Psychotherapy and Spirituality: An Uneasy Alliance Moves toward a Common Ground: The Soul of Psychotherapy: Recapturing the Spiritual Dimension in the Therapeutic Encounter. Cornett, Carlton. New York, NY:  The Free Press, 1998,  176 pages, $29.95.

The study of the history of religions, theology, and spirituality, both East and West, is multi-dimensional and quite complex, embracing no one system or model of thought. There are, however, a number of recurring prominent themes. These include: Who are we? Why are we here? What is our ultimate fate? Apart from religions' attempts to answer such profound questions, throughout history religion has sought to establish and nurture relationships. These relationships include human with human, human with Self, and human with the Divine. It is in such relationship communications that the truly mysterious is experienced and shared. The role of the shaman and the oracle in indigenous religions, the role of High Priest as intermediary between the human and the Divine, the relation of self and Self in the Eastern traditions are all examples of this. In all of these experiences mystery is shared and explored through a communicative process.

It is widely accepted that psychoanalysis has traditionally viewed spirituality and religious belief as anathema. The psychotherapeutic model was historically defined in terms of cause and effect, measured proofs, and universal laws. As Meissner (1984) suggests:

The laws of thermodynamics provided a context for Freud's scientific thinking. These laws governed all natural processes, processes that served as a basis for Freud's attempts to construct a model of the mind,

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as well as for broader scientific explanations of cause and effect. It was a world of universal scientific determinism. (pp. 3-4)

Theists, theologians and members of the clergy have often demonized Freud as anti-religion/spirituality. Their attacks, if not misdirected, are scapegoatish in nature. Sigmund Freud's ideas arose in a cultural system that placed a high value on naturalism, rationalism, and empiricism. Most critics of Freud fail to recognize this, and instead they view him simplistically, as a godless atheist. Moreover, this same group often fails to demonstrate a know