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==The Place of Religion in Psychotherapy==

==The Place of Religion in Psychotherapy==

1. To be a teacher of God, it is not necessary to be religious or even to believe in God to any recognizable extent. It is necessary, however, to teach forgiveness rather than condemnation. Even in this, complete consistency is not required, for one who had achieved that point could teach salvation completely, within an instant and without a word. Yet he who

1. To be a [[teacher of God]], it is not [[necessary]] to be religious or even to believe in [[God]] to any recognizable extent. It is [[necessary]], however, to teach [[forgiveness]] rather than [[condemnation]]. Even in this, complete consistency is not required, for one who had achieved that point could teach [[salvation]] completely, within an instant and without a [[word]]. Yet he who

has learned all things does not need a teacher, and the healed have no need for a therapist.

has [[learned]] all things does not need a teacher, and the [[healed]] have no need for a therapist.

Relationships are still the temple of the Holy Spirit, and they will be made perfect in time and restored to eternity.

[[Relationships]] are still the temple of the [[Holy Spirit]], and they will be made [[perfect]] in time and restored to [[eternity]].

2. Formal religion has no place in psychotherapy, but it also has no real place in religion. In this world, there is an astonishing tendency to join contradictory words into one term without perceiving the contradiction at all. The attempt to formalize religion is so obviously an ego attempt to reconcile the irreconcilable that it hardly requires elaboration here. Religion is experience; psychotherapy is experience. At the highest levels they become one. Neither is truth itself, but both can lead to truth. What can be necessary to find truth, which remains perfectly obvious, but to remove the seeming obstacles to true awareness?

2. Formal religion has no place in [[psychotherapy]], but it also has no real place in [[religion]]. In this world, there is an astonishing tendency to join [[contradictory]] words into one term without [[perceiving]] the contradiction at all. The attempt to formalize religion is so obviously an [[ego]] attempt to [[reconcile]] the irreconcilable that it hardly requires elaboration here. Religion is [[experience]]; psychotherapy is experience. At the highest levels they become one. Neither is [[truth]] itself, but both can lead to truth. What can be necessary to find truth, which remains perfectly obvious, but to remove the seeming [[obstacles]] to true awareness?

3. No one who learns to forgive can fail to remember God. Forgiveness, then, is all that need be taught, because it is all that need be learned. All blocks to the remembrance of God are forms of unforgiveness, and nothing else. This is never apparent to the patient, and only rarely so to the therapist. The world has marshalled all its forces against this one awareness, for in it lies the ending of the world and all it stands for.

3. No one who learns to [[forgive]] can fail to [[remember]] God. Forgiveness, then, is all that need be taught, because it is all that need be learned. All blocks to the remembrance of [[God]] are forms of unforgiveness, and nothing else. This is never apparent to the patient, and only rarely so to the therapist. The world has marshalled all its forces against this one [[awareness]], for in it lies the ending of the world and all it stands for.

4. Yet it is not the awareness of God that constitutes a reasonable goal for psychotherapy.

4. Yet it is not the [[awareness]] of God that constitutes a reasonable [[goal]] for [[psychotherapy]].

This will come when psychotherapy is complete, for where there is forgiveness truth must come. It would be unfair indeed if belief in God were necessary to psychotherapeutic success. Nor is belief in God a really meaningful concept, for God can be but known. Belief implies that unbelief is possible, but knowledge of God has no true opposite. Not to know God is to have no knowledge, and it is to this that all unforgiveness leads. And without knowledge one can have only belief.

This will come when psychotherapy is complete, for where there is forgiveness [[truth]] must come. It would be unfair indeed if [[belief]] in God were necessary to psychotherapeutic success. Nor is belief in God a really meaningful [[concept]], for God can be but known. Belief implies that unbelief is possible, but [[knowledge]] of God has no true opposite. Not to know God is to have no knowledge, and it is to this that all unforgiveness leads. And without knowledge one can have only [[belief]].

5. Different teaching aids appeal to different people. Some forms of religion have nothing to do with God, and some forms of psychotherapy have nothing to do with healing. Yet if pupil and teacher join in sharing one goal, God will enter into their relationship because He has been invited to come in. In the same way, a union of purpose between patient and therapist restores the place of God to ascendance, first through Christ's vision and then through the memory of God Himself. The process of psychotherapy is the return to sanity. Teacher and pupil, therapist and patient, are all insane or they would not be here. Together they can find a pathway out, for no one will find sanity alone.

6. If healing is an invitation to God to enter into His Kingdom, what difference does it make how the invitation is written? Does the paper matter, or the ink, or the pen? Or is it he who writes that gives the invitation? God comes to those who would restore His world, for they have found the way to call to Him. If any two are joined, He must be there. It does not matter what their purpose is, but they must share it wholly to succeed. It is impossible to share a goal not blessed by Christ, for what is unseen through His eyes is too fragmented to be meaningful.

5. Different teaching aids [[appeal]] to different people. Some [[forms]] of [[religion]] have nothing to do with [[God]], and some forms of [[psychotherapy]] have nothing to do with [[healing]]. Yet if [[pupil]] and [[teacher]] join in [[sharing]] one goal, God will enter into their relationship because He has been invited to come in. In the same way, a [[union]] of [[purpose]] between patient and therapist restores the place of God to ascendance, first through [[Christ]]'s [[vision]] and then through the [[memory]] of God Himself. The [[process]] of psychotherapy is the return to [[sanity]]. Teacher and pupil, therapist and patient, are all insane or they would not be here. [[Together]] they can find a pathway out, for no one will find sanity alone.

7. As true religion heals, so must true psychotherapy be religious. But both have many forms, because no good teacher uses one approach to every pupil. On the contrary, he

6. If [[healing]] is an invitation to [[God]] to enter into His Kingdom, what difference does it make how the invitation is written? Does the paper matter, or the ink, or the pen? Or is it he who writes that gives the invitation? God comes to those who would restore His world, for they have found the way to call to Him. If any two are joined, He must be there. It does not matter what their [[purpose]] is, but they must [[share]] it wholly to succeed. It is impossible to share a goal not [[blessed]] by [[Christ]], for what is unseen through His eyes is too fragmented to be meaningful.

listens patiently to each one, and lets him formulate his own curriculum; not the curriculum's goal, but how he can best reach the aim it sets for him. Perhaps the teacher does not think of God as part of teaching. Perhaps the psychotherapist does not understand that healing comes from God. They can succeed where many who believe they have found God will fail.

8. What must the teacher do to ensure learning? What must the therapist do to bring healing about? Only one thing; the same requirement salvation asks of everyone. Each one must share one goal with someone else, and in so doing, lose all sense of separate interests. Only by doing this is it possible to transcend the narrow boundaries the ego would impose upon the self. Only by doing this can teacher and pupil, therapist and patient, you and I, accept Atonement and learn to give it as it was received.

 

8. What must the teacher do to ensure [[learning]]? What must the [[therapist]] do to bring [[healing]] about? Only one thing; the same requirement [[salvation]] asks of everyone. Each one must [[share]] one [[goal]] with someone else, and in so doing, lose all sense of separate interests. Only by doing this is it possible to [[transcend]] the narrow boundaries the [[ego]] would impose upon [[the self]]. Only by doing this can teacher and pupil, therapist and patient, you and I, [[accept]] [[Atonement]] and learn to give it as it was [[received]].

 

It is held out to him, but he cannot hold out his hand to receive it. Let him be still and recognize his brother's need is his own. And let him then meet his brother's need as his and see that they are met as one, for such they are. What is [[religion]] but an aid in helping him to see that this is so? And what is [[psychotherapy]] except a help in just this same [[direction]]? It is the goal that makes these [[processes]] the same, for they are one in [[purpose]] and must thus be one in means.

==The Role of the Psychotherapist==

==The Role of the Psychotherapist==

1. The psychotherapist is a leader in the sense that he walks slightly ahead of the patient, and helps him to avoid a few of the pitfalls along the road by seeing them first. Ideally, he is also a follower, for One should walk ahead of him to give him light to see. Without this One, both will merely stumble blindly on to nowhere. It is, however, impossible that this One be wholly absent if the goal is healing. He may, however, not be recognized. And so the little light that can be then accepted is all there is to light the way to truth.

1. The psychotherapist is a leader in the sense that he walks slightly ahead of the patient, and helps him to avoid a few of the pitfalls along the road by seeing them first. Ideally, he is also a follower, for One should walk ahead of him to give him light to see. Without this One, both will merely stumble blindly on to nowhere. It is, however, impossible that this One be wholly absent if the goal is healing. He may, however, not be recognized. And so the little light that can be then accepted is all there is to light the way to truth.