Spirituality/Purposefulness

Religiousness & Spirituality [faith, purpose]: Having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe; knowing where one fits within the larger scheme; having beliefs about the meaning of life that shape conduct and provide comfort. Personified for example by Albert Schweitzer  (Source: VIA Institute).

The Noel Strengths Academy defines it this way:

  • A sense of connection to a presence beyond this world 
  • Having a coherent set of beliefs that shape conduct and provide comfort  
  • Perceive their own higher purpose  
  • In pursuit of the deeper meanings of life 
  • Conscious of their own role in the larger scheme of things

Listen, Watch and Learn

  • Underuse: Anomie
  • Overuse: Fanaticism

Key Research:

  • Rank order of Spirituality in populations from:
    • US : 21;
    • European:  24
    • Asia: 20
    • Latin America: 21
    • Sub-Saharan Africa: 17
    • Middle east: 20
  • The character strengths most associated with the meaning route to happiness are religiousness, gratitude, hope, zest, and curiosity (Peterson et al., 2007).
  • In addition to replication of the connection between hope, gratitude, love, zest, and curiosity with life satisfaction, the strengths that were the best predictors of future life satisfaction were hope and spirituality (Proyer et al., 2011).
  • Among high school students, other-oriented strengths (e.g., kindness, teamwork) predicted fewer depression symptoms while transcendence strengths (e.g., spirituality) predicted greater life satisfaction (Gillham et al., 2011).

Psychological Impacts of Spirituality/purposefulness

  1. Spirituality is linked to greater well-being: Research has shown that individuals with high levels of Spirituality tend to have greater well-being, including higher levels of life satisfaction, happiness, and positive emotions (Peterson & Seligman, 2004).
  2. Spirituality is associated with greater resilience: People with high Spirituality tend to be more resilient in the face of adversity, and are better able to cope with stress and trauma (Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004).
  3. Spirituality is linked to greater gratitude: Research has shown that individuals with high levels of Spirituality tend to be more grateful, which is associated with greater well-being and life satisfaction (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).
  4. Spirituality is a key component of meaning-making: Spirituality is closely related to the ability to find meaning and purpose in life, which is a key component of human flourishing (Frankl, 1963).
  5. Spirituality is associated with greater self-awareness: Individuals with high Spirituality tend to have greater self-awareness, including a greater understanding of their values, goals, and motivations (Kashdan & Ciarrochi, 2013).
  6. Spirituality is linked to greater forgiveness: Research has shown that individuals with high levels of Spirituality tend to be more forgiving, which is associated with greater well-being and life satisfaction (McCullough et al., 1998).
  7. Spirituality is a key predictor of life purpose: Spirituality is a key component of life purpose, which is associated with greater well-being and life satisfaction (King et al., 2016).
  8. Spirituality is associated with greater self-acceptance: Individuals with high Spirituality tend to have greater self-acceptance, including a greater acceptance of themselves and their place in the world (Tay & Kuyken, 2013).
  9. Spirituality is linked to greater prosocial behavior: Research has shown that individuals with high levels of Spirituality tend to engage in more prosocial behavior, including volunteering and helping others (Schnitker & Johnson, 2010).
  10. Spirituality can be developed through practice and training: Research has shown that Spirituality can be developed through practice and training, such as through mindfulness and meditation (Hölzel et al., 2011).

Tayyab Rashid and Afroze Anjum offer 340 Ways to Use VIA Character Strengths including these four for Spirituality:

Sam talks to the head of TED, Chris Anderson, about using reason to build our morality. Sam makes the case that reason can indeed answer moral questions, and then explores the many controversies that emerge from that claim. Moral superiority? Cultural superiority? Moral progress? Chris and Sam dig in to discuss the right ways to think about defining right from wrong, and reason’s role in it all.

Oxford philosopher and transhumanist Nick Bostrom examines the future of humankind and asks whether we might alter the fundamental nature of humanity to solve our most intrinsic problems.

To find the path to long life and health, Dan Buettner and team study the world’s “Blue Zones,” communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age. In his talk, he shares the 9 common diet and lifestyle habits that keep them spry past age 100.

“For a long time, I lived for death,” says Manwar Ali, a former radical jihadist who participated in violent, armed campaigns in the Middle East and Asia in the 1980s. In this moving talk, he reflects on his experience with radicalization and makes a powerful, direct appeal to anyone drawn to Islamist groups that claim violence and brutality are noble and virtuous: let go of anger and hatred, he says, and instead cultivate your heart to see goodness, beauty and truth in others.

Philosopher John Searle lays out the case for studying human consciousness — and systematically shoots down some of the common objections to taking it seriously. As we learn more about the brain processes that cause awareness, accepting that consciousness is a biological phenomenon is an important first step. And no, he says, consciousness is not a massive computer simulation.

Podcasts to feed your Spirituality

    • Waking up podcast: Join Sam Harris—neuroscientist, philosopher, and best-selling author—as he explores some of the most important questions about the human mind, society, and current events.
    • On Being focuses on the big questions of meaning with various guests. Krista speaks with inspiring people from various walks of life such as Tibetan monks, scientists, teachers and artists.This is a truly diverse podcast that tackles the very interesting questions we all begin to ask on our spiritual journeys, from meditation to yoga to food and health. There are over 100 episodes of this podcast to get stuck into and a wealth of wisdom nuggets to help you along your journey.
    • “Interfaith Voices is the nation’s only public radio show exclusively about religion. We were born just three days after 9/11, when a feisty nun got the idea to host a multi-faith panel on religion and terrorism, live on the radio. The phones rang off the hook, and it became clear that listeners were hungry for informed, respectful dialogue on religion in the public square. We carry on that mission today with our free, weekly podcast…led by that same unstoppable nun-turned-radio host, Maureen Fiedler.”

    • The Religious Studies Project (RSP) is an international collaborative enterprise launched in January 2012, hosted by Christopher R. Cotter (University of Edinburgh, UK) and David G. Robertson (The Open University, UK), and supported by the British Association for the Study of Religions, North American Association for the Study of Religion and International Association for the History of Religions. It features a weekly interview (of around 30 minutes) with leading scholars of Religious Studies and related fields. Our aim is to provide engaging, concise and reliable accounts of the most important concepts, traditions, scholars and methodologies in the fascinating contemporary study of religion, without pushing a religious or nonreligious agenda or resorting to presenting “fact files” about “World Religions”. The Religious Studies Project is produced by The Religious Studies Project Association (SCIO), a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (charity number SC047750). RSP material is disseminated under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. and can be distributed and utilised freely, provided full citation is given.

  • Hidden Brain (NPR) offers two great episodes:
  • “Living With Purpose” – The Rich Roll Podcast Summary: Rich Roll discusses purposeful living from spiritual and philosophical angles with guests.
  • “Purpose and the Pursuit of Truth” – On Being with Krista Tippett Summary: Tippett explores how purpose intertwines with our search for truth and meaning. URL: https://onbeing.org/programs/rebecca-solnit-falling-together/
  • The Mel Robbins Podcast – “How to Find Your Purpose: Stop Searching and Do This Instead” (Episode 39)
  • The Mel Robbins Podcast – “How to Find Your Purpose & Design the Life You Want” (Episode 256)
    • Description: In this episode, Mel Robbins sits down with Dr. Martha Beck, a renowned life coach, to provide a “masterclass” on figuring out what you truly want and designing a life aligned with your purpose. It offers a roadmap for clarity and intentional living.
    • URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZt4ZOy6Z8c (This is a Google cache link for the YouTube video of the podcast episode. You can likely find it on Mel Robbins’ official podcast feed or YouTube channel by searching for the title and episode number.)
  • Shawn Achor: The Happiness Advantage (on Moonshots.io or other podcast platforms)
    • Description: While not a single episode, Shawn Achor’s work, particularly his “Happiness Advantage” philosophy, directly relates to purposefulness. He argues that happiness fuels success, not the other way around. His discussions often highlight the importance of having a positive mindset and a sense of meaning to achieve goals and live a purposeful life. Many podcast interviews with him delve into these topics.
    • URL (example episode): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shawn-achor-the-happiness-advantage/id1244877161?i=1000698569397
  • The Intentional Mind™ Podcast – “7 Powerful Questions to Clarify Your Vision and Energize Your Life” (Episode 239)
  • Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
    • Description: While not focused solely on “purposefulness,” Brené Brown’s entire body of work on vulnerability, courage, and wholehearted living is deeply intertwined with finding meaning and purpose. Her podcast frequently features conversations with individuals who embody purpose-driven lives and offers insights into the emotional and psychological aspects of living intentionally. Explore episodes that resonate with themes of values, courage, and authenticity.
    • URL: https://brenebrown.com/podcasts/ (You can explore various episodes here that touch on purpose, meaning, and values.)
  • True Calling Project | Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life and Career
  • “Intentional Living & Goal Setting: Career and Life Success | A Hire Purpose Podcast ft. Eugene Lee”
    • Description: This episode offers valuable insights on intentional living, goal setting, and navigating career pivots, all of which contribute to a purposeful life. It encourages reflection and aligning goals with one’s overall purpose.
    • URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXuwY3Cy1cE (This is a Google cache link for the YouTube video. You can likely find it on the “A Hire Purpose Podcast” official feed or YouTube channel.)

Meditations for Spirituality

Read more on meditation and kindness:

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