Rethinking Loneliness Critique of Relation-Based Therapy and Revival of the Concept of Solitude (Khalwat) in Mystical Tradition

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student, Department of Philosophy and Islamic Theology, Faculty of Theology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy and Islamic Theology, Faculty of Theology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jrm.2026.403128.630677

Abstract

This research rethinks the problem of contemporary human loneliness using a descriptive and interdisciplinary critical analytical approach. It demonstrates that Relation-Based Therapies (RBT) while effective in improving interpersonal skills and reducing social isolation, fail at a deeper level to heal existential suffering and the void of lived meaning. By distinguishing between isolation, painful loneliness, and conscious solitude (Khalwat).and reviewing theoretical and empirical evidence regarding the consequences of loneliness, it is argued that one-sided reliance on external bonds can lead to dependency, traumatic transference, and inefficiency in specific situations. In contrast, the Islamic philosophical-mystical tradition offers an alternative strategy: Khalwat, not as passive withdrawal, but as a systematic capacity for emotional self-regulation, metacognitive awareness, purification of attention, and meaning recreation. Based on this, Khalwat is a tool for transforming the suffering of loneliness into the blossoming of creativity, a source of personal growth, and openness to the sacred realm. Instead of fleeing from the other, it provides the possibility of an authentic encounter with the self and a realignment of one's relationship with the social world. The article's innovation lies in formulating Khalwat as a philosophical-psychological mechanism that can be considered a complement to relation-based therapies; an alternative that, while explaining its theoretical foundations in the wisdom and mystical heritage, offers a fresh response to the crisis of modern human loneliness and opens new horizons for an existential understanding and confrontation with loneliness.

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References

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Religions and Mysticism
Volume 58, Issue 2
Autumn & Winter 2025/2026
January 2026
Pages 539-558

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