CHAPTER 16: Spiritual Diversity

1. CHAPTER 16:Spiritual Diversity Developing Multicultural Counseling Competence: A Systems Approach Second Edition Danica G. Hays and Bradley T. Erford

2. Religion & Spirituality • The U.S. as a nation was founded on religious tolerance, diversity, & freedom, in opposition to the historical denial of religious freedom in England • Freedom of religion= the right to participate in any religion, including no religion at all • Separation of church & state was intended to avoid the imposition of one set of beliefs over another. • Historical conceptualization of religious diversity

3. Religion & Spirituality Today: • 96% of Americans believe in a Higher Power • Over 90% pray • 69% are members of a religious community • 43% have attended a service at their church, synagogue, temple, or mosque in a given week • Over 78% of Americans are Christian • 16.1% of Americans are nonreligious or secular • The remaining Americans practice Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Agnosticism, Atheism, & Hinduism • New Age Spirituality, Hinduism, Baha’i, Buddhism, Native American Religion, and Islam have increased dramatically in recent years

4. Spirituality & Religion Defined • The terms spirituality & religion are often misunderstood. • Examples of cultural encapsulation • Spirituality= set of beliefs, practices, & experiences held by an individual that ultimately lead to a transcendence of self to be concerned with otherness (compassion). • Religion= organized spirituality • Considered to be denominational, external, cognitive, behavioral, ritualistic, and public • Religion easier to define than spirituality

5. Relationships Between Religion & Spirituality • Relationship is personal & developmental • Three major relationships • Hand in Hand • Complementary versus coincidental • Jungian Path of Pretending • “Spiritual but not Religious” • Accepting versus disdainful • Decliners

6. Major World Religions • Eastern World Religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, & Confucianism • Western World Religions: Christianity, Islam, & Judaism

7. Buddhism • Teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. • In the U.S., there are slightly more than 1.5 million adherents to Buddhism • Buddha= awakened, enlightened one • Three major traditions of Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana, & Vajrayana • The Four Noble Truths • Dukkha, Samudaya, Dirodha, and Magga

8. Buddhism Continued • Eightfold Path= key to practicing non-attachment & ending suffering • Includes 3 major categories: Panna, Sila, & Samadhi • Panna: Paths of discernment & wisdom • Sila: Paths of virtue & morality • Samadhi: Right concentration

9. Hinduism • Hinduism is the oldest known religion and the 3rd largest religion in the world, with over 950 million followers worldwide • The religion of over 80% of the people in India • Approximately 1.5 million Hindus in the U.S. • Has no founder or leader • Hindus recognize a single Deity, but also recognize other gods/goddesses as facets, forms, manifestations, or aspects of the supreme God • Karma & samsara • A Hindu belief that may affect the counseling process is the belief that Atman (self/soul) is Brahman (God) and vice versa

10. Sikhism • 5th largest religion, 23 million people worldwide practice Sikhism • Developed in the midst of conflict between Hindus and Muslims in India • Adhere to principles of equality, unity, and a moral code of discipline • Founder is Guru Nanak Dev, instruction now found in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib • Reincarnation and avoidance of the Five Cardinal Vices • Five stages of movement toward God

11. Taoism • Taoism is based on ancient Chinese beliefs that over centuries have become mixed with principles from Buddhism & Confucianism. • Lao-tzu and/or compilation of many writers • Tao Te Ching • Important concepts: tau, ta, chi, yin/yang, and wu-wei • Integration in Western culture

12. Confucianism • Set of teachings from Confucius (Kong Qui) • The Analects • Confucius was not accepted by the ruling class of China & was not overly influential during his own generation • Principal beliefs of Confucianism: • Ren • Li • De • Quiet-sitting

13. Christianity • Largest religion in the U.S. (78.4%) • Growing at a slower rate than other religions in the U.S. • 3 major divisions: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, & Protestantism • Christmas and Easter continue to be the holiest days of the year • A central tenet of Christianity is the Trinity, or representation of God the parent, Jesus the Son, & the presence of the Holy Spirit

14. Islam • Islam currently has over 1.5 million adherents, known as Muslims and is the most quickly growing of the Western religions in the U.S. • The central figure to Muslims is Mohammed Ibn Abdallah • Jihad • Ali • Historical division between Sunnis and Shi-ites, recently Sufis • Five pillars of Islam: Shahadah, canonical prayer, charity, Ramadan, and pilgrimage

15. Judaism • Has almost 4 million adherents in the U.S. and 14 million Jews worldwide, 2nd largest U.S. religion • Holocaust, when approximately 6 million Jews were murdered. • Jewish sects:Reformed Jews – 45%; Conservative Jews – 42%; Orthodox – 9%; and Reconstructivist – 4%. • Torah: 5 books serving as the holy text • Central to the Jewish tradition are rites of passage & the celebration of religious holy days • High Holy Days • Rosh Hashanah • Reflection between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

16. All is One: Aspects in Common to All Religions • All is connected, all is one, and religious & spiritual diversity provides multiple paths • Wilber (2001) described 7 common tenets: • Spirit, by whatever name, exists • Spirit is found “in here” • Many/most don’t realize Spirit within • There is a path to liberation • Result of rebirth or enlightenment • Rebirth or enlightenment= end of suffering • Mercy and compassion

17. Counseling Considerations • Approach client spiritual issues, although there are several approaches • Rejectionism= denies the sacred “truths” of the client either explicitly (much like Freud & Ellis), or implicitly • Exclusivism= believes in a fundamental & exclusive reality of religious & spiritual experience • Constructivism= multiple truths and knowledge of religion and spirituality gained through social interaction • Pluralism= acceptance of diverse paths to Spirit as valid • Impositional= imposition of a religious or spiritual framework upon a client who is either an atheist or non-religious

18. Counseling Considerations Continued • Understand Wilber’s (1997, 1999) concepts of translation & transformation • Gain awareness of spiritual bypass and its challenges • Review ASERVIC spirituality competencies