How To Deal With A Spiritual Narcissist

You've probably encountered a few spiritual narcissists before putting a name to them.

Simply said, this is when a person exploits their spirituality to bolster their ego without even realizing it.

They have a habit of flaunting their spirituality and looking down on others they perceive to be less spiritually progressed than themselves — to put it bluntly, they're a pain to be around.

They'll hound you with their opinions, and anything that contradicts their logic or research will be dismissed.

If you've ever dated a spiritual narcissist, you know they'll utilize technical jargon and defensiveness to make you feel like everything is your fault, all in the name of “assisting you in finding your spirituality.”

Well, there is an inflated sense of “self” in all forms of narcissism. The following are characteristics of narcissists:

When it progresses to spiritual narcissism, it's because the individual has begun to identify primarily as a “spiritual person.”

Their spirituality is the foundation of their identity, and it's simple for them to spiral when this occurs.

What is spiritual narcissism?

May states in Will and Spirit, “Simply put, spiritual narcissism is the unconscious use of spiritual practice, experience, and insight to raise rather than lessen self-importance.”

When we connect with “trying to become holy,” spiritual narcissism infiltrates our egos, said May, who treated addicts before supervising ecumenical spiritual directors at the Shalem Institute in Washington, D.C.

“Spiritual narcissism turns the spiritual quest into a self-aggrandizing process instead of a journey of developing humility,” May remarked.

You can see how devious and universal spiritual narcissism can be based on May's definition.

It doesn't just apply to apocalyptic Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, televangelists Benny Hinn, Todd Bentley, Jim and Tammy Bakker, radical leader Sun Myung Moon, judgmental atheist Richard Dawkins, and, dare I say, Rhonda Byrne, the founder of The Secret, as well as “gurus” like Andrew Cohen.

Spiritual narcissism can affect anyone on a spiritual path, and it isn't always visible. (By “spiritual,” I mean all attempts to find personal meaning, including secular or atheist wisdom, in the context of a larger horizon of significance.)

When we have a spiritual awakening or a philosophical epiphany, we can all fall prey to narcissism. It occurs when we believe we are fairly wonderful since we have advanced to a level of growth that others have not.

Narcissism can develop among spiritual searchers who believe they have been “selected.” Nothing enhances self-importance more than feeling like one is among the Select, like being picked first for a team on the playground.

Gerald May is wary of people who claim to desire to be like God. He highlights how terrified people often struggle to “amass personal power and control over fate,” rather than learn to let go and sacrifice, whether they are Christians, neo-pagans, or atheist existentialists.

How do you overpower a narcissist?

Narcissists have a wide range of effects on us, and they frequently do things that are destructive to us and the environment in which we live. Narcissists are often shallow persons whose source of self-worth is largely obtained from their actions toward those around them, as they celebrate a projected picture of themselves. You must be convinced of your own self-worth and the right to respond to the offender's self-absorbed attitude and mannerisms in order to overcome a narcissist. You can overpower the narcissist if you start standing up for yourself and challenging him.

Can a narcissist believe in God?

A narcissist manipulates, controls, and dominates you by instilling fear in you. Even individuals who do not believe in God, such as those who are Atheistic, Agnostic, or Satanist, can be included. It is not the type of belief that is abusive, but rather how it is used.

What God thinks about narcissism?

Control is essential for a narcissist, just as it is for Satan. According to 1 John 5:19-21, the evil one has complete power over the entire world. Satan has henchmen all over the place, individuals who fuel his narcissism and are dependant on him, not realizing he is bad and believing his lies.

Can spirituality help narcissism?

While their research was only correlational, it's likely that these variables have a bidirectional relationship. Spiritual practices are likely to be employed to support the narcissistic self, enhancing one's sense of being unique and entitled to special treatment. However, some spiritual training programs are likely to attract persons who have strong personal development goals that are tied to Western narcissistic society. According to the study, those with high degrees of both overt and covert narcissism may find the idea of examining one's own personal ideas and feelings and becoming a “enlightened being” particularly appealing.

Can a narcissist love their child?

The answer is no, according to Perpetua Neo, a psychologist and therapist who specializes in people with DTP characteristics. She told Business Insider that narcissists, psychopaths, and sociopaths “do not have a feeling of empathy.” “They have never developed or will never acquire empathy, thus they can never truly love anyone.”

How do you go through a spiritual awakening?

Be aware of and deliberate about what you believe. Recognize the energy you're putting out into not simply your world, but the globe at large. Also, be truthful. Are your beliefs assisting you in your spiritual development? A spiritual awakening frequently necessitates the renunciation of long-held beliefs. But here's the thing about waking up: you have to realize you've been asleep first.

Judging others who aren't as spiritual as you are

When you consider yourself as better than others, especially those who aren't as spiritually accomplished as you, this is one of the earliest and most obvious symptoms that you've fallen into the ego trap.

You're detracting from your spiritual journey by doing so, and you're forgetting that everyone is on their own path.

The ego, on the other hand, is quite good at convincing us that we are more important, better educated, and in general “correct.”

This can begin to cast a shadow over your original intentions when you began your spiritual path — suddenly it's all about feeding the ego.

How do I take control of a narcissist?

You probably already have a lot of empathy if you're with a narcissist in the first place. Even the most compassionate people can't understand the use of having empathy for someone who is constantly insulting them.

If you find yourself in a bind, one method to calm a narcissist's wrath is to empathize with their feelings, saying something along the lines of, “You must have been really upset by what I did; I understand why you are feeling that way.”