Spiritual Guidance in the Context of Thumotics

For many, spiritual guidance is the act of talking with another person in order to help them deal with a religious, spiritual, existential, philosophical, ethical, or axiological concern.

In such instances, spiritual guidance  would be about helping them resolve their concern and feel better emotionally. It would include establishing rapport, being therapeutically present, active listening, suspending judgment, asking questions, verbal validation of thoughts, feelings and actions, verbal normalizing, asking questions, perhaps quoting or alluding to sacred or other writings, and perhaps praying with the person. It might also include making recommendations to take certain actions.

In the context of Thumotics, spiritual or spirt-related guidance is altogether different. In the context of Thumotics, spirit-related guidance is the act of leading someone from one condition of spirit to another that is better for her or his current situation. 

In order to help lead the person's spirit to a different condition, the thumotherapist attends to the person's spirit with the intention of assessing its condition in the person's current circumstances, determining in collaboration with the person what a more effective condition of spirit would be, and helping to guide the person to that improved condition of spirit.

For example, if the other person was overly spirited, hyperthumotic, for their current situation, the act of leading her to a calmer condition of spirit is spiritual guidance. It is guidance of her spirit to a calmer condition that is more appropriate for her current situation.

Guiding someone who is hyperthumotic to a calmer condition of spirit might involve physical interventions. For example, the thumotherapist might use a form of energy therapy, like Reiki or Healing Touch, that might help the person relax physically. Guiding the person in a type of breath work that slows the metabolism could be helpful. Essential oils and music could also be used to help guide the person's spirit to a calmer condition.

In addition to physical interventions, the thumotherapist might also use verbal/ cognitive interventions. For example, guided imagery might help guide the person's spirit to a calmer condition. Helping the person to see and interpret his or her current situation from a different perspective might also be helpful.

However, helping the hyperthumotic person calm down in a session is not enough. The person needs to learn how to self-calm. So, the thumotherapist would also spend some time teaching the person how to calm his or her own spirit and give them specific practices to work on for the next session.