spiritual life essay

Spiritual Journey Essays Examples: Faith!

Spiritual journey essays are reflective pieces that delve into an individual’s personal exploration of their own beliefs, faith, or spiritual experiences .

These essays often discuss challenges faced, lessons learned, and the personal growth that comes from such journeys.

A spiritual journey essay is a personal narrative that explores the writer’s journey towards a deeper understanding of their spiritual beliefs.

This might mean recounting personal experiences that led to a strengthening of faith, exploring the impact of certain religious practices, or reflecting on how a spiritual journey has influenced personal growth.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaway

5 interpretations: spiritual journey essays examples.

Personal Experiences That Shape Individual Spiritual Journeys

Exploring the intricacies of individual spiritual journeys through personal experiences is a compelling topic in spiritual journey essays.

These essays provide real-life examples that shape and influence one’s unique path to spiritual enlightenment.

Effect Of Life Events On Spiritual Growth:

Personal experiences play a vital role in shaping an individual’s spiritual journey. These life events can significantly impact one’s beliefs, values, and overall spiritual growth.

Life events can be both positive and negative, such as a profound loss, a life-altering epiphany, or a joyful celebration. Each experience brings unique lessons and insights that contribute to the development of spirituality.

Positive life events, like finding true love or achieving personal goals, often evoke feelings of gratitude, contentment, and a deeper connection to a higher power.

These events can fuel spiritual growth by strengthening faith and providing a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

On the other hand, challenging life events like illness, betrayal, or failure can lead to profound introspection and self-reflection.

These difficult moments often prompt individuals to question their beliefs, seek spiritual guidance, and explore new paths of understanding.

Adversities faced during life can act as catalysts for spiritual exploration, allowing individuals to cultivate resilience, compassion, and empathy. They can break down preconceived notions, opening the door to new perspectives and spiritual growth.

Challenges Faced During Spiritual Exploration:

Embarking on a spiritual journey is not always smooth sailing. It comes with its own set of challenges and obstacles that individuals must overcome to deepen their understanding of themselves and their spirituality.

One of the primary challenges is the resistance to change. The comfort of familiar beliefs and religious doctrines can hinder individuals from exploring new philosophies or spiritual practices.

Overcoming this resistance requires openness, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge preconceived notions.

Another challenge is the fear of uncertainty. Exploring the unknown and questioning long-held beliefs can be unsettling.

It requires individuals to confront their fears, embrace ambiguity, and trust in the process of self-discovery.

Societal and cultural pressures can pose obstacles to spiritual exploration. Conforming to societal norms and expectations may discourage individuals from following their own unique spiritual paths.

Breaking free from these external influences can be challenging, but it allows individuals to authentically connect with their own beliefs and values.

Lastly, the quest for spiritual understanding often involves periods of doubt and confusion. The journey may involve encountering conflicting teachings or questioning the existence of a higher power.

These moments of uncertainty can be unsettling but can also lead to deeper insights and a more profound sense of spirituality when embraced with an open and curious mind.

Role Of Introspection In Understanding One’s Spiritual Path:

Introspection plays a crucial role in unraveling the complexities of one’s spiritual journey. It involves examining one’s thoughts, emotions, and experiences to gain deeper self-awareness and understanding.

Through introspection, individuals can reflect on their values, beliefs, and behaviors, allowing them to align their spiritual path with their true selves.

It encourages individuals to question their motives, desires, and intentions, ensuring authenticity and sincerity in their spiritual exploration.

Introspection also facilitates the identification and examination of personal biases and conditioning that may limit spiritual growth.

By examining these subconscious influences, individuals can break free from societal expectations and embrace their own unique spiritual paths.

It allows individuals to uncover patterns and connections between their actions and their impact on their spiritual journey.

Remember, life events can shape our spiritual growth, but it is the challenges faced and the role of introspection that allows us to understand our spiritual path on a deeper level. Let us explore and embrace these aspects to embark on a transformative spiritual journey.

Essay Writing Aids In Self-Reflection And Growth

Essay writing serves as a valuable tool for self-reflection and personal growth on a spiritual journey.

Through thoughtful introspection and expression of our experiences, beliefs, and emotions, we gain deeper insights, expand our understanding, and evolve in profound ways.

Expressing Emotions And Insights Through Essays:

• Writing essays allows individuals to express their thoughts, emotions, and personal experiences, leading to self-reflection and growth.
• Essay writing provides a creative outlet for individuals to articulate their spiritual journey, giving voice to the complexities and nuances of their inner experiences.
• Through the power of words, essays enable individuals to convey their deepest emotions, allowing for a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s spiritual path.
• Essays serve as a platform to explore and share personal insights, helping to foster self-awareness and personal growth.

Developing Clarity And Perspective On Spiritual Experiences:

• Writing essays about spiritual experiences helps to bring clarity and understanding to complex thoughts and emotions that may arise during one’s spiritual journey.
• By putting experiences into words, individuals gain a clearer perspective on their spiritual path, allowing them to uncover deeper meanings and insights.
• Through the process of writing, individuals may discover new connections and patterns in their experiences, leading to a greater understanding of their own spirituality.
• Writing essays provides an opportunity to reflect on spiritual practices, beliefs, and encounters, facilitating personal growth and development.

Finding Support And Connection Through Sharing Personal Stories:

• Sharing personal stories through essays creates a sense of connection and support within the spiritual community, as others may resonate with similar experiences or find inspiration in one’s journey.
• Writing and sharing essays fosters a sense of belonging, as individuals realize they are not alone in their spiritual quest and can draw strength from the shared experiences of others.
• Personal stories shared through essays can provide comfort, guidance, and encouragement to those who may be facing similar challenges or seeking validation on their own spiritual path.
• The act of sharing personal stories through essays allows for a collective sense of empathy and understanding, creating a supportive network of individuals on a shared spiritual journey.

Remember , essay writing serves as a transformative tool for self-reflection, clarity, and connection on one’s spiritual journey.

By expressing emotions and insights, developing perspective, and sharing personal stories, individuals can navigate their spiritual path with greater understanding and growth.

Insights From Real-Life Spiritual Journey Essays

Discover profound insights and real-life examples through spiritual journey essays, exploring the depths of personal transformation and enlightenment.

These soul-stirring narratives offer a unique perspective on the transformative power of spiritual exploration.

Essay Example 1: Overcoming Adversity And Finding Inner Peace

In this essay example, the author delves into their personal journey of overcoming adversity and finding inner peace.

The essay reflects on the challenges faced and the lessons learned along the way. Through their experiences, the author highlights the transformative power of resilience, self-reflection, and spirituality.

Here are the key insights from this spiritual journey essay:

• Coping with loss: The essay explores how the author dealt with the loss of a loved one, sharing their emotional journey and the strategies they employed to navigate through grief.
• Embracing spirituality: The author discusses how they turned to spirituality as a source of solace during challenging times, emphasizing the importance of faith and belief in finding inner peace.
• Practicing gratitude: The essay elucidates the role of gratitude in the author’s spiritual journey, highlighting how focusing on the positive aspects of life helped them cultivate a sense of serenity and contentment.
• Forgiveness and letting go: The author reflects on their process of forgiving others and themselves, realizing that holding onto resentment and past grievances only hindered their spiritual growth.
• Finding purpose: Through their journey, the author discovered the significance of aligning their actions with their values and passions. They discuss how this sense of purpose contributed to their overall well-being and spiritual fulfillment.

Essay Example 2: Rediscovering Faith Through Nature And Solitude

This essay example revolves around the author’s experience of rediscovering their faith through connecting with nature and embracing solitude. It sheds light on the profound impact of natural surroundings and the solitude it offers.

The following insights emerge from this spiritual journey essay:

• Seeking solace in nature: The essay recounts the author’s encounters with nature, emphasizing the sense of peace and spiritual connectedness they felt while immersing themselves in the beauty of the natural world.
• Embracing solitude: The author discusses how solitude allowed them to reconnect with their inner self, providing an opportunity for self-reflection and a deeper understanding of their faith.
• Finding god in the details: Through their experiences, the author discovered the divine presence in the intricate details of nature, recognizing the interconnectedness of all living beings and the universe as a whole.
• Renewed faith: The essay traces the author’s journey of rediscovering their faith and the profound impact it had on their sense of purpose, inner strength, and overall well-being.

Essay Example 3: Seeking Enlightenment Through Mindfulness Practices

This essay example revolves around the author’s quest for enlightenment through mindfulness practices such as meditation, mindfulness exercises, and self-reflection.

It explores how these practices have contributed to their spiritual growth and quest for deeper understanding.

Embracing mindfulness: The author explains how incorporating mindfulness practices into their daily life helped them develop a heightened sense of awareness and presence, enabling them to experience a deeper connection with themselves and the world around them.

Navigating the inner landscape: The essay delves into the author’s process of self-discovery, highlighting the importance of introspection and exploring one’s thoughts and emotions as a means of uncovering truths and attaining spiritual enlightenment.

Letting go of attachments: The author reflects on the significance of detaching from material possessions, desires, and ego-driven ambitions, recognizing that true fulfillment and peace lie in letting go of attachments and finding contentment in the present moment.

Nurturing compassion and gratitude: The essay discusses how mindfulness practices have helped the author cultivate compassion for themselves and others, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and gratitude for the blessings in their life.

By exploring the personal stories and insights shared in these spiritual journey essays, we gain valuable perspectives on the transformative power of resilience, faith, nature, solitude, and mindfulness.

These examples serve as inspirations for our own spiritual journeys, reminding us of the profound potential for growth, peace, and enlightenment that lie within our reach.

Common Threads And Valuable Lessons From Diverse Spiritual Experiences

Discover the common threads and valuable lessons that emerge from a collection of diverse spiritual experiences.

These powerful essays exemplify the transformative nature of the spiritual journey. Explore the rich tapestry of personal insights and reflections that will uplift and inspire.

Spiritual journeys can take many forms, ranging from personal revelations to transformative experiences that shape one’s entire life.

These journeys are highly individual, reflecting the diversity of human experience and the pursuit of higher meaning.

While each spiritual journey is unique, there are common threads that connect them, as well as valuable lessons that can be learned along the way.

Acceptance And Surrender As Catalysts For Spiritual Growth

Acceptance: Embracing life as it is and accepting oneself without judgment can pave the way for spiritual growth.

By acknowledging and embracing our flaws, mistakes, and imperfections, we learn to cultivate self-compassion and develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and others.

Surrender: Letting go of control and surrendering to a higher power or divine guidance can lead to profound spiritual transformation.

It requires relinquishing the ego and trusting in the wisdom of the universe, allowing for greater alignment with one’s true purpose.

Finding Meaning And Purpose In Challenging Times

Resilience: Navigating difficult situations often prompts individuals to reflect on their values and priorities, leading to a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world.

Self-reflection: Challenging times provide an opportunity for introspection and self-discovery. Through introspection, individuals can uncover their core beliefs, values, and passions, enabling them to align their actions with their true purpose.

Inner strength: Adversity can reveal hidden reservoirs of strength that individuals didn’t know they possessed.

Finding meaning in difficult experiences helps cultivate resilience and empowers individuals to navigate future challenges with a sense of purpose and determination.

Developing Connection With The Divine And The Self

Meditation and mindfulness: Practices such as meditation and mindfulness enable individuals to quiet the mind, cultivate self-awareness, and deepen their connection with the divine.

By tuning into the present moment, one can access a profound sense of peace and a deeper connection to their spirituality.

Nature and the sacred: Many spiritual journeys involve finding solace and connection in nature. By immersing oneself in the beauty and awe of the natural world, individuals can tap into a sense of wonder and transcendence that nurtures their spiritual growth.

Authenticity and self-expression: Honoring one’s true self and expressing it authentically allows for a deepening connection with both the self and the divine.

When individuals embrace their unique gifts, talents, and passions, they align themselves with their spiritual essence and invite greater joy and fulfillment into their lives.

Each spiritual journey is a deeply personal exploration , guided by one’s own beliefs, experiences, and yearnings.

What unites these diverse journeys are the universal themes of acceptance, surrender, finding meaning in challenges, and developing a connection to the divine and the self.

Embracing these common threads and integrating the valuable lessons learned along the way can foster spiritual growth and fulfillment on the path to higher consciousness.

How Spiritual Journey Essays Inspire And Provoke Introspection In Others?

These examples of spiritual journey essays inspire profound introspection in readers by delving into the depths of personal experiences, offering insights and wisdom.

Embarking on such a journey through the pages of these essays evokes a sense of connection to something greater, stirring the reader’s own reflective thoughts.

Validation And Resonance For Those On A Similar Journey

• Spiritual journey essays provide a sense of validation and resonance for individuals who are embarking on a similar path of self-discovery and spiritual exploration.
• These essays offer a glimpse into the lived experiences, challenges, and triumphs of others who have walked a similar spiritual path, allowing readers to connect and feel understood in their own journey.
• Through the sharing of personal stories, these essays communicate a deep sense of empathy and companionship, reminding readers that they are not alone in their quest for spiritual fulfillment.
• The relatability of these essays fosters a sense of validation, assuring readers that their questions, doubts, and spiritual experiences are valid and worthy of exploration.

Expanding Perspectives And Challenging Beliefs

• Spiritual journey essays have the power to expand perspectives and challenge established beliefs by offering alternative ways of understanding and engaging with spirituality.
• By sharing their personal experiences, perspectives, and insights, authors of these essays invite readers to question their own beliefs and consider new possibilities.
• These essays prompt readers to critically examine their spiritual frameworks and beliefs, encouraging them to transcend limitations and explore a more expansive understanding of spirituality.
• Through thought-provoking narratives and reflections, spiritual journey essays invite readers to open their minds and embrace new ideas, paradigms, and spiritual paths.

Encouragement To Embark On One Unique Spiritual Exploration

• Spiritual journey essays serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration for individuals who are contemplating embarking on their own unique spiritual exploration.
• Through the sharing of transformative personal experiences, these essays ignite a sense of curiosity and yearning within readers, prompting them to seek their own spiritual paths.
• These essays highlight the transformative power of embarking on a spiritual journey and emphasize the importance of individual agency in forging one’s own path.
• By showcasing the profound personal growth, self-discovery, and fulfillment that often arises from embarking on a spiritual journey, these essays inspire readers to take that first step towards their own unique exploration.

How do African American spirituals reflect the theme of faith in your spiritual journey essays?

In your spiritual journey essays, you can explore the powerful theme of faith through African American spirituals examples . These soulful and emotive songs often express deep faith, resilience, and hope in the face of adversity. By analyzing these spirituals, you can gain valuable insights into the role of faith in your own spiritual journey.

Tips For Creating Impactful And Authentic Spiritual Journey Essays

Discover how to create impactful and authentic spiritual journey essays with these expert tips. Learn how to craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers, using vivid language and personal experiences to bring your spiritual journey to life.

Being vulnerable and sharing personal experiences:

• Share personal moments: Open up about the significant moments and experiences that have shaped your spiritual journey.
• Express emotions: Embrace vulnerability by sharing the emotional impact of your spiritual quest.
• Reflect on personal growth: Discuss the personal growth and lessons learned throughout your journey.
• Connect with readers: Create relatable content that resonates with readers by showcasing your authentic self.

Creating a narrative arc with a clear theme and message:

• Outline the structure: Start with an introduction to set the stage, followed by the development of your journey and its challenges, and conclude with a reflection or resolution.
• Establish a clear theme: Identify the central theme or message of your essay and ensure it is consistently conveyed throughout.
• Build a compelling storyline: Engage readers by crafting a narrative that allows them to follow your spiritual journey.
• Incorporate supporting details: Use vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and examples to enhance your narrative and reinforce your message.

Embracing the power of storytelling to captivate readers:

• Craft a captivating opening: Start with a hook that grabs readers’ attention and draws them into your narrative.
• Use descriptive language: Paint a vivid picture of the people, places, and experiences that have shaped your journey.
• Show, don’t tell: Engage readers through storytelling by providing concrete examples and allowing them to draw their own conclusions.
• Maintain a consistent voice: Establish a unique voice that reflects your personality and allows readers to connect with your story.

Remember, creating impactful and authentic spiritual journey essays requires vulnerability, a clear narrative structure, and the power of storytelling.

By incorporating these tips into your writing, you can captivate readers and leave a lasting impression with your essay.

Embarking on a spiritual journey through essay writing can be a transformative experience. It allows individuals to reflect, analyze, and connect with their inner selves in profound ways.

By reading spiritual journey essays, we gain insight into the struggles, triumphs, and personal growth of others, inspiring us to delve deeper into our own spirituality.

These essays serve as a reminder that everyone’s journey is unique, and there is no right or wrong path to follow.

As we immerse ourselves in these narratives, we discover the power of vulnerability and honesty, paving the way for self-discovery, enlightenment, and a deeper connection with the divine.

Through the power of storytelling, these essays offer solace, guidance, and a profound sense of community.

So, let these examples be a catalyst for your own spiritual exploration, allowing your inner light to shine brightly on your unique odyssey.

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How To Live a Spiritual Life: 10 Practices for Daily Growth

• Post author: Kyle Greenfield
• Post published: November 25, 2023
• Post category: Spirituality
• Post comments: 0 Comments

Are you committed to your spiritual growth, but struggle to balance life in the modern world with your desire to become more spiritual? Or, maybe you’re just starting out on your spiritual journey, and have no idea where to begin.

Either way: you’re not alone.

How To Live a More Spiritual Life

In fact, at some point, almost everyone asks how to live a more spiritual life, and lead a life that is alignment with their own values. Regardless of your religion, background, family-status, or career, spirituality is something that we innately need, in one form or another.

In this post, I’ll outline 10 practices you can adopt in order to live a spiritually-focused life. Rather than specific exercises, they are general ideas and attitudes that anyone can apply.

Podcast: How Can You Lead a Spiritual Life? Start Here.

Take time for daily reflection, become mindful of every action, follow your inner voice, live with intention, develop compassion, let go of the past, learn to forgive without judgment, accept life as it comes, love without condition, surrender your expectations, living the spiritual life isn’t always easy – but it doesn’t have to be “hard” either, getting started with a spiritual way of living.

Ultimately, there is no “wrong” or “right” way to become spiritual – and a spiritual practice is, first and foremost, a practice .

Instead, living a spiritual life is about developing habits that consistently challenge you to evolve and grow as an individual, both in terms of your inner awareness, and your personal actions and choices in everyday life.

In a moment, I’ll share 10 practices that are a great place to start. If you focus on each of these practices every day, you will find that you will build a stronger, more powerful connection with your spiritual energy .

But, before we dive into what those practices are, I want to make sure you have a solid framework for how to think about your spiritual journey. I think it’s incredibly important to know where you are – and where you’d like to be headed – before you actually start to apply any of the principles below.

So, I recommend you take 10 minutes right now, to listen to this podcast. Then, continue to the daily practices below.

10 Daily Practices to Grow Spiritually

One of the easiest and most important spiritual practices is simply to take a few minutes every day for daily reflection. Whether you start a meditation routine , take time for spiritual prayer, start a gratitude journal , or simply spend a few minutes in silence while you have your morning cup of coffee, self-reflection and quietude is one of the best ways to gain control of your thoughts and connect with your inner nature.

Try our free Introduction to Meditation to learn how to quiet the mind.

Mindfulness is another core practice for leading a spiritual life. At it’s core, mindfulness is simply the act of becoming more aware of your life. When you practice mindfulness, you focus in on the experience you are having right now, whether that’s an action you’re taking, the sensory perceptions you’re feeling, or simply taking a moment to notice the breath. When you become more mindful, your entire life experience becomes richer, more peaceful, and more joyful.

Learn more about easy mindfulness exercises you can incorporate into your life.

Spiritual individuals are often very intuitive. This is because being spiritual is about listening to the inner calling you feel, and becoming aware of your own resonance. Whether you think of this as a calling from God, your Higher Self, or simply a gut instinct about what you should do, learning to move in concert with this intuitive source will help lead you to more fulfilling, positive experiences in your day to day life.

Learn more about following intuitive guidance .

Setting daily intentions is another great habit to develop. When you take a few moments at the beginning of the day to determine what it is you want to do, feel, and experience that day, you put yourself in the position that empowers you to take control of your life. Then, as you move through the day, you’ll find that life begins to cater to your intention, so long as you remain focused upon it. This is the beginning of spiritual mastery.

Related Post: Wayne Dyer’s 7 Faces of Intention.

As you evolve spiritually, you will naturally begin to view your life from a higher perspective. This means that you will be more about to understand the causes that underly events and circumstances in the physical world, both for yourself and others. As you seek to understand these causes, you will build a stronger sense of compassion, since you will view others from their perspective more easily, and understand the forces that drove them to action…even if you disagree with what that action was.

Learn more about practicing compassion.

Often, negative emotions come from holding onto the past . If you seek to move beyond negativity and live your life from a higher level, then you need to learn to let go of past emotions and live more fully in the present moment. As you release the past, you will find that a tremendous burden lifts from your, and you will begin to feel clearer and more centered, every single day.

Try this exercise on how to let go of everything in a single breath.

Forgiveness is another key aspect of spirituality to develop. Practicing forgiveness means learning to look on the actions of others (and yourself) without judgment. Forgiveness accepts that everything has it’s time and place, and that your timing, experience, and attitudes are always perfect. Everyone always acts from the level of consciousness they inhabit, and thus cannot be judged from a different level. So, the next time you’re ready to judge someone’s actions, take a moment to step back, and say this short Buddhist forgiveness prayer .

Learn more about the 3 Steps to Forgiveness from A Course in Miracles.

As you become more mindful and learn to forgive without judgment, you also learn to accept life in all of its myriad forms. Non-judgment is very close to the practice of acceptance. Whatever is, simply is. There is nothing inherently bad or good about it, except for your own opinions and beliefs. When you stop imposing your ego-driven view of the world, you find that you can appreciate what is around you more fully, exactly as it is, right now.

Unconditional love is one of the most important characteristics of a spiritual life . Spiritual individuals recognize that everything – quite literally, everything – is an expression of love. At your core, you are a Being of Love, and so is everyone else. When you begin to see people for the love that is their true nature, you begin to emanate this love more fully, and express it without bias or condition.

Last but certainly not least is the practice of surrender. Surrender means that you turn over every thought, belief, and emotion to a higher power. You can call this power anything you want: God, Spirit, Universal Energy, your Higher Self, but surrender requires total faith that all is well with you and with the world. When you fully believe that everything is always perfect, you can allow whatever may happen to happen without judgment or resistance to it.

Learn more about the meaning of surrender .

One of the biggest mistakes I see new students make when they’re just beginning their journey, is they think that living spiritually is an “all or nothing” game.

We tend to assume that someone either “is spiritual” or “is not spiritual.”

The reality, however, is a lot more complicated.

I believe that we all bounce into and out of different levels of awareness as we go about our lives. It’s very possible that one day you feel incredible joyful, loving, and compassionate, and another you’re stressed, angry, and ready to burn the world down.

Remember that we are all human, and ultimately becoming a more spiritual person is about remembering to tune-in to yourself and come back to the practices I mentioned above.

No one does this all of the time…especially not immediately.

Living life in this way takes practice. It is a habit that we can cultivate for ourselves, so try not to beat yourself up if you have a few off days, or if you don’t respond to a specific situation the way you think you should have responded.

Learning to give yourself grace is an important part of the process. The key is simply to start acting from that higher, more evolved version of yourself, and then to know that as you take each step, the next step will become easier, more joyful, and ultimately more fulfilling.

That’s the key to becoming a spiritual person .

When you’re ready to step into that better, higher version of yourself, The Joy Within is here to help.

We offer a offer a simple, step by step system to help you become the calm, confident, and happy person you deserve to be, complete with guided mediations and exercises, workshops, and clear learning paths to guide you, every step along the way.

Click Here to Learn More about The Joy Within.

Kyle Greenfield

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Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography

By Richard L. Morgan

Foundation Principles of Spiritual Autobiography

      1. Every life is a unique, invaluable story.

      2. God speaks to us in our stories.

      3. Connecting our stories with God’s Story is the work of the Spirit.

      4. Painful memories can be healed through stories.

      5. Remembering our stories creates community and the future.

      6. Faith stories are the legacy we leave.

      7. Stories create meaning … at any age.

Your Spiritual Lifeline

1. Draw Your Lifeline

Draw a horizontal line across a piece of paper. The horizontal line represents your spiritual lifeline.

On your lifeline write the following in black or blue ink:

At the extreme left of the line, write the year of your birth. Write it in large numerals, since this is the year your history began.

At the extreme right of the line, write the year you think you’re going to die and your age at that time (predicted death). A simple way to guess that date is to add the number of years you will live to your birth date, so that if you’re born in 1940, and you predict you’ll live to be 90, your predicted death year is 2030.

Put an X on your lifeline to represent where you are now, that is, the present year.

Your spiritual lifeline might look like this:

2.   Add Life Events

Acknowledge that every life story has its ups and downs, its celebrations and crises—in the past, the present, and the future.

Draw three to five small ovals above and below the line.

Jot down in a phrase or two some of the celebrative moments of your life in the ovals above the lifeline.

Jot down some of your crises in the ovals below the lifeline.

Write just a phrase or two. Remember this is just one look at your life. If you repeat this exercise several months or years later, you will add other events. Remember that life has its joyful and painful moments; all are part of your story and deserve to be included.

3. Think about Grace Moments

Focus on “grace moments”—moments when God was present in your life story. Raise the following questions about your grace moments:

• What was the moment?
• Who were the significant people involved?
• What were your feelings?
• What were the consequences?
• Where did God fit into this situation?

Close these exercises with this prayer or a prayer of your choosing.

Dear Lord, thank you for your presence with us through all the seasons of life ... through the times of milk and honey and through our wanderings in the wilderness.

Thank you, Lord, for your potter’s hands at work in all of life.

Lord, we give thanks for children; for their boundless energy, their curiosity, their love, their openness, their joy of life.

Thank you, Lord, for your potter’s hands at work with children.

Lord, we give thanks for young adults; for their growing search to build meaningful lives, for their new ideas and approaches to the problems of society, for their children and the loving families they seek to build.  

Thank you, Lord, for your potter’s hands at work with young adults who are beginning their life’s work.

Lord, we give thanks for those in the middle of life; for the families they have guided into adulthood, for the life work they have built and sustained, for the faith they have nurtured in others, for the presence they provide as they walk life’s path with their parents and older friends.  

Thank you, Lord, for your potter’s hands at work with those in the middle of life.

Lord, we give thanks for those grown up and grown older; for the experiences they have survived, for the wisdom with which they have been blessed, for the spiritual richness of their lives, for their witness of faith.

Thank you, Lord, for your potter’s hands at work with those grown [older].

Lord, we give thanks for the cloud of witnesses that has gone before us, leaving their imprint of life and faith upon each of us ... and upon your world.

Thank you, Lord, for your potter’s hands at work with those who have gone before us.

Creator God, we are indeed thankful that in each stage of life you bless us with your presence. At every age ... you mold and shape us with your potter’s hands into people with purpose and value who can reach out to others, touching humanity with the love that only you can give us.

Praise be to God. Amen.

Adapted from pp. 17, 35-37, 39 of Remembering Your Story: Creating Your Own Spiritual Autobiography by Richard L. Morgan. Copyright © 2002 by Richard L. Morgan. Used with permission of Upper Room Books.

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How Spirituality Can Benefit Your Health and Well-Being

Finding balance in and connection with something bigger

Spirituality vs. Religion

• How to Practice

Potential Pitfalls

What is spirituality.

Spirituality is a worldview that suggests a dimension to life beyond what we experience on the sensory and physical levels. In practice, this might entail religious or cultural practices and beliefs surrounding a higher being, connection with others and the world as a whole, and/or the pursuit of self-improvement.

Spirituality has been a source of comfort and relief for multitudes of people. Its meaning is highly individual but is often shared and expressed in group activities such as church services and holiday rituals. ​

Research has linked spirituality with well-being and health in the face of life challenges.

Signs of Spirituality

Spirituality is not a single path or belief system. There are many ways to experience spirituality and the benefits of a spiritual experience. How you define spirituality will vary. For some people, it's the belief in a higher power or a specific religious practice.

For others, it may involve experiencing a sense of connection to a higher state or a sense of inter-connectedness with the rest of humanity and nature. Some signs of spirituality can include:

• Asking deep questions about topics such as suffering or what happens after death
• Deepening connections with other people
• Experiencing compassion and empathy for others
• Experiencing feelings of interconnectedness
• Feelings of awe and wonder
• Seeking happiness beyond material possessions or other external rewards
• Seeking meaning and purpose
• Wanting to make the world a better place

Not everyone experiences or expresses spirituality in the same way. Some people may seek spiritual experiences in every aspect of their lives, while others may be more likely to have these feelings under specific conditions or in certain locations.

For example, some people may be more likely to have spiritual experiences in churches or other religious temples, while others might have these feelings when they're out enjoying nature.

Types of Spirituality

There are many different types of spirituality. Some examples of how people get in touch with their own spirituality include:

• Meditation or quiet time
• New age spirituality
• Service to their community
• Spending time in nature
• Spiritual retreats

Other people express their spirituality through religious traditions such as:

• Christianity

It is important to remember that there are many other spiritual traditions that exist throughout the world, including traditional African and Indigenous spiritual practices. Such spiritual practices can be particularly important to groups of people who have been subjected to the effects of colonialism.

Although spirituality and religion can overlap, here are some key points that differentiate the two.

Can be practiced individually

Doesn't have to adhere to a specific set of rules

Often focuses on a personal journey of discovering what is meaningful in life

Often practiced in a community

Usually based on a specific set of rules and customs

Often focuses on the belief in deities or gods, religious texts, and tradition

Uses of Spirituality

People often turn to spirituality to:

• Find purpose and meaning : Exploring spirituality can help people find answers to philosophical questions such as "What is the meaning of life?" and "What purpose does my life serve?"
• Cope with feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety : Spiritual experiences can be helpful when coping with the stresses of life. 
• Restore hope and optimism : Spirituality can help people develop a more hopeful outlook on life.
• Find a sense of community and support : Because spiritual traditions often involve organized religions or groups , becoming a part of such a group can serve as an important source of social support .

The Impact of Spirituality

While specific spiritual views are a matter of faith, research has demonstrated some of the benefits of spirituality and spiritual activity. The results may surprise no one who has found comfort in their religious or spiritual views, but they are definitely noteworthy in that they demonstrate in a scientific way that these activities do have benefits for many people.

The following are a few more of the many positive findings related to spirituality and health:

• Research has shown that religion and spirituality can help people cope with the effects of everyday stress. One study found that everyday spiritual experiences helped older adults better cope with negative feelings, and enhanced positive feelings.
• Research shows that older women are more grateful to God than older men, and they receive greater ​stress-buffering health effects due to this gratitude.
• According to research, those with an intrinsic religious orientation, regardless of gender, exhibited less physiological reactivity toward stress than those with an extrinsic religious orientation. Those who were intrinsically oriented dedicated their lives to God or a "higher power," while the extrinsically oriented ones used religion for external ends like making friends or increasing community social standing.

This, along with other research, demonstrates that there may be tangible and lasting benefits to maintaining involvement with a spiritual community. This involvement, along with the gratitude that can accompany spirituality, can be a buffer against stress and is linked to greater levels of physical health.

Dedication to God or a higher power translated into less stress reactivity, greater feelings of well-being, and ultimately even a decreased fear of death.

People who feel comfortable and comforted using spirituality as a coping mechanism for stress can rest assured that there's even more evidence that this is a good idea for them. Prayer works for young and old alike. Prayer and spirituality have been linked to:

• Better health
• Greater psychological well-being
• Less depression  
• Less hypertension
• Less stress, even during difficult times  
• More positive feelings
• Superior ability to handle stress

How to Practice Spirituality

Whether you are rediscovering a forgotten spiritual path, reinforcing your commitment to an already well-established one, or wanting to learn more about spirituality for beginners, there are countless ways to start exploring your spiritual side and help improve your well-being.

Spirituality is a very personal experience, and everyone’s spiritual path may be unique. Research shows, however, that some spiritual stress relief strategies have been helpful to many, regardless of faith. Some things you can do to start exploring spirituality include:

• Pay attention to how you are feeling : Part of embracing spirituality means also embracing what it means to be human, both the good and the bad. 
• Focus on others : Opening your heart, feeling empathy, and helping others are important aspects of spirituality.
• Meditate : Try spending 10 to 15 minutes each morning engaged in some form of meditation .
• Practice gratitude : Start a gratitude journal and record what you are grateful for each day. This can be a great reminder of what is most important to you and what brings you the greatest happiness.
• Try mindfulness : By becoming more mindful, you can become more aware and appreciative of the present. Mindfulness encourages you to be less judgmental (both of yourself and others) and focus more on the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or future.

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One potential pitfall of spirituality is a phenomenon known as spiritual bypassing . This involves a tendency to use spirituality as a way to avoid or sidestep problems, emotions, or conflicts.

For example, rather than apologizing for some type of emotional wound you have caused someone else, you might bypass the problem by simply excusing it and saying that "everything happens for a reason" or suggesting that the other person just needs to "focus on the positive."

The Takeaway

Research has noted a link between spirituality and resilience in the face of challenges. Whether this owes to a higher power, a sense of peace, community connection, or some other factor, spirituality may help foster your sense of well-being.

Akbari M, Hossaini SM. The relationship of spiritual health with quality of life, mental health, and burnout: The mediating role of emotional regulation . Iran J Psychiatry . 2018;13(1):22-31. PMID:29892314

Whitehead BR, Bergeman CS. Coping with daily stress: Differential role of spiritual experience on daily positive and negative affect .  J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci . 2012;67(4):456-459. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbr136

Manning LK. Spirituality as a lived experience: Exploring the essence of spirituality for women in late life . Int J Aging Hum Dev . 2012;75(2):95-113. doi:10.2190/AG.75.2.a

McMahon, BT, Biggs HC. Examining spirituality and intrinsic religious orientation as a means of coping with exam anxiety . Society, Health & Vulnerability . 2012;3(1). doi:10.3402/vgi.v3i0.14918

Johnson KA. Prayer: A helpful aid in recovery from depression . J Relig Health . 2018;57(6):2290-2300. doi:10.1007/s10943-018-0564-8

Wachholtz AB, Sambamthoori U. National trends in prayer use as a coping mechanism for depression: Changes from 2002 to 2007 . J Relig Health . 2013;52(4):1356-68. doi:10.1007/s10943-012-9649-y

Gonçalves JP, Lucchetti G, Menezes PR, Vallada H. Religious and spiritual interventions in mental health care: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials . Psychol Med . 2015;45(14):2937-49. doi:10.1017/S0033291715001166

Arrey AE, Bilsen J, Lacor P, Deschepper R. Spirituality/religiosity: A cultural and psychological resource among sub-Saharan African migrant women with HIV/AIDS in Belgium .  PLoS One . 2016;11(7):e0159488. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159488

Paul Victor CG, Treschuk JV. Critical literature review on the definition clarity of the concept of faith, religion, and spirituality . J Holist Nurs. 2019;38(1):107-113. doi:10.1177/0898010119895368

By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

Essay on Spirituality

Students are often asked to write an essay on Spirituality in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Spirituality

What is spirituality.

Spirituality is about having a connection with something greater than us. It can be about feeling a sense of purpose or meaning in life, being connected to nature, or feeling a sense of awe and wonder about the world around us. Most religions are spiritual, but you don’t have to be religious to be spiritual. Spirituality is a personal thing, and there is no right or wrong way to be spiritual.

Why is Spirituality Important?

Spirituality can help us to live more meaningful and fulfilling lives. It can give us a sense of purpose and direction, help us to cope with difficult times, and connect us with others. Spirituality can also help us to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the world around us.

How Can We Develop Our Spirituality?

There are many ways to develop our spirituality. Some people find that practicing meditation or yoga helps them to feel more connected to their spiritual side. Others find that spending time in nature or being creative helps them to feel more spiritual. There is no right or wrong way to develop your spirituality, so find what works for you and stick with it.

250 Words Essay on Spirituality

Spirituality is a broad concept that involves a person’s beliefs about the meaning and purpose of life, as well as their relationship to the world around them. It can also include beliefs about what happens after death and how to live a good life.

Spirituality and Religion

Spirituality and meaning.

Spirituality can help people find meaning and purpose in life. It can provide a sense of connection to something greater than themselves, such as nature, the universe, or God. It can also help people to develop a sense of inner peace and well-being.

Spirituality and Health

Spirituality has been shown to have a number of positive effects on health. Studies have shown that people who are spiritual are more likely to be happy, healthy, and resilient. They are also less likely to experience stress, depression, and anxiety.

Spirituality is a complex and personal experience that can have a profound impact on a person’s life. It can provide a sense of meaning and purpose, inner peace, and well-being. It can also help people to cope with stress, depression, and anxiety.

500 Words Essay on Spirituality

Meaning of spirituality.

Spirituality is the feeling of being connected to something bigger than ourselves. It’s a personal experience that can be expressed in many different ways. For some people, spirituality means having a relationship with God or a higher power. For others, it means feeling a deep connection to nature or to the universe. Spirituality can also be about finding meaning and purpose in life, or simply about living in the present moment.

Different Ways to be Spiritual

There is no one right way to be spiritual. Some people find spirituality through religion, while others find it through meditation, yoga, or spending time in nature. There is no right or wrong way to be spiritual, as long as it feels meaningful and fulfilling to you.

Benefits of Spirituality

Spirituality and religion are often closely related, but they are not the same thing. Spirituality is a personal experience that can be expressed in many different ways, while religion is an organized system of beliefs and practices. Not all spiritual people are religious, and not all religious people are spiritual.

Spirituality is a personal journey that can lead to a more fulfilling and happier life. There is no one right way to be spiritual, and the best way to find out what spirituality means to you is to explore different practices and see what resonates with you.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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116 Spiritual Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Spirituality is a deeply personal and profound aspect of the human experience. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs, practices, and experiences that connect individuals to something greater than themselves. Whether you are a seasoned spiritual seeker or just beginning to explore your own spiritual path, writing essays on spiritual topics can be a powerful way to deepen your understanding and connection to the spiritual realm.

To help inspire your writing, here are 116 spiritual essay topic ideas and examples:

• The Power of Mindfulness in Spiritual Practice
• Exploring the Concept of Oneness in Different Spiritual Traditions
• The Role of Rituals in Cultivating Spiritual Connection
• Finding Inner Peace Through Daily Meditation
• The Healing Power of Forgiveness in Spiritual Growth
• Connecting with Nature as a Spiritual Practice
• The Importance of Gratitude in Spiritual Development
• Overcoming Fear Through Faith and Trust
• Embracing Surrender as a Path to Spiritual Awakening
• The Intersection of Science and Spirituality
• Exploring the Concept of Soulmates in Spiritual Relationships
• Navigating Grief and Loss Through Spiritual Practices
• The Role of Music and Art in Spiritual Expression
• Cultivating Compassion and Empathy Through Spiritual Practice
• The Spiritual Benefits of Practicing Yoga
• Exploring the Concept of Karma in Eastern Spiritual Traditions
• The Power of Prayer in Connecting with the Divine
• Overcoming Challenges Through Spiritual Resilience
• The Role of Community in Spiritual Growth
• Finding Meaning and Purpose Through Spiritual Exploration
• The Practice of Mindful Eating as a Spiritual Discipline
• Exploring the Concept of Dharma in Hinduism and Buddhism
• The Role of Dreams in Spiritual Guidance
• Embracing Vulnerability as a Path to Spiritual Healing
• Navigating Spiritual Doubt and Uncertainty
• The Power of Sacred Symbols in Spiritual Practice
• Exploring the Concept of Reincarnation in Spiritual Belief Systems
• The Role of Meditation in Cultivating Inner Wisdom
• Overcoming Ego Through Spiritual Surrender
• The Importance of Self-Reflection in Spiritual Growth
• Cultivating a Daily Spiritual Practice for Personal Transformation
• Exploring the Concept of Divine Love in Spiritual Traditions
• The Role of Rituals in Celebrating Life Transitions
• Finding Peace in the Midst of Chaos Through Spiritual Connection
• Navigating Spiritual Crises and Dark Nights of the Soul
• The Power of Forgiveness in Healing Past Wounds
• Embracing Imperfection as a Path to Spiritual Liberation
• The Role of Silence and Solitude in Spiritual Renewal
• Finding Joy and Gratitude in Everyday Moments
• Exploring the Concept of Enlightenment in Eastern Spiritual Traditions
• The Practice of Mindful Walking as a Spiritual Discipline
• Overcoming Self-Doubt Through Spiritual Empowerment
• Navigating Relationship Challenges Through Spiritual Wisdom
• The Role of Sacred Texts in Guiding Spiritual Practice
• Cultivating Compassion for Oneself and Others Through Spiritual Awareness
• Exploring the Concept of Divine Feminine in Spiritual Traditions
• The Power of Sacred Ceremony in Honoring Life's Milestones
• Overcoming Fear of Death Through Spiritual Acceptance
• Navigating Identity and Belonging Through Spiritual Exploration
• The Role of Rituals in Cultivating Mindfulness and Presence
• Finding Meaning and Purpose Through Spiritual Service
• The Practice of Gratitude as a Path to Spiritual Fulfillment
• Exploring the Concept of Unity Consciousness in Spiritual Awakening
• The Role of Sacred Spaces in Nurturing Spiritual Connection
• Embracing Vulnerability as a Path to Spiritual Growth
• Navigating Spiritual Doubt and Uncertainty with Faith
• The Power of Sacred Sound in Elevating Consciousness
• Overcoming Ego Through Surrender to the Divine
• The Importance of Self-Compassion in Spiritual Practice
• Cultivating a Daily Meditation Practice for Inner Peace
• Exploring the Concept of Divine Guidance in Spiritual Belief Systems
• The Role of Prayer in Connecting with Higher Power
• Finding Peace in the Present Moment Through Mindfulness
• Navigating Spiritual Crises and Challenges with Grace
• The Power of Forgiveness in Healing Relationships
• Embracing Impermanence as a Path to Spiritual Liberation
• The Role of Silence and Stillness in Spiritual Renewal
• Finding Joy and Contentment in Simple Pleasures
• Exploring the Concept of Enlightenment in Western Spiritual Traditions
• The Practice of Mindful Breathing as a Spiritual Discipline
• Overcoming Self-Criticism Through Spiritual Self-Acceptance
• Navigating Life's Ups and Downs Through Spiritual Resilience
• The Role of Sacred Symbols in Guiding Spiritual Practice
• Exploring the Concept of Divine Masculine in Spiritual Traditions
• The Power of Sacred Rituals in Honoring Life's Challenges
• Overcoming Fear of Change Through Spiritual Transformation
• Navigating Identity and Belonging Through Spiritual Community
• The Role of Rituals in Cultivating Mindful Presence
• Finding Meaning and Purpose Through Spiritual Creativity
• The Practice of Gratitude as a Path to Spiritual Wholeness
• Exploring the Concept of Unity Consciousness in Spiritual Connection
• The Role of Sacred Art in Elevating Spiritual Consciousness
• Embracing Vulnerability as a Path to Spiritual Awakening
• Navigating Spiritual Doubt and Uncertainty with Trust
• The Power of Sacred Dance in Expressing Spiritual Joy
• Overcoming Ego Through Surrender to the Divine Will
• The Importance of Self-Compassion in Spiritual Growth
• Cultivating a Daily Yoga Practice for Inner Balance
• Exploring the Concept of Divine Love in Spiritual Relationships
• The Role of Prayer in Connecting with Higher Realms
• Finding Peace in the Present Moment Through Mindful Awareness
• Navigating Spiritual Crises and Challenges with Grace and Gratitude
• The Power of Forgiveness in Healing Past Traumas
• Embracing Impermanence as a Path to Spiritual Freedom
• The Role of Silence and Solitude in Spiritual Reflection
• Finding Joy and Contentment in Surrendering to the Divine Plan
• Exploring the Concept of Enlightenment in Different Spiritual Paths
• Overcoming Self-Doubt Through Spiritual Self-Compassion
• Navigating Life's Challenges with Spiritual Resilience and Strength
• The Role of Sacred Symbols in Guiding Spiritual Practices
• Cultivating Compassion for Oneself and Others Through Spiritual Practice
• Exploring the Concept of Divine Energy in Spiritual Belief Systems
• The Power of Sacred Rituals in Honoring Life's Transitions
• Overcoming Fear of Failure Through Spiritual Trust and Faith
• The Role of Rituals in Cultivating Mindful Presence and Awareness
• Finding Meaning and Purpose Through Spiritual Creativity and Expression
• The Practice of Gratitude as a Path to Spiritual Wholeness and Fulfillment
• Exploring the Concept of Unity Consciousness in Spiritual Connection and Oneness
• The Role of Sacred Art in Elevating Spiritual Consciousness and Awareness
• Embracing Vulnerability as a Path to Spiritual Awakening and Growth
• Navigating Spiritual Doubt and Uncertainty with Trust and Surrender
• The Power of Sacred Music in Elevating Spiritual Vibrations and Consciousness
• Overcoming Ego Through Surrender to the Divine Will and Higher Purpose

These are just a few examples of the many spiritual essay topics you can explore in your writing. Whether you are delving into the depths of your own spiritual journey or seeking to understand the spiritual paths of others, writing essays on spiritual topics can be a powerful way to connect with the divine and deepen your understanding of the spiritual realm. So grab your pen and paper, or fire up your computer, and start exploring these spiritual essay topics today!

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Importance of spirituality

As we delve further and further into the annals of modern science and try to unearth the mysteries of the very universe, we feel a growing need to depend on something greater than ourselves. In today’s troubled times, when the world is fraught with racism, poverty, and international mistrust, the search for sacredness is all the more relevant. Mankind is increasingly feeling the need to turn within oneself and invoke their spiritual selves, because that is where peace is. In this article, we will discuss why spirituality is important in every aspect of one’s life, and in the greater picture as well.

It teaches compassion

One of the core tenets of spirituality is compassion for one’s fellow beings. As a result, a truly spiritual person will be compassionate toward one and all. They will not judge anyone on the basis of the person’s color, creed, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or abilities. They will also not make anyone feel humiliated, nor will they be cruel to anyone. A spiritual person will certainly make sure that everyone around them is happy and content. You will never come across a spiritual person engaging in animal cruelty, because in their eyes, all beings are equal.

It teaches forgiveness

Spirituality is based on compassion, which automatically means that a spiritual person learns a lot about forgiveness. This of course brings a lot of peace of mind, because the more we hold on to our grievances, the worse we feel. Remembering the wrongs done unto us definitely does act as fuel for revenge, but the feeling of vengefulness itself is not at all a pleasant one. The more we worry about all the people we need to exact revenge on, the less at peace we feel with ourselves. That is not to say that the spiritual man forgets everyone and everything that did him wrong, but he simply learns to forgive them and move on with his life at peace.

It brings peace

Speaking of which, peace is the biggest boon of spirituality. The basic purpose of a spiritual life is to attain peace of mind. This may be attained in many ways. A person might feel through his meditation that he is becoming one with the Supreme Entity. A person might do little acts of goodness every day and feel at peace with himself. A person might pour his heart and soul into his work and feel peace every time a milestone is reached. It does not matter how you do it as long as you can go home and to bed at peace with the world, and when the time comes to bid goodbye to the world, you can do so without the slightest regret or hard feeling anywhere.

It makes you a good person

Spiritual people are very calm. They are characterized with a belief- be it in themselves, a Supreme Being, in other people, or just the goodness of nature- that everything will turn out fine, and even if it doesn’t, there is a greater purpose than small failures . Such people have a composed disposition, which makes them very efficient handlers of stressful situations. Spiritual people are confident and have high self esteem without being egoistic, and they have the ability to make others around them feel the same way. As a result, they are generally good human beings.

It brings prosperity

Naturally, because of all the good qualities that spiritual people possess, they flourish in every aspect of their lives. They are great partners and parents, because they do not pick fights, get jealous, or pose unnecessarily strict rules on people. They are also highly desirable employees because they are calm and can remain calm under pressure. They also gain the reputation of being problem solvers and good listeners, and like to live in harmony without compromising on their beliefs, which makes them great leaders, earning them meteoric rise in an organization. They are also very well organized, which makes them invaluable in the home, in the workplace, and at a party.

Spirituality, like religion and faith, is a very personal matter. The underlying theme of spirituality is to look for peace, and try and make sense of the world around us, our purpose, and the lives that we lead during our brief existence. Some people approach spirituality through their religion. Some people simply believe in an omniscient God without subscribing to any religion. For some, spirituality is all about doing some good in the world; while for others, it is about staying fit and developing the mind and the soul. It does not matter what your approach is; if you find peace and meaning through it without ever harming anyone, that is spirituality for you.

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Spiritual Formation: What it is, and How it is Done

A few scripture passages point us to the place in human personality that is the focus of spiritual formation:

Proverbs 4:20-24 reminds us to keep the words of God's wisdom "in the midst of your heart," and that from there "they are life to those who find them, and health to all their body." (vv. 21-22 NASB) Then comes the exhortation, "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." (v. 23)

In Mark 7:15, 20-23, Jesus teaches about the true source of evil in human life: "The things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.... For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness."

In Luke 6, he points out that "there is no good tree which produces bad fruit.... Men do not gather figs from thornbushes...." (vv. 43-44) It is the inner nature of the tree that determines its outward product. Likewise, "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." (v. 45)

Spiritual formation in the tradition of Jesus Christ is the process of transformation of the inmost dimension of the human being, the heart, which is the same as the spirit or will. It is being formed (really, transformed) in such a way that its natural expression comes to be the deeds of Christ done in the power of Christ.

The progression of spiritual formation is outlined in various passages of the New Testament. It is most fully spelled out in II Peter 1: "Now since you have become partakers of the divine nature,” the writer says, "applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love." (vv. 4-7)

These New Testament progressions always conclude with agape . Agape is the center, the linchpin, of it all. Colossians 3 has a wonderful progression that concludes, "And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity." (v. 14) Romans 5 concludes its progression with the words, "because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (v. 5)

If you examine these and related passages you will see that they include a passive element and an active element. And making the distinction between passive and active, and seeing how they come together, poses--especially for the evangelical understanding--the greatest difficulty in the area of spiritual formation.

We know, as Jesus says, "Without me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) And I think everyone here will agree with that. It is the initiative of God and the presence of God without which all of our efforts are in vain--whether it is in justification or sanctification or in the realm of the exercise of power, all our efforts will be in vain if God does not act. But we had better believe that the back side of that verse reads: "If you do nothing it will be without me." And this is the part we have the hardest time hearing.

So I have read the above passages to you. "Keep your heart." Well, that's something for me to do. I have the keeping of my heart. I am responsible for it. Do I do it alone? No. If I do it alone, I'll just make bad matters worse. But I have to do it nonetheless. I am the one who has to "give all diligence to add to my faith moral excellence and add to my moral excellence knowledge"--I'm the one. Again: Do I do it alone? No. But if I do nothing, it will not be done.

We have a problem today in Evangelical circles. We're not only saved by grace, we're paralyzed by it. I'm Southern Baptist, and we often preach to you for an hour, telling you you can do nothing to be saved, and then sing to you for forty-five minutes trying to get you to do something to be saved. That's confusing! And, as we look at these verses (many similar ones could be chosen), I hope we can see within them the union of passivity and activity because spiritual formation is something that requires us to take wise steps in accomplishing it. The "old man" will not be put off, and the "new man" put on, unless I do something--and, indeed, unless I do the right things. And so the need as we approach the topic of spiritual formation, is to understand as well as we can what is our part and what is God's part, and take care of our part that God may be able to work with us in bringing us to be the kinds of people that we need to be and he wants us to be. (If the idea that we must do something to "enable" God to do something bothers you, you have just hit a major barrier on the pathway of spiritual formation.)

Now, spiritual formation talk has emerged within evangelical circles because of a pervasive felt need--felt on the part of many people within the laity as well as within the clergy--for "something more" than the group and individual activities that have been recognized and encouraged in conservative religious circles in recent decades. Especially, as Fundamentalism fell away and our contemporary (post-WW II) version of Evangelicalism emerged, we had a period of great success, and still enjoy that in many, many quarters; but because of the particular dynamics of that period, we came to think that, in the language of some Protestants, "the Word of God is the only sacrament." And what that meant practically was that the sole means of spiritual growth was being taught and "preached at"--that we're saved and transformed by hearing the truths of the scriptures; we're redeemed by the truths which the conservative and evangelical segments of the church rightly stood for. We're saved by believing them, we're sanctified by believing them, and all issues of spiritual growth are dealt with simply by taking the word in through reading it, through hearing it, through exhortation and ministry from the scriptures. Or so we thought. But I think that what we found, beginning some years ago, was that this "method" really does not do everything that is needed or that we thought it would do. And during the period since WW II, especially, we came to accept the marginalization of discipleship to Jesus. We came to see it as something of an option that we might choose to exercise should we wish. But if we would just like to believe the truth and receive the ministry of the word, and get on with our life without discipleship, that's okay too. And as a result we have now come to the place where we can be a Christian forever without becoming a disciple.

So discipleship was marginalized to something that was a special function. In my circles it always had to do with soul-winning. In the more liberal wing of the church (you know, Sojourners and The Other Side , if you are acquainted with those magazines and the segments of the church they appeal to), discipleship came to mean some type of "social action." Discipleship in the sense spelled out clearly, through word and deed, in the New Testament was moved out of the center of the Christian life. The subsequent rise of talk about spiritual formation occurred because of the felt (though often unarticulated) need to find something deeper: something that actually lead to the transformation of life, that actually moved people in the direction of "the good tree", that looked into the tangled depths of the heart and said, "There must be a way of doing something about that ."

In the path of serious spiritual formation there is indeed (as there always has been) a real possibility of meeting this need for transformation. There is a real possibility of looking at I Corinthians 13, for example, and being able to see that the love that is portrayed there can actually come to occupy the human heart. People can really be like that--"Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." People can be like that, not because they do such things, but because agape love has occupied them effectively as a result of their having learned how to receive it into the deepest part of their being.

Now I think we are at a crucial point in time, and that the very great promise which currently steps forward in the "buzz" about spiritual formation has three possible outcomes, two of them disappointing ones.

One is that spiritual formation will be lost in the sea of humanistic or "new age" spirituality--in what I am tempted sometimes to call the "Oprahcization" of Western culture. I think that Oprah means well, and there is much good in what she does--certainly much more than with many others in her type of public position. But she is severely misguided on some fundamental points. She now has on her television program a segment called "attending to your spirit," and we should pay attention to what shows up in that segment, asking ourselves how we could deal with the real needs she addresses. The hunger of the human heart that is unfed by what is authentic will go for what is inauthentic. If human beings need something vital badly enough, they may even destroy themselves trying to get it.

I was raised in southern Missouri where the land is mineral poor. Cows and sheep there will find piles of junk or refuse out in the fields or woods and eat old dry-cell batteries and rusty wire and nails to get the minerals that they need, and they die of it. The hunger for spiritual depth that we see manifested across our culture becomes a threat to a meaningful and practically effective understanding of spiritual formation as it should be presented by followers of Christ. And this threat has several forms.

Most are familiar with the Vedic or New Age form, but now secularism itself has a 'spirituality'. Even a mere "culture" has a spirituality to it now. There is a book titled Spirituality and the Secular Quest , edited by Peter Van Ness, in the very well known "World Spirituality" series. And what you have there is simply the claim that secular people have a 'spirituality' too. Spirituality is taken to be simply one dimension of the human being. That's the great divide, because, from the scriptural teachings and the teachings of our traditions in the Christian communities, we know that that is supposed to be right--human beings are, as such, supposed to have a spirituality. And in a sense they do. They remain spiritual beings, with all that implies. But on their own they're dead spiritually. They're cut off from the source of spiritual life. Yet what we are seeing and what we will continue to see is an attempt to take the merely human, dead in trespasses and sins, and make that into 'spirituality', framing it culturally, artistically, and in other ways. Usually 'spirituality' as a purely human dimension has to do with commitment, creativity and meaning.

And so we have not only the Old Age, viz. the Vedic, which is now called the New Age, but we also have secularism as a direction in which the drive to "spirituality" may develop. We could almost speak of "culturalism," because culture is now generally assigned to the area of the spiritual. And I think that in many of our Christian congregations there already exists in the minds of many people a hopeless mish-mash of these two tendencies, the Vedic and the secular. It has already almost totally captured some mainline churches--and some not so mainline, as you find when you begin to talk with people about what they actually think about spirituality and spiritual formation.

Now all of the spiritualities address, of course, the deep human needs of identity , righteousness and power . They must do so to have any appeal, and recent failure to show how the Christian way deals with those needs is largely responsible for their widespread appeal today.

Who am I? And the culturalisms etc. that pose as vital spirituality, as well as other forms of group identity, step up and say: This is who you are. But in these responses you don't get the sense that what we are meant to be is children of the heavenly Father, with a life that transcends everything that can be found in human culture or actual human nature.

Am I okay? Am I a good person? You will see that all the spiritualities address that issue. Am I strong? And you will see again, the longing for power ("empowerment" is the usual term now) is what is back of all these forms of spirituality, what gives them their appeal.

Well, that's one thing I think we are in danger of seeing happen with the current interest in spirituality and spiritual formation: It may be taken over by these kinds of Vedic or secularist tendencies.

Another possibility is perhaps more dangerous for those of us here today. It is that spiritual formation will simply become a new label for old activities--for what we are already doing: worship, hearing the word, community, quiet time, plus a new twist or two such as spiritual direction and so on. Now all of these things are very important. But if spiritual formation merely becomes a new label for things we are already doing, it will leave us right where we are. And the issues of deep inner transformation will remain untouched. And I say with trepidation that there is a real danger of spirituality becoming a field of mere "expertise," of academic competence, focused upon "religious activities."

I myself am sometimes introduced as an expert in the field of spirituality. I want to fade into the wall at that point. Spirituality and spiritual formation isn't that kind of thing. And I think that one of the greatest dangers for the cause of Christ today is that we Evangelicals will not understand our need for genuine repentance: repentance, not about what we aren't, but about what we are. Our problem is not caused merely by the fact that we don't do certain things, like love our neighbor as ourselves and so on. It's the very things that we teach and practice about the spiritual life that leave us in the position of not doing the things we should.

Haven't we been told that judgment begins at the house of God? That means, first of all, it begins where I am. I am a man of unclean lips who lives in the midst of a people of unclean lips. I have to own this. We have to own it. And sometimes the uncleanness of our lips simply comes from the fact that we use the language of our culture, and sometimes our religious culture, which may in fact be full of unperceived godlessness. We need to recognize that fact. What are we as Evangelicals, as religious Conservatives, or as Christians generally doing to bring about the kind of deepening called for by the turn to "spirituality" in our times? And is it really true that we just need to do what we are already doing, but more or better? Or do we need to do something different?….We need to do something different.

Now the third possibility is that "spiritual formation" could become a term for those processes through which people are inwardly transformed in such a way that the personality and deeds of Jesus Christ naturally flow out from them when and wherever they are. In other words, it can be understood as the process by which true Christlikeness is established in the very depths of our being. Thus multitudes of men and women could be brought forth from generation to generation to be, unapologetically, Christ's redemptive community: the true "city set on a hill," of which Jesus spoke, established in the midst of the earth now, as it shall be for eternity in the midst of the cosmos. (Eph. 3:10; Rev. 22:5) We could become a true "society of Jesus." We could be the life-transforming salt and light in a darkened world which God has always intended his covenant people to be.

Spiritual formation could and should be the process by which those who are Jesus' apprentices or disciples come easily to "do all things whatsoever I have commanded you." What I call "the great omission from the great commission" is the fact that Christians generally don't have a plan for teaching people do everything that he commanded. We don't as a rule even have a plan for learning this ourselves, and perhaps assume it is simply impossible. And that explains the yawning abyss today between being Christian and being a disciple. We have a form of religion that has accepted non-obedience to Christ, and the hunger for spirituality and spiritual formation in our day is a direct consequence of that.

Sometimes Christian trinkets can be very instructive. There is a map that is sold in Christian bookstores. One of these hangs in the foyer of a large church in the San Fernando Valley. It's one of those old-fashioned maps that has monsters drawn around the edges and everything is out of proportion to what we now know to be true of world geography. Under the drawing of the continents it has the words, "Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations." This is a Charismatic church, so it continues, "baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." And then what comes next? An ellipsis, "...."! Then, "And lo, I am with you always."

You have to ask yourself what kind of a thought context that Christian trinket came out of. The people in that church--and it is a good church--walk by this map every week. No one has ever noticed the problem.

When we talk about spiritual formation we are talking about framing a progression of life in which people come to actually do all things that Jesus taught. So we are obviously going for the heart. We are aiming for change of the inner person, where what we do originates. I have already indicated my view that, biblically and systematically, it is appropriate to identify the heart and the spirit of the human being and the will as roughly the same thing. The spirit is that part of the human being that has the capacity of moving without being moved. It is the depth of the human being where freedom really exists. It is that part of us that is self-determined. That's the heart. That's why evil and good come out of the heart, it's because that's the part of us that is really us. It's really ours . And spirit is of that intensely personal nature.

God is spirit. God is wholly self-determined. We are self-determined only in a very small way. And this part of the human being--the spirit, the will, the heart--is the place where the work of spiritual formation has to be done. You remember the words of Samuel: "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart." And functionally the will is the executive center of the self. When it comes to life in God through the new birth, its task is then the re-formation of the whole self in co-operation with God. Will is not exactly character, but is formed into character as it becomes habitual and automatic.

Now I must discuss will a bit further. You find human will in three dimensions or conditions. First of all there is what I call vital or impulsive will. This is a willing that is outwardly directed and moved by and toward things that are simply attractive. You see this in a baby. A little baby very quickly begins to be attracted to things, to reach for them, and move in relationship to them. And that's all there really is to will in the baby. If the will does not develop beyond this stage, it threatens to be identified with the person, and in our culture modern thought encourages identification of the person with the will rather than subordination of the will to the whole person living in God's world. Thus, "I want to" and "It pleases me" are now widely regarded as overriding reasons for doing something in our culture, when in fact it should never function alone as a reason for action. The meaning of the cross of Christ in human experience is that it stops any mere "I want to" from functioning as an adequate reason for action. The cross is therefore central to the moral life of humanity.

But there is also reflective will. The reflective will is oriented toward what is good for the person as a whole, not merely to what is desired. And so we have the conflict that we all know too well, as human beings, between the good and the bad, and the good and the not so good, and the good and the better. This conflict goes on constantly in our lives, and it trips up people at all levels of life in our Christian circles. That happens in cases where, for whatever precise reason, the reflective will has not effectively guided life.

Now when you bring the reflective will to life in Christ and add the instruction of the law and the person of Christ, along with the fellowship of his body, you then have the wherewithal to live in such a way that God is glorified in every thing that you do. The anticipation of this is reflected in such great passages as Colossians 3:17: "Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him." That becomes a real possibility. Inward transformation toward inner likeness to Christ makes it increasingly actual. Reflective will is the will oriented toward what is good for the person as a whole, not toward the merely desired.

So I'm hoping that you now have these two ideas: vital or impulsive will, where you simply choose what you desire, and reflective will, where instead of just doing what you want, you choose for what is good--and especially, as Christians, what is good under God, in the kingdom of God. Now I have to add the idea of embodied will. Embodied will is where one of the other two has sunk down into your body to such an extent that you automatically do what they dictate. And this is the standard situation for most human beings on earth. Their body is running their life from choices that have formed their will and positioned it in their body.

Take the case of Peter's denial as an illustration. That was an exercise of his embodied will. Peter did not reflect on the situation and then decide what to do. When he was faced with the accusation of association with Jesus he blurted out the denial. That is embodied will for evil. Peter reflected after the fact and discovered what he was really like inside.

To take another example, when people are reviled, what do they normally do? They revile in return. When they are hurt, they hurt back. That's embodied will as it exists in a fallen world. When you are driving on the freeway and you don't do what someone thinks you should, they may honk their horn at you, or they may give you the one-fingered salute, or they may do all sorts of things--they may shoot you. They do that in California. Well, the responses that then arise are expressions of embodied will. When someone "disses" another person, the other person does not say, "Hum. I have been dissed. What shall I do?" No. It's WHOOSH ! Just like that. That's what I call an "epidermal response," because it lies right at the surface of your 'skin'--your thought and feeling.

If you've got that picture, I hope I can now say very clearly what it means to have been spiritually formed in Christ, for spiritual formation in Christ transforms your embodied will. It transforms your embodied will so that what comes out of you automatically are the words and deeds of Christ. Now we never get to the point where we can stop thinking about our responses. We will always have to reflect. We will always have desires we should not act upon. There's nothing wrong with desires in themselves. It's when they become our masters that the wrong comes, which is the common circumstance in human life.

So let me say to you very formally: Christian spiritual formation is the process through which the embodied/reflective will takes on the character of Christ's will . It is the process through which (and you know Gal. 4:19) Christ is formed in you and me. Think of Paul's magnificent statement: "The life which I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." Not faith in , but the faith of . I have taken his faith into me. I am now being inwardly the person that Christ has called me to be, and this inward faith has now spread throughout my socially embodied self.

Let me be as clear as possible. When we speak of spiritual formation we are speaking of the formation of the human spirit. And the spirit is the will or the heart and by extension, the character. And that, in practice, lives mainly in our bodies. The one reason why the idea of spiritual transformation through being merely preached at and taught doesn't work is because it does not involve the body in the process of transformation. One of the ironies of spiritual formation is that every "spiritual" discipline is a bodily behavior. We have to involve the body in spiritual formation because that's where we live and what we live from. So now spiritual formation is formation of the inner being of the human being, resulting in transformation of the whole person, including the body in its social context. Spiritual formation is never merely inward.

Now contrast that. Many people will speak of spiritual formation with reference to a particular tradition. For example, there's a Benedictine tradition in the Catholic church, and a Franciscan one. And I assure you that with reference to every Protestant group, there is a "spiritual formation" that qualifies those in that group to be one of that group, no matter if the language, "spiritual formation," is used to refer to the process involved.

I got on a plane in Chicago some time back to go to Louisville to speak at the Southern Baptist seminary there, and I'll tell you almost everyone on that plane looked like a Southern Baptist. Now you say, "What does a Southern Baptist look like?" I couldn't tell you if I had to, but they sure look that way, whatever it is. And I believe you will recognize that for such groups there is a set way of acting, speaking, doing things--of course this involves doctrines and church order and so on as well--and one way of speaking of spiritual formation is to say that people are being formed to do that . They're being formed in _____ group culture. You fill in the blank.

And this is where culture becomes tremendously important. Please don't understand me as saying there's anything wrong with culture. It is absolutely essential to human beings to be socially embodied. This is a part of the "vessel" that contains the treasure (II Cor. 4:7), and none of us escape it. We are all shaped is some such way. But that isn't spiritual formation in the sense in which we speak of Christ being formed in you and in which Paul could say "I was determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." We go beyond all those group differences in genuine spiritual formation in Christ, and this is the true ecumenicism of the Christian church across the ages and across faith-and-practices. We reach the unity of obedience to Christ from the inward formation of "Christ in us, the hope of glory."

And yet another contrast must be drawn. Sometimes we think of spiritual formation as formation by the Holy Spirit . Once again: That's essential. We can't evade it--formation by the Holy Spirit. But now I have to say something that may be challenging for you to think about: Spiritual formation is not all by the Holy Spirit. None without the Holy Spirit. But there's always more involved. And here again we run into the problems of passivity over against activity. Here lies the deepest challenge to the very idea of obedience to Christ in our times. We have to recognize that spiritual formation in us is something that is also done to us by those around us, by ourselves, and by activities which we voluntarily undertake.

Spiritual formation in Christ would, then, ideally result in a person whose reflective will for good, fully informed and possessed by Christ, has settled into their body in its social context to such an extent that their natural responses were always to think and feel and do as Christ himself would. Their epidermal as well as their deliberate responses are then those of Christ. When you see this and return to the message we heard previously today about Isaiah, you'll see where the ability to stand alone comes from. Standing alone comes from Christ in the inner person. When Christ is there within, even the social context is one where the reflective will for Christlikeness understands what's happening, makes the right choice, and in faith sees it through, with love and joy and peace and longsuffering and gentleness and goodness and kindness and faithfulness and self-control: the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of the spirit in the inner person expresses itself in that way.

In such a person, the saying of the apostle which we all know, "The things that I would not that I do, and the things that I would, that I do not," (Romans 7:19) is reversed: "The good that I would I do, and the evil that I would not I do not." Again: Of this person we no longer have the diagnosis, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:14)

Now if the Vision of this glorious kind of life is there, then the next step is Intention . I must decide that I will live that kind of life. And then, finally--and this is the area of what we call "spiritual disciplines," undertaken in the effort to actually obey Christ--we have to have a Method .

There has to be method. Suppose, for example, my intention is to become the kind of person who can heartily bless those who curse me. Or maybe they don't even curse me. They just think I am wrong or irrelevant. Jesus said to love your enemies, but how about those who bug you? That would be a real challenge too, wouldn't it? You see we have to get real with all these matters. I have to be able to learn what it is within me that keeps me from being able to do all that and to do something about it. And perhaps it is that I have not devoted myself sufficiently to being alone with God, or to the taking in of his Word, so that I can actually trust Him to bless me when others are cursing me. So what I have to do is to find the ways--the method --through which I can build my confidence in God's goodness, and break the power of habit in me of cursing back. Note the wonderful words from the old hymn, "He breaks the power of cancelled sin, and sets the prisoner free." Cancelled sin still has people in bondage. To say it's cancelled doesn't mean you're done with it. And to be "done with it" requires a method that may involve counseling, certainly involves the ministry of the word, and certainly involves worship. We're pretty good with these practices, but the ones that look more "Catholic," like solitude, silence, and so on, we're not so good with those. And usually I find they deal with the areas where our deepest problem lies.

So we have to find the ways of taking our body into solitude and silence, into service, as well as into worship, into prayer, as well as into study; and we have to plan our lives around this objective of fulfilling the vision that our intention has set before us. That, briefly, is how spiritual formation in Christ is done: vision, intention and method, in that order. In this way we succeed, as Paul says in Romans 6:13, in "yielding ourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness unto God." It can be done. It can be yours and it can be mine, and we can give it to other people, if, in the fellowship of Christ, we offer them the vision, exemplify and help them with the intention, and teach them the method.

One of the things I most like about flying is when you take off through the clouds and finally break through them into the sunlight. We had a takeoff like that this morning in Los Angeles. And it is so thrilling to break into the sunlight. Spiritually, in "the inner man," we are meant to be a different species of human being. (Eph. 2:15) That's the picture, the New Testament picture--a different kind of humanity. And we can manifestly become that if we will set ourselves to learn and accept inward spiritual formation from the hand of Jesus Christ. Very likely we will not become perfect for some time yet; but we can, as Paul urged the Philippians to do, "become blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world." (Phil. 2:15)

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194 Spiritual Topics to Talk About

🏆 best spiritual topics to write about, 👍 good essay topics on spirituality, 📌 simple & easy spirituality topics for discussion, 💡 interesting spiritual topics, ☮ spirituality topics for research papers.

• Biopsychosocial Spiritual Assessment The effectiveness and stability of these aspects play a critical role in the determination of the behaviour of an individual. The spiritual system is the part of a human being that searches for the meaning […]
• Brujas and Curanderas: “A Living Spirituality” The abolition challenges the very nature of democracy and the tradition of respecting the diversity of religious and political thought in the U.S.
• Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling The author adds that the counselor needs spiritual maturity in a bid to get the client to the same level of maturity.
• “Spiritual Leadership” by Henry and Richard Blackaby The lack of leadership strategies causes the death of the church1.”Chapter Two: The Leader’s Role: What Leaders Do” The chapter starts with the evaluation of various definitions of leadership.
• Maya Religion and Spirituality in Ancient and Modern Times The aim of the current research is to assess the religion and spirituality of the Maya people. In addition, the Maya were still religious and practiced various cultural activities that were unique to them.
• Improving Personal Spiritual Wellness Considering I already attend the group practices myself, I need to create a list of all my friends who would like to participate in the activity.
• Ethical Implications of Implementing Religion or Spirituality Into Therapy The third consideration related to the ethics of therapy provided for Christian people is the need to include their religious values in the process of planning their treatment.
• “Walking Away” by Craig David: Spiritual Communication Brought by the Song When this song is sung, it makes me see the troubles that are in a life and the exhaustion that Craig David is subjected to.
• Spiritual and Physical Journeys in Human Life The questions related to searching for the sense of life and exploring the nature of existence are regarded as the ones that all human beings were looking the answers for since the beginning of the […]
• Color History and Spirituality In the majority of religions, the color blue is the color of heaven. The two primary examples of the use of Blue color in religious architecture are the Giotto Chapel and the Blue Mosque.
• Spiritual Formation Reflection: Integrating Faith and Learning This strengthened understanding of the mutual necessity of faith and learning in becoming closer to God is a crucial result of this course for me.
• Death and the Afterlife: A Spiritual World After Death The spiritual world for people means the immortality of their souls, which is in general highly important from the point of view of religion and philosophy.
• Humans: Physical or Spiritual Beings? On the other hand, dualism denies physicalism, or that the physical facts of human bodies do not determine the composition of human beings.
• Spiritual Development in Childhood While it might be challenging to explain faith to a child, it is necessary to create a basis for it early on.
• The Impact of COVID-19 on the Spirituality of Church Members Through the qualitative data methodology, the researcher predicts that the findings will establish that Church members maintained and increased their spirituality despite the adverse effects and experiences of the pandemic and lack of physical attendance […]
• Spirituality and Ethics: Christian Perspective and Postmodern Relativism Christianity authors the belief in the existence of a sovereign God who controls everything in the universe, allowing and disallowing life events.
• Spirituality and Understanding of Illness First, we must examine our understanding of some issues surrounding the illness. As our first step, we must think about some core issues that help us understand the illness.
• Patients’ Spiritual Needs and Ethical Principles The decisions made by Mike and Joanne make it difficult for the physician to adhere to the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence.
• Controversy in Society: Spiritual But Not Religious One of the followers of this movement is Sam Harris, who refers to the fact that spirituality, along with the assistance of meditation, helps him become happy and feel that the world is a part […]
• Negro Spirituals’ History and Origins The word “spiritual” comes from a King James Bible conversion of Ephesians 5:19: “Speaking to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord”..
• Karuna Part of Spiritual Path in Buddhism and Jainism The purpose of this paper is to study the concept of karuna in Buddhism and its relevance to the two major sects in that religion namely Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism.
• The Film Baraka and Its Spiritual Reflections The instances of silence between the music are as imperative as the music itself. The film director seizes this opportunity to propose the theme of the film through as simple and a plain cut.
• Embodied vs. Digital Spiritual Growth The view of the body as the subject refers to the approach of it being human with its unique feelings, needs, and desires. The body as a source of spiritual insight refers to the ability […]
• Veteran’s Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Assessment The Bio-Psycho-Social framework is a widely-used approach that is based on the importance of a systematic view of the individual’s behavior and actions along with the integration of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors with human […]
• What Are Religion and Spirituality? The existence of these phenomena is the main feature that differs from the rest of animals and contributes to the further rise of human society and the appearance of numerous questions related to the nature […]
• Martial Art as Physical and Spiritual Practice It is evident that in general, people underestimate the importance of martial art and have a stereotype that it is only ancient fighting practices.
• Spiritual Therapy: Personal Experience It can sometimes lead to a reorganization of the priorities of an individual and open deeply buried desire which can be the essence of the cure one requires. Not everyone is trained to handle this […]
• Christian Spirituality: Imago Dei in Healthcare It is one of the key themes in the Bible, and it shapes the Christian vision of a place of a human being in the world.
• Experience of a Retreat in the Spiritual Life In many cultures, there is a tendency towards isolation and spiritual loneliness to distract oneself from the bustle of the outside world.
• Bhagavad Gita as a Spiritual Book Lord Krishna is believed to be the inspiration behind the book known as the Gospel of the Lord. From this knowledge, the history of the Gita, the purpose of yoga, and a guru becomes significant […]
• Religion and Spirituality in Modern World Religion may refer to “individual acknowledgment of superhuman divine power, and particularly a special God or gods entitled to submission and worship”. Spirituality in both secular and religious arena refers to a force that unifies […]
• The Concept of Kind in Church History: Analyzing Quotes From a Spiritual and Philosophical Perspective The usage of the concept of ‘kind’ can be traced to the early church period. The concept of ‘kind’ is evident in both of the quotes.
• Spiritual Leader in Practicing Greatness by McNeal The book “Practicing Greatness: 7 Disciplines of Extraordinary Spiritual Leaders” written by Reggie McNeal is a clear and accessible explanation of the path, purpose and challenges of being a spiritual leader.
• Spiritual Discernment and Vocational Counseling Spiritual discernment is the ultimate secret weapon that can be used by Christians who are interested in drawing closer to the Lord as they progress in life as it guides them to make the most […]
• Mental Health and Spirituality How religion helps to define life purpose and provides a sense of meaning among people who are susceptible to depression Many religious people affirm that their lives have a sense of purpose and meaning.
• Christian Spirituality in Lewis’s Works About Narnia Lewis wanted to convey in The Chronicles of Narnia, was the idea of Christian spirituality and its impact on the life of every character.
• Role of Spiritual Care in Nursing Spiritual care is a practice of aiding people in the recognition and acceptance of spirituality and addressing the questions of one’s meaning in life, legacy, purpose, hope, and faith.
• Postmodern View and Spirituality in Healthcare Spirituality is seen as one of the important components of care since this aspect is closely related to people’s recovery and ability to adjust to new conditions.
• Spiritual Life: Avoiding Stress Burnout All I want to do is to be kind to people and believe that these people will be also kind to me.
• Ghana’s Traditional Spiritual Care and Practices Africans have a way of understanding the world, which is not seen; for instance, they have a particular way of interacting with the supernatural world of spirits and believe in spiritual powers that influence different […]
• Psychological Trauma, Development and Spirituality During the growing stages of a child, the brain is also developing and its growth depends on daily experiences. There is a particular stage of brain development in a child when traumatic experiences can gravely […]
• The Spirituality of the Book “The Shack” This is true in part until Mackenzie pushes to understand the meaning of this reconciliation only to learn that God is “reconciled to the whole world,” not just the believer.
• “The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us” This practice includes finding a quiet space to meditate on God’s Word or character, allowing thoughts and emotions to arise and fall away, and being open to God’s presence.
• Spiritual Leadership and Citizenship Behaviors Spiritual leadership is aimed at meeting the psychological needs of employees, which creates value and develops ethical understanding and principles in the organization.
• The “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” Book by Scazzero Accordingly, the author suggests that to become closer to God, a person should embrace the modification of his or her spirit and mentality.
• Care, Spirituality, and Worldview Aspects A deep study of the components of the world and how individuals can stay connected to these aspects builds a concept of spirituality and care training.
• Religion and Spirituality as an Ethical Issue in Healthcare It is essential for a medical professional to understand the idea of spirituality and to be able to apply it in different contexts. However, the decline in religion has led to a rising popularity of […]
• The Concept of Spiritual Healing I agree that for the majority of people on Earth spirituality is interlinked with the presence of a powerful being such as God or some deity. In conclusion, spirituality is not something that is limited […]
• Deliverance and Spiritual Authority People under the authority of the Christian God and Christ have the right and obligation to “exercise His spiritual authority on earth to ensure His will is done”.
• Religion vs. Spirituality: Finding the Difference Numerous faiths use tales, rituals, practices, and holy narratives to describe the purpose of existence or the genesis of life and the world. Spirituality is the unique connection with the Creator of a particular interpretation.
• Encouragement and Serving: The Spiritual Gifts The website states that these two aspects characterize the ability to drive the process and motivate people. A server is conscientious and ready to put in the time and effort necessary to finish a work.
• Impact of Spirituality on Hotels in the Middle East Koburtay and Syed’s article examines how religious observance and the provision of spiritual services can affect the psychological well-being of hotel employees and guest happiness.
• Spiritual Considerations Surrounding Disaster and the Role of Health Nurses The emotional well-being of families and affected individuals during and after a disaster is very important in their physical recovery. Much as spirituality assists during recovery, people struggle to find meaning in their losses and […]
• Drug-Taking in Spiritual Guidance As mentioned above, shamans and other top representatives of the polytheistic cultic and religious communities resort to the use of drugs to find a direct channel for communication with gods and spirits and cognition of […]
• Spiritual Diversity and Religion’s Role At the same time, it represents a unique form of social control and contributes to the establishment of hierarchical relationships between demographic groups, especially men and women. The institution in question is part of a […]
• Postmodern Existentialism and Spirituality The road, referred to in the title of the book, is connected to humans’ idea that they are the prodigal son.
• Augustine’s Spiritual Mentoring and Manichaeism “The influence of Manichaeism on Augustine of Hippo as a Spiritual Mentor” is Christine McCann’s publication investigating the way Manichaeism doctrines affected Augustine’s spiritual mentoring.
• Developing Leadership and Spiritual Growth Essentially, members developed a conceptual view that the mission was definitive of the church structure subjects to the dictates in God’s Word.
• The Spirituality Concept in Healthcare This is known as eclectic spirituality, more prevalent in the modern world, where people are choosing not to be limited by narrow views of one religion but the perception that all aspects of the universe […]
• James Joyce’s “Araby” Through the Spiritual Lens The topic of religion is used in Joyce’s work to reflect the duality of humans, as the narrator, in his most agitated state, is torn in two from the inner conflict.
• “Grounded to Worship” Spiritual Awakening Program Ministers will provide resources and training on the use of corporate kingdom-focused prayer, and this will be one for all small group classes.
• Culture in Ruling Class and Spiritual Experience The decorations and shape of the hat, as well as the face itself, can be viewed as an example of the Sub-African culture.
• Christian Spirituality: Integration Into Sports Psychological Practices The second part of the original content of the article comes after the analysis of existing knowledge about the relationship of Christian identity, psychological counseling, and sports psychology.
• Convergence of Nursing Care With Spiritual Care Spirituality in the traditional sense and spirituality in the religious sense represent different concepts. For a non-religious individual, spirituality is the belief in a force that controls events and processes in the physical world.
• Inferno by Dante as a Spiritual Autobiography Dante’s conception of the universe is commonly known as a straightforward representation of the Medieval view of the afterlife. If the reader interprets the text through the lens of allegory, it becomes clear that Dante […]
• Patients’ Perception of Religion and Spirituality That is why it is necessary to monitor health conditions, and numerous religious people do it. In particular, it is not rational to believe that representatives of a specific religion are the same.
• Spirituality in the Religious and Non-Religious Sense It is essential to be prepared for the differences between care givers and the patient in terms of spirituality and culture.
• Facilitating Spiritual Care: Practicing Dignity For this reason, it would be imperative for me to find the ways of facilitating spiritual care will include not only tolerance and acceptance but empathy and meaningful connection with a patient.
• Culturally Sensitive Spiritual Assessment Such a point of view accords with the ideas outlined in the textbook, as the researchers perceive spirituality and holistic care as the professionals’ duty to understand and account for the patient’s worldview and spiritual […]
• The Key to Ephesians: Spiritual Claims The second sentence explains that every person should go to Him and His Church to pray and show their love to God.
• Ben Gutierrez “After Three: Know…Walk…”: Developing a Healthy Spirituality I chose to discuss this point because I believe that every one of us has a purpose in life and it is upon us to discover what the purpose is.
• Discussion of Spirituality in Nursing Care The paradigm of communication between a patient and a nurse, to secure positive outcomes, should exist far beyond the discussion of one’s health condition and treatment options.
• Spiritual Growth: The Sense of Spirituality and Faith In the read story, the author mentioned two basic methods of development, which consist in the sense of spirituality and faith.
• Current Patterns in Religious and Spiritual Affiliation and Practice Great Awakenings is a series of episodes in the United States history that led to the abrupt rise of religious feelings among the population. The new wave of Awakening in the US occurred in the […]
• Employee Spirituality and Emotional Wellness Relations To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first empirical study that investigates the association between the employee’s happiness and performance, through a rationale of the individual’s level of income, job satisfaction, workplace […]
• The Significance of the NT Surveys in Spiritual and Social Development The survey has also allowed me to learn that God is love as depicted in the Bible. The theme of the new convent is one of the concepts that I have primarily analyzed in NT.
• Discernment. Spirituality to Responsible Leadership Thus, career discernment goes beyond career exploration to a level of slowing down to inquire into my life now and plan in the long term.
• The Spiritual Needs Assessment I am sure that the staff is to be interested in asking the questions and in this case, patients would answer them with greater desire.
• The Relationship Between Prayer, Spirituality and Patients’ Health The purpose of the proposed quantitative research study is to investigate whether the use of prayer by church members 18 years and above, both male and female, can decrease painful experiences and result in an […]
• “Exploration of Clinical Nurses’ Perception of Spirituality…” by Wu The abstract illustrates to the readers the need for this study, the problem statement, the research design, an overview of the results and the implications of the study.
• Spiritual Needs Assessment of a Muslim Patient The spiritual assessment tool will be used to evaluate the spiritual beliefs of the patient through direct interviews. Further, the paper will examine the effectiveness of the tool and recommend possible solutions in the future.
• An Integrative Review of Spiritual Assessment in Nursing Through the process the patient has now firmly established himself as a believer and serves to call other patients to the same belief, in addition to this, the study clearly shows that the impact of […]
• Spirituality in Nursing: Compassion Fatigue Figley further notes that the symptoms of compassion fatigue may last for more than a month and that they are likely to permeate the mental, behavioral, physical, and spiritual facets of the care-giver’s life.
• Nursing Ethic: Personal, Cultural and Spiritual Values The value of integrity is crucial in my nursing practice because it helps me to be honest in my profession and adhere to nursing standards and code of ethics.
• Indigenous Spiritual Health and Medication In the effort to explain the above, the paper will include the differences in medical care between indigenous and non-indigenous categories.
• William A. Barry: The Practice of Spiritual Direction Chapter three introduces the part of the text covering the relationship between the director and God, as a spiritually challenged individual is unlikely to help a directee with similar issues.
• Jungian Insights for Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Ministry: Book Reflection The idea of understanding the work of the Holy Spirit as a kind of synchronicity was the most interesting to me.
• Lessons Learnt From Islamic Spirituality The main purpose of religion is to fulfill the gap between the body and spiritual needs of individuals. The desire of people in life is to excel.
• Spiritual Belief Is the Integral Parts of Human Beings In other words, the fact of the existence of the universe proves the idea of God responsible for the creation of such ideal objects and things.
• Spirituality in Toyota Corporation The satisfaction of employees and performance of the organization can be partly attributed to spirituality in the company. Howard argues that the ability of the organization to enact spirituality is the result of the positive […]
• The Narrative Content of Negro Spirituals and Blues Musical Tradition The enslaved African knew that redemption in the eyes of the Lord was the best antidote to the poison of servitude.
• Native American Spirituality Visions, dreams, insight and knowledge comprise this world view as well as transcendence of time and space, metamorphosis, and the role non-human. Shamanism has become somewhat of novelty and is prevalent only in many indigenous […]
• Philosophy of Youth Ministry and Spirituality The sole aim for the formation of the youth ministry is to encourage the young people to learn more about their faith and engage themselves in spirituality.
• Creativity and Spirituality in Nursing In 1859, Florence Nightingale the founder of modern nursing expressed her meaning of nursing as “the goal of nursing is to put the patient in the best condition for nature to act upon him primarily […]
• The Concept of “Spiritual Vision” In the context of spiritual vision, it can be stated that it is arguable that the emergence of rationality and individualism has led, on the one hand, to the erosion of religion as a communal […]
• Christian Spirituality and Ethical Care I believe that spiritual care involves listening to a person and providing for their spiritual needs in a manner that fits both the care providers’ and the patients’ worldview.
• Euthanasia in Christian Spirituality and Ethics By examining Christian’s views on the fallenness of the world, the hope of resurrection, and the value of a person’s life, one can see that euthanasia is not a morally acceptable option for a Christian […]
• Spirituality and Health Assessment in Nursing Galek, Flanneily, Vane & Galek posit that there are seven major constructs to examine when one assesses the spirituality of the patient conceptualizing the constructs of belonging, meaning, hope, the sacred, morality, beauty, and acceptance […]
• Spiritual Disciplines, False Self, and Silent Retreat: Exploring the Process of Spiritual Formation from a Minister’s Perspective The phenomenon of a false self is typically rendered as one of the options of spiritual development and the fostering of the qualities that will make one deviate from the path of enlightenment.
• Spiritual Formation: Scrutinizing Changes and Evaluating Progress With the focus on bringing people of the Christian faith together and the promotion of Christian values and virtues, the course will shed a lot of light on the role of a leader and the […]
• Spirituality Issues: Death and Dying The African culture maintains that it is only in the land of the living where rewards and punishments are inevitable. It is the last stage in the human life cycle and a transition to “life […]
• Medical Anthropology: Religious, Spiritual and Magical Beliefs This refers to the way of the universe, the way of humans, the way of nature, and finally transcends to the way to unite together in the essential harmony of all organisms.
• Spiritual National Movement in Europe On the individual basis, he wrote that man believes that he poses a force that unites all the memories and impressions of the past with all his hopes and desires for the future.
• Spiritual Formation Throughout the Lifespan Spiritual formation plays a critical role in the lives of individuals, as it influences the way they perceive the world and react to it.
• Spiritual and Educational Feminist Comparison The first use of the phrase is traced back in the fiscal 1871 and it was incorporated in the French medical texts to undermine the people who had both sex organs.
• Spirituality and Religion in Treating Older Adults The articles help solve these difficulties since they outline the most important points to mind when treating older adults in terms of spirituality and religion.
• The Book “Spiritual Leadership” Since the title involves the study of leadership concepts from a spiritual point of view, it is essential for the authors to not only convey their points of view but also to be able to […]
• The Bible: Spiritual Concept Analysis Therefore, the word “kind” is used to mean “species” or “types” of animals.”I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, says the LORD: the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, and the birds […]
• Spiritual Development Among Adolescents The association between mother’s religiousness and adolescents’ maturation is substantial, and mothers’ religious beliefs tend to have a positive impact on their children’s development.
• Spirituality Focus in Adult Education A major challenge in adult education is lack of professional development opportunities for the facilitators of adult education, and especially when it comes to the skills required in the incorporation of spirituality in the learning […]
• Spirituality in Rehabilitation of Disabled Adults For this reason, the results of the survey could be used to prove the authors idea and demonstrate the necessity of further investigation of the sphere.
• The Documentary “Origins of Yoga: Quest for the Spiritual” In the film, it is noted that people who decided to devote their lives to the practice of yoga would leave their homes, “abandon the conventional life” and the “householder stage” to “wander around in […]
• Hindu Gods and Other Spiritual Beings The soul of all beings in the universe, including the gods, is a particle of that spirit. Atman is one of the central concepts of Indian philosophy and religion of Hinduism: the eternal, unchanging spiritual […]
• Spirituality in the Workplace Environment Some people believe that spirituality is important and should be practiced in the workplace while others believe it is not important and should be avoided in the workplace.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Biopsychosocial Assessment In the case of the client in question, the CBT is ideal since it aims at curing overt behavior such as anger and transforms it into a positive cognition.
• The Yoruba People’s Spiritual Care Spiritual care of the Yoruba people, represented by the set of religious practices and traditions called Orisha or Ifa, is the primary theme of this paper. All children living in a community are to be […]
• Religion: Ecological Spirituality in Cross-Cultural Perspective I would like to focus on the idea of interconnectedness as I believe this is the most precise and correct view of the universe.
• Spirituality in Art: Kandinsky’s “Improvisation 7” Indeed, the work that appeals to my spirituality and my soul also reveals my inner emotions and attitude to the real world.
• “Of Our Spiritual Strivings” by William Du Bois In this essay, William Du Bois shows that at the beginning of the twentieth century, the American society did not fully recover from the legacies of slavery.
• The S. Freud Reader and F. Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morals Spiritual Revelations Freudian and Nietzsche view of religion, god and civilization The origin of religion and civilization, according to the philosophy of Nietzsche and Freud, seem to begin with their inquest to the existence of god.
• ‘Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling’ by Mark McMinn Psychologists’ work is to guide people into unraveling the reality of life by pushing them to discover the self in a bid to get to the bottom of their own troubles.
• The Efficacy of Spirituality Group The research is focused on the efficacy of the spirituality group in chemical dependency treatment program. In conclusion, spirituality method for treating chemically addicted people is considered to be the most effective in a number […]
• Spirituality in the Workplace Spirituality and organizational performance The introduction of spirituality and virtuous approaches to business management is largely predetermined by the necessity to increase organizational performance, productivity, and revenues.
• Spiritual Warfare: The Battle for God’s Glory In the next two chapters of the book, the author looks at the battle between the flesh and spirit, which is the third tool used by the enemy in spiritual warfare.
• Pneumatology: Spiritual Gifts The difference between spiritual gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit is that the former are given to edify the body of Christ and the later to edify an individual.
• Assimilation of Spirituality in Hong Kong Clinical Practice However, many are times when the concept of spirituality is distorted and misdirected to beliefs, attitudes and behavioral activities that result to hopelessness, oppression and discrimination in the society. Spirituality and religion in the health […]
• The Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Impact of a Family with a Terminal Ill Child Although it is necessary to understand the problems of the parents, it is very cruel to overlook the needs of the child.
• The Role of Spirituality in Overcoming Addictions The faith and trust that we have in God is able to redeem and save one from the jaws of addiction.
• Jung’s spiritual realm theories In modern times, people also think that this scholar’s teachings are relevant because he found a way of relating the level of one’s spirituality with one’s psychological state.
• Dialogue versus Spiritual Exchange With respect to Teresa of Avila within The Interior Castle the experience of meditation and the measure of the ideal spiritualist was not on the basis of a person’s psychophysiological position, but on the other […]
• The Gift of Speaking in Tongues and Its Relevance Spiritual maturity is achieved through the prosperity of the Fruits of the Spirit and by making use of the spiritual gifts to serve the Lord.
• “In Search of the Spiritual”, written by Jerry Adler It is important to note that “socialization agents” are people who have the ability to influence the behaviour of individuals, as well as the way of thinking of the people in the society.
• Spiritual Gifts and Trinity Biblical Foundation God the Father is the one who is generally recognized in the Bible as the creator and the ruler of the earth.
• Spiritual Conflict and Tragedy in “Doctor Zhivago” Thus, Yury Zhivago’s life is affected by the World War I, and the story of the doctor’s love with an unlucky woman Lara develops on the background of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.
• Siddhartha Gautama’s Biography and Spiritual Journey The teachings did not contain the experience of the Buddha and that he was the only one who knew what had happened to him.
• Ghazali on the Principles of Islamic Spirituality Another interesting part of these readings is the one that addresses the evils of speech. This is probably why it is so hard to escape evils of the tongue.
• Tourist Program: Sustainable Development of the Spiritual Model for Tirupati, the Religious Center of India Program Partnerships and the Potential for Tourism Growth and Success The core of the project is based on the principles and aspects described in the World Heritage Tourism Program that strives to take actions in […]
• Spirituality as a factor of well lived life The most basic needs were at the bottom of the pyramid which was of a physiological nature, fundamental to the survival of the human body.
• Spiritual Diversity in the Christian Religion They comprised of The Gospel of Truth, The Gospel of Thomas, and The Gospel of The Egyptian among others. A campaign against these amisleading’ religious beliefs was started and it was not until the time […]
• The Effects of Literary, Spiritual and Scientific Concerns on Bodegones and Still Life Paintings during the Spanish Golden Age The virgin is contained in an eggshell and the finger of the creator is seen to pierce through the egg touching on the virgin The finger of God theme, which still circulates the modern world, […]
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou: Three Stages of Spiritual Revival The events described in the novel are sometimes so shocking that seem almost unbelievable; having got familiarized with the life story of the protagonist Maya, a reader sees that having faced numerous troubles and challenges, […]
• Spirituality and Psychotherapy Moore’s book is to a larger extent similar to the other pre-readings in that all of them are dealing with an aspect of spirituality and the mind.
• Adolescent Spirituality: Lectio Divina, Meditatio, Oratio, and Contemplatio After practicing sacred reading, as one of possible spiritual disciplines, I get a chance to comprehend deeper the essence of my life, the role of God, and ministry, improve my self-awareness, and become closer to […]
• How Does Spirituality Have an Influence on Childhood Cancer Care?
• What Is the Central Belief of Spirituality?
• What Are the Main Spirituality Practices?
• How Does Consumerism Affect Religion and Spirituality?
• What Is God in Spirituality?
• What Does the Bible Say about Spirituality?
• What Is a Spiritual Mind?
• What Are the Benefits of Spirituality?
• What Are the Characteristics of a Spiritual Person?
• What Are Spiritual Powers?
• Does Spirituality Reduce the Impact of Somatic Symptoms on Distress in Cancer Patients?
• How Can Spirituality Improve Physical Health?
• What Are the Facets of Human Spirituality?
• How Does Seminary Education Form Spirituality?
• Do Psychologists Believe In Spirituality?
• How Does Spirituality Affect Our Lives?
• What Are Spirituality, Religion, and the Supernatural?
• How Society Compensates for Spirituality?
• What Are the Types of Spirituality?
• What Is an Example of Spirituality?
• What Is the Study of Spirituality Called?
• How Do Architecture, Art, Science, and Spirituality Relate to Each Other?
• What Is Spirituality, and Why Is It Important?
• Where Do Science and Spirituality Meet?
• How Are Spirituality, Religion, and the Supernatural Alike and Also Different?
• Is Spirituality a Religion?
• Can Science and Spirituality Go Hand in Hand?
• How Would You Describe Spirituality?
• How Do Spirituality and Science Complement Each Other?
• Can Spirituality Exist Without Divinity?
• Hope Research Topics
• Meaning of Life Essay Ideas
• Hinduism Topics
• Bible Questions
• Christianity Topics
• Buddhism Topics
• Charity Ideas
• Psychotherapy Paper Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Evaluate your spiritual life with these basic questions

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The only way we can progress in the spiritual life is by making an honest evaluation of it. Often one of the biggest obstacles to spiritual progress is our own pride. We fail to grow in holiness because we do not see any room for improvement.

We need to remind ourselves that Jesus Christ was the only one who was perfect, and all of us pale in comparison to him.

His example should spur us on to strive for greatness and not be satisfied with our imperfections.

One way to move forward in the spiritual life is to evaluate it. This requires blocking off a decent amount of time to look over your life and see what specific areas need improvement.

St. Francis de Sales, in his Introduction to the Devout Life , offers us a set of questions that we should ask ourselves when doing such an evaluation. These are meant to be springboards for further reflection, allowing us to look at ourselves in the proper light and then make concrete resolutions to improve our relationship with God.

1. What is the aspect of your heart with respect to mortal sin? Are you firmly resolved never to commit it, let come what may? And have you kept that resolution from the time you first made it? Therein lies the foundation of the spiritual life. 2. What is your position with respect to the Commandments of God? Are they acceptable, light and easy to you?  3. How do you stand as regards venial sins? No one can help committing some such occasionally; but are there none to which you have any special tendency , or worse still, any actual liking and clinging ? 4. With respect to spiritual exercises — do you like and value them? or do they weary and vex you? To which do you feel most or least disposed, hearing or reading God’s Word, meditating upon it, calling upon God, Confession, preparing for Communion and communicating, controlling your inclinations, etc.? What of all these is most repugnant to you? And if you find that your heart is not disposed to any of these things, examine into the cause, find out whence the disinclination comes. 5. With respect to God Himself — does your heart delight in thinking of God, does it crave after the sweetness thereof? Do you feel a certain readiness to love Him, and a definite inclination to enjoy His Love? Do you take pleasure in dwelling upon the Immensity, the Goodness, the Tenderness of God? When you are immersed in the occupations and vanities of this world, does the thought of God come across you as a welcome thing? Do you accept it gladly, and yield yourself up to it, and your heart turn with a sort of yearning to Him?  6. As to actions — have you God’s visible glory at heart, and do you delight in doing whatever you can to honor Him ? Those who love God will love to adorn and beautify His House. Are you conscious of having ever given up anything you liked, or of renouncing anything for God’s Sake? What have you ever given up for the Love of God?

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Science of Spirituality (+16 Ways to Become More Spiritual)

When war hits, people pray for and depend on one another.

When terror tries to steal life from us, we stand in solidarity and hope for the goodness of humanity.

Science is a very valuable part of humanity. However, it hasn’t yet explained it all. Stepping fully into a meaningful life requires a shift in the way we show up for ourselves and others.

Building the science of spirituality into a practice takes intention and effort. The benefits are far reaching, even if perfect scientific experimentation is somewhat elusive.

Read on to see how science and spirituality mix into what makes life meaningful and beautiful.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Mindfulness Exercises for free . These science-based, comprehensive exercises will not only help you cultivate a sense of inner peace throughout your daily life, but will also give you the tools to enhance the mindfulness of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

Defining spirituality, relationship between spirituality and science, science vs. spirituality: skeptical take.

• 6 Empirically Proven Benefits of Spirituality (Stress Reduction Segment)

Starting Your Own Practice

5 tips for your business, 5 books on the topic, a take-home message.

Spirituality can be defined broadly as a sense of connection to something higher than ourselves. Many people search for meaning in their lives. The sense of transcendence experienced in spirituality is a universal experience. Some find it in monotheistic religion, while others find it in meditation.

While the understanding of spirituality differs across religions and belief systems, it can be described by finding meaning and purpose in life. Religion and spirituality are not understood in the same way, though they often overlap. Spirituality describes a much broader understanding of an individual’s connection with the transcendent aspects of life.

Seeking a meaningful connection with something bigger than yourself can result in increased positive emotions. Transcendent moments are filled with peace, awe, and contentment. Emotional and spiritual wellbeing overlap, like most aspects of wellbeing.

Self-transcendent emotions are linked to increased spirituality (Saroglou, Buxant, & Tilquin, 2008). It is hypothesized that spirituality is related to the broaden and build theory  (Fredrickson, 1998, 2001). Though not all positive emotions stimulate a self-transcendent state, some increase with practices in spirituality.

Scientifically tracking emotions can be like searching for meaning in the shapes we see in the clouds. While the experience of emotions varies from person to person, the experience of transcendent emotions can be seen as more universal and is connected to spirituality.

Self-transcendent emotions connect us all through prosocial behavior (Stellar et al., 2017). Emotions like gratitude , compassion, and awe connect us all through their prosocial capacity. Transcendent emotions promote behaviors that connect human beings and stabilize prosocial connection (Haidt, 2003).

Self-transcendent emotions include:

• Appreciation
• Inspiration

These emotions have a particular capability of bonding individuals together. They are linked with higher levels of spirituality. As self-transcendent emotions are focused on others, more meaningful, purpose-filled interactions are possible.

Many positive psychology interventions are grounded in ancient religious and spiritual teachings, which are not typically included in treatment for psychopathology. There are empirically validated interventions for the following four virtues: hope, gratitude, forgiveness, and self-compassion (Rye, Wade, Fleri, & Kidwell, 2013).

By exploring the psychological theory behind these four virtues, science and spirituality can collectively serve more people.

The psychology of hope began in the 1950s. The explanation of hope was, at that time, focused on goal attainment. In positive psychology, it has expanded to explain the process of goal attainment better.

The theory includes both pathways to goal attainment and agency. Hopeful thought reflects the belief that one can find pathways to desired goals and become motivated to use those pathways (Snyder et al., 1991). Hope, by this definition, drives the emotions and wellbeing of human beings.

Depending on one’s world view, hope interventions can help find pathways to connect with the divine and improve one’s wellbeing. It will differ by religion and one’s understanding of the role of the divine in the agency of hope. Interventions that respect the individual’s worldview will clearly be more accepted and helpful.

The psychology of gratitude is conceptualized as a higher emotion connected to morality. Gratitude has been described in science as a prosocial moral emotion that is useful for two key reasons:

a) It functions as a moral barometer because it indicates when an interpersonal interaction is perceived as beneficial.

b) It reminds us that our power is limited (McCullough & Tsang, 2004).

The benefits of the practice of gratitude are far reaching, regardless of religious ideation.

The psychology of forgiveness has various definitions. The broadest definition is an adaptive human instinct activated in certain social situations (McCullough, 2008). By this definition, forgiveness does not require a future relationship with someone who has wronged you. It frees you instead of the instinct for vengeance.

The psychology of self-compassion has been empirically backed through the work of Kristin Neff. Self-compassion is conceptualized in three components (Neff, 2003):

• Expressing kindness toward oneself and viewing one’s shortcomings with a nonjudgmental attitude
• Connecting one’s experience of suffering with that of the collective human experience
• Become mindful of suffering without becoming attached or making it a part of one’s identity

These four virtues of hope, gratitude, forgiveness, and self-compassion are found in all areas of religion in various ways. Spirituality and science overlap in foundational ways to allow for the human experience to bond us in a collective experience. Interventions that value the unique worldview of each individual will be more impactful, as they allow for individual belief systems to be enhanced by science.

Spirituality is universally connective in the realization that suffering is a part of human existence. Science and tough-minded folks often try to downplay the role that innate spiritual practice has on wellbeing.

Even well-meaning psychologists may have a negativity bias toward interventions offered in positive psychology (Sheldon & King, 2001). With a traditional focus on diagnosis and pathology treatment, less attention is spent on psychological health. Opening minds to interventions that encompass spirituality might help aid the individual in treatment.

There have been over 300 studies seeking to understand the relationship between spirituality and health (Thoresen, 1999). Yet, there remain many who question the validity of the impact spirituality can have on wellbeing. Many practitioners in the hard sciences have a healthy skepticism toward data and hypotheses that are correlational rather than causal (Feinstein, 1988).

One might say to the skeptics, though, “ what will it hurt? ” Discussing an individual’s spirituality in treatment could be a spark that they need to ignite their hope and motivation toward personal goals. A descriptive, rather than prescriptive, understanding of spirituality may do more good than harm, especially when action is later self-motivated.

6 Empirically Proven Benefits of Spirituality

Theorists as early as William James have hypothesized that an individual’s spiritual practices can influence physiological as well as psychological wellbeing.

With so many links to immune system boosts and higher survival rates in heart surgery survivors, it is important to have a look at the proven benefits of spirituality.

Though the causality of spiritual influence in physiological wellbeing is more challenging to prove, there is ample evidence to highlight the benefits one might experience by having a spiritual practice.

Most studies are correlational. However, most are also empirically proven across religions. Most people would agree that they don’t need experiential evidence to intuit that spirituality will help them have higher rates of overall wellbeing and life satisfaction.

A meta-analysis of over 40 independent samples reported that religious involvement is significantly and positively associated with longevity (McCullough, Hoyt, Larson, Koenig, & Thoresen, 2000). People live longer, have more satisfying, meaningful lives, and have lower rates of depressive states.

Though more studies need to be done to explore the mechanisms by which spirituality improves wellbeing, the studies that already exist indicate they’re at the very least related.

A study on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction showed improvement in overall life satisfaction and physical and mental health (Greeson et al., 2011).

Through participation in a meditation program, increases in spirituality lowered instances of depression. By becoming more mindful, a correlation with Gestalt psychology was noted, as a basis for reducing depressive thoughts in real time.

Several studies have shown an increase in job satisfaction with an increase in spirituality in the workplace (Akbari & Hossaini, 2018). The studies conclude that by building interconnective experiences into a workplace, people will be more productive and have greater satisfaction in their work.

Pharmaceuticals have not had great success in eliminating a problem if rising levels of depression. A specific form of prayer that is said to have a healing effect on depressive symptoms is meditative/centering prayer (Johnson, 2018).

The Mindful Way Through Depression – Dr. Zindel Segal

Lowering blood pressure and hypertensive levels has been shown as a benefit of spirituality. A study on the effects of Transactional Psychophysiological Therapy showed a significant impact on patients who participated (Thomas, 1989). With proper training, nurses can help patients lower their blood pressure by finding “inner peace.”

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Spirituality and Stress Reduction – Dr. Emma Seppala

Dr. Emma Seppala, the science director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism and author of “ The Happiness Track ” (2017), explains the mechanisms that can lead to these outcomes.

According to Dr. Seppala’s research, spiritual people engage in practices known to reduce levels of stress. For example, spiritual people are more likely to:

• Volunteer or donate to the poor. Regular community service can serve as a buffer against the effects of stress, thus leading to longer lives.
• Meditate to cope with stress. Forty-two percent (42%) of spiritual people meditate when stressed rather than overeat or indulge in unhealthy coping behaviors. Meditation has all kinds of benefits, from improved health, happiness, and focus to decreased pain and depression.
• Live with a  built-in community . After food and shelter, social connection is the top predictor of health, authentic happiness, and longevity. Religious people are more likely to spend time with family and feel a strong sense of belonging to a community of like-minded people.
• Turn to prayer. Research suggests prayer helps people find comfort by assisting them to deal with difficult emotions, encourages forgiveness, and leads to healthier relationships.

Of course, these findings could also indicate a placebo effect. We tend to feel better when we believe something will make us feel better.

Even if they are placebo effects, can it hurt to go to a yoga class, volunteer at a homeless shelter, or attend a silent retreat? The benefits may be worthwhile.

Higher levels of psychological resilience, positive emotions, and improved immune response have all been linked with spirituality. Spirituality is not a simple subject for experimental study. However, knowing that there is such a high correlation with physical and psychological wellbeing, most practitioners would agree that improvement in how care providers include spirituality in practice is warranted.

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Most human beings are looking for meaning in their lives . Forming connections in troubling times eases stress and depressive symptoms, and increases immune response.

Here is a rough guideline on how to begin:

• Start small and make new habits easy . There is no need to fully adopt a set of beliefs overnight. Becoming more spiritual can be as simple as staying silent for 5–10 minutes a day in a quiet, soothing environment .
• Commit . Love yourself enough to attempt to find moments of transcendent emotions daily. Through increasing hope, kindness, self-compassion, gratitude, and awe, anyone can start being more spiritual right away. All it takes is one decision to change perspective.
• Practice. Finding moments of transcendence to replace moments of frustration will not happen by waving a magic wand. Human beings must practice mindful attention to their thoughts, emotions, and behavior to find experiences in spirituality.
• Study. Explore others’ experiences of spirituality, whether through religion or personal journeys. Find something that you find relatable. Ask questions and get curious about people who have cultivated this beautiful way of being in the world.
• Develop an optimistic explanatory style . While getting curious and beginning to ask more questions, slowing down how you speak and exploring strong personally held beliefs can open your mind to more possibilities.
• Choose love and respect . With every interaction, lead with a loving and kind way of being. Even when dealing with awkward interactions, staying calm and in a loving mindset can deescalate the situation. Can you imagine the Dalai Lama yelling at someone? He interacts with skeptics and highly intelligent people who might seek to threaten his way of being in the world, yet he shows up every single time with love. He respects his interactions as opportunities to learn from alternative perspectives.

What is the point of spirituality – The School of Life

Develop a space where spirituality is accepted. While there will always be differences in how people connect with their personal spirituality, having an open space for it to show up is an important place to start. Allowing for inclusion is a vital part of any business to begin to include spirituality.

Include gratitude. Businesses that have this attitude infused into their daily work typically thrive. Infusing gratitude in every interaction is a massive shift. For instance, when a difficult conversation is happening, thanking someone for their perspective is a grounding space for all parties.

Weave a mindset of integrity and service into every aspect of your business. The more an “others-focused” approach can be intertwined in business, the better employees and customers will receive the business. Decide how employees are expected to show up and who it is you’re serving with absolute integrity and honesty.

Include compassion in how your business gives back to the world. The most impactful businesses are those with a genuine contribution that they make to humanity. Imagine if marketing focused entirely on who needed a product or service as an act of compassion.

People who are inspired by the work they’re doing are more spiritually connected to the work they’re doing. Cultivate opportunities for your employees to connect with the higher meaning of the work you do. Hold space for each employee to find the value in the work they do and the effect it has on the world.

Top 17 Exercises for Mindfulness & Meditation

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The selection of books below are thought-provoking and offers an interesting blend of old and new.

1. The Science of Spirituality: Integrating Science, Psychology, Philosophy, Spirituality & Religion – Lee Bladon

It covers a wide array of topics linked to spirituality and what traditional science might have the tendency to overlook.

Available from Amazon .

2. Handbook of Hope: Theory, Measures, and Applications – C. Richard Snyder

This work offers not only the basis of psychological inquiry into hope, but also measures and applications for practitioners.

3. The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom – Jonathan Haidt

Woven together in this wonderful work is what each of us can connect with to bring about a more meaningful life.

4. The Road Less Traveled, Timeless Edition: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth – M. Scott Peck

This work brilliantly wove psychology and spirituality into a guidebook for a meaningful life.

Dr. Peck tirelessly worked his whole life to improve community and wellbeing.

5. The Positive Psychology of Meaning and Spirituality: Selected Papers from Meaning Conferences – Paul T. P. Wong, Lilian C. J. Wong, and Marvin J. McDonald

The editors have covered a variety of topics to help understand meaning, purpose, and our way through the suffering that comes with being human.

The world is often in a state of tremendous suffering. Globally, humans are desperate to make sense of tragedy and psychological pain. From this vantage point, the only way through it is with spirituality.

The need to grow our understanding of the meaning of life, the purpose we have within it, and the love that we share for humanity is eternal. Stepping fully into what matters for humans will aid us in survival and into lives that are flourishing.

With appreciation, love, self-compassion, gratitude, and kindness, we might have a chance to shift into a state of improved wellbeing. Be responsible with your thoughts. Be responsible with your emotions. Be responsible in the way you treat others.

Be well, and love the ones you can.

Thank you for reading.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Mindfulness Exercises for free .

• Akbari, M., & Hossaini, S. M. (2018). The relationship of spiritual health with quality of life, mental health, and burnout: The mediating role of emotional regulation. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 12 (1), 22–31.
• Bladon, L. (2007).  The science of spirituality: Integrating science, psychology, philosophy, spirituality & religion.  Lulu.com.
• Feinstein, A. (1988). Scientific standards in epidemiologic studies of the menace of daily life. Science, 242 (4883), 1257–1263.
• Fredrickson, B. L. (1998). What good are positive emotions? Review of General Psychology, 2 , 300–319.
• Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56 , 218–226.
• Greeson, J. M., Webber, D. M., Smoski, M. J., Brantley, J. G., Ekblad, A. G., Suarez, E. D., & Wolever, R. Q. (2011). Changes in spirituality partly explain health-related quality of life outcomes after Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Journal of Behavioral Medicine , 34 (6), 508–518 .
• Haidt, J. (2003). The moral emotions. Handbook of Affective Sciences, 11 , 852–870.
• Haidt, J. (2005).  The happiness hypothesis: Finding modern truth in ancient wisdom . Basic Books.
• Johnson, K. A. (2018). Prayer: A helpful aid in recovery from depression. Journal of Religion and Health , 57 , 2290–2230.
• McCullough, M. E., Hoyt, W. T., Larson, D. B., Koenig, H. G., & Thoresen, C. (2000). Religious involvement and mortality: A meta-analytic review. Health Psychology , 19 (3), 211–222.
• McCullough, M. E. (2008). Beyond revenge: The evolution of the forgiveness instinct. Jossey- Bass.
• McCullough, M. E., & Tsang, J. A. (2004). Parent of the virtues? The prosocial contours of gratitude. In R. A. Emmons & M. E. McCullough (Eds.), The psychology of gratitude (pp. 123–141). Oxford University Press.
• Neff, K. D. (2008). Self-compassion: Moving beyond the pitfalls of a separate self-concept. In H. A. Wayment & J. J. Bauer (Eds.), Transcending self-interest: Psychological explorations of the quiet ego (pp. 95–105). American Psychological Association.
• Peck, M. S. (2003).  The road less traveled: A new psychology of love, traditional values and spiritual growth (Anniversary ed.). Touchstone.
• Rye, M. S., Wade, N. G., Fleri, A. M., & Kidwell, J. E. M. (2013). The role of religion and spirituality in positive psychology interventions. In K. I. Pargament, A. Mahoney, & E. P. Shafranske (Eds.), APA handbooks in psychology. APA handbook of psychology, religion, and spirituality (vol. 2): An applied psychology of religion and spirituality (pp. 481–508). American Psychological Association
• Saroglou, V., Buxant, C., & Tilquin, J. (2008). Positive emotions as leading to religion and spirituality. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 3 (3), 165–173.
• Seppala, E. (2017).  The happiness track: How to apply the science of happiness to accelerate your success.  HarperOne.
• Snyder, C. R. (2000).  Handbook of hope: Theory, measures, and applications.  Academic Press.
• Snyder, C. R., Harris, C., Anderson, J. R., Holleran, S. A., Irving, L. M., Sigmon, S. T., … Harney, P. (1991). The will and the ways: Development and validation of an individual-differences measure of hope. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 570–585.
• Sheldon, K. M., & King, L. (2001). Why positive psychology is necessary. American Psychologist, 56 (3), 216–217.
• Stellar, J. E., Gordon, A. M., Piff, P. K., Cordaro, D., Anderson, C. L., Bai, Y., … Keltner, D. (2017). Self-transcendent emotions and their social functions: Compassion, gratitude, and awe bind us to others through prosociality. Emotion Review, 9 (3), 200–207.
• Thomas, S. A. (1989). Spirituality. Holistic Nursing Practice, 3 (3), 47–55.
• Thoresen, C. E. (1999). Spirituality and health: Is there a relationship? Journal of Health Psychology, 4 (3), 291–300.
• Wong, P. T. P., Wong, L. C. J., & McDonald, M. J. (Eds.) (2012). The positive psychology of meaning and spirituality: Selected papers from meaning conferences . Purpose Research.

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Home Equipping Leaders Older Adults Tell Me Your Story: How to Write Your Spiritual Memoir

October 02, 2015

October 2015

Tell Me Your Story: How to Write Your Spiritual Memoir

In the years since my parents’ passing, I have found myself saying, “I wish I had asked Dad or Mom about something when they were still living.” This wish applies doubly when it comes to asking them questions about their faith, since they were the original source of my understanding of God. Though they shared openly their own beliefs and stories about how they came to faith, unfortunately, I never recorded any of it. Neither did they leave behind their own record of faith. Because I have come to realize just how much my own faith journey was influenced by my parents’ relationship with God, I have learned how important it is to write – and periodically update – my own spiritual autobiography. I know the gift that a spiritual memoir can be to love ones left behind. But even more so, I am aware of the gift that spiritual memoirs or autobiographies can be to those who write them. They can help their authors better appreciate their own lives and comprehend God’s presence throughout their lifetimes.

Spiritual autobiographies can be a wonderful ministry tool with baby boomers and older adults who are thinking about their legacy and purpose in life. For many people, the idea of writing their life story is a daunting and overwhelming task. Left to their own devices, older adults may not know how and where to begin to record or keep their stories going. There are several common methods and systems available for recording a spiritual autobiography. Older-adult leaders should pick one method they trust and then experiment with this method themselves before handing it off to those they serve. Chances are, if a leader finds the method too time consuming, it will be too time consuming for the average older adult. Or if a leader finds the method is incomplete or confusing, then it will seem incomplete and confusing to the older adults.

One of the more common methods of spiritual autobiography is the question and answer method, which has proven questions that are designed to reveal patterns and common themes in a person’s life. The responses to the question form the core of a narrative which becomes the autobiography. When this method is followed, the writer only needs to link the answers together to form a spiritual autobiography.

A second common methodology begins with having the writer list the major events from his or her life and reflect on the events with the idea of looking for a common theme or unifying principle to tie the events together. This methodology becomes a guided tour of life, so the writer is able to see the moments of life that changed, challenged, and contributed to the faith journey.

Perhaps less known, but equally effective, is the methodology that begins with the desired result and reverse engineers it by working backward from the greatest faith insights one has learned in growing more like Christ.

Churches can use a variety of formats in helping older adults write their spiritual memoirs. Traditional instruction methods such as classes, workshops, and seminars in autobiography writing are common. Individual interviews by trained writers on a one-on-one basis, is another effective approach. However, this method can be expensive if the church decides to purchase a commercially available spiritual autobiography service. A creative approach for smaller, less affluent churches might be to train volunteers to conduct interviews and write the autobiographies for the older adults. This also works well as a group activity. Older adult members could be assigned to interview one another and serve as writing partners who work together on each other’s memoirs. Churches could use an intergenerational approach and ask children and youth in the church to record interviews with the older adults. One church asked older adults to bring their photograph albums and collections of pictures, slides, and images to church. Then they were to describe to the youth and youth leaders what was happening when the picture was taken. A great season to collect these interviews is during Advent and Lent. During Advent, older adults can reflect upon memorable Christmases. During Lent, they can be asked to reflect on their views about heaven and death and dying. This can be a helpful way to work with seniors in death preparation. Another intergenerational approach is to interview the adult children of older adults and their older-adult parents, asking them to answer the same series of questions about faith. The Office on Aging and Older-Adult Ministry has several sets of starter questions available for completing this task.

Whatever the method chosen to help older adults write their autobiographies, it is a great form of older-adult ministry. Helping older adults write their faith narratives can be a valuable gift for their loved ones and themselves. In writing their spiritual memoirs, older adults can see how sustaining their faith has been. They will grow in appreciation for who God created them to become in life as they share their stories with loved ones.

Below is a list of resources for help in writing spiritual autobiographies.

Spiritual Autobiography Resources

Books (in order of recommendation)

• Remembering Your Story , by Dr. Richard Morgan, Upper Room Books, (2002)
• Writing Life Stories: How to Make Memories into Memoirs, Ideas into Essays and Life Into Literature , by Bill Roorbach, Writer’s Digest Books (2008).
• Writing Your Life, 4E: A Guide to Writing Autobiographies , by Mary Borg, Prufrock Press, (2013).
• The Story of Your Life: Writing a Spiritual Autobiography , by Dan Wakefield, Beacon Press, (1990).
• Voices of Aging , by Missy Buchanan, Upper Room Books (2015).
• Life bio – Biography writing service geared toward older adults
• University of California Berkley, Online Course in Spiritual Autobiographies
• Healing Memoir and Spiritual Autobiography with Linda Joy Myers
• Guided Autobiography Service

Please also see “ So You Want to Write Your Story: Do’s and Don’ts for Older Adults Writing their Spiritual Memoirs”

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The role of faith in spiritual growth.

• God is Faithful , Faith , Identity in Christ , God is Good , Starting with God

Everyone knows that faith plays a significant role in our spiritual growth , but practically speaking it either occupies too much or too little of our understanding. If our conception of spiritual growth is nothing more than self-effort, we will not experience life transformation.

But if every spiritual pothole is paved with “just trust God,” we will also miss out on true spiritual growth. This is not to detract from the centrality of faith in becoming more like Christ, only to understand its role, so we can better coach those whom we disciple.

In the Christian life there are certain truths that are either so formative, or so fragile, that your disciple may require special assistance in learning to hold them in the shopping cart of faith. As mature Christian we are used to toting these truths around like a handbag (such as the security of our salvation), but young Christians need to develop the spiritual muscles that we take for granted.

What follows is a partial list of these foundational truths that require the exertion of faith, and may require your assistance. It is in these areas that the need for faith is most acute and where the lack of it will have the greatest ramifications.

Faith and Forgiveness

Few of the great battles in life are ever won overnight, so it is safe to assume that your disciples will see many spiritual failures before they finally see the flag raised, hear the national anthem, take their place on the winner’s platform and the world is joined together under the Nike swoosh. It might be a small failure or a stunningly gross one, but in either case they will desperately need to experience God’s forgiveness.

The problem with many sins is that even after we’ve confessed them, it is difficult to feel cleansed, to not berate ourselves, and not suspect that God’s still fuming over the incident. When we sin we instinctively feel someone must pay a price. No one gets off easy. What we need to decide is who is going to pay. Your disciple will therefore move in one of the following directions:

• ALTERNATIVE #1 “I am pig swill.” This is one of the terms I use when beating myself up for having fallen into the same trap of sin, yet again. I’ve not copyrighted the phrase so feel free to use it. In essence, I’m crucifying myself for the sin. Yes, what Jesus did was nice, but I’m going to cover the tab—check, please. Someone must pay and rightfully it should be me, so I pound myself for my stupidity.
• ALTERATIVE #2 “You, you made me sin.” That “you” could be a person, Satan, or even God, but either way someone needs to take the fall for the sin I’ve just committed, and I’ll be darned if it’s going to be me.
• ALTERNATIVE #3 “Now that you mention it, I’m not sure that really was a sin.” Recognize that phrase? It’s called justification. As the word implies, we decide to make a judgment over and against our conscience, declaring that what we did was actually right, or at least not that wrong. Why go to the effort? Because someone must pay for sin, unless of course there is no sin and that’s what we’re shooting for in this approach: to eliminate the offense.
• ALTERNATIVE #4 “I couldn’t help myself, it’s just my personality.” Let’s call this rationalizing, which is equivalent to the courtroom plea of insanity. What I’m saying is, “Yes, it was sin, but I didn’t have the moral capacity to say ‘no.’” My personality was such, and circumstances were such, that I could do no other than what I did. The effectiveness of this strategy lies in how good you are at convincing yourself that it’s really not your fault. I’m pretty gullible, so I usually believe me.

Of course what makes this all unnecessary is that someone has already paid the price, Christ. What is needed is confession. The problem is that we can confess our sins while failing to employ faith. Faith involves a choice of the will to believe that God has forgiven us through Christ’s death, while turning a deaf ear to doubts. We reckon that God is more merciful than we can imagine and believe that through Christ’s death we are completely forgiven, and “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

We often ask our disciples to scribble out their sins on a piece of paper, and have them write the verse 1 John 1:9 across the list, and tear up the list. I see no expiration date on this exercise. It is effective because it develops the faith component of confession: a visual aid to under gird a young and underdeveloped faith muscle. It might be useful to walk your disciples through the different responses listed above to help them see where in the process of confession, they are failing to exercise faith. You must teach them confession but you must also teach them that confession involves faith.

Faith That God Can Make You Holy

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Most of the great heroes of the Bible share two things in common: they all wore sandals, and they were all required to persevere in their faith, though final victory was often years in the future. We, too—no matter how many setbacks we encounter—must never waiver in our belief that God can make us holy, and, if we persevere, will ultimately lead us in triumph.

Every disciple is willing to trust God for victory over sin at least once. The problem is when the war turns into Vietnam, with infrequent victories, heavy losses, and no foreseeable exit strategy. It is at this juncture that they need to know that faith is a long-term struggle and holiness a lifelong battle. Point to the many battles of faith in scripture fought and won over years, and not days. Show them how the Promised Land was taken one battle at a time.

When victory is elusive they will need someone to help make sense of it and prepare them for the long war. Without a proper perspective, they may resolve the conflict with a ceasefire, and an acceptance of behavior far from godliness. Help them persevere in the battle believing God will, in time, bring victory.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Here is another truth into which faith must sink its teeth: we must choose to believe that our temptations and struggles are not unique and therefore never insurmountable, unfixable, or unforgivable. It is a lie to believe that any temptation is irresistible, or that we are unique in any of our struggles.

God always provides what we need to remain holy, even if it’s simply an escape hatch. Every disciple is tempted to believe that in some area of their lives, they deviate from the norm. Satan desires for us to feel alone. You might ask your disciples if they have ever felt this way or in what area they tend to think of themselves as having unique trials or temptations. Forfeit faith in this area and you’ve dangerously increased the power of sin.

Faith That All Things Work For the Good

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

The next battle of faith is for all those who have experienced damage in their lives, or within themselves, due to sin. God can take any manure and from it grow a garden, as you participate in this promise by faith. While it may be impossible to imagine how God can bring good out of our train wreck of past and present failures, this is hardly a limiting factor. For God can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).

There is no limit to God’s capacity to redeem evil. Everything in our past can be taken and used for good. Every failure (like Peter’s failures) can be transformed by God’s mercy. Every weakness (like Paul’s weaknesses) can be a vehicle for God to demonstrate His strength. Though we must persevere in faith, and sometimes for years, the equation will always add up: crap + God = life. And faith is the means by which God enters the equation.

Through the examples of biblical characters such as Peter and Paul, and through examples from your own life, you must help your disciples strap on the shield of faith against the lie that anything in their lives is unredeemable, gratuitous, or random.

Faith in Our Reward

Now, there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).

Some years ago I was in China and like any tourist I visited the Great Wall. Along the bottom of the wall, a worker of this communist country was picking up trash. I clocked him at one piece of trash a minute, which at that rate would have taken him longer to clear the grounds than it took to build the Great Wall.

Where we visited included a maze of concession stands, tons of them—Great Concession stands. Someone told me that those who operated the stands employed principles of the free market, meaning that the more they sold and the more they charged for what they sold, the more they profited. One of the women at the booths actually grabbed my coat and dragged me to her counter. It would be an understatement to say that it was a motivated workforce.

The difference between these two workers was a chasm. Let’s call it the Great Chasm. One worked like a sluggard because he knew that he would always make the same amount no matter what he did (communism). The other worker knew that her effort would be rewarded (the free market).

The doctrine of eternal security (that we can never lose our salvation) was never meant to negate the teaching of rewards. In many places in the Bible, God makes it clear that our obedience and faithfulness will be rewarded. We are called to exercise faith in future rewards, choosing to believe that our actions or inaction will be compensated. When our minds move down the trail of “what difference will this really make?” the response of faith is—a lot. We are not told what these rewards will be, but simply given the assurance that it will be worth our while.

Teaching our disciples to maintain an eternal perspective, or to live for eternity, can cultivate their faith toward this truth, provided that our definition of what is eternal encompasses far more than evangelism, for Jesus states that even a cup of water given in his name will not fail to be rewarded.

Faith in God's Goodness

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

If you go back to the Garden of Eden (which is probably now a parking lot in downtown Baghdad), you will notice that the first sin was a distrust of God’s goodness. Adam and Eve became convinced that God was holding out on them. Eating from the tree was in their best interests. The foundation of most sin is a lack of faith in God’s goodness, and disbelief that His plans for us are really best.

When things are going wrong, we justify our sin with self-pity. We find ourselves thinking, “Well, I’m going to do this because God isn’t taking care of me anyway, and rather than helping, He’s allowing my life to disintegrate.” Such reasoning is designed by our scheming mind to bring us to a sense of entitlement to sin.

More innocuously, many of us fall prey to pessimism and distrust that what lies in wait over the time horizon is anything but good, often brought on by a nagging suspicion that God never did forget our sin, and payday is right around the bend.

We must fight the battle to deny or disbelieve God’s goodness, with faith, never giving an inch. Everything God does in our lives is motivated by love, and any minor deconstruction of that truth is a lie that can have serious ramifications.

In helping your disciples with this struggle, you might ask some questions to discover if their mind has a proclivity to move down this path. You might also share in what ways you tend to doubt the goodness of God. Intimacy with Christ is the best answer to any and all doubts of His goodness. When we feel close to Christ, we sense that He is on our side, and when we feel distant, we come to suspect that He is not.

Memorizing scripture is great, but passages of scripture are animated by our intimacy with Christ.

Identity: Identity Theft

“I got me some of them mud flaps with the naked ladies on them. Ohhh mamacita.”

In a series of ads for Citibank’s identity theft program, the viewer sits and listens to the thief who, having stolen the person’s credit card number, recounts their various bizarre purchases and exploits. What makes the ads humorous as well as memorable is the thief’s story is told (lip-synced) through the identity theft victim, sitting forlornly mouthing the words.

In some way we are all victims of identity theft. Having trusted Christ, we are heirs with Christ of all that is in Him. Most of us never fully grasp what God’s Word says is true of us in Christ, or worse, we simply don’t think about it. We are children of God, chosen before time to be in the family of God, yet these concepts don’t make it to the starting line-up of thoughts that propel us into the day.

In the movie "Cheaper by the Dozen," the youngest child is treated as the family outcast. The other kids call him “FedEx” because they suspect he was adopted and simply delivered to the family, not born into it. Over the course of time he begins to believe it, rumors become a lie, and the lie grows in power until he runs away from the family believing he has no place within it. There’s a message from an otherwise boring movie: our identity matters.

Our faith in our identity in Christ is absolutely foundational to our lives. Faith is fed by reading the Bible. “The Daily Affirmation of Faith” was written to provide a concise, clear statement of the truth of God’s Word as it applies to our victory in Christ (what is true of us in Him). Commend it to your disciples for daily reading particularly during times of deep trials and temptation when they are most prone to forget who they truly are, and believe things about themselves and God which are not true.

The Daily Affirmation of Faith

Today I deliberately choose to submit myself fully to God as He has made Himself known to me through the Holy Scripture, which I honestly accept as the only inspired, infallible, authoritative standard for all life and practice. In this day I will not judge God, His work, myself, or others on the basis of feelings or circumstances.

I recognize by faith that the triune God is worthy of all honor, praise, and worship as the Creator, Sustainer, and End of all things. I confess that God, as my Creator, made me for Himself. In this day, I therefore choose to live for Him. (Revelation 5:9-10; Isaiah 43:1,7,21; Revelation 4:11)

I recognize by faith that God loved me and chose me in Jesus Christ before time began (Ephesians 1:1-7).

I recognize by faith that God has proven His love to me in sending His Son to die in my place, in whom every provision has already been made for my past, present, and future needs through His representative work, and that I have been quickened, raised, seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenlies, and anointed with the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:6-11; 8:28; Philippians 1:6; 4:6,7,13,19; Ephesians 1:3; 2:5,6; Acts 2:1-4,33).

I recognize by faith that God has accepted me, since I have received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:6); that He has forgiven me (Ephesians 1:7); adopted me into His family, assuming every responsibility for me (John 17:11,17; Ephesians 1:5; Philippians 1:6); given me eternal life (John 3:36; 1 John 5:9-13); applied the perfect righteousness of Christ to me so that I am now justified (Romans 5:1; 8:3-4; 10:4); made me complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10); and offers Himself to me as my daily sufficiency through prayer and the decisions of faith (1 Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20; John 14:13-14; Matthew 21:22; Romans 6:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-3,11).

I recognize by faith that the Holy Spirit has baptized me into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13); sealed me (Ephesians 1:13-14); anointed me for life and service (Acts 1:8; John 7:37-39); seeks to lead me into a deeper walk with Jesus Christ (John 14:16-18; 15:26-27; 16:13-15; Romans 8:11-16); and to fill my life with Himself (Ephesians 5:18).

I recognize by faith that only God can deal with sin and only God can produce holiness of life. I confess that in my salvation my part was only to receive Him and that He dealt with my sin and saved me. Now I confess that in order to live a holy life, I can only surrender to His will and receive Him as my sanctification; trusting Him to do whatever may be necessary in my life, without and within, so I may be enabled to live today in purity, freedom, rest and power for His glory. (John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Galatians 2:20; Hebrew 4:9; 1 John 5:4; Jude 24).

Our Salvation

We’ll conclude with the most fundamental of truths, and ground zero for faith. All things build upon this.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

In describing our spiritual armor, Paul uses a helmet to illustrate the truth of our salvation: that which protects the mind, and protects us from a fatal blow. We make it a critical part of basic follow-up, because scripture affirms that it is. Let your disciples doubt that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Let them doubt that the Cubs will ever win a World Series. But, rehearse this with them until that helmet cannot be pried off their head.

How Faith Grows

Faith is like a muscle; it grows by lifting weights. Weights are the resistance—the doubts, mental whispers, and circumstances that tell us the opposite of what faith must believe.

When God seems absent and horrible circumstances swirl around us, everything seems to shout, “God isn’t here! And if He is, He certainly doesn’t care.” In those circumstances, faith curls the barbell toward the heart and says, “No, God is good. He is for me. He has a plan.” Thus, it is the circumstances adverse to our faith that become the vehicle for our growth—they are the weight on the barbell.

And so all disciples are periodically tossed into a boat and sent out into a raging storm, where God is conspicuous by his absence. We are not trying to rescue our disciples from the situations and circumstances that will cause faith to grow. Our role is to come alongside them, strengthen their feeble arms and help them to curl the heavy weights that will cause their faith to bulk-up. (I think I just described a steroid.)

God provides the weight (adverse circumstances and trials), but they must continue to lift the weight. We must spot them helping them push out more repetitions than they thought possible while making sure the barbell doesn’t pin them to the bench-press.

Alternatively, faith grows through new challenges and we serve our disciples well by calling them into circumstances where they will need to trust and rely on God. They take courageous steps, God shows Himself faithful, and their faith grows.

Through the stress and strain of faith development, the truths discussed in this article are the most common fracture points, and the places your disciples may most need your encouragement to wind their way up the hill of faith.

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We were all created with a desire to find meaning and happiness in life. But are we looking in the right places? Which journey for meaning and happiness will ultimately fulfill us?

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What Is Spirituality?

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Some may find that their spiritual life is intricately linked to their association with a church, temple, mosque, or synagogue. Others may pray or find comfort in a personal relationship with God or a higher power. Still others seek meaning through their connections to nature or art. Like your sense of purpose , your personal definition of spirituality may change throughout your life, adapting to your own experiences and relationships .

Spiritual questions

Explore life purpose For many, spirituality is connected to large questions about life and identity, such as:

• Am I a good person?
• What is the meaning of my suffering?
• What is my connection to the world around me?
• Do things happen for a reason?
• How can I live my life in the best way possible?

Experts’ definitions of spirituality

• Christina Puchalski, MD, Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, contends that "spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred."
• According to Mario Beauregard and Denyse O’Leary, researchers and authors of The Spiritual Brain , “spirituality means any experience that is thought to bring the experiencer into contact with the divine (in other words, not just any experience that feels meaningful).”
• Nurses Ruth Beckmann Murray and Judith Proctor Zenter write that “the spiritual dimension tries to be in harmony with the universe, and strives for answers about the infinite, and comes into focus when the person faces emotional stress, physical illness, or death.”

Relationship between religion and spirituality

While spirituality may incorporate elements of religion, it is generally a broader concept. Religion and spirituality are not the same thing, nor are they entirely distinct from one another. The best way to understand this is to think of two overlapping circles like this:

• In spirituality, the questions are: where do I personally find meaning, connection, and value?
• In religion, the questions are: what is true and right?

Where the circles overlap is the individual experience, which affects the way you think, feel, and behave.

Spirituality versus emotional health

You will notice as you read on that many practices recommended for cultivating spirituality are similar to those recommended for improving emotional wellbeing . This is because there is a connection between the two—emotional and spiritual wellbeing influence one another and overlap, as do all aspects of wellbeing.

• Spirituality is about seeking a meaningful connection with something bigger than yourself, which can result in positive emotions, such as peace, awe, contentment, gratitude, and acceptance.
• Emotional health is about cultivating a positive state of mind , which can broaden your outlook to recognize and incorporate a connection to something larger than yourself .

Thus, emotions and spirituality are distinct but linked, deeply integrated with one another.

A reflective tool for exploring spirituality

Like other reflective practices, mindfulness can be a tool to discover how spirituality manifests in your life. Mindfulness teaches you to be aware of what is happening in your body and mind in the present moment and open to it with curiosity and kindness. This allows you to explore beliefs, perspectives, and experiences in a new way that might lead to new insights around spiritual questions. 

The Earl E Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing (the producer of this website) offers a wealth of workshops, classes, guided meditation sessions, and retreats on mindfulness, many of which are fully online and free.

Beauregard, M., O'Leary, D. (2009). The spiritual brain . New York: Harper Collins.

Carlson, D., Leonard, B. (2013). Spirituality in healthcare. Online module, Center for Spirituality and Healing. Accessed at http://www.csh.umn.edu/Integrativehealingpractices .

Murray, R.B., Zentner, J.B. (1989). Nursing concepts for health promotion . London: Prentice-Hall.

Pulchaski, C., Ferrell, B., Virani, R., Otis-Green, S., et al. (2009) Improving the quality of spiritual care as a dimension of palliative care: The report of the consensus conference. Journal of Palliative Medicine , 12:886-904.

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Spirituality

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

Spirituality means different things to different people. For some, it's primarily about a belief in God and active participation in organized religion. For others, it's about non-religious experiences that help them get in touch with their spiritual selves through quiet reflection, time in nature, private prayer, yoga, or meditation .

Many people identify as spiritual but not religious : With a few exceptions, the percentage of adults who identify as religious in many industrialized countries is declining, while remaining generally high in less developed nations. Even as religious affiliation decreases, though, a sense of spiritual identification could remain steady or even increase.

• The Benefits of a Spiritual Life
• The Search for Meaning

No direct causal link has been established, but research has consistently found that religious involvement is correlated with better physical and mental health , including better sleep , lower blood pressure, and an overall lower rate of mortality. Higher levels of spirituality have also been linked to increased compassion, strengthened relationships, and improved self-esteem .

There may be a downside for people who avoid religion and spirituality altogether: Some research has indicated that eschewing “ magical thinking ” and being unable to identify patterns in the surrounding world may be linked to depression or anhedonia , the inability to experience pleasure.

Overall, a large body of research suggests, religious attachment is generally beneficial for people. It is correlated with better health habits such as less smoking and drinking, an enhanced ability to cope with stress , and increased social support. Research also finds some downsides, however, such as increased levels of guilt and shame in stricter religious communities.

People who have endured experiences of intense psychological turmoil, research finds, often emerge much more spiritual, and altruistic , than they were before—for example, they are more likely to donate a kidney to a stranger. What some would call a spiritual awakening leads such people to become less materialistic, more empathetic , and more generous.

In a multigenerational study of depression , among subjects considered to be at highest risk, the ones who scored highest on measures of religiosity and spirituality had a much lower eventual prevalence of depression . Further study suggests that those traits may in fact produce changes in the brain, such as increased serotonin levels, and possibly a decreased thinning of the cerebral cortex.

People who attend religious services, research finds, appear significantly less vulnerable to “deaths of despair” such as suicide, drug abuse , or alcohol poisoning. The reasons are not clear but could include increased social connection and support, a greater sense of purpose, and time spent learning about the value of life and one’s responsibility to care for oneself.

An instinct toward spirituality appears to be deeply ingrained in humans. We can't help but ask big questions: Research finds that even declared religious skeptics can't stifle a sense that there is something greater than the physical world they see.

As the brain processes sensory experiences, it naturally looks for patterns—and our conscious selves often seek meaning in those patterns. This can lead to the phenomenon known as " cognitive dissonance ," which describes how, once one believes in something, one is strongly inclined to try to explain away anything that conflicts with it. Cognitive dissonance is not unique to religion or spirituality, but often occurs in the context of such beliefs.

The secret to finding meaning in life may be not to look for it. Psychiatrist Victor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, famously wrote about how he held onto meaning and purpose as a counter to suffering. However, he advised against actively searching for meaning, instead suggesting that meaning should ensue as a side effect of pursuing other goals . Research supports this idea: Those who report actively seeking meaning in life also report lower life satisfaction and happiness .

While many believers insist God’s existence is self-evident, evolutionary psychologists have researched why humans may have begun believing in a higher power. It’s possible that when humans mastered tools, gaining a sense of their own agency, they applied that thinking to the world around them, and the gods who must have created it. This is known as animistic belief . As human communities grew, a belief in gods who could punish wrongdoers or support agriculture also took hold, an idea that still holds great power today.

Studies show that the brain may react in similar ways to diverse spiritual experiences. When people described times they felt oneness, infinity, or connection to a higher power, they had less activity in the inferior parietal lobe, usually active during representations of oneself in space or time, indicating people may temporarily lose their sense of self during spiritual experiences.

Researcher Dacher Keltner explains that the emotion of awe encourages imagination and cooperation, inspiring us to think beyond what we know and to feel connected to others.

Why do we find meaning amidst incoherence, and see faces in the clouds? It ultimately comes down to how our brains make sense of random events and chance encounters.

What if the greatest challenge to intimacy in our relationships is that we are all basically quill-covered porcupines?

Aligning with your core values, living with purpose, and shaping your narrative can turn life’s challenges into a meaningful journey of growth and resilience.

Personal Perspective: Even in the face of life's impermanence, we have some choices about our attitude and how we respond to grief and loss.

Abusive power tries to negate others with these 13 "disses," such as distortion and distress. How do we cultivate the wisdom to combat the 13 disses?

Spirituality is psychologically valuable. But research indicates that, somewhat surprisingly, people who identify as spiritual but not religious tend to have worse mental health.

Buddhist psychology is based on a positive view of human nature. Instead of trying to fix our shortcomings, we learn to nurture the parts of ourselves that were never broken.

What do people who have a close brush with death and astronauts who venture into space share in common?

The core of Christian spirituality seems to converge with many of the principles of social psychology, pointing to ways to find greater wholeness.

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