Taking the Spiritual Bypass

When you’re driving on the freeway taking the bypass around a busy city may be wise. But, on the Spiritual journey taking a bypass is usually unwise-- it gives you the illusion of progress, but in reality it just goes around in circles!

Spiritual Bypassing is defined as “The use of spiritual beliefs or practices to avoid dealing with painful feelings, unhealed wounds, and developmental needs.”

An example of this in the Christian tradition is the common practice of avoiding the painful experience of dying to the ego and living as Christ did, by believing that “Christ died for my sins, so all I have to do is believe in him and I will be spared the difficult work of actually living what he taught.”

In the Buddhist tradition we may encounter meditation practitioners that honestly believe they are practicing equanimity, (and they may want you to believe as well) but in reality they are using meditation as way of avoiding painful emotions. They may look very spiritual, but they are actually hiding from themselves. I call this becoming the “Counterfeit Buddha”!…. FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE ON ROBERTBRUMET.COM