Spiritual materialism is a concept introduced and most clearly articulated by the Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa, especially in his book Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism.
At its core, the term describes the tendency to use spirituality as a way of strengthening the ego rather than dismantling it.
1. The core idea (in plain terms)
Instead of collecting money, status, or possessions, we begin to collect:
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spiritual experiences
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spiritual identities
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spiritual knowledge
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spiritual purity
We turn spirituality into another form of acquisition.
The ego survives by changing costumes.
When material success no longer satisfies, it puts on robes.
2. How it shows up in real life
Spiritual materialism is subtle and often socially rewarded.
a) Identity inflation
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“I am more conscious than others.”
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“I meditate, therefore I am evolved.”
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“I am beyond politics / beyond anger / beyond attachment.”
Spiritual language becomes a shield against self-examination.
b) Experience collecting
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Chasing peak states: bliss, visions, awakenings.
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Measuring progress by intensity rather than honesty.
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Becoming dependent on retreats, ceremonies, plant medicines, or gurus.
The question quietly shifts from “Am I seeing clearly?” to
“Am I having impressive experiences?”
c) Moral superiority
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Using compassion as a weapon: “You are not there yet.”
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Using non-attachment to avoid responsibility.
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Using forgiveness to bypass accountability.
This is sometimes called spiritual bypassing, a close cousin of spiritual materialism.
3. Why Trungpa considered it dangerous
According to Trungpa, spiritual materialism is dangerous because:
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It preserves the ego at a deeper, harder-to-detect level
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It makes self-deception feel like wisdom
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It creates hierarchies of “advanced” vs “unenlightened” people
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It blocks genuine transformation
The ego becomes sacred, and therefore untouchable.
4. What
authentic
spirituality looks like (by contrast)
In Trungpa’s framing, genuine spiritual practice is often:
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Uncomfortable rather than pleasant
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Humbling rather than empowering
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Ordinary rather than dramatic
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Ethical rather than performative
Signs you may be cutting through spiritual materialism:
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Increased tolerance for uncertainty
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Greater emotional responsibility
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Less need to be seen as special
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More tenderness toward your own contradictions
If spirituality makes you less human, something has gone wrong.
If it makes you more human, it is probably working.
5. Clinical & anthropological lens (relevant to your work)
From a medical-anthropological perspective (especially in Indigenous and contemplative contexts):
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Spiritual materialism often appears when ritual is detached from community obligation
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Healing traditions become consumer products
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Suffering is reframed as “failure to evolve” rather than a shared human condition
This is particularly visible when ancient practices are transplanted into hyper-individualistic societies.
6. A simple diagnostic question
A useful self-check (from Trungpa’s lineage):
“Is my practice helping me avoid reality — or meet it more fully?”
If spirituality is being used to:
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avoid grief
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bypass anger
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deny injustice
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anesthetize pain
…it may be functioning as materialism in sacred clothing.
7. Final thought
Spiritual materialism does not mean spiritual practice is wrong.
It means the ego is extraordinarily adaptive.
True practice does not decorate the self.
It disassembles it — slowly, compassionately, and without applause.
TO MY IRANIAN FRIENDS AND LOVERS ..I LOVE YOU
