Rumi's Teachings and Acceptance Commitment Therapy: A Psychotherapeutic Integration

Rumi'nin Öğretileri ve Kabul-Kararlılık Terapisi: Psikoterapötik Bir Bütünleşme

Abstract

Maulana Jalaleddin Rumi was a thinker and poet who lived in the 13th century. In his works, he delved into the depths of the human soul and emphasized themes of acceptance and love. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which developed in the field of psychotherapy in the same period, is a psychotherapy approach that aims to develop the psychological flexibility of individuals. While Maulana offers deep insights into a person's inner world, he emphasizes that an individual can achieve inner peace through acceptance and awareness. This understanding is similar to the basic principles of ACT.

This study examines acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) from the philosophical perspective of Maulana Jalaleddin Rumi. Emotionalrages people to make peace with complex thoughts and feelings and to confront these emotional difficulties rather than running away from them. Maulana's teachings of "Be" or "Be here and now" are pretty meaningful within this framework of psychological flexibility. Maulana's teachings frequently emphasize that a person should accept their inner conflicts and live in the moment.

ACT bases this perspective on developing a more conscious and accepting attitude toward one’s inner experiences. Furthermore, Rumi’s understanding of “Be what you are” parallels ACT’s principles of “Values” and “Personal Goals.” ACT focuses on individuals identifying the values ​​in their lives and acting according to these values. Rumi’s teachings also emphasize that people should live in harmony with their inner values. As a result, Rumi’s teachings, such as acceptance, patience, inner peace, and living in the moment, overlap significantly with acceptance and commitment therapy. Both approaches suggest that individuals adopt a more open, accepting, and values-focused approach to inner experiences to increase their psychological well-being.

This study aims to investigate the similarities between Rumi’s teachings and ACT and how they can be combined from a psychotherapeutic perspective. This study can provide a foundation for future research to more comprehensively investigate the connection between Rumi’s teachings and ACT therapy. New research on how this combined model might work in different cultural contexts and therapeutic settings will significantly contribute to theory and practice.