Abstract
Intensive self-cultivation practices (i.e., shugyō, 修行) and the psychology of cultic attitudes share striking structural features: demanding regimens, strong social bonds, and narratives of personal transformation. Yet they diverge ethically and psychologically depending on how motivation is shaped, how significance is distributed, and how attention is organized during practice. This narrative review synthesizes scholarship on cult dynamics and Japanese ascetic training with contemporary motivation and performance theories—Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Significance Quest Theory (SQT), and flow. We (a) map points of intersection and divergence between cult attitudes (thoughts, feelings, behaviors) and shugyō, (b) analyze risk gradients that push austere training toward totalism, and (c) propose remedies that preserve an uncompromising pursuit of excellence while protecting autonomy, dignity, and well-being. We close with a practical design checklist (ARC–FLOW) and a coda on “perfection without persecution.”
Notes
Citation
Space-Coyote, L. G. N. R. (2025). On the edge of devotion: Intersectionality between cult attitudes and shugyō through the lenses of SDT, SQT, and flow. Shugyokai.org. https://shugyokai.org/修行-shugyo/on-the-edge-of-devotion-cult-attitudes-and-shugyo/