The three central concepts in Islamic/Sufi Psychology are the heart, the self and the soul. Each of these technical terms has a different connotation than its common English usage and meaning. The origin and basis of these terms is Quranic and they have been expounded upon by centuries of Sufic commentaries.
In Sufic psychology the heart refers to the spiritual heart or qalb, not the physical organ. It is this spiritual heart that contains the deeper intelligence and wisdom. It holds the Divine spark or spirit within each one of us. It is the place of gnosis and deep spiritual knowledge. The Sufic goal is to develop a heart that is sincere, loving and compassionate, and to develop the heart's intelligence. This intelligence of the heart is deeper, and more grounded than the rational, abstract intelligence of the mind. It is said that when the 'eyes of the heart' open, one can see beyond the surface appearance of existence, and that when the 'ears of the heart' open, one can hear the reality of the truth behind the words.
The spiritual heart functions in a similar manner as the physical heart. Just as the physical heart supplies blood to the body, the spiritual heart nourishes the soul with wisdom and spiritual light, and it also purifies the gross personality traits. When the physical heart is diseased the body suffers, when the spiritual heart is diseased the soul suffers. According to Sufic psychology emotions are from the self or nafs, not from the heart.
The self, ego or nafs is the aspect of the psyche that can be viewed along a continuum, and has the potential of functioning from the grossest to the highest level. The self at its lowest level refers to our negative traits and tendencies. For most of us, the self is controlled by emotions, desires and its gratification.
Sufic psychology identifies seven levels of the nafs, and the process of growth depends on working through these levels. Each level has specific traits and disorders (dangers that mislead), as well as methods for healing and transformation. The seven levels have been identified in the Quran. The seven levels of the nafs are: tyrannical self, regretful self, inspired self, serene self, pleased self, pleasing self and the pure self.
The soul or ruh is directly connected with the Divine, even if one is unconscious of that connection. The soul has seven levels or facets of the complete soul. These levels are: mineral, vegetable, animal, personal, human, secret and secret of secret souls. Each level represents the stages of evolution, and the process that it goes through in its growth. The soul is wholistic, and extends to all aspects of the person, ie: the body, the mind and the spirit. Each level of the soul has valuable gifts and strengths, as well as weaknesses. The goal is to develop the strengths and to achieve a balance between these levels, not forgoing the lower ones to focus only on the higher ones.
Imbalance is viewed as a stuckness at different levels of the nafs or ruh.
Traditional psychologies address one or two aspects of the soul, not wholistically.
Ego psychology deals with the animal soul, outlining the main motivation for existence being that of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.
Behavioral psychology focuses on the conditioned functioning of the vegetable and animal soul.
Cognitive psychology deals with the mental functions of the personal soul.
Humanistic psychology deals with the activities of the human soul.
Transpersonal psychology deals with ego-transcending consciousness of the secret soul and the secret of secret souls.
adapted with permission from
Frager, Robert; "Heart, Self and Soul.. The Sufi Psychology of Growth, Balance and Harmony" Quest Books 1999
Robert Frager PhD is a psychologist and founder of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology.
He is Sheikh Ragip of the al Khalveti al Jerrahi Order of Dervishes
