Long before the appearance of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, earlier than the Buddha finding enlightenment or the writing of the Hindu Rig Veda, Neanderthals apparently engaged in spiritual practices some 50,000 years ago. Clearly, spirituality has been part of the soil of our lives as far back as the archeologist’s shovels have reached. The sciences have discovered that every culture since recorded history has practiced some form of spirituality. This suggests that spirituality has a reason for its existence regardless of its panoply of forms.
Not long ago, scientific researchers embarked on a voyage into this unfathomable subject by dipping their feet into the vast ocean of spirituality. Such psychologists as G. Stanley Hall, William James, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Jung conducted the first scientific research on spirituality in the1800s. Through this research much of our modern foundation concerning the commonalities and differences between belief and believers was laid.
Until recently, spiritual systems remained vastly isolated from one another. Each spiritual system developed in accordance to its unique culture: a generational system that unifies people and provides its members a way to communicate and grow. Consequently spirituality manifested itself in the context of each culture. Research from several fields has helped us see that in order to understand a spiritual practice, one first needs to openly understand the time and culture in which it developed.
Undoubtedly our living in an increasingly global community exposes us to a variety of cultures. Such diverse cultural interactions afford us a platform for transcending our cultural-centric views and acknowledging that there are various methods for achieving the same life goals. Due to this we are finding that spirituality is its own science: it is one of humans’ longstanding tools.
Some subcultures believe that their spiritual methods are the only way to practice spirituality, but increasingly people are discovering that although the ways may be different, the spiritual yields are the same. Just as we learned that communication is a tool that looks different in the hands of each culture and recognize that regardless of how this tool appears, its global function is the same, we are likewise learning that spirituality is a tool that looks different depending on the cultural hands which formed it and are now recognizing that its function is universal.
Because it appears that Neanderthals had a spiritual life long before our ideas of what constitutes spirituality came into being, we can assert that spirituality need not be tied to any one religion or to any religion at all. In my consulting practice I work with people in the context of their spiritual belief and respect where they are coming from. It is my job to help people find a more productive way of living as they want to live.
Before we begin this series, it is important to recognize that spirituality is only but one of many available tools for our betterment. Clearly its long history indicates it is useful and deserving of our attention and understanding. Part of this understanding includes observing that although spirituality is a powerful instrument, it is neither autonomously capable nor singularly appropriate for working on all areas of one’s life. One universal spiritual lesson is to live life composed in balance and harmony. In other words, we can be spiritually open, recognize the divine, give thanks, pray, but should continue to eat, exercise, and do laundry.
Contact Bierdz
Thomas Bierdz is located in Chicago, IL. USA
His services are available in person, by phone, and through secure E-mail.
He is also available for presentations.
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