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The Dark Side of Spiritual Bypassing — Are You Avoiding Real Healing?
I first heard spiritual bypassing in a meditation circle. Someone talked about “surrendering to the universe” instead of dealing with anger toward parents. It sounded wise, but something didn’t feel right.
Years later, after therapy and self-reflection, I understood my concern. Spiritual bypassing is often just avoidance in disguise. It uses spiritual ideas to avoid real pain and uncomfortable truths. This habit can be very harmful.
What Is Spiritual Bypassing?
Psychologist John Welwood coined the term in the 1980s. It’s when we use spiritual beliefs to avoid facing our emotional pain. Instead of dealing with pain, we say things like:
· “Everything happens for a reason.”
· “I just need to vibrate higher.”
· “Love and light — no negativity here!”
These statements can be true, but they’re harmful when used to hide real feelings. I’ve used affirmations to hide sadness and pretended to forgive when I was angry. I even dismissed my pain as “just an illusion of the ego.”
But the truth is, real healing doesn’t come from bypassing our wounds — it comes from facing them.
