Mystical poetry and the ontology of the self in liberation psychology.

Abstract

The recurring images of the abandonment of the self to love of the Divine in mystical poetry, and by extension other people, have implications for understanding the historical precedent of the modern ontology of the self in liberation psychology (LP). Starting from roots in liberation theology, LP theorizes an ontology of the self that centers selfless giving and self-sacrifice out of love for others. The ecstatic poetry of St. John of the Cross in Christianity and Hafiz’s poetry in Islam both contain recurring and powerful images of the typology of the lover of the Divine as the highest and noblest possibility for human beings. Love of self and others is a natural outflowing of the relationship to the Divine. Mystical poetry supports the idea that love can break down separations between self, others, and God, not a naive and romantic fantasy of the possibilities of human beings, but a primordial typology of the essence of the good human life, and holds promise as a healing modality in mental health settings.