How we may best address the languaging of this subject is still a
question of avid debate and much meditative thought. I certainly
claim no answers here. I confess to find Rhea White's terms clear
but somewhat stiff and requiring an explanation for the
'uninitiated'. For example, the term "exceptional human
experience," although the conciseness and neutrality of her
well-developed terminology is advantageous for those familiar with it,
still, it's a bit science-y for many people.
We need a way to talk
about this that can be accessible to everyone with least
explanation. But maybe at this stage that is close to
impossible. Maybe many of the conceptual words have to be there
first to make the abridgement possible for us to finally meet even close
to the same page.
I am drawn to the ideas of people like
David
Spangler and also William
Isaacs and Peter
Senge, et al., who use terms acknowledging
things spiritual, but with a refreshing openness of heart and generic,
all-embracing inclusiveness.
Words like Presence and selfing
lend
themselves to a fairly intuitive grasp.
John
Heron, by the way, has
generated a warm fuzzy and yet fairly neutral way to even play with
words in this context. He talks about the "spiritual and the
subtle" and "knacks," alluding to one of the natural
aftereffects of these transformative experiences. Part of Heron's
teaching is to encourage people to create their own terminologies right
out of the experiences themselves. He talks about the
"emergence of a self-generating spiritual culture of independent
pathfinders." "Lived
Inquiry" and also "Co-operative
inquiry" are most useful conceptions. But he also
"argues for a people-based, person-centered religion.."
I confess to be far from convinced that another religion is the
answer.
At least, in contrast to Rhea's EHE wording, if I use the term
"spiritually transformative experience" instead
sometimes to describe what this web project concerns, people
usually have a more immediate, intuitive grasp. Yet, the very word
"spiritual" can be like sticking a nail in an
otherwise good tire for some people, mostly, I am coming to see,
for those who are either more comfortable with a clearly
religious view and for those who have no interest in either
religion or spirituality.
This
is hardly a beginning for this subject!
What
are your thoughts and discoveries about this?
