Article S6.2 The Calling of Practical Spirituality: Learning, Participation, and Transformation Seminar Leader: Ananta Kumar Giri Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai, India aumkrishna[at]yahoo.com Our language and thought are often dominated by dualisms, that is, conceptual distinctions to refer to different aspects of the complex realities we experience. We have inherited a plethora of dualisms from the ancient times, such as the dualisms of body/soul, male/female, good/evil, light/dark, and so forth. In the more recent centuries, the scientific worldview that is associated with modernity has contributed new dualisms, such as observer/observed, structure/agency, subjective/objective, science/art, and so forth. In contemporary society, there are entrenched dualisms, such as rich/poor, literate/illiterate, industry/agriculture, and so forth. While such dualisms enable us to articulate our thoughts and feelings with some precision, they do so at a cost: they divert our attention away from the underlying interconnections characteristic of our lives and our worlds. A dualism brings with it the sense of opposition in which one aspect (or one person) is a threat to the other. It hides from view the multidimensionality of reality--be it natural or social reality. Focusing attention back on this multidimensionality and the underlying interconnections, such that the multiple aspects of reality can coexist, not in opposition but in harmony, is the task of spirituality. Considering spirituality as a process, as a verb, it may be viewed as a practice of nurturing spaces of togetherness. It is not about dominance but about coexistence, cooperation, and cocreation. It reflects the spirit of ubuntu (a cultural notion from Africa), which declares, “I am because I belong.” The word spiritual gets associated with religion and religiosity. Giri proposes to use the term practical spirituality. Practical spirituality emphasises transformative practice, which leads to self-transformation, cultural transformation, and world transformation. It seeks to reorient the vision, practice, and theme of spirituality in the direction of creative practice, that is, our everyday life and struggle for justice and dignity. It invites us to rise above the dichotomies between practice and meditation, or action and research. This kind of transformative practice can be found in many areas of creative work. Studies in practical spirituality lead us to three overlapping domains of creative work--those focused on beauty, dignity, and dialogue. These domains are intertwined and they influence each other. We would be far from beauty once we know that the dignity of those around us is not respected. Practical spirituality is the movement for harmonising dichotomies in our tangible world. The struggle for dignity is a part of this process. It is a struggle on behalf of humanity. Giri cited the example of the Zapatista revolutionary movement of Mexico, which is a struggle for dignity of the poor indigenous peoples. The leader of the movement writes poetry while being involved in social action for dignity. The social and the socio-spiritual movements--Buddha’s spiritual movement, Gandhi’s political and economic experiments, antiapartheid movement, contemporary struggles for tribal rights, to name a few--are all linked to dignity. Struggle for human dignity is a part of practical spirituality. We do not exist in isolation; we are a part of the whole. But our experiences are fragmented. This necessitates dialogue. Practical spirituality includes dialogical processes. It is not merely a dialogue of words but a dialogue of actions too. It is a call to move out of one’s own securities and reach out to those in need. It implies transcending boundaries. Giri introduced three different social movements as examples of this. (a) Habitat for Humanity is based on the Christian theology of sharing resources. It serves the homeless by building low-cost houses. The movement stresses on crossing sectarian boundaries. It builds spaces and through this strives to build better relationships. (b) Swadhyay, literally meaning the study of self, is a socio-spiritual movement which emphasises devotional labour and sharing. There is a stress on self-understanding and coexistence. It is an example of practical spirituality from contemporary Hinduism. (c) Sarvodaya Shramadana is a youth movement in Sri Lanka. The youth are involved in a process of reflection and active involvement in improving the realities around them by sharing their labour. It has achieved intergenerational continuity as the children of the members too are actively involved. The movement is inspired by the idea of “engaged Buddhism.” Practical spirituality has a dialogical dimension--dialogue between generations, between action and contemplation, between the material and the transcendental, between religion and science, and even between religions. Religions, as known to us, present well defined boundaries. They present themselves with a distinctiveness signified by the use of capital letters--capital H of Hinduism, C of Christianity, or I of Islam. Giri referred to the ideas of Sulak Sivaraksa, a social and spiritual leader from Thailand, who speaks of Buddhism with a small b (i.e., engaged Buddhism). This draws attention to the meaning of the Buddha’s teachings and being less concerned with myth, culture, and ceremony. Practising the teachings rather than emphasising the rituals may lead to understanding and accommodation. A similar reframing of God with a small g makes available the possibility of exploring god as a mother or a child. It fosters the connection between the material and the transcendental, in a way that supports human development. Extending his reflections to the management field, Giri proposed mothering as an alternative model of management. For too long has the manager been promoted as a centre of power and dominance. This has a subtle dimension of coercion. As mothers, the managers may better understand the vulnerabilities of persons. They may acknowledge each other’s weaknesses, while nurturing each other’s strengths. Often, management and human values seem to conflict. Values like openness and cooperation take a back seat when cut-throat competition becomes the norm in the corporate world. In such an arena, managers oriented in practical spirituality have a lot to contribute. They can play a role in bringing these harmony-establishing values to the forefront. It may be interesting to see how cooperation and competition can be used to transform human realities for the better. Faced with the seemingly intractable social, organisational, and human problems, researchers may find methodological guidance in practical spirituality. Despite the entrenched power structures that serve to preserve the state of fragmentation and disharmony, there is also the inherent need for those structures to be responsive, flexible, and innovative. This allows a space of possibility for the forces of creative and transformative practices. Accordingly, research can aim to identify and strengthen such spaces of possibility. Reported by Sanjeev Gonsalves and D. P. Dash. [August 7, 2008] Copyleft Xavier Institute of Management, Xavier Square, Bhubaneswar 751013, India Research World (ISSN 0974-2379) http://www1.ximb.ac.in/RW.nsf/pages/Home |
