1. How do you describe
your form of spirituality?
Distinguish it from
others.
To me, the word "spirit" is used metaphorically
only.
I may speak of the "spirit" of the law.
I may say that I feel "disspirited".
The word is a shorthand for "essence"
or "underlying meaning" in the first case.
In the second case, it refers to an emotional
state.
It is distinguished from all of the forms
of "spirituality"
that require metaphysical entities, gods,
goddesses,
souls, and the like, to literally exist.
2. What does "spirituality"
include and exclude
from your point
of view?
Frankly, it's mostly an unnecessary
and confusing word in this context.
But I'll give it a shot:
it includes feelings of wonder, awe,
delight, the appreciation of beauty
and the vastness of time and space.
It also includes the feeling of being
connected to the universe,
a child of the stars.
It excludes hypothetical, judgemental,
anthropomorphic-but-metaphysical beings
who watch over one's every move.
It especially excludes such beings who
apparently
have nothing better to do than be concerned
about
my, or anyone else's, sex life.
3. For example, how
does a "spiritual experience"
differ from an emotional
response?
It may not differ.
However, it may involve the intellect
as well as the emotions.
4. Does your form
of spirituality involve a world-view
or metaphysical
system?
Nothing metaphysical, no.
But there is a world-view: that
the universe itself,
the material world, is full of beauty,
awe, and wonder.
And goodness.
One does not need to place these things
in a metaphysical realm.
5. Does your spirituality
involve any supernatural (or non-obvious)
beings, entities,
forces, influences, or tendencies?
It does not involve anything supernatural.
But you could certainly call synaptic
biochemistry,
quantum mechanics, the forces of natural
selection,
and other big scientific ideas "non-obvious."
6. What are the benefits of your form of spirituality?
It doesn't require me to believe in things
that I simply cannot bring myself to believe
in,
such as the resurrection of a dead body.
Thus I feel it honors my intellect, rather
than shunting it aside.
It enables me to view myself, a flawed
material being,
as a being with worth and dignity.
And this worth and dignity is not contingent
upon
my believing in, "choosing", or loving
some metaphysical being
whose existence I see no evidence for
and cannot believe in
(and whom, from various descriptions I
have read
of the gods people believe in,
are not entities I would want to know
anyway,
even if she/he/it/they did exist).
It takes away fear of death.
It spurs me on to action in this life,
because I see this life as being the only
one I've got.
It also allows me to look upon life with
fewer prejudices
and preconceived notions about how things
are or ought to be.
I think it thereby prevents me from wasting
time and effort
on misguided and hurtful crusades against
people who,
while they may be different from me, hurt
no one.
7. How does your form of spirituality deal with death?
It views it as part of the pageant of life.
On the individual level, thinking about
what went on before I was born is very
comforting.
No pain, no judgement, no fear.
After I die, just as before I was born,
I won't be there,
and I won't be there to regret not being
there.
8. Does your form
of spirituality involve
any ritual practices
or spiritual exercises?
Looking at the stars on a winter night.
Watching the leaves change and the birds
fly south.
Reading. Writing. Going to
museums. Debating with friends.
9. What do critics
of your form of spirituality say
—and how do you
answer them?
That it isn't really "spirituality."
My reply is that I must be honest
about my own experience of what is true.
I could say I believed in a metaphysical
God,
or a spirit world, but I'd be lying.
I could try to make myself believe in
these things,
in order to please others,
but it would be a tortured and futile
exercise.
Most critics of my "spiritual path" agree
that it is better not to lie, and not
to torture oneself.
10. If your spiritual
path were mistaken or distorted in some way,
how would you uncover
the errors or recognize the distortions?
I've been mistaken many times in my search.
Being mistaken is part of the journey.
I uncover errors in this area as in all
other areas of endeavor:
by both intellectually weighing the evidence,
and by listening to my gut.
But there's no dogma here, no True Way.
So no need to zealously ferret out errors
and distortions.
Mostly I'm interested in being authentic,
honest,
and going where the data, and my experience,
lead me.
Sincerely,
Karen Allendoerfer,
Humanist UU.
My e-mail address:
ravena@alumni.Princeton.EDU (Karen Lona
Allendoerfer)