Bahá’u’lláh’s Seven Valleys and Developmental Psychology
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Hatala, A. “Bahá’u’lláh’s Seven Valleys and Developmental Psychology: Toward a Conception of Spiritual Development”. The Journal of Bahá’í Studies, vol. 21, no. 1-4, Dec. 2011, pp. 29-71, doi:10.31581/jbs-21.1-4.2(2011).

Abstract

Previous research outlines the processes of human development with significant detail, including biological, cognitive, and spiritual domains. In contemporary developmental discourse, however, Bahá’í perspectives on spiritual development are virtually nonexistent. In the Seven Valleys, Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í faith, offers many insights regarding the dynamics of spiritual development. Through a focused study of Bahá’u’lláh’s Seven Valleys, this paper (1) creates a dialogue between classical and contemporary theories of developmental psychology and Bahá’í philosophical perspectives, (2) explores the evolution of the “self,” and (3) examines the emergence of spiritual striving in human phylogeny and ontogeny. Overall, it is argued that developmental studies may benefit from a deeper understanding of spiritual development as a core domain of human life.

https://doi.org/10.31581/jbs-21.1-4.2(2011)
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. If you wish to adapt, remix, transform, or build upon this work in any way, you may not distribute your work without first contacting the Editor for permission.

Copyright © 2011 Andrew R. Hatala