February 2008 The Irish Psychologist ARTICLE historical and conceptual coupling between religiosity and spirituality, a conceptual coupling that has been thrown into disarray over the past On Spirituality century with the rise of secular views on spirituality [10, 11]. I recently asked a group of third year Part 1: Deconstructing, students, "Do you think psychologists should study spirituality?" Some of grappling, and moving in the them said, "No, spirituality cannot be observed or objectively measured – it has no place in psychological field of others science." I wondered if this reply reflected a misunderstanding of Michael J. Hogan the goals of psychological science - a curious negation of certain Mike Hogan is a lecturer in psychology at the National University of Ireland, categories of human experience as a Galway. Correspondence regarding this article may be addressed by email to focus of inquiry - or simply a dislike [email protected]. for entertaining ideas that are in some way associated with orthodox religion. In truth, I cannot claim to have direct The highest activity a human being can and every attempt to construct an access to the minds of my students, attain is learning for understanding, objective account of consciousness and I can only speculate as to why because to understand is to be free struggles with the problem of human they think the way they think. At the Baruch Spinoza, Ethics subjectivity [6, 7]. Consciousness same time, even though the students itself - coupled with our prolific failed to tell me what spirituality is, We are staggeringly lucky to find imaginations - can offer us a sense many students did at least consider ourselves in the spotlight. However of limitless, radical mental freedom spirituality an important focus on brief our time in the sun, if we waste and profound, universal connection: inquiry. Nonetheless, the dialogue a second of it, or complain that it is this subjective reality often points us dull or barren or boring, couldn’t this thus far has been stimulating, and in the direction of ideas that pertain be seen as a callous insult to those in two separate issues of the Irish to a transcendental, spiritual state unborn trillions who will never even be Psychologist, I will present a set of of being that is somehow above and offered life in the first place? As many preliminary thoughts that provide an beyond the material world, free from atheists have said before me, the opening for further dialogue on the all material constraints. knowledge that we have only one life theme of spirituality. should make it all the more precious. And some thinkers believe that categories of spirituality represent a The atheist view is correspondingly Opening certain peak in human cognitive and life-affirming and life-enhancing, while In order to understand spirituality, at the same time never being tainted emotional development – modes of we must first accept that there is truth with self-delusion, wishful thinking, or thinking and feeling that correlate in its existence. In other words, states the whimpering self-pity of those who with wisdom [1, 3]. Others describe of consciousness and associated feel that life owes them something. spirituality as a core character abstractions (i.e., ideas, values, and Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion strength: for example, it is listed as beliefs) that pertain to the concept one amongst the set of fiveStrengths "spirituality" exist in human systems The undivided, ego-free person who of Transcendence in the positive - both the states and the associated no longer see parts but realizes the psychology classification system abstractions are part of a living system "Itself", the spiritual form of being of [8]i. - and one of our tasks as scientists is man and the world, perceives the At the same time, not everyone whole…there is no longer heaven or to understand the structure, process, thinks about or values spirituality, hell, this world or the other, ego or and function of this living system at but this will not surprise those world, immanence or transcendence; the individual and group level of who think that cognitive-emotional rather, beyond the magic unity, the analysis. Obviously, this is no easy aspects of spirituality – a sense of mythical complementarity, the mental task: consider the intra- and inter- connectedness, universality, and division and synthesis is the perceptible individual variability in the action fulfilment (joy and contentment) that whole. To this he does not need the state that needs to be mapped [2], result from personal encounters with retrospective bond (religion). It is and consider also the great variety a transcendent reality – represent a pre-ligious; its presence is achronic, of conscious states and associated time-free, and corresponds to man’s core dimension of personality along abstractions linked to the concept freedom from ego. which people vary [9]. Whether or "spirituality" throughout the ages Jean Gebser, not we agree that spirituality is a [12]. Nevertheless, in opening this The Ever-Present Origin dimension of human ‘personality’ or dialogue, it will not help our cause to human ‘character’, most psychologists delete all the nouns, verbs, and adverbs do at least agree that spirituality that pertain to unobservable mental It is truly amazing what people is difficult to understand: there is phenomena. We might develop a new think. And it is truly fascinating the some confusion as to how best to language that allows us to replace the developmental stages through which conceptualise its psychological old word "spirituality" with other thinking and consciousness can structure, process, and function - words, operational definitions, and develop [1-5]. Consciousness itself and this general state of confusion theoretical formulations, but we will makes us aware of human subjectivity, exists in the context of a close Vol.34 No.7 p 187 The Irish Psychologist February 2008 need to begin by reference to the We cannot easily divest ourselves believe in all sorts of other beliefs in language and conceptual structures of our sentiments, and the way in the absence of any sound (empirical that already exist in our culture, which our sentiments influence our and rational) basis for their beliefs, and there is no guarantee that other selection of the ideas, values, and other than their belief that a set of scientific sub-cultures will buy into beliefs we consider ‘good’ and ‘bad’ strong sentiments and perhaps a our new approach [13, 14]. in our culture. Having said that, we related set of incoherent arguments is And whether or not you can must strive to be neutral – we must a sound enough basis for their strong empathise with the folk psychology work to build a neutral systems belief in their belief [22-26]. Thus, of the lay population - that great science [17, 18] – and we must the question as to what it means to mixture of magical, mythical, and therefore begin our inquiry with believe in belief is an open one and rational ideation - spare a thought "what is" and with "what we posses one can hardly conclude that it is for those who wish to ‘reclaim by way of knowledge"; and not with necessarily positive. Like any other spirituality’ from established "what should be" or with "what rational being, does Dawkins not religion, and those who wish to should be deleted or negated". have the right to challenge what he allow spirituality some ‘continued perceives as irrational? existence’ in culture generally [1, Sentiment and Reason and 2) Dawkins may have said very little 3, 8]. Consider their plight: they Dawkins about spirituality, and this you might cannot simply clear the slate, start When I ask Irish scientists who consider an omission, particularly in over, and redesign themselves and have read The God Delusion by light of the fact that religiosity and their culture from scratch. They Richard Dawkins, "So, what do spirituality are interdependently may wish to transcend various you think?," many of them start expressed in the population [21, 27] - ideas, values, and beliefs that arise off by scrunching their face in mild his focus is on religious belief and not in their mind and that populate their distain (much like Dawkins does some form of ‘spiritual consciousness’ world, but they may find it difficult to when talking to homeopathists) - but if one is to mount the argument define themselves in relation to other and then they usually say something that spirituality is part of a positive ‘transcendental’, ‘spiritual’ states like this: "I think he’s picked on an psychological process, one must also of consciousness and associated easy target – most people don’t be willing to consider psychological abstractions that already exist in a really believe in God, they believe in science. Thus, you must define what cultural field of interdependencies. belief" (Physicist), or "He’s missing you mean by spirituality, measure it As social beings, as thinkers, we all the point – there is more to religion somehow, and examine its causes have to operate in the field of others. than simply believing in God: there and consequences in an objective The category of advanced spiritual is a positive psychological process manner [9-11, 27-29]. To simply development some psychologists associated with being spiritual and state that spirituality is a good thing, point to may emerge as a highly Dawkins says little or nothing about without providing a sound basis for integrated, valued, autonomous state it" (Behavioural Scientist), or "He your belief, will fail to convince the at some point during a person’s life, lacks requisite balance – his blind average psychologist. but the process of movement toward faith in science is no less extreme 3) Dawkins may have ‘faith’ in this autonomous state involves than another man’s blind faith in science and one might argue that movement through the field of others God" (Social Scientist), or "Study the strength of his faith somehow [15, 16].