Meaningful experiences, "Spiritual" without spooks

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Permalink Reply by Wonderist on May 10, 2011 at 2:10pm

I agree with your ideas, but just want to point out that the author of the research in that article is Elain Ecklund, who is notorious for her quite obvious agenda of trying to make scientists look a lot more religious than they actually are. Check out Jerry Coyne's take at Ecklund and Long: Scientists are totally spiritual.

It's that darn word 'spiritual' again. The problem is that there isn't a good, popular alternative to 'spiritual' that means 'having strong positive emotional experiences without any of the baggage of a supernatural interpretation to them'.

I've played around with the word 'inspiritual'. I like it, but it's a bit clumsy, possibly. My meaning for it would be "motivated by inspirational things", "not spiritual" (using the in- prefix as 'not'), "embodied spirit" using in- meaning 'inside', as opposed to "disembodied spirit", and "inspirited" which is from the obscure verb "to inspirit" which means to invigourate or energize.

I've also started using the phrase "wondrous experiences" to contrast with "religious experiences". It works surprisingly well, in my experience. I just emphasize that wonder is natural and everyone can have those experiences, and it pretty much deflates any special-pleading claims to having 'special' supernatural experiences. But at the same time it doesn't deny that those experiences happen. It just takes a more parsimonious interpretation of them, i.e. they are natural, not supernatural.

I would really love to find a good solid word that could counter 'spiritual'. Inspiritual is the closest thing I've seen yet. How does it sound to your ears? A bit clumsy?

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on June 15, 2011 at 10:26pm

I've also started using the phrase "wondrous experiences" to contrast with "religious experiences".

Yes, I like "wondrous experience." It's easier to understand than "inspiritual." Parsimonious too, as you say.

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on October 13, 2012 at 8:08pm

I like that phrase wonderous experience - I think I'll use it.

Permalink Reply by Kelly D. Rodgers on June 15, 2011 at 8:07pm

In my opinion,this is ''Spirituality,as these events,feelings,and experiences are what causes the more finely tuned of us to be moved deeply by those experiences. This is [at least for me] a total forgetting that time even exists due to the profundity of the experience at that particular span of time. I have experiences somewhat like this where I am acutely aware of the earth's gravitational pull coupled with the energetic photonic-energy of the sun and my being caught in the middle of these very different energies. For me this is awe inspiring,and the deep sense of awe,I believe is the core of true spirituality. I see no reason why god would have to be a factor concerning spirituality to begin with.The ability to be awe-struck is a factor here.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on February 25, 2012 at 11:53am

What are You Celebrating? This video speaks about meanign, but not about particular celebratory events such as HumanLight or Darwin Day.

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on February 25, 2012 at 1:36pm

Thanks for the article!

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on August 29, 2012 at 12:08am

The Japanese have a word for it! "yugen"

 

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on August 29, 2012 at 5:22am

Cool!

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on October 13, 2012 at 6:10pm

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on October 13, 2012 at 6:38pm

"That is amazing!"

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on October 13, 2012 at 8:10pm

Very cool Ruth - I will watch the Krauss video.