WESTERN CREED EXERCISE
Participant Reflections

You have taken part in the Western Creed exercise. As Professor Tart says on the tape, you may return to your previous beliefs now, you are no longer “playing the game” of accepting the Western Creed as true.  Of course you may have found that parts of you do indeed believe various aspects of the beliefs expressed in the Western Creed, even if you seldom consciously acknowledge them.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the above exercise was a learning exercise and does not necessarily reflect any actual beliefs or values of Professor Tart or of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, nor is it intended as specific criticism of any spiritual system.

Most people find this exercise temporarily depressing, for they see various ways in which they share common cultural attitudes of a materialistic dismissal of spirituality, attitudes and beliefs that interfere with their full commitment to the spiritual search they consciously value. Having some idea of what these attitudes and beliefs are, though, gives you a chance to question and change them. You might want to take some notes on what you have learned.

A few people find themselves greatly relieved after doing the Western Creed exercise. Further exploration usually reveals that they were raised in some harsh religion that left them feeling unworthy, sinful or damned, so giving energy to the idea that all religion and spirituality are nonsense is indeed a relief! Better oblivion than eternal damnation, better meaninglessness than hopeless sin and failure. Such attitudes and beliefs also call for examination and possible change in the course of personal growth.

You may want to lead friends or students in the Western Creed the way Professor Tart did in the exercise, as a learning experiment. This has been an example of one of the kinds of experiential learning used at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology to help students grasp things at more than just a verbal level.