If I am pursuing to reach my authentic self as what I learned in psychology. Could I simultaneously disregard my will and pursue God's will as what I learned in my Catholic religion?
Catholic convert and PhD student in clinical psychology here :) please forgive me if I don't explain this perfectly, but, to my understanding, your authentic self is the person who God created you to be. Sin makes us less ourselves-- when we pursue a deeper connection with God (both in the context of more overtly spiritual pursuits and through psychotherapy, which, when done in alignment with the Good, is from God), it helps to untangle the knots within ourselves of our psychological pain and helps us to blossom as a transformed self who is actually closer to who we always were in God's eyes all along. There are so, so many ways that the evils of this world drag us into dark places where we, due to our own complex pain and coping mechanisms, desire something that is contrary to the will of God. But we know as Catholics that, even if gratifying/pleasurable in the short term, this will ultimately 1) be self-destructive and 2) likely lead us fall further away from our fullest potential. One of the beautiful things, though, is that, while God is very much greater than and beyond the individual psyche, He also dwells deep within each human soul. When we come closer to our true selves through the healing process, we come closer and closer to knowing Him within our own soul. There is also the element that we have a vast part of our psyche which is not always immediately conscious; so, while we can consciously desire something which is contrary to the will of God, in the innermost parts of ourselves which can at times be covered by our pain and our sin, what we yearn for the most is God and all He is-- the Good, True, and Beautiful. Through God's grace both directly and working through practices such as good psychotherapy, our task is to work through the issues within ourselves which alienate us from God, and the more that we uncover within ourselves, the more we will find that our deepest desire is for Him. Therefore, pursuing God and His will *is* pursuing your authentic self, and pursuing your truly authentic self (not the lies which contemporary secular culture advocates about the human person and identity) is a pursuit of connection with God.
That's an awesome question! I have been working on the same thing. For me, I think a key is to realize that God made me in His image, unique and unrepeatable. My authentic self is good because God made me good. When I am being my authentic self, I am being who God made me to be. I find there is no conflict. All my major sins and vices come from my false self, distorted by fears and trauma. Often the sins and vices are bad coping mechanisms the false self has adopted going through a lonely, corrupt world.
Matt is an amazing man . Thank you for sharing this episode 🌹🙏
Thank you for watching, Mary!
If I am pursuing to reach my authentic self as what I learned in psychology. Could I simultaneously disregard my will and pursue God's will as what I learned in my Catholic religion?
Catholic convert and PhD student in clinical psychology here :) please forgive me if I don't explain this perfectly, but, to my understanding, your authentic self is the person who God created you to be. Sin makes us less ourselves-- when we pursue a deeper connection with God (both in the context of more overtly spiritual pursuits and through psychotherapy, which, when done in alignment with the Good, is from God), it helps to untangle the knots within ourselves of our psychological pain and helps us to blossom as a transformed self who is actually closer to who we always were in God's eyes all along. There are so, so many ways that the evils of this world drag us into dark places where we, due to our own complex pain and coping mechanisms, desire something that is contrary to the will of God. But we know as Catholics that, even if gratifying/pleasurable in the short term, this will ultimately 1) be self-destructive and 2) likely lead us fall further away from our fullest potential. One of the beautiful things, though, is that, while God is very much greater than and beyond the individual psyche, He also dwells deep within each human soul. When we come closer to our true selves through the healing process, we come closer and closer to knowing Him within our own soul. There is also the element that we have a vast part of our psyche which is not always immediately conscious; so, while we can consciously desire something which is contrary to the will of God, in the innermost parts of ourselves which can at times be covered by our pain and our sin, what we yearn for the most is God and all He is-- the Good, True, and Beautiful. Through God's grace both directly and working through practices such as good psychotherapy, our task is to work through the issues within ourselves which alienate us from God, and the more that we uncover within ourselves, the more we will find that our deepest desire is for Him. Therefore, pursuing God and His will *is* pursuing your authentic self, and pursuing your truly authentic self (not the lies which contemporary secular culture advocates about the human person and identity) is a pursuit of connection with God.
That's an awesome question! I have been working on the same thing. For me, I think a key is to realize that God made me in His image, unique and unrepeatable. My authentic self is good because God made me good. When I am being my authentic self, I am being who God made me to be. I find there is no conflict. All my major sins and vices come from my false self, distorted by fears and trauma. Often the sins and vices are bad coping mechanisms the false self has adopted going through a lonely, corrupt world.
Dispersed