The Spiritual Self-Pattern: A Neurocognitive Extension of the Resonance-Inference Model for Psychotherapy

This article introduces a 'spiritual self-pattern' into the Resonance-Inference Model (RIM) of psychotherapy (Leidig, 2025), proposing it as the supreme regulator of the balance between predictive confidence and corrective evidence (E-I balance) that underpins consciousness. The neurocognitive rationale is grounded in the work on criticality and affective E-I control by Tucker, Luu, and Friston (2025) and Gallagher's (2013) process-oriented Self-Pattern Theory. We argue that the spiritual self-pattern—the dynamic search for meaning, purpose, and connection—functions as the highest regulatory level of this E-I balance. Spiritual needs are conceptualized as the most fundamental priors in the generative self-model, whose fulfillment depends on this optimal balance between confidence (E, elation) and corrective evidence (I, anxiety). Consequently, spiritual dissonance is defined as a chronic E-I imbalance that drives the system into rigid, maladaptive attractor states. In contrast, spiritual resonance describes the synergetic phase transition into a state of criticality, enabling maximum complexity, adaptability, and well-being. The spiritual self-pattern thus acts as the supreme control parameter governing the psyche's entire attractor landscape. This model provides a process-based explanation for the efficacy of spiritually integrated therapies, framing the spiritual dimension not as an add-on, but as a neurocognitive imperative for understanding sustainable change.