Ontological Tendencies: Reading the Inner Architecture of the Psyche

In the natural sciences, only that which can be measured and reliably predicted, again and again under any conditions, is considered knowledge. But in psychotherapy, our focus is different. We do not study facts and phenomena in isolation; instead, we explore their underlying ontological tendencies, the fundamental patterns that exist within the human body, the mind, consciousness, the soul, and even nature as a whole.

In English, the word tendencies overlaps with ideas such as disposition, inclination, or predisposition. In this context, what we might call ontological tendencies reflect the deeper psychological organization of a person, one that encompasses both the causes and the purpose of their existence.

The Question of Being

Ontology, the philosophical study of being, has long attempted to answer three essential questions, first articulated by Aristotle: What does it mean to exist? What forms of existence are there? And how is existence connected to time, causality, consciousness, and the world itself? These questions remain unresolved. Yet, in practice, psychotherapists are constantly confronted with them, as many clients struggle with a sense of uncertainty about their own “being in the world.”

One might assume that such questions could be addressed through the traditional concept of the soul. However, modern medicine, and even psychology itself (which literally means “the study of the soul”), has largely moved away from this idea. Today, the emphasis tends to fall on neurobiology, hormones, emotional regulation, developmental stages, and inherited traits. While these perspectives are valuable, they often overlook the deeper, existential dimensions of human experience.

As a result, discussions of the soul and inner reality have become rare, and when they do appear, they are often buried beneath complex, technical language. Conversations about the human psyche can sometimes feel like an exercise in terminology, abstract, distant, and disconnected from lived experience. This is not a criticism of scientific language, but rather a reminder that it must remain accessible if it is to be meaningful.

Layers of the Psyche

Take, for example, the word mentality. It is often used to describe everything from beliefs and traditions to unconscious patterns and styles of perception. But does this broadness help us understand ourselves more clearly? Or does it blur important distinctions?

An alternative approach is to differentiate more precisely between the layers of human experience:

• our primary motivations and behavioral drives (instincts),
• our way of thinking and relating to reality (feelings),
• our responses to difficulty (affects),
• and our irrational impulses (desires).

By clarifying these ontological tendencies, we can begin to see not only how the psyche is structured, but also how this understanding can be applied in therapeutic practice.

To do so fully, however, we must also ask a larger question: what are the fundamental directions along which existence itself unfolds? This is no longer merely a philosophical curiosity. It is becoming essential for both human wellbeing and collective survival.

In particular, we are now faced with urgent questions about the role of digital technologies. How are they reshaping the reality we inhabit? How do they structure our knowledge, our attention, and our relationships? Which patterns of understanding will remain stable, and which will dissolve? And perhaps most importantly, who is guiding these processes?

Returning to the Soul

Looking back, psychology has always been deeply intertwined with philosophy. Thinkers such as Parmenides, Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, and Jung all sought to understand the nature of the soul and the foundations of mental health. Carl Jung, in particular, emphasized that the center of perception, consciousness, and decision-making lies within the psyche itself:

“All conceivable statements are made by the psyche.”

This perspective invites us to consider that the roots of psychological suffering may lie not only in biology or environment, but also in the realms of meaning, symbolism, unconscious processes, and our limited understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

If this line of inquiry resonates, it opens the door to further exploration. Possible themes include: the concept of the soul in philosophy and religion, the nature of clear and balanced thinking, the link between unfulfilled potential and illness, the role of energy and imbalance in disease, the experience of injustice, the search for truth, anxiety as a root of many disorders, and methods for transforming thought and worldview.