Abstract
There is robust evidence to support the relationship between spirituality and mental health, but the mechanisms of this association are not well-understood. The existential meaning provided by spirituality may be one of these mechanisms. This was the central theme of Viktor Frankl's psychology, which he explained using the notion of the spiritual unconscious. Thus, we sought to explain how Frankl understands this spiritual unconscious and the two pieces of evidence he presents for its existence: the phenomenological description of responsible action and the analysis of dreams. Lastly, we discuss his contribution to the current understanding of the relationship between having an overarching purpose and/or religious meaning and improvement in mental health.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aquino, T. A. A. (2013). Logoterapia e a análise existencial. Paulus.
Buber, M. (1937). I and Thou. T & T Clark.
Buber, M. (2007). Eclipse de Deus. Verus.
Carvalho, J. M. (2019). Viktor Frankl e a psiquiatria. MKS.
Carvalho, J. M. (2021). Viktor Frankl e o inconsciente. MKS.
Comte, A. (1988). Curso de Filosofia Positiva. Nova Cultural. Original work published 1830.
Cunha, J. A. (1978). Dicionário de termos de psicanálise de Freud. Globo.
Dawes, G. W. (2016). Galileo and the conflict between religion and science. Routledge.
Fabry, J. (1984). A busca do significado; Viktor Frankl – logoterapia e vida. Prefácio de Viktor Frankl. ECE.
Fizzotti, E. (1996). Conquista da liberdade; proposta da logoterapia de Viktor Frankl. Paulinas.
Flusser, V. (2011). A dúvida. Annablume.
Frankl, V. (1978). Fundamentos antropológicos da psicoterapia. Zahar.
Frankl, V. (2007). La logothérapie dans un coquille de noix. Revue Controverses, (6), 188–214. http://www.controverses.fr/pdf/n6/frankl6.pdf.
Frankl, V. (2011). A vontade de sentido. Paulus.
Frankl, V. (2014). A busca de Deus e questionamentos sobre o sentido (2a ed.). Vozes.
Frankl, V. (2015). O sofrimento de uma vida sem sentido. É Realizações.
Frankl, V. (2016). Psicoterapia e sentido da vida (6a ed.). Quadrante.
Frankl, V. (2017a). A presença ignorada de Deus (18a ed.). Vozes.
Frankl, V. (2017b). Logoterapia e análise existencial (3a tiragem). Forenze.
Freud, S. (2014). O homem Moisés e a religião monoteísta. LP&M. Original work published 1939.
Garcia-Roza, L. A. (1996). Freud e o inconsciente. Zahar.
Glaw, X., Klabe, A., Hazelton, M., & Linder, K. (2017). Meaning in life and meaning of life in mental health care: An integrative literature. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 38(3), 243–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2016.1253804
Harvey, V. A. (1997). Feuerbach and interpretation of religion. Cambridge University.
Herrera, L. G. P. (2007). Viktor Frankl comunicación y resistencia. San Pablo.
Koenig, H. G. (2012). Religion, spirituality, and health: The research and clinical implications. ISRN Psychiatry, 2012, 278730. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/278730
Koenig, H. G., King, D. E., & Carson, V. B. (2012). Handbook of religion and health (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Krause, N., Pargament, K. I., Ironson, G., & Hill, P. (2017). Religious involvement, financial strain, and poly-drug use: Exploring the moderating role of meaning in life. Substance Use & Misuse, 52(3), 286–293. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2016.1225096
Kühn, R. (2006). La pensée de Viktor Frankl et notre temps. Le Portique, 18, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.4000/leportique.833
Lucchetti, G., Granero, A. L., Bassi, R. M., Latorraca, R., & Nacif, S. A. P. (2010). Espiritualidade na prática clínica: o que o clínico deve saber. Revista Brasileira De Clínica Médica, 8(2), 154–158.
Moreira, J. O., Abreu, A. K. C., & Oliveira, M. C. (2011). Fundamentos antropológicos da psicologia de Viktor Frankl. CRV.
Moreira-Almeida, A. (2013). Religion and health the more we know the more we need to know. World Psychiatry, 12(1), 37–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20009
Moreira-Almeida, A., & Lucchetti, G. (2016). Panorama das pesquisas em ciência, saúde e spirituality. Ciência e Cultura, 68(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.21800/2317-66602016000100016
Pereira, I. S. (2015). Espírito e liberdade na obra de Viktor Frankl. Psicologia USP, 26(3), 390–396. https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-656420140036
Sciacca, M. F. (1968). História da Filosofia (3a ed., Vol. III). Mestre Jou.
Silveira, D. R., & Mahfoud, M. (2008). Contribuições de Viktor Frankl ao conceito de resiliência. Estudos De Psicologia, 25(4), 567–576. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-166X2008000400011
Vanderweele, T. J. (2017). Religious communities and human flourishing. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26(5), 476–481. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721417721526
Vos, J., & Vitali, D. (2018). The effects of psychological meaning-centered therapies on quality of life and psychological stress: A meta-analysis. Palliative & Support Care, 16(5), 608–632. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951517000931
Funding
There was not funding for this research.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
There is no interest conflicts.
Ethical Approval
We are in accordance with the ethical standard, and there is no ethical conflict.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
de Carvalho, J.M., Moreira-Almeida, A. Existential meaning, spiritual unconscious and spirituality in Viktor Frankl. J Relig Health 63, 31–45 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01902-8
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01902-8