Spirituality Mental
health assessments these days include an investigation of spirituality. Of
course, the mental-health professional all but overlooks this important aspect
of the human personality or may simply specify religious affiliation, which may
or may not reflect spirituality. Transcendental
Orientation Spirituality
refers to the transcendental orientation inherent in the human personality. The
transcendental orientation is what moves us beyond the narrow circumferences of
self absorption and trivialization. The
transcendental orientation is based on human search for meaning. This is a
hunger identified in Victor Frankl's seminal work “Man's Search for Meaning”. Aspiritual
Variations There
is an increasingly popular aspiritual stance that chooses to deny the human
hunger for meaning and transcendence. The human search for meaning can be
dismissed as yet another trick we play on ourselves (or is played on us by our
human nature.). Sound spirituality eschews the duality of the spiritual and the
material. If we separate the spiritual from the material and deny the former
while dedicating ourselves to the latter, our transcendental orientation can be
solely materialistic. I submit that this is the primary movement of a society
increasingly devoid of spirituality. The
human sex drive is at the service of a transcendental orientation, impelling us
towards inclusion and regeneration. Of course, sexuality too can be trivialized
as an end unto itself, solely at the disposal of the aspiritual decision that is
the practical option many elect. Expressions
of the Transcendental Orientation. The
transcendental orientation can be expressed in many forms. It is important for
the mental-health assessment be inclusive and not determined by the biases of
the professional. This
expression of the transcendental orientation can be as vague as belief in a
“spirit world” or as specific as giving praise to Allah at certain times of the
day. Some
basic spiritual stances include: (1) A Higher Power. Can be
generalized as in the process of Alcoholic Anonymous or expressed in the many
religious variations popular in the human family. (2) Human collectivity. Can
be expressed in involvement in society or dedication to humanistic pursuits. (3) Sacredness of the natural world. Popular in tribal societies, and included in the awareness of environmental or ecological movement. |