There must be great respect for the patient's current perspective and the patient's right to not even discuss this very intimate belief. Secondly there is the general difficulty of touching onto ground usually thought of as belonging to the ministry. Few psychotherapists have received formal training in spiritual matters. If a therapist is to attempt to help others with their spiritual search it is important that the therapist have a spiritual discipline. If these two admonitions are followed and a spiritual perspective is adopted by the therapist, in effect, the therapy becomes more complicated.
Spiritual disciplines teach ideals.
The student in a particular discipline is given methods which facilitate the realization of these ideals. For example in Christian devotion students are frequently taught to follow the example of Christ who epitomized selfless love. Service and prayer are primary methods in this great spiritual movement. In Buddhism, students are trained to reach enlightenment through discarding the notion of the individual. Meditation and mastery are major techniques in transcending individual limits.