The internet is full of people who claim to be coaching others in personal development. Whereas it can be possible that a handful could really help those who are down and need motivation, in many cases there are just fake gurus copying autosuggestive methods or amateur psychologists. When I started a spiritual blog after discovering that the practise of some basic ethical values and their implementation in the core teachings of religion could help transcend some difficulties we face, the aim was to stir people to understand the value of choice in ethical behaviour through the practise of the teachings of religion.
It starts from the idea that all our actions bear tremendous consequences on ourselves and others and that conscious awakening alone might help but is not enough for transcendence. I had to revisit through my own experiences the way of the ascetics and meditative ones who had succeeded somehow to overcome their instincts and master their whims and desires. It is not easy but is worth the efforts. The fact is that spiritual transcendence is more than just autosuggestive training and has nothing to do with the law of attraction and the eastern philosophies that gave birth to the new age movements..
Personal development can indeed help overcome some difficulties but a real transformation of the soul can only be achieve by submitting oneself to God, or to the law of God revealed to mankind through revealed religions. No religion is perfect but the revelations are clear and can and have been backed by some wise men , sages and prophets in the course of history
Many disbelievers in pure monotheism and the afterlife will argue that faith in God functions in the same way as autosuggestion, the principle of guiding and influencing one’s thoughts or behaviour by self-induced suggestions. Moreover, religious critics will argue that religion is just a form of hypnosis that will lead to a state of conviction of facts not proven scientifically. I remember an old friend who once quoted Karl-Marx saying that religion is just opium for the people. He was convinced that all religions are manipulative. One of his arguments was that you have to close your eyes when you pray and in this way the manipulators will exploit you. In this sense religion, if it works will just be similar to the Coue method, a form a autosuggestive hypnosis through repetitive utterances.
According to Emile Coue, the mind can be influenced by repeatedly uttering
intentionally (or unintentionally) suggestions. Coue was a French psychologist and pharmacist and is known to have treated many patients with his self-improvement methods based on optimistic autosuggestion. One of the conscious suggestive utterances that patients could use to have an influence on their sickness and possibly get cure was to affirm for example “Every day , in every way I’m getting better.”. Indeed this might work as a placebo but it is different from spiritual healing.
Religious spirituality is based on revelations received by prophets
Religious spirituality is based on the divine law whereas non religious spirituality, the so-called atheist new age philosophy that has become famous and taken various form in the past decades is based on self-mastering through control of thoughts, mind and emotions. This is used to enhance personal development but has no ethical foundations. People who are restless and unsatisfied can be helped by personal development but spiritual motivation goes far beyond, giving you the tools for success in this world and in the hereafter.
Spiritual healing is not merely based on autosuggestive utterances and mantras but is based on religious teachings resting on scriptures that were brought by prophets of God who performed miracles to back their prophethood. Thus at the time of Moses, since the pharaoh has magicians well versed and renowned, the miracles performed by Moses were magical in such a way that they could challenge the tricks of the magicians of the time.
Similarly, In the time of Jesus(pbuh), medicine and cure for every kind of sickness was current and Jesus(pbuh) was sent to teach the gospels and performed miracles that could challenge the practices of the doctors of his time. Hence he could cure leper, blindness, dump-mess and even bring a death-man back to life. He did not teach anyone any form of autogenic training but based his teachings on honouring God and following his commandments.`
At the time of Muhammad(pbuh) the Arabs were well versed poets and the greatest miracle of Muhammad(pbuh) was a recitation that is known to have challenged all the existing poetry of his time. Till nowadays, the qu’ran is being recited by millions of Muslims in their daily prayers over the world. At every given moment there is probably someone reciting the qu’ran in this word. Even though the manifest of the communist party is said to be read by millions of people, millions of people in the world have memorized the entire qu’ran.
Religious spirituality uses prayers and supplications
The effectiveness of the spiritual way is illustrated by the story of Daniel who could receive divine assistance against ferocious Lions. Daniel is saved from Lions by God, being truly submitted to God and honouring him through prayers.
And Jonah (Yunus) could get out of the belly of the whale by a supplication to God almighty. Jonah after disobeying his divine commission. Was shipwrecked in a storm and swallowed by a big fish. After repenting in supplication he is rescued
Moreover religious spirituality is based on ethics. The law of God are based on the fundamentals of morals. The Coue method and mantras are mere psychological and even though there might be many divine entities involves in polytheistic forms of spirituality, There is one God to which you will address a supplication or prayers. Psychological methods are fundamentally strengthening our ego and do not give us any access to the divine. Whereas spiritual awareness is acquired by giving up the self, our whims and desires, autosuggestion is just a form of disbelief in God and considering ourselves as little Gods. Personal development will make you a strongest, fastest person in some fields perhaps, and you might become wealthier and afford expensive cars and homes but in spiritual motivation the focus is on become more righteous. Your aim is to avoid deceiving, lying, going astray or doing things that might be profitable for you but harmful for others.
If you ask those who went through the path or the enlightened in the real sense of the word, they will all confirm that it is in abandoning thee self that they came close to the divine. The Islamic way was used to to transform a pagan society in state of oppression and injustice where alcoholism and adultery and all kinds of societal matters were widely practice into a stable society just within 2 decades. This is the effect of true religion. Personal developers have help self-made millionaires but later some of them remained trapped in drugs and alcohol and remain unhappy. May Allah guide us all…
