SPIRITUAL BYPASSING…WHEN SPIRITUALITY DISCONNECTS US FROM WHAT REALLY MATTERS

Spiritual Bypassing-the use of spiritual beliefs to avoid dealing with painful feelings, unresolved wounds, and developmental needs--is so pervasive that it goes largely unnoticed. 

The spiritual ideals of any tradition, whether Christian commandments or Buddhist precepts, can provide easy justification for practitioners to duck uncomfortable feelings in favor of more seemingly enlightened activity. 

When split off from fundamental psychological needs, such actions often do much more harm than good.