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Spiritual Development

Spiritual Development. William G. Huitt. Valdosta State University. Last Revised: September 2003. Spirituality. Fundamental to many conceptualizations of human beings Mind Body Spirit Spirituality is considered inherent quality of human beings Naturalism Pantheism Theism.

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Spiritual Development

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  1. Spiritual Development William G. Huitt Valdosta State University Last Revised: September 2003

  2. Spirituality • Fundamental to many conceptualizations of human beings • Mind • Body • Spirit • Spirituality is considered inherent quality of human beings • Naturalism • Pantheism • Theism

  3. Spirituality Defined • Attempt to understand and connect to the unknowns of the universe or search for meaningfulness in one’s life (Adler, 1932/1980; Frankl, 1959) • A relationship with the sacred (Beck & Walters, 1977) • An individual's experience of and relationship with a fundamental, nonmaterial aspect of the universe (Tolan, 2002)

  4. Spirituality Defined • Does not necessarily require a belief in God, Great Spirit, Supreme Creator, etc., but does not exclude it • Spirituality not equated with religion • Religion refers to organized, institutionalized set of beliefs, teachings, and practices • Can be spiritual without being religious and vice versa

  5. Issues of Spirituality • Spirituality addresses such questions as: • How can we increase meaning in our lives, in general, and my life, in particular? • Who are we as human beings? Where did we come from? How are we related? • Are we in control of our lives or is our destination a result of fate?

  6. Issues of Spirituality • Spirituality addresses such questions as: • Where did the universe come from? What are its origins? • Is there a God (in whatever way we define or know a Supreme Being)? • What is our relationship to God or the Creator, if there is one? • Is there a continuity of life after this life? If so, what is it like?

  7. Benefits of Spirituality • Improved physical health, including blood pressure • Healthier lifestyles and less risky behavior • Improved coping ability • Less depression • Faster healing • Lower levels of bereavement after the death of a loved one • A decrease in fear of death • Higher school achievement

  8. Liability for Lack of Spirituality • Overeating • Risky behavior • Low self-esteem • Poor health

  9. Fowler’s Stages of Faith 0. Undifferentiated Infancy – Trust I. Intuitive-Projective 3-7 – Fantasy, non-logical II. Mythic-Literal 7-15 – Concrete, good/bad III. Synthetic-Conventional 15-21 – Personal identity IV. Individuative-Reflective Young Adult – Unique V. Conjunctive Mid Adult – Direct, affirm VI. Universalizing Faith ?? – Disciplined activist

  10. Kessler’s Pathways To The Soul Rites of passage • Initiation Beyond personal limits • Transcendence Play, celebration, gratitude • Joy and Delight Awe, mystery of creating • Creative Drive Reflection, calm • Silence and Solitude Exploration of big questions • Meaning and Purpose Quality of relationships • Deep Connection

  11. Relational Consciousness • The exploration of the meaningfulness of our lives and our relationships (Hamilton & Jackson,1998; Hay & Nye, 1998) • to ourselves, • to others, • to nature, or • to a higher power or unknowns of the universe

  12. Relational Consciousness • A type of meta-cognitive activity that describes ever increasing consciousness of growth and opportunity consequences for the individual. • May describe the essence of spirituality. • Development is considered moving from • simple to complex • naïve to sophisticated • insecurity to confidence

  13. General Guidelines • Create conducive environment -- Save, secure, supportive • Any activity that allows students to gain meaningful insights regarding self, others, nature, God or universal unknowns • Provide variety of activities using Kessler’s “Pathways” as a guideline • Maintain neutrality between secular and religious and among religions

  14. Activities Relating To Self • Spirituality and Well-being:http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/selftest/item_234.html • Living Waters Spiritual Assessment Software:http://www.spiritualassessment.com/index.htm • Signature Strengths:http://www.authentichappiness.org/ • Index to Learning Style:http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/ILSdir/ilsweb.html • Jung Typology Personality Test:http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp • Becoming A Brilliant Starhttp://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/brilstar/BrilStaract.pdf

  15. Adler, A. (1932/1980). What life should mean to you. London: George Allen & Unwin. • Beck, P., & Walters, A. (1977). The sacred: Ways of knowledge, sources of life. Tsaile, AZ: Navajo Community College. • Fowler, J. (1981). Stages of faith: The psychology of human development and the quest for meaning. San Francisco: Harper and Rowe. • Frankl, V (1959). Man's search for meaning. New York: Praeger. • Hamilton, D., and Jackson, M. (1998). Spiritual development: Paths and processes. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 25(4), 262-270. • Hay, D., with Nye, R. (1998). The spirit of the child. London: Fount. • Kessler, R. (2000). The soul of education: Helping students find connection, compassion, and character in school. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. • Tolan, S. (2002). Spirituality and the highly gifted adolescent. Charlotte, NC: Author. Retrieved July 2002, from http://www.stephanietolan.com/spirituality.htm http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/brilstar/chapters/spirituality.doc

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