Spirituality

Within the social sciences, spirituality refers to that which is considered divine, holy, or beyond the [Page 1047]material (Miller & Thoresen, 2003). In addition, it can be understood as a universal human capacity or a quality of a person's character, personality, or disposition. This quality or aspect of the personality is that which is aware of something beyond the self—whether it be God, absolute truth, all of humanity, or creation. As such, spiritual development has been defined as follows:

Central to this understanding of spirituality is transcendence, or the notion that one has an acute awareness of something or some “other” greater than oneself (King, 2003). In this regard, spirituality as an attribute of personhood usually relates to a manner of living that is carried out with the deep awareness of self, others, and the divine. For some, spiritual development entails the ability to be connected in a meaningful way to God, to fellow believers, to all of humanity, or even to nature. Through this awareness of others, individuals find a sense of meaning or purpose in life that provides direction or guidance, often at an existential level. Generally, it is understood that spirituality can call us beyond ourselves and to have concern and compassion for others (Fetzer, 1999).

Because spirituality is often associated with an experience of transcendence that moves the self beyond its own and provides a connectedness with divine, human, or natural other, spirituality often promotes a heightened consciousness of others that triggers a sense of self that is intertwined and responsible to others (King, 2003). In this sense, spirituality has been recognized as an emotional orientation that involves the transcendence of self that fuels or motivates the development of a commitment to contributing to others and institutions beyond self in time and place (Lerner, Dowling, & Anderson, 2003). Such an understanding of spirituality is beyond a feeling of transcendence and is a motivational force that propels individuals to care for others and contribute to something greater than themselves. In this sense, spirituality provides the awareness of responsibility and the passion to initiate and sustain commitment to agency. Spirituality calls forth devotion and thus exerts ordering power on the rest of an individual's life.