The Developing Soul ...

Brown, Harold. (2005). The developing soul within dogmatic reification: A theoretical study of individuation, evaluating the psychological effects of religious dogma from a developmental and object relations perspective (Doctoral dissertation, Pacifica Graduate Institute, 2005). UMI 3173607.

This dissertation is a study of the function of fluidity and rigidity within the psyche. Developmental and object relations theory are used within the theoretical and hermeneutic method. These findings are employed as a template to examine religious reification by addressing the following question: What are the effects of the dogmatic reifications of religious symbols and stories in Western religious thought and practice upon psychological and spiritual growth? Drawing upon developmental theory and an object relations perspective, this study explores the hypothesis that the dogmatic approach alone without further development fosters splitting, leading to a defensive ego structure, ultimately retarding psychological and spiritual growth. By use of the ego-Self axis model, it is demonstrated that both a rigid structure of reification and the fluidity of the symbolic realm of archetypes are necessary for psychological and spiritual development.

In the course of this study, attention is given to a similar pattern that arises among various developmental theories. This similar pattern demonstrates a need for the developing ego to move from a state of ambiguity to that of a well-defined structure. With the security and identity of structure, the ego is then free to securely reenter ambiguity with sufficient strength to benefit and not be consumed by the interaction. Attention is given in the development to the use of images as the psyche internally integrates the external experience. A dualistic nature of the psyche is explored as seen in the potential space within the tension of opposites.

Through this hermeneutical journey, this research benefits the field of clinical psychology by demonstrating the necessity within the ego for both a well-defined, reified structure and the essentiality to tolerate symbolic ambiguity. It is through this further understanding of the ego-Self axis that both the empirical structured work of the ego and the fluid, undefined archetypal openness are shown to be necessary for individuation.