Emergent, Non-Dogmatic Religion: A Jungian Analysis of Mysticism and the Religious Function

Abstract

This dissertation explored emergent, non-dogmatic religion (ENDR), a phenomenon in contemporary Western popular culture. The research addressed a gap in depth psychological literature by analyzing a movement frequently linked to the ideas of C. G. Jung but seldom examined from within the Jungian field. Using a hermeneutical phenomenological method and Jung’s theories of archetypes and the religious function, this study interpreted the primary works of seven popular ENDR thought-leaders: Gabrielle Bernstein, Deepak Chopra, Joe Dispenza, Sadhguru, Eckhart Tolle, Jack Kornfield, and Tara Brach. The presence of mysticism and the degree to which the religious function is engaged was assessed by analyzing symbols of the Self and considering the influences of science, yoga, and Theravāda Buddhism. The findings indicate that while mysticism is a key element and the religious function has a prominent presence within ENDR, it is not always fully engaged in a manner consistent with Jung’s theories. Some ENDR thought-leaders offer practices that may encourage transcendence over a direct engagement with the unconscious. However, the majority of this study’s subjects appear to provide practices, ideas, and images that engage the religious function to at least some degree. The dissertation concludes that the ENDR phenomenon presents an important opportunity for depth psychology to engage with contemporary cultural currents, suggesting that by understanding these new expressions of the numinous, Jungian and post-Jungian clinicians can better support individuals navigating transformative experiences.