What follows are some lecture notes on the subject of spirituality:
Incredible diversity of uses of the term, spirituality.
Highly individualized definitions.
Spirituality has become fashionable, at the expense of organized religion.
But can they be detached from one another?
Incredible interest in spirituality, as a aspect of psychology, or as a tool in psychotherapy.
What do we mean by spirituality?
Various definitions of spirituality, degrees of exclusivity/inclusivity.
Three definitions of spirituality now circulate among psychologists and researchers.
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Sacred
Spirituality is the realm of the sacred. What people make sacred in their lives is their spirituality or the realm of spirituality.
This is a broad definition, allows for wide range of sacredness.
This definition allows for the nonreligious entities to be spiritual.
i.e. consider life to be sacred. See Albert Schweitzer, who said reverence for life is essence of religion.
i.e. allows for political or ideological causes to be sacred.
Nazisism or communism might be treated as scared.
Ie. Ancestors as sacred, or certain locations, sites or relics.
Definition is another way of saying something has value, which opens up discussion of values.
Fits with Tillich’s definition of religion as focused on “ultimate concerns.”
Definition allows for ‘sacred moments,” moments or events of spiritual significance or
This definition is adopted by Kenneth Pragament, and thus indirectly adopted by APA. See his book, Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy.
Also definition adopted by Griffins in their earlier book
Tied to earlier scholars, R. Otto. Idea of the Holy.
This definition reflects an attitude or perception on life, certain things, objects, places, relationships,. Seeing the sacred in the ordinary, seeing the holy in secular places..
Wonder. Some have argued thatr wonder if the core of spiritual experience. Seeing wonder in nature, stars, rather than seeing it objective, sciencitific problem. Seeing wonder in baby birth, or sacred moments before death.
Mystery of life. Seeing all life as mystery to be lived, not as problem to be solved.
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2. Soul
The metaphor of soul has been a foundational concept of western religious and philosophical thought. There is a part of each of us that is “our essence.” And this essence is eternal in some manner, and/or connects us to God or what is eternal. Soul is the best aspects of humanity, our ideals, convictions, virtues, the traits that we lift up in eulogies when the departed are remembered. These are the aspects of us that live one, if no where else, than in the hearts and memories of loved ones.
Inner Life. Soul talk immediately points us toward inner life. Spirituality is about the inner life. connects us to the inner life
Purification of the soul. the Monastic tradition in West, monks are all trying to purify the soul through various spiritual practices. practices help person purify himself of worldly worries, and the negative thoughts, impulses, such as anger, lust, greed, selfishness, negative thinking.
The same impulse is in Buddhism, but it is a purification of the mind. Buddhist has not concept of soul per se.
The purification of the soul is present in many religions of less developed nations, ritual practices that are designed to cleanse the body, soul of evil.
So spirituality is another term for soul. Soul and Spirit are similarly used. in secular cultures, there has been a shift away from soul talk, to spirituality.
Draws on roots of psyche and soul in English language.
Term “soul work” as a reference to tending to the spiritual aspects of an issue. Can one do soul work, concurrently with psyche work,
Thomas Moore’s book, Caring for Soul, described what soul was, and ways to nurture soul in secular age. ways to nurture soul.
David Brooks, NT Times columnist, in book Road to character, talks about the absence of lanauge of character. Character was formed with people struggled with themselves, their lessors aspects of themselves, their mistakes, impulses, problems, and moral failings. When people struggled and overcame their lessor selves, their character strengthened, and could we say their soul nurtured. Metaphor of soul leaves open moral development as an aspects of spirituality. Spirituality has it is generally used in modern world, does not have much of a moral character to it.
Mark Edmundson's Self and Soul: A Defense of Ideals. (2015). challenges the ideology of self" that dominates this culture and argues for a resurrection of the soul. He suggests that the soul is about our ideals, whereas our self is about our desires. As western culture is self obsessed, , and urged the self fulfillment of desires, little room for soul.
When the goals of the Self are the only goals a culture makes available, spirited men and women will address them with the energy that they would have applied to the aspirations of the Soul. The result is lives that are massively frustrating and not a little ridiculous. People become heroically dedicated to middle-class ends—getting a promotion, getting a raise, taking immeasurably interesting vacations, getting their children into the right colleges, finding the best retirement spot, fattening their portfolios. Lives without courage, contemplation, compassion, and imagination are lives sapped of significant meaning. In such lives, the Self cannot transcend itself. (p. 50)
place for compassion, courage, contemplation (search for truth). Edmundson argues there are three great ideas of western civilization, that have been displaced by emphasis on self, at expense of soul..
Too much of the modern use of spirituality sounds like another form of self fulfillment and self absorption.
The use of the metaphor of soul draws links to forgiveness. In theistic religions, offer and teach the value of forgiveness. rituals for confession. Forgiveness cleanse the soul, of resentment, anger, and revenge. When one is forgiven and forgives, one cleanses one soul, purify soul and present it before God. Forgiveness before death is way of preparing soul. Forgiveness work is central to Spirituality, and the soul talk opens up those avenues.
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3. Transcendence
Spirituality is a relationship with something transcendent, something beyond oneself, beyond limits of space, time (finitude), a relationship that thereby guides and shapes one's life, by providing a set of values, lifestyle, rituals, practices and beliefs, that one’s life meaning, purpose and significance, all of which is encouraged in and reinforced by like minded people.
Spirituality vs. Religion. People who share a common or similar experience of the transcendence, come together for mutual support, cooperation, and verbal and symbolic representation of that shared experience. Thus are born communities of faith. Over time, faith communities organize themselves into increased complex levels, in an effort to institutional their spirituality. Thus is born organized religion.
Features of this definition:
Relationship implies an ongoing relationship, not a momentary event or flash, but a lived relationship. I could use the term, "connection"
Transcendence refers to something that is beyond oneself, beyond the limits of space, time, and death. The "something" could be a supreme being that transcends space and time, or it could be a cause, ideology or activity. Music could be transcendent, as a historical movement.
This definition of spirituality fits with the common use of the word spiritual or spiritual as referring to the nonmaterial, spiritual vs. Material is a common distinction. More broadly, spiritual is transcending space, time and similar limits. We use the term spiritual to describe relationship with that which is beyond death, or beyond linear history. A relationship with a nonmaterial reality that enables one of transcend space, time and limitations.
This definition of spirituality connects us to mysticism, mystical experiences, which are commonly thought of as a part of spirituality. Visions, dreams, esp experiences, etc. Are all experiences that transcend space and time.
Transcendence might also be understood as something that enables one to transcendent myself, my suffering or stress. A relationship with an inner reality, that enables one to manage stress, transcend personal hardships and sufferings, and own obsessions and compulsions. (AA spirituality). Spirituality helps us transcend suffering, and pain. This is one of the chief functions of spirituality, enabling us to cope in times of suffering. This is common understanding of spirituality as various prayer and meditative practices that helps one.
Values. Spiritual values are counter cultural. Culture values doing, spirituality values being. Spirituality values non material, capitalisms values material worth.
Spirituality is transformative. If it is authentic spirituality, it transforms our lives, makes us different people than we might have been otherwise.
This definition connects spirituality to realm of meaning. Humans are meaning making creatures, creatures that need to give their lives meaning and purpose. Many institutions in life give meaning and purpose, none more significant than religion. A relationship with nonmaterial reality that gives one’s life, meaning, purpose and personal worth and significance. (conventional religion)
Components of this wholistic, integrative definition of Spirituality
Mystical, transcendental, intuition, feeling component.
Cognitive beliefs and assumptions component.
Embodiment component: values, morals and ethics, rituals and practices, justice and peacemaking.
Relational component. Spiritual or faith communities. spirituality is reinforced by community, and rituals.
Exclusivity. This definition is pretty inclusive. It could apply to a philosophical or political cause, as well as to a religion. Theists or Christians or even narrower yet, certain forms of Christianity, will use language that is increasingly more exclusive.
For example, Christians might say, "Christian spirituality is a relationship with Christ, the living Christ, who is beyond space and time, who gives my life values, morality and meaning and purpose.
Reflection Questions
1. How do you define spirituality for yourself?
2. Do these lectures notes help you to clarify how you describe spirituality?