Spirituality
What do we mean by Spirituality?
As human beings we recognise that the business of living operates on a number of planes. A frequently used division would be into body, mind and spirit. Although for some people the word “spirituality” is a turn-off, research shows that an increasing number of people have experienced some form of spiritual awareness. Whatever names we give to the different planes on which we live our lives, we can only be ‘complete’ or ‘whole’ as people when the three aspects of self have their own strength and an appropriate interrelatedness.
In their book The Spirituality of Imperfection Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham write: “The spiritual is what makes us wholly human. It holds our experiences together, shapes them into a whole, gives them meaning, and allows them - and us - to be whole. Without the spiritual, however physically brave or healthy or strong we may be, however mentally smart or clever or brilliant we may be, however emotionally integrated or mature we may be, we are somehow not ‘all there.’”
Spirituality is what gives our life-experiences meaning. It provides us with our identities, morality and personal values. Having distorted meanings, however, can lead to difficulties in our lives.
Many clients experience spirituality in nature, climbing mountains or just sitting quietly, meditating or practicing mindfulness. Some are aware of the different levels of consciousness and bring their own experiences into the therapy room for further exploration.