The aim of psychotherapy is to help others recognize the wholeness and peace residing inside themselves. Transpersonal psychotherapists accomplish this by restoring a client’s relationship with their True Self. Thereby, revealing the ever-present, unchanging reality of oneness, peace, and compassion at the core of their being. When experiencing life from this fundamental level of being, the unity and love underlying all of existence is readily realized.
Human suffering is a result of making the innocent mistake of forgetting and ignoring the ever-present, unchanging nature of the True Self. Conflict, pain, and suffering occur when a person dissociates from their True Self by creating the idea of a separate self, believing in a separate self, and then identifying with that self. Believing that we can be separated from the Source of our being or True Self is a fundamental error that requires correction in order for lasting peace and happiness to be known.
The separated self is merely a constructed idea or belief of who we are. Thoughts and ideas constantly change, and freely come and go. Consequently, the separate self is ever-changing and unreliable. This creates a tenuous, unstable, and vulnerable state of existence for those basing their self-identity on the viability and substantiality of a separated self. Fear, pain, and suffering spontaneously occur when this fragile, unreliable self is conceived to be the truth of who we are and unwisely relied upon to provide a secure, stable, consistent sense of self.
Transpersonal psychotherapy helps clients change their beliefs about reality, including changing their views about who they think they are. In order for clients to experience the deepest, most enduring, positive change a dramatic shift in self-perception is essential. They must realize that who they think they are is an illusion or distorted perception of the truth. The typical client is deceived by the appearance of the separate, ever-changing self-masquerading as if it were the True Self. It is important for clients to recognize that the separated self is simply a construct created in the mind and that believing it to be one’s true identity inevitably results in an undependable, distorted, vulnerable sense of existence.
Irrational, erroneous beliefs distort and block the truth of what is real about ourselves. Many different interventions are used by transpersonal psychotherapists to deconstruct and dissolve faulty beliefs about our self-identity which then allows the True Self to reveal itself. Sometimes transpersonal therapists also focus attention directly on the True Self in an effort to help clients recognize it, access it more effectively, and become more firmly established in the direct knowledge of its ongoing presence.
In summary, the primary goal of transpersonal interventions is to restore a client’s relationship with their True Self. When people no longer believe they are separated from the Source of their being and the reality of their True Self is rediscovered, then insecurity, fear, and vulnerability subside and the truth of eternal love and peace emerges. Functioning from this level of existence restores one’s ability to directly experience peace, joy, and compassion and to behave in inspired ways that serve the best interest of everyone and everything.