![]() ![]() See also: History of Western esotericism and New Age In the 17th and 18th centuries, a distinction was made between higher and lower forms of spirituality: "A spiritual man is one who is Christian 'more abundantly and deeper than others'." The word was also associated with mysticism and quietism, and acquired a negative meaning. Psychologically, it denoted the realm of the inner life: "the purity of motives, affections, intentions, inner dispositions, the psychology of the spiritual life, the analysis of the feelings". Socially it denoted the territory of the clergy: "the ecclesiastical against the temporary possessions, the ecclesiastical against the secular authority, the clerical class against the secular class". In the 13th century "spirituality" acquired a social and psychological meaning. Instead, the word began to denote the mental aspect of life, as opposed to the material and sensual aspects of life, "the ecclesiastical sphere of light against the dark world of matter". In the 11th century, this meaning of "Spirituality" changed. The New Testament offers the concept of being driven by the Holy Spirit, as opposed to living a life in which one rejects this influence. In a Biblical context the term means being animated by God. Words translatable as "spirituality" first began to arise in the 5th century and only entered common use toward the end of the Middle Ages. ![]() Development of the meaning of spirituality Classical, medieval, and early modern periods īergomi detects "an enlightened form of non-religious spirituality" in late antiquity. Additionally it can mean to seek out or search for personal growth, religious experience, belief in a supernatural realm or afterlife, or to make sense of one's own "inner dimension". Spirituality can be defined generally as an individual's search for ultimate or sacred meaning, and purpose in life. In modern times the emphasis is on subjective experience and the "deepest values and meanings by which people live", incorporating personal growth or transformation, usually in a context separate from organized religious institutions. To accomplish this, the re-formation is oriented at a mold, which represents the original shape: in Judaism the Torah, in Christianity there is Christ, for Buddhism, Buddha, and in Islam, Muhammad." Houtman and Aupers suggest that modern spirituality is a blend of humanistic psychology, mystical and esoteric traditions, and Eastern religions. This causes some difficulty in trying to study spirituality systematically i.e., it impedes both understanding and the capacity to communicate findings in a meaningful fashion.Īccording to Kees Waaijman, the traditional meaning of spirituality is a process of re-formation that "aims to recover the original shape of man, the image of God. A survey of reviews by McCarroll, each dealing with the topic of spirituality, gave twenty-seven explicit definitions among which "there was little agreement". Surveys of the definition of the term, as used in scholarly research, show a broad range of definitions with limited overlap. There is no single, widely agreed-upon definition of spirituality. The term "spirituality" is derived from Middle French spiritualité, from Late Latin "spiritualitatem" (nominative spiritualitas), which is also derived from Latin spiritualis. The term "spiritual", meaning "concerning the spirit", is derived from Old French spirituel (12c.), which is derived from Latin spiritualis, which comes by spiritus or "spirit". In the Vulgate, the Latin word spiritus is used to translate the Greek pneuma and Hebrew ruach. ![]() It is derived from the Old French espirit, which comes from the Latin word spiritus ( soul, ghost, courage, vigor, breath) and is related to spirare (to breathe). The term spirit means "animating or vital principle in man and animals". This may involve belief in a supernatural realm beyond the ordinarily observable world, personal growth, a quest for an ultimate or sacred meaning, religious experience, or an encounter with one's own "inner dimension". Modern usages tend to refer to a subjective experience of a sacred dimension, and the "deepest values and meanings by which people live", often in a context separate from organized religious institutions. In modern times, the term both spread to other religious traditions and broadened to refer to a wider range of experiences, including a range of esoteric and religious traditions. The term was used within early Christianity to refer to a life oriented toward the Holy Spirit and broadened during the Late Middle Ages to include mental aspects of life. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape of man", oriented at "the image of God" as exemplified by the founders and sacred texts of the religions of the world. The meaning of spirituality has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. ![]()
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