Elkins, D.N. (1999, September/October). "Spirituality: It’s what’s missing in mental health." Psychology Today, pp. 45-48.

OVERVIEW

This magazine is known for its humanistic approach and the author is a licensed psychologist, professor at Pepperdine University, and president of the Humanistic Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association. Elkins sees a growing need for passion and depth in our lives behind the popular quest for spirituality. He argues that psychotherapy still has things to learn from religion.

In one of the author’s therapy sessions, his therapist gently remarked, " ‘You are spiritually hungry.’ " Elkins began to cry. " ‘Me, a grown 31-year-old man. Because somewhere deep inside, I knew he was right.’ "

He goes to describe a graduate student walking on a beach, sitting on a boulder gazing out to sea, sun descending and waves splashing at her feet. She said,

In that moment I felt eternity. I knew these things had gone on for millions of years before I came and that they would go on for millions of years after I’m gone. It felt good to be alive, to be part of all this. I was deeply moved and began to cry.

The writer states some statistics:

Studies show that most Americans want spirituality, but perhaps not in religious form. Researcher Wade Clark Roof (University of California at Santa Barbara, found that in the 1960s and 1970s baby boomers dropped out of organized religion in large numbers: 84% of Jews, 69% of mainline Protestants, 61% of conservative Protestants, and 67% of Catholics.

Many left church and synagogue not because they had lost interest in spirituality, but because organized religion was not meeting their spiritual needs. In the late 1990s and as we approach the millennium, it is obvious that Americans are becoming more expressively spiritual.

National polls show that 9 out of 10 Americans believe in God and consider religion to be important in their lives. Spirituality is the fastest growing—and one of the only growing—sector of the publishing industry.

This interest does not translate into a return to church for the boomer, however. They seem instead to be taking their spiritual interest and needs to such movements as:

• Eastern religions and practices.
• New age philosophies.
• Twelve Step programs.
• Greek mythology.
• Nature, pagan interest or shamanic practices.
• Jungian psychology.
• Massage, yoga and the such.

According to the article, "Many find spiritual fulfillment in music, poetry, literature, art, nature, and intimate relationships."

Sarah Bernhard represents Jews who, having become disinterested in organized religion, have come back to Jewish mysticism.

I felt there was something missing…It offers me a spiritual basis for all Jewish practices and traditions. There is no real understanding of why you’re Jewish without it.

Sarah Stich (16-year-old high school student in Colorado) heard Madonna talk about her interest in Kaballah on VH1. She thought that taking an adult class in Kaballah might give her spiritual tools for greater happiness.

David Brownstein is a Hasidic Jew raised on practical Kabbalistic wisdom. " ‘The new popularity of Kabbalah shows that people are searching for deeper meaning,’ " he says. " ‘And this is wonderful, as long as the "fad" aspect of it doesn’t dilute the tradition’s real meaning.’ "

This article stresses the therapeutic value of spiritual practices, but it concludes:

Spirituality is not just about healing…It’s about seeing the sacred in our lives—and opening the door to a life of passion and depth. These are the moments that feed our soul and make our live’s worth living.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. How widespread and genuine is the spiritual interest or hunger at the turn of the millennium? How do you assess popular spiritual interest?
2. What do you make of this article? How would you like to discuss it?
3. How do you respond personally, and how might your relationships with others make use of new spiritual interest and openness?

IMPLICATIONS

1. A new interest in spirituality and religion, certainly in America, is quite evident from the popular press and television.
2. This article from a humanistic periodical is indicative of this popular interest.
3. Spiritual sensitivities may be common to all, but they are expressed in a broad variety of secular and religious responses.
4. Believers do well to understand secular spirituality as well as other religious faiths.

Dean Borgman cCYS