Principles of anthroposophic psychology

“Psychology is a science of soul" – this statement is generally conventional. If we interpret it literally it means that psychology investigate soul – first of all human one – by using all that wealthy potential which science has such as scientific research methodology, principle of objective and unprejudiced consideration of object and structured system of experiments. Essentially history of psychology could be regarded as an attempt to investigate human soul just in the way. But because there is a crisis in psychology development today, we can say that this attempt has failed. Following evident facts can prove this: psychology cannot give definition of human soul as main investigating object and parts of it (philosophy of psychology, experimental psychology, psycho diagnostic and psychotherapy) have not common methodological and conceptual basis that is to say there is not organic union between them.

The reason is that initially psychology used methods and approaches belonging to natural science which investigate material world – not the soul one. In other words natural-science methods and attitudes were used for investigation in the realm where they are illegitimate. This illegality arises from the evident fundamental difference between physical (sensually perceptible) phenomenon and processes and soul (supersensible) ones. If human soul was the part of outer physical world it (soul), first of all, could not have any contradiction with this world – but just experience of a kind of this contradiction is the basis of most soul suffers! – and, secondly, soul could not cognize this world by such a way which takes place in this stage of human development. Contemporary scientists or any investigator or observer contrasts himself with the outer world in cognizing process. He cognizes it as something lying outside him, something he can perceive and objectively investigate. Human being is nature investigator just because his soul rises above nature level and is not a part of natural world. In other words cognizing he draws on something which is his own part and which has another origin and, if one may so express it, higher level of development than objects of cognition. Therefore for cognizing of soul man ought to rise to even more high level than level of his own soul life where he is able to perceive and cognize material world i.e. he ought to come up on next step of his development where he can investigate and consciously develop soul – on level of spirit.

To cognize material world human being needed to develop applicable soul capacities description of which can be found in methodology of scientific research because just these soul abilities are the main tools of cognition. Accordingly for investigation of soul life and the essence of soul human being ought to develop the new capacities – spiritual ones – because he ought to rise to higher level which is the level of spirit. And these capacities and also ways of their development are described in spiritual science or anthroposophy. Necessary conditions lying in the background of these capacities forming are the following: systematic and regular exercising in recovering oneself soul life, placing main soul forces and abilities, at least consciousness ones, under the control of human“I”that is human spirit. Using of these capacities human being can reach the same objectivity in investigation of soul realm as he has in investigation of nature realm by using scientific methods.

Thus as first principle of anthroposophic or anthroposophically orientated psychology one can denote spiritually-science approach to investigation of soul. It means that anthroposophic psychology is based on spiritually-science conceptions of human being essence in accordance with which human being is not biologic being in possession of soul or soul abilities only but potentially free spirit who is able to cognize world and himself. Human soul is a whole being different from material (natural) and spiritual beings and soul is connected with human body and because of this soul has due capacities, abilities and inclinations. But human soul has connection with human spirit too and because of this connection soul has another kind of abilities – spiritual ones.

Experimental psychology investigates, first of all, connection between human psycho and body and also ways of influence soul through influence body or by any other ways which have in many cases materialistic origin. Mostly so called psychological and psychophysiological experiments and investigations are performed with animals (with following extending their result to the case with human beings) or with group of people. In anthroposophic psychology investigator first of all observe his own soul – just that part of soul which has connection with spirit. As an example of such investigation or experiment one can regard meditation with dictums or conceptions which have spiritual origin that is when object (subject) revealing through them cannot be perceived sensually. Such conceptions are a lot of philosophical categories: essence consciousness, being, idea, etc. if this kind of experiment takes place under the full control of consciousness one can really observe as pure – having spiritual origin – conceptions acts in soul determining soul processes in which essential nature of soul reveal itself. Because of full consciousness control this experiment does not inflict harm on person doing this but becomes real way of self-cognizing and self-development. Therefore second principle of anthroposophic psychology is: any psychological experiment is at the same time an exercise for self-cognizing and self-development which leads to improvement of soul abilities of human being and to development of spiritual ones.

The next principles of anthroposophic psychology are based on defining human being – any patient or client – as individual spirit. The first is principle of actuality of psychologist and patient. This means that relation between psychologist and patient is a kind of partnership which aim is to overcome problem patient has. Individual human spirit is the substance which cannot be ill but is creative principle of human being and origin of healing forces for his soul. Next principle derives from this: origin of healing forces is in patient himself. Thus is, psychologist’s task is to help patient to find the way to these forces.

If human being has his own healing forces so problems in soul life or disease (physiological or soul one) could be regarded as consequence of disharmonic relation between human body, soul and spirit. Therefore psychological diagnostic is a kind of search for reasons of this disharmony in correlation between essential parts of human being. Accordingly, psychological correction or therapy is the system of measures or procedures to harmonize patient’s condition as due to addressing causes of disharmony as well in process of personal development allowing human being to find connection with new harmonizing (healing) forces.

From the above reasoning anthroposophic psychology has common (spiritually-science) basis for all its parts. It allows to realize the principle of healing development in every moment when human being (as patient as psychologist) deals with this science. Starting with studying anthroposophic psychology, psychologist moves towards experience himself as individual potentially free spirit. And this experience influences his soul by healing way. During psychological experiment person exercises in self-cognizing and self-development what is also one of important parts of healing development of soul. When patient comes to anthroposophic psychologist who see in patient the individual spirit equal to himself therapeutic process starts. This process continues during diagnostic when patient is learning to understand reasons of his condition and life situation and trying to search solutions in collaboration with psychologist. And finally process of correction or therapy in anthroposophic psychology always directs to harmonizing of patient’s condition as total what prevents possibility of one-side influence.

So anthroposophically orientated psychology could lead psychological science out of crisis and could become one of possibilities for its further evolution.