirit. In other words, the psyche encompasses
both the conscious and unconscious, the latter of which extends into “non-psychic regions”41
:
the spheres of existence which lie beyond the individual mind.
The persona is closely related to, yet distinct from, the ego. Stein describes the
persona as a “psychological and social construct adopted for a specific purpose.”42
It is the
particular role we play in society, shaped by a variety of contextual factors such as one’s
gender, class, social status, age, and culture. Furthermore, one may have multiple personas
for different situational contexts. Societal expectations play a key role in shaping one’s
persona which, in turn, shapes the attitude of that individual. An attitude, for Jung, is a
“combination of psychic factors or contents which will… determine action in this or that
definite direction.”43
Subsequently, one’s attitude expressed over time becomes a habitual
behaviour. Thus, as human beings are socialised to develop a persona, it becomes perpetually
reinforced through habituated behaviours. At the same time, one’s personal aims and
aspirations also shape the development of the persona. These can either be in harmony or in
conflict with the expectations of the wider society. Put simply, the persona acts as the
40
Jung, “Aion,” para. 3.
41
Stein, Soul, 26.
42
Ibid., 111.
43
Carl Jung, “Psychological Types,” translated by G. Adler & R. F. C. Hull, Collected Works 6 (Princeton, New
Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2014), para. 687.

29
“psychic skin between ego and world,”44
a kind of mask we wear in order to fulfil a particular
role within the communities we inhabit.
The relationship between the ego and persona can become a potential source of
distress. Jung’s concept of identification refers to the unconscious process whereby one’s ego
becomes identified with an external object or reality, such as one’s persona. One may, for
example, conflate their ego – their inner ‘I-ness’ – with the job they hold at a specific
moment in time. This leads to an increasing dependence on that role for a sense of identity,
self-worth, and belonging. As one’s persona changes due to external circumstances, one may
find themselves in a state of distress as they seek to recover that sense of identity and self-
worth. Additionally, conflict between the ego and persona can arise or be exacerbated due to
their contradictory aims: whilst the ego’s movement is toward a sense of agency and
individuality, the persona is oriented towards the external world. Its aim is to adapt and relate
to the world in order to foster relationships and a sense of belonging. And, whilst over-
identification may be maladaptive, so too is its opposite. One may pay little attention to the
external world and, in doing so, attend only to their own impulses, desires, and fantasies.
Thus, they become increasingly inconsiderate and isolated from others. A healthy relation
between the ego and persona, then, consists of a persona broad enough to express the socially
acceptable aspects of one’s ego whilst also remaining genuine and true to one’s inner
identity. Or, to use other language, there is a symmetry that exists between the role one plays
in the external world and their authentic inner sense of self. Whilst the “archetypal core”45
of
one’s ego remains stable over time, the persona is shaped and moulded by the events of the
external world, which often lie outside of one’s control. One must, hence, cultivate a healthy
44
Stein, Soul, 120.
45
Ibid., 120.

30
relation to their persona in order to avoid the emergence of potentially destructive emotions
such as anxiety, anger, and shame.
Conversely, the unconscious aspects of the human psyche can be further categorised
into two main domains: the personal and the collective unconscious. The personal
unconscious, in Jung’s thought, is referred to as the shadow. As the name suggests, the
shadow is that aspect of our personality which remains hidden due to the antisocial nature of
its desires and fantasies. It functions as the “backside of the ego.”46
As the ego begins to
develop from one’s earliest years, so too does the shadow, carrying out self-serving and
protective activities which lie outside of one’s conscious awareness. Whilst one may believe
they are acting with the purest intent, their shadow may in fact be operating in the
background, fulfilling its desires for power and pleasure at any cost. The task for the
individual, then, is to integrate the shadow into the realm of the ego, bringing its desires into
one’s conscious awareness. Jung noted that the shadow is:
“a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become
conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it
involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is
the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge, and it therefore, as a rule,
meets with considerable resistance. Indeed, self-knowledge as a psychotherapeutic
measure frequently requires much painstaking work extending over a long period.”47
A failure to integrate the shadow can have disastrous consequences. One may, for instance,
increasingly identify with their shadow, as is the case with sociopathic individuals.
Dictatorial leaders such as Hitler and Stalin stand as extreme examples of this: they have
46
Ibid., 107.
47

31
gained such immense power-over-others that they are able to indulge the desires of the
shadow to the fullest degree. A more common consequence, however, is that of psychological
projection. One may unconsciously project the impulses of their shadow onto another,
thereby avoiding the distress of facing the darker aspects of their own personality. The ego
becomes defensive and self-righteous, casting itself as the innocent victim (or bystander) and
painting the other as the source of evil. This dynamic results in the phenomenon known as
scapegoating. Furthermore, the shadow functions as a counter-persona. Whilst the persona
presents an image of oneself to the public according to socio-cultural norms, the shadow side
of one’s personality is kept in private, hidden away from sight. Over-identification with either
the persona or the shadow may lead to psychological distress or maladaptive behaviours.
Often, both go hand-in-hand. Thus, if wholeness is the end-goal of psychological
development, the persona and the shadow must be integrated into one’s conscious awareness.
This integration rests on self-awareness and acceptance: one must become aware of and
accept those parts of oneself expressed through both the persona and the shadow.
Psychological distance is created between the ego and its relation to the persona and shadow,
so that one is no longer consumed by the conflicting desires of each. This unification-of-
opposites within the psyche is referred to by Jung as an individuation crisis: an “opportunity
to grow through integration.”48
A creative solution in the form of an archetypal symbol is
offered by the unconscious, through which integration and forward movement towards
wholeness can occur. This, for Jung, is where the role of clinical therapy comes into play.
Once integration has taken place, the individual is then able to adopt a new conscious attitude
and, consequently, a transformed understanding of their relation to the world.
This, then, brings us to the sphere of the collective unconscious. Jung’s distinct theory
of the collective unconscious is what stood him apart from his colleagues and predecessors,
48
Stein, Soul, 123.

32
including his early mentor Sigmund Freud. It is, in the simplest of terms, the realm of the
unconscious which reaches beyond the sphere of the personal. It is both the home and source
of what Jung termed archetypes: universal, psychic symbols which “attract energy,
structure… and lead ultimately to the creation of civilisation and culture.”49
Archetypes are,
for Jung, the primary source of psychic energy and patterning. They not only provide
meaning and avenues of psychic integration for the individual, but also constitute the
structure of cultural and religious myths that have formed across millennia. These
“primordial images are the deepest, the most ancient, and the most universal thoughts of
humanity. They are as much feelings as thoughts, and have indeed an individual, independent
existence [to the personal].”50
In a later work on archetypical symbols, Jung wrote that
“Man possesses many things which he has never acquired but has inherited from his
ancestors… he brings with him systems that are organised and ready to function in a
specifically human way, and these he owes to millions of years of human
development. Just as the migratory and nest-building instincts of birds were never
learnt or acquired individually, man brings with him at birth the ground-plan of his
nature, and not only of his individual nature but of his collective nature. These
inherited systems correspond to the human situations that have existed since primeval
times.”51
Importantly, archetypes are interrelated with humanity’s instinctual drives: for survival,
meaning-making, and wellbeing. And, whilst they are universal in nature, they form the
ground of the process known as individuation: one’s personal, conscious quest for
49
Ibid., 85.
50
Jung, “The Unconscious in the Normal and Pathological Mind,” in Two Essays on Analytical Psychology,
Translated by H. G. & C. F. Bayes (Mansfield Centre, CT: Martino Publishing), 68.
51
Jung, “Freud and Psychoanalysis,” translated by G. Adler & R. F. C. Hull, Collected Works 4 (Princeton, New
Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2014), para. 728.

33
individuality and wholeness. This process, central to Jung’s understanding of human
flourishing, will be further explored in the proceeding sections.
ii. Psychological development of the human person
In Jung’s own terms, individuation is the process by which one becomes a “single, discrete
being, and, inasmuch as the concept [of] individuality embraces that innermost, last, and
incomparable uniqueness of our own being, it also includes the idea of becoming one’s own
real self. Hence individuation could also be translated as ‘coming to selfhood,’ or ‘self-
realisation.’”52
In the simplest of terms, individuation can be described as the process of
psychological development one must undergo in order to reach a sense of individuality,
wholeness, and ultimately, a state of flourishing. It is that “total experience of wholeness over
an entire lifetime… [resulting from] the emergence of the self in psychological structure and
in consciousness.”53
What, then, is the shape of the individuation process? Within the field of modern
psychology, Jung was among the first of what came to be known as the psychological
lifespan theorists. Whilst others, most notably Freud, argued that the most crucial features of
psychological development take place in infancy and early childhood, Jung saw it as an
ongoing process spanning across one’s entire lifetime. Just as one continues to develop
physically after childhood, so too does the psyche. Jung’s theory of psychological
development consists of five distinct stages, known as the five stages of consciousness.54
The
first stage is characterised by what Jung termed participation mystique. That is, one identifies
their consciousness with the external world without being completely aware of it. This, for
example, is seen in the early stages of life where an infant cannot distinguish between
52
Jung, “Freud and Psychoanalysis,” para. 183.
53
Stein, Soul, 171.
54
Jung, “Alchemical Studies,” translated by R. F. C. Hull, Collected Works 13 (Princeton, New Jersey:
Princeton University Press, 1983), 199-201.

34
themselves and their mother (or primary caregiver). Though there is a type of wholeness
present, it is entirely unconscious. Within the second stage of development, projection begins
to become localised. An awareness develops of the difference between oneself and the
external world. Over time, this awareness continues to sharpen: a child can begin to
distinguish between people, their favourite toys, types of foods, and so on. As the child enters
into adolescence, the location of their projections continues to evolve. Authority figures
beyond one’s parents, as well as institutions, become carriers of these projections. Gradually,
one is formed by the collective values and views of those figures and institutions (e.g.
teachers and school). This is known as the process of acculturation. Early adulthood brings
with it new locations for projection such as a romantic lover, one’s child, or a mentor figure.
For some, this is where psychological development may end: they continue to project the
positive and negative features of the psyche onto the external world. However, if one’s
conscious development continues, they enter into the third stage. Now, one becomes aware
that their own projections are not identical to the carriers of those very projections. The
psychic contents which are projected now manifest as symbols and ideologies. Human beings
no longer carry omniscient, omnipotent, or other archetypal qualities. Rather, they are
assumed by abstract entities such as a god, the law, or a set of spiritual teachings. The
concrete world is, now, relatively free from one’s projections and can be interacted with as
neutral. Additionally, one is now able to act in the world according to a particular set of
ethical imperatives. Whilst projection is still taking place, it has been transferred from
concrete objects or subjects to something more abstract, such as a mythological figure. Still,
if conscious development continues, one progresses to the fourth stage. In this stage,
projections have become entirely extinguished, even those assumed by abstract concepts or
mythological figures. For Jung, this stage was synonymous with modernity and the modern

35
man’s “search for his soul.”55
Here, the world is no longer governed by a god or a set of
objective truths. Rather, any concept of the divine or objective meaning is replaced by
utilitarian values. That which is true is that which is practical. A secular relativism now
reigns: principles are only relatively valid according to one’s cultural context. Though it
seems, on face value, that projections have completely disappeared in this stage of
development, Jung notes that this is not actually the case. Now, it is the ego which is invested
with those archetypal qualities. It assumes a God-like position, surpassing all other authority.
Meaning is not to be discovered but is to be created by the ego. It is the sole judge of what is
right and wrong. It is important to note that whilst Jung saw this stage as a progression, he
identified it as an extremely dangerous one. Why? Due to the inflation of the ego and,
consequently, the potential for megalomania. The ego, whilst inflated, is easily persuaded by
the shadow’s longing for power and control. Jung saw this evident in the various political
catastrophes of the twentieth century. One could, also, compare this to Friedrich Nietzsche’s
notion of the Übermensch. The doorway has, now, been opened for the ego to pursue
limitless possibilities of action without restraint. Yet, the possibility of growth toward the
fifth stage also presents itself. Whilst the first four stages of conscious development are
primarily to do with the ego and the first half of life, the fifth stage is concerned with
wholeness. That is, in Jungian terms, the integration of the unconscious into one’s
consciousness. Now, an awareness is present of both the ego’s limitations and the power of
the unconscious. An avenue for integration, then, becomes possible through what Jung
termed the “transcendent function and the unifying symbol.”56
The psyche is now unified but,
unlike the first stage, its parts remain differentiated and contained within consciousness.
Here, within this stage, lies the centrepiece of individuation: one is able to consciously and
55
For further reading, see Jung’s book of essays titled Modern Man in Search of a Soul, in which this topic is
explored in further detail.
56
Stein, Soul, 185.

36
creatively relate to the unconscious and its archetypal contents. Through a transcendent
unifying symbol, the ego and the unconscious are now able to become a unified whole. This
symbol, as has already been mentioned, is the archetype of the Self. It is, ultimately, the Self
which is both the expression of and avenue through which a sense of wholeness is reached by
the individual. Indeed, as Stein notes, “wholeness is the master term that describes the goal of
the individuation process and it is the expression within psychological life of the Self
archetype.”57
If the end-goal of the individuation process is wholeness and a state of flourishing,
then its opposite is fragmentation and mental disorder. In Jung’s time, this was referred to as
neurosis, of which there were a wide variety of types. Today, we would understand this term
to include mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders, phobias, personality disorders, and
clinical depression. In commenting on the power of the unconscious, Jung noted that “if we
understand anything of the unconscious, we know that it… is dangerous to suppress it,
because the unconscious is life and this life turns against us if suppressed, as happens in
neurosis.”58
If the psychic contents of one’s unconscious are not integrated into conscious
awareness, a type of neurosis will eventually follow. In this state, one is beholden to one or
more unconscious processes without any awareness of it. This is referred to as the
compensatory function of the unconscious. Jung posits that, throughout all of life, the
conscious and unconscious aspects of the human psyche are always seeking to achieve a state
of homeostatic balance. Subsequently, if unconscious processes are being suppressed, they
will appear in consciousness as neurosis. Moreover, Jung suggested that these very
unconscious processes could be deciphered through the therapeutic techniques of dream
interpretation and active imagination. The role of the psychotherapist, accordingly, is to assist
57
Stein, Soul, 188.
58
Carl Jung, “Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious,” translated by R. F. C. Hull, Collected Works 13
(Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1983), para. 221.

37
the individual in becoming aware of these processes through interpreting the contents of their
dreams as well as the images, narratives, and personified entities which appear during active
imagination. For Jung, active imagination could be done through visualisation, automatic
writing, or artistic activities such as painting. Key to this process is the exertion of as little
influence as possible on the mental images which unfold, by both the therapist and the
patient. This, then, allows for the unconscious contents to be expressed as freely as possible,
with little input from the mediating influence of the ego. Thus, with the aid of the
psychotherapist, the individual is able to integrate these unconscious contents into their
conscious awareness and be liberated from their neurosis. And, in doing so, the they are able
to attain a greater sense of wholeness and wellbeing. In “Archetypes and the Collective
Unconscious,” Jung writes that
“Conscious and unconscious do not make a whole when one of them is suppressed
and injured by the other… Both are aspects of life. Consciousness should defend its
reason and protect itself, and the chaotic life of the unconscious should be given the
chance of having its way too – as much of it as we can stand. This means open
conflict and open collaboration at once. That, evidently, is the way human life should
be. It is the old game of hammer and anvil: between them the patient iron is forged
into an indestructible whole, an ‘individual’.”59
Here, we are presented with a vivid image of individuation: not a quiet process but, rather, a
vigorous conflict between opposites. Yet, it is through this unity of opposites that the
individual becomes a whole, flourishing human person. With the assistance of a
psychotherapist, one is able to identify those unconscious processes at play in their psyche.
And, through the transcendent symbol of the Self, gain the unity which is necessary for one’s
59
Jung, “Collective Unconscious,” para. 522.

38
emotional and mental wellbeing. This, importantly, leads to a capacity for psychological
distance: the ego’s ability to create mental distance from one’s subjective experience through
increased self-awareness, acceptance, and non-attachment. Or, put another way, an ability to
step outside of oneself and gain a wider perspective, not being attached to the emotional
weather of one’s immediate experience. Through facing one’s inner psychic conflicts, the
individual gains an increased capacity to create psychological distance, as well as mettle: a
deep knowledge gained through experience of the encounter. In today’s psychological
lexicon, this could be understood as one gaining an increased level of resilience.
One can, also, refer to this unification of opposites as paradox. Jung noted that “the
paradox is one of our most valued spiritual possessions.”60
One’s conscious and unconscious
could initially be perceived as two contradicting spheres of the human psyche. Yet, through
the individuation process, the contents of one’s unconscious are integrated into conscious
awareness, leading toward wholeness. Paradox, for Jung, had an important role to play in the
life of the psyche. He insisted that it provides a “more faithful picture of the real state of
affairs,”61
than mere logic or reason alone. Truth can be found amongst the contradictions, as
opposed to one-sided statements. It is through holding the tension of opposites that growth
can, ultimately, be fostered. As only paradox “comes anywhere near to comprehending the
fullness of life.”62
Indeed, this is why Jung’s theories came to be so heavily influenced by
various spiritual texts. Every human being contains a deep desire to be connected to the
transcendent, symbolised in the archetype of the Self. Paradox, hence, is the avenue through
which wholeness and the sacred are encountered: only it can “give adequate expression to the
60
Carl Jung, “Psychology and Alchemy,” translated by G. Adler & R. F. C. Hull, Collected Works 12, 2nd
ed.
(Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2014), para. 18.
61
Carl Jung, “Psychology and Religion: West and East,” translated by G. Adler & R. F. C. Hull, Collected
Works 11, 2nd
ed. (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2014), para. 417.
62
Jung, “Psychology and Alchemy,” para. 18.

39
indescribable nature”63
of the transcendent. Moreover, this was reflected in Jung’s theory of
psychological development. He speculated that there were stages of development beyond the
fifth, suggesting that certain structures within the human psyche corresponded to structures
within the non-psychic world. This is evident, for example, in Jung’s controversial theory of
synchronicity, which led him to collaborate with physicists of his time like Wolfgang Pauli.
Nevertheless, whatever one may make of Jung’s speculative theories, it is evident that
wholeness and wellbeing lie at the heart of the individuation process. And, this wholeness is
attained through the integration of opposites: the unconscious into one’s conscious
awareness. Here, the archetypal symbol of the Self emerges, unifying the entirety of the
human psyche.
iii. Individuation, synchronicity, and the emergence of the self
The archetype of the Self is central to Jung’s understanding of the individuation process and,
indeed, his entire understanding of the depth of the human psyche. As has been alluded to
already, the Self is transcendent. It does not refer to the common usage of the term “self,”
which would be much closer to Jung’s definition of the ego. The Self is, paradoxically, more
than merely one’s subjectivity. Rather, it forms the ground of one’s subjectivity: that which is
both intensely individual yet is held in common with all other beings. It could be said that
Jung’s Self aligns with the very “structures of Being.”64
To understand Jung’s notion of the
Self, it is important to note that his theory of this transcendent archetype sprang not just from
his clinical work but also his own life experiences. Specifically, Jung encountered what he
would later come to term the Self during a mid-life crisis. Stein writes that during this period,
Jung “made the major discovery that at bottom the psyche rests on a fundamental structure
and that this structure is able to withstand the shocks of abandonment and betrayal which
63
64
Stein, Soul, 137.

40
threaten to undo a person’s mental stability and emotional balance. This was the discovery of
a deep, largely unconscious pattern of psychological unity and wholeness.”65
Many years
later, Jung would come to term this unconscious pattern of psychological wholeness the Self,
echoing the Indian Upanishads in their term for the higher personality, the atman. In Aion,
Jung’s most detailed treatment of the notion of the Self, he writes that
“The Self… is completely outside the personal sphere, and appears, if at all, only as a
religious mythologem, and its symbols range from the highest to the lowest… anyone
who wants to achieve the difficult feat of realizing something not only intellectually,
but also according to its feeling-value, must for better or worse come to grips with the
anima/animus problem in order to open the way for a high union, a conjunctio
oppositorum. This is an indispensable prerequisite for wholeness.”66
Contained within these few sentences, we can note a number of key aspects of the Self. First,
as has already been noted, the Self is transcendent: its origins lie outside the confines of the
human psyche yet, simultaneously, it is that which unites its many (at times conflicting) parts.
It could be said, then, that the Self is experienced as both transcendent and imminent. Second,
the Self cannot be realised in intellectual terms alone, but must be encountered experientially.
And, this encounter with the Self comes about through paradox; a vigorous reconciliation of
opposites. Thus, a ‘higher union’ leading to wholeness can, ultimately, only come about
through the supra-rational (or trans-rational). The unity of the human psyche lies beyond the
realms of the intellect alone. Once the Self is realised in conscious awareness, wholeness
results. Finally, the Self is expressed through the power of symbol, particularly religious
symbols. Jung argued that the mandala, prevalent in Eastern spiritual traditions, was one such
symbol of the Self. At the same time, Jung argued that the Christian symbol of the cross is
65
Ibid., 137.
66
Jung, “Aion,” para. 57-8.

41
also a symbol of the Self. It is through the Self’s action on the human psyche that these
symbols of wholeness are produced. And, according to Jung, each human being carries an
imprint of the Self, a kind of imago Dei. Every human being is, therefore, capable of reaching
wholeness and psychological unity. Whenever one’s psyche is at risk of fragmenting, the
Self’s intervention – evidenced through the appearance of symbols or revelatory experiences
– seeks to unify and hold together. For Jung, the Self has a close connection with the ego, but
is not identical to it. Rather, it is described as ‘psychoid’: similar to the psychic but not
limited to it; in relation to the psyche but transcendent of it. Moreover, the Self is viewed as
an objective archetype by Jung. Rather than being a social construction or a product of the
ego, it is consistent across the breadth of human experience and, importantly, can be verified
through empirical means.
Though the Self is an objective archetype, it is represented differently across human
experience according to characteristics like culture, gender, and so on. This is because the
Self’s symbolic form is shaped by the state of consciousness of the observer. The symbolic
form of the Self can be represented by the mandala in Tibetan Buddhism whilst,
simultaneously, being represented by the cross in global Christianity. Other representations
and symbols of the Self, according to Jung, include churches, the wheel, gemstones, the fish,
the snake, trees, mountains, and even human figures such as kings. In Aion, Jung explores
and discusses the Self and its symbolic forms in Gnosticism, astrology, alchemy, and
Christianity in extensive detail. According to Jung, Christ Jesus in Christianity came about
through the projection of the higher selves (Anthropos) of the early Church onto the historical
figure of Jesus of Nazareth and, thus, Christ became a symbol of the Self. Regardless,
however, of its particular representation or form, Jung’s universal archetype of the Self exists
as the “transcendent centre that governs the psyche from outside of itself and circumscribes

42
its entirety.”67
And, crucially, the Self guides the development of human consciousness
throughout one’s life span; the process of individuation discussed earlier. Nothing else can
account for the human psyche’s deep structures of order, coherence, imagination, and drive
towards unity. In the midst of its complexity – its drives, images, urges, and conscious will –
the Self orders and holds the whole human psyche together in unity. It is the Self which
reconciles the parts within the psyche, bringing wholeness. Thus, it could be said that human
flourishing for Jung is this wholeness brought about through the individuation process,
guided and driven by the transcendent Self.
The Self and its origins, however, lie beyond the realms of what would be considered
mainstream psychology. In later life, Jung came to theorise about the existence of the Self
beyond the boundaries of the human psyche. This led him to collaborate with, as mentioned
previously, the physicist Wolfgang Pauli. Jung’s theory of synchronicity was the logical
extension of the notion of the Self into cosmology and metaphysics. It points to the hidden
order and unity that exists beneath all of reality. And, this hidden unity is what intimately
connects the psychic and non-psychic worlds (i.e. mind and matter). What, then, precisely is
Jung’s theory of synchronicity? A ‘narrow’ definition of synchronicity, according to Jung, is
the meaningful coincidence between events in the psychic and non-psychic worlds. For
instance, one may dream of a major plane crash taking place at a particular time and place,
only to wake up to news of that very event happening. The principle of cause-and-effect
cannot explain the two events, yet they are meaningfully connected. The ‘wider’ definition of
synchronicity, on the other hand, is that of an “acausal orderedness”68
in the cosmos. Jung,
now entering into the realm of metaphysics, asserted that there is an ultimate pattern of order,
unity, and wholeness undergirding all that exists. In this sense, all of reality is on an orderly
67
Stein, Soul, 150.
68
Carl Jung as quoted in Stein, Soul, 191.

43
continuum: matter, life, mind, soul, and spirit. Crucially, Jung claimed that meaning was
therefore an inherent feature of the objective universe. Unity and order, rather than chaos and
disorder, are fundamental characteristics which undergird the cosmos. Thus, a complete
account of all reality must include the element of meaning. Stein highlights that, for Jung,
“the raising into consciousness of patterns and images from the depths of the psychoid
unconscious gives humankind its purpose in the universe, for we alone… are able to realise
these patterns and give expression to what we realise. Put another way, God needs us in order
to become held in awareness. Humans are in a position to become aware that the cosmos has
an ordering principle.”69
Wherever one turns – from the conscious experiences of subjective
human beings, to phenomena within the natural world, to the events of history – one can
witness an underlying order arranged in such a way as to further deepen the consciousness
present in the cosmos. Or, at least, this is what Jung sought to confirm not merely
philosophically but also empirically. The archetype of the Self is not just creating order and
wholeness within the consciousness of individuals, but also within the entire cosmos. In Aion,
Jung seeks to provide empirical evidence for this claim. Consciousness is unfolding within
the universe and is headed somewhere. And, it is the Self that is shaping and directing this
process. For an individual to experience synchronicity, then, is to experience something
analogous to what some would term the ‘will of God’. The human psyche, inextricably linked
to the infinite Self, has a central role to play in the universe. As conscious, self-aware beings,
we are capable of reflecting the cosmos and bringing it into awareness. We are able to
witness the creativity of the Absolute, both within ourselves and in the external world. Hence,
we cannot fully account for Jung’s understanding of the human person, individuation, and
wellbeing without taking into account his metaphysical understanding of the cosmos and the
role of the transcendent Self.
69
Stein, Soul, 187.

44
4. The Spirituality of Thomas Merton
i. The human selves
Merton’s understanding of the human person, though grounded in Christian theology, bears a
number of symmetries with Jung’s theory of the human psyche. Whilst his language may
vary in describing this reality, it can broadly be understood through the notion of the ‘true’
and ‘false’ selves. The false self, for Merton, is the inverse of one’s true identity. It
encompasses the ideal image one seeks to present to the external world, as well as the darker
parts of oneself – the unspoken desires, wishes, and fantasies – which are kept hidden in
private. In New Seeds of Contemplation, Merton writes that
“Every one of us is shadowed by an illusory person: a false self. This is the man that I
want myself to be but who cannot exist, because God does not know anything about
him… My false and private self is the one who wants to exist outside the reach of
God’s will and God’s love – outside of reality and outside of life. And such a self
cannot help but be an illusion.”70
For Merton, the false self is nothing other than an illusion. What, precisely, does he mean by
this? Fundamentally, an illusion is something which is oriented away from the true source of
life, love, and all reality: God. This does not mean, however, that an illusion cannot exert a
powerful influence over one’s experiential sense of what is real and true. This is precisely
why the false self can lead to such destruction, both for the one caught up in its distorted view
of reality as well as those subject to the actions of that blinded individual. One’s false self is
grounded in the falsehood that it is “the fundamental reality of life to which everything else in
the universe is ordered.”71
It, consequently, leads to actions and behaviours which seek to
70
Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation (New York, United States: New Directions Publishing
Corporation, 2007), 34.
71
Merton, Contemplation, 35.

45
convert this disordered sense of reality into a tangible identity. Thus, one exerts their energy
in pursuit of “pleasures and the thirst for experiences, for power, honour, knowledge and
love, to clothe this false self into something objectively real… in order to make [oneself]
perceptible to [oneself] and to the world.”72
The false self grasps after anything which
appears to legitimise its desires, creating an exterior which may appear to be true and whole.
Yet, underneath the surface, there is nothing but one’s own “nakedness and emptiness and
hollowness.”73
Crucially, the false self is not essentially evil, as some may suggest. It is,
rather, “afflicted with [a] metaphysical poverty,”74
and thus its healing comes through mercy
as opposed to mere punishment.
The true self, on the other hand, is one’s true identity. It is that part of the human
person which is grounded in the transcendent: the infinite, life-giving love of God. Hence, it
can never be an illusion, as its source and its end is grounded in Absolute Being. Or, put
another way, one’s true self is contingent upon the eternal, self-emptying life of God. This is
precisely why Merton can insist that the “secret of my identity is hidden in the love and
mercy of God… whatever is in God is really identical with Him, for His infinite simplicity
admits no division and no distinction. Therefore, I cannot hope to find myself anywhere
except in Him.”75
For Merton, one cannot encounter their true identity without encountering
this God. And, conversely, one cannot encounter God without discovering their truest self.
Indeed, the “only way that I can be myself is to become identified with Him in Whom is
hidden the reason and fulfilment of my existence.”76
Every human being, whether
consciously acknowledged or not, will find themselves living in this tension between their
true and false self. The task, then, of the individual seeking wholeness is to live not from the
72
Ibid., 35.
73
Ibid., 35.
74
Ibid., 295.
75
Ibid., 35.
76
Ibid., 36.

46
illusion of the false self, but rather from their true self found only in the infinite love of God.
This is not something which can ultimately be achieved through mere exertion of one’s will,
or the disciplined action of a community alone. Nor can it even be attained through the best
of therapeutic means. Though these aspects may aid the individual on the journey, it is God –
the One who creates and sustains all things – who initiates this discovery. It is God who,
ultimately, is the source of this transformation.
ii. Christ and true self
To rightly understand Merton’s notion of the true self, however, we must explore its
deep connection to his understanding of Christ. That is, in Merton’s spirituality, Christology
is inextricably linked to anthropology. Even in his later years enveloped in deep dialogue
with other religious traditions, Christ formed the centre of Merton’s thought and practice.
Whilst he possessed an ability to converse with and affirm the contemplative experiences of
other major religious figures (such as Zen Buddhist D. T. Suzuki), Christ continued to be
central in Merton’s understanding of human persons and, indeed, all of reality. Mystical
experience, closely related to Merton’s understanding of personal transformation and the
awakening of the true self, was never divorced from Christology. As Patrick O’Connell has
noted, if Merton’s “understanding of God was strongly apophatic, it might be said that his
Christology was clearly cataphatic: Christ is the revealer and manifestation of the hidden
God. Merton’s Christology is one of light.”77
How, then, does Merton understand Christ in
relation to the true self within each human person? As painted in Merton’s work titled The
New Man, Christ is both the divine image and the true human prototype. Christ is, indeed, the
new humanity. Here, the twin doctrines of incarnation and deification are of central
importance. In the very real, human, tangible person of Jesus, the divine entered into history
77
Patrick O’Connell as quoted in Christopher Pramuk, “Hagia Sophia: The Unknown and Unseen Christ of
Thomas Merton,” Cistercian Studies Quarterly 41 (2006): 169.

47
and assumed the human condition. In Jesus, we behold the Christ: the One who is both fully
human and fully divine. In Christ’s assuming of humanity, the image of the divine within
humanity became restored. And, this restoration is rightly understood as deification (or
divinisation). Here, we see echoes of the incarnation as understood by the Patristic Fathers of
the Church. It was Athanasius of Alexandria who argued that the “Son of God became man
so that we might become God.”78
Thus, for Merton, a high Christology leads to a high
anthropology, for Christ is both the fully divine and fully human One. The incarnation and
deification of humanity through Christ was an event of universal proportions, forever
changing the reality of human existence. Consequently, the true humanity of all now rests in
Christ who is not just a historical figure, but is the infinite God, sustaining and present
amongst all things. This, for Merton, lies at the very heart of Christian spirituality: our true
selves are found in Christ who is not some object among other objects, but rather is “the
Reality within our own reality, the Being within our own being, the life of our life.”79
Herein
lies the vocation of the human person: as images of the Image, we are to participate in the
divine trinitarian dance by discovering who we really are. And, it is a participation which
leads to a human wholeness; a realisation that our human frailties are captured within and
transformed by Christ. It is precisely in this universal Christ that human beings, both
personally and collectively, are to encounter their true humanity which necessarily leads to a
transformation in the way we relate to ourselves and to the entirety of the human race. For
“just as we hate ourselves because we fail to embrace our true identity “in Christ,” so also we
hate the stranger because we never imagine that, in the stranger no less than Christ, the Image
of God, approaches us.”80
A true journey inward, then, will no less lead to the experiential
realisation that we are inextricably linked to one another and, indeed, to the Absolute. As
78
Athanasius, On the Incarnation (New York, United States of America: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2012),
section 54.
79
Thomas Merton as quoted in Pramuk, “Unknown and Unseen Christ,” 172.
80
Pramuk, “Unknown and Unseen Christ,” 180.

48
Merton has expressed in one of his many poems, the image of God present in all is “one and
the same in all the souls that receive their life from Him. At the centre of our souls we meet
together, spiritually, in the infinite source of all our different created lives.”81
This unity and
wholeness, however, cannot be grasped through human will alone, for the Infinite in which it
is grounded cannot be attained (or, indeed, contained) through human action. Yet, in a
paradoxical sense, human agency plays an important role in opening one up to the
transformative action of the divine. Here, for Merton, lies the practice of contemplation.
iii. Contemplation and the hidden wholeness
In his poem titled Hagia Sophia, Merton writes that:
“There is in all visible things an invisible fecundity, a dimmed light, a meek
namelessness, a hidden wholeness. This mysterious Unity and Integrity is Wisdom,
the Mother of all, Natura naturans. There is in all things an inexhaustible sweetness
and purity, a silence that is a fount of action and joy. It rises up in wordless gentleness
and flows out to me from the unseen roots of all created being, welcoming me
tenderly, saluting me with indescribable humility. This is at once my own being, my
own nature, and the Gift of my Creator’s Thought and Art within me, speaking as
Hagia Sophia, speaking as my sister, Wisdom.”82
In this remarkable poem, Merton speaks of a hidden wholeness: an invisible unity which is
present in all visible things. This wholeness is, moreover, present within the depths of the
human person, having its origins within the life of the divine. Here, we gain a glimpse of
Merton’s understanding of human wellbeing: to flourish as a human being is to experience,
connect with, and live in conscious awareness of this hidden wholeness present in all things.
81
Ibid., 180.
82
Thomas Merton, Hagia Sophia (1963): I.

49
Further into Hagia Sophia, Merton eloquently writes of this very experience, describing it as
“like the One Christ awakening in all the separate selves that ever were separate and isolated
and alone in all the lands of the earth. It is like all minds coming back together into awareness
from all distractions, cross-purposes and confusions, into a unity of love.”83
It is clear that,
for Merton, this wholeness is not merely experienced as an individual, but rather entails
transcending an apparent separateness into a deeper unity. Moreover, the source of such
awakening is within the deepest realm of the spirit: the Christ. Ultimately, human wholeness
and wellbeing necessitates a connection to the transcendent which, conversely, unifies all
things through love.
How, then, is one able to awaken to this hidden wholeness? As hinted at earlier, such
a sense of wholeness is inseparable from a life of contemplation. Merton goes as far as
asserting that it is “a most important part of man’s cooperation in the spiritualisation and
restoration of the cosmos.”84
Indeed, for Merton, religion will preserve rather than destroy the
human species only insofar as it engenders a contemplative approach to all of reality. God’s
apparent hiddenness is due to two reasons: the reality of sin and, paradoxically, because of
God’s very nearness to us. Our salvation, then, is bound up in our personal and communal
awakening to this very truth through a life of contemplation. It is a freedom which comes
from a deep experiential knowing of who we are: our truest selves in Christ. And, it is not just
a discovery of “him Who is… [but] it will also be our definite discovery of ourselves in one
another and in him.”85
This is precisely what Merton was hinting at in his poem Hagia
Sophia. The ‘dream’ that we each live in is a kind of Cartesian world in which we are
separate from God, one another, and all other living beings. It is one in which the false self
claims centre-stage: fuelled by a competitive narcissism, seeking self-aggrandizement and
83
Merton, Hagia Sophia, I.
84
85

50
self-affirmation at all costs. God, then, becomes subservient to one’s own selfish desires,
curiously mirroring what one perceives the Absolute should be. In the opening pages of the
New Man, Merton describes contemplation as the means by which we are liberated from this
hellish prison:
“[The] experience of contemplation is the experience of God’s life and presence
within ourselves not as object but as the transcendent source of our own subjectivity.
Contemplation is a mystery in which God reveals Himself to us as the very centre of
our own most intimate self – intimior intimo meo as St. Augustine said. When the
realization of His presence bursts upon us, our own [false] self disappears in Him and
we pass mystically through the Red Sea of separation to lose ourselves (and thus find
our true selves) in Him.”86
Whilst Merton acknowledges that, due to the limits of language, we cannot help but speak of
God in dualistic terms (to maintain the metaphysical distinction between Creator and
creature), contemplation paradoxically leads to the realisation that there is an inextricable link
between one’s true self and the divine. Concepts are, in an experiential way, transcended.
This is not through a denial of the dualistic concepts we utilise to refer to the Absolute, but it
is precisely through this language and in the practice of contemplation that one is able to
apprehend God and, consequently, the hidden wholeness within, among, and underneath all
reality. Merton’s contemplative thought and experience is both Christocentric and apophatic.
In a letter to D. T. Suzuki late in life, Merton writes:
“The Christ we seek is within us, in our inmost self, is our inmost self, and yet
infinitely transcends ourselves. We have to be “found in Him” and yet be perfectly
ourselves and free from the domination of any image of Him other than Himself…
86
Thomas Merton, The New Man (New York, United States: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1999), 19.

Reviving the Soul: Navigating the Self at the Intersection of Psychology and Christian Spirituality

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