COLLEGE, KNOWLEDGE & SPIRITUALITY

What encompasses the spiritual life of college students? Is the universe big enough? I doubt it.

I've met thousands of students during my twenty years of teaching at the community college level. Their personal philosophies are as varied as their faces. But although they can't be easily pigeonholed in terms of beliefs, I do sense a rising interest in spirituality among them.

I recently asked my students to anonymously comment about spirituality. I was interested in what role spirit played in their lives. Was it as important as classes, career, family? How did they view the spiritual lives of other students?

Of course, responses varied but many students made a clear distinction between spirituality and religion. They felt that religion was too confining, too separating for them. "What is spiritual for me," said one student, "is being able to connect with myself." Wanting to listen to that inner voice was a common desire of many students.

This is not to say that religion has been abandoned. Many students rely heavily upon their traditional beliefs, especially Christianity. Dr. Gayle Elliott sees a similar attitude in her students at Stephens College, a women's college in Columbia, Missouri.

"We get a real mix of students, and their spirituality is sometimes reflective of the region of the country from which they hail. At the extremes: West Coast students are more eclectic, I think-have been exposed to more ideas and perhaps feel less threatened by new or non-traditional ideas-than very traditional Southern or Midwestern students.

"I have been surprised, though, at the depth of my students' spirituality, and living in the nation's Heartland has made me aware of my own prejudices. We-meaning Liberals, meaning also those of us who feel firmly on a spiritual path-are often dismissive of more 'traditional' beliefs, such as various forms of Christianity, from Baptists to Catholics. We often view them as sincere but 'less evolved.' And certainly, a few students exemplify the moralistic, myopic, Bible-thumping views of their forebears, but they are in the minority. Most students-even those with firmly held beliefs-are respectful of others and genuinely interested in the faith of others.

"Many of my students are deeply religious, and they expect a great deal of themselves, spiritually. They are not shallow, and their traditional beliefs do not limit them in their educational or artistic pursuits. They attend church regularly and also perform both community and college "service" because this ethic of giving is a part of their belief-system. College life challenges them-makes them question the boundaries of their religious and cultural experiences. I also see a lot of transformations."

My students at a community college in California are less homogeneous than those at Stephens, a private college. Many have full or part time jobs; some have kids. Some will transfer to a four-year college or university. A large portion will move directly into the work force, having completed a vocational program such as respiratory therapy, building inspection technology, or automotive repair.

Their lives are stressful, unpredictable. Many are on their own for the first time. They are forced to rethink their belief systems at a time when they need their inner resources the most. They have freedom and new ideas. They get drunk and high. Their inner journey becomes an enigma to them as career, money, and success become tantamount.

Even so, my students today seem more comfortable with metaphysics than ever before. They are aware of the body/mind connection and the power of positive thinking. Fitness is important to them. They practice yoga, breath exercises, and meditation. They know about sweat lodges, Sufi dancing, and channeling; many are familiar with chakras and auras.

Native American beliefs have a huge pull on students. They want to know more about nature and being connected to the Earth. When we perform a ritual and bring in the four directions, their eyes light up. When we join hands and dance in a circle, they become alive. Their spirits are open, expectant. As they create mandalas or masks, students explore their deeper issues. Mythology provides a language. Both Campbell and Jung speak to their souls.

Christine Wood, a colleague in the Psychology Department, sees a huge need for including spirit into the curriculum. "In terms of human evolution, spirituality is the missing link that provides meaning and depth to one's existence. I believe that the lack of spirituality in our society is responsible for the conditions we currently face socially and environmentally.

"We are plagued with chronic depression, anxiety, suicide, addictions, violence and an array of psychological disorders. We have created environmental related diseases from hypertension, and a variety of cancers, to ozone depletion, pollution, and the general rape of the Earth's natural resources. All of these problems and symptoms indicate how far out of balance we have become spiritually. We have forgotten the invisible, spiritual forces that weave our lives together.

"From a spiritual perspective we must reverently embrace the intricate connection we share with all life. Once we awaken to this reality we cannot help but change our ways of living. Our social, emotional and environmental survival is dependent upon doing so. Therefore, I believe it is the responsibility of education to include spirituality in all fields of study. Indeed, spirituality should begin from the moment one enters formal learning."

No one is talking about dogma. It's about exploration. When I bring in a visualization exercise, things happen. Students finally get a glimpse of their own inner lives. They see the relevance. We create a space for discussion and suddenly students articulate their heart connections. Many have never expressed such private views. Relief shines in their faces.

Career, money, and the so-called real world have their place, but so do spirit, self-esteem, and consciousness. We need to give more attention to developing the inner tools of students. Joseph Campbell emphasized that idea. We need to teach how to dispel negative and debilitating beliefs that limit potential. We need to teach non-judgement and a common language of spirit. Certainly students are so hungry to find a deeper meaning in life and have more validity for a sense of their spiritual selves.

A friend of mine who is an assistant professor of sociology is making an attempt at providing such a space. She directs a program that provides financial scholarships for students to do community service work rather than working on campus in a work-study capacity. This expands the campus, and the students get a lot of experiential learning. They aren't getting course credit, but the service is directed by faculty.

"How do we educate the whole person?" she asks. "How do we expand their sense of learning beyond what they're getting in the classrooms? We want to help students understand their illusions about themselves, who they are and what they have to learn.

"They're running around doing a lot of things, but rather than having them keep busy doing things, we want them to spend time on the being part of service. We ask them about what they bring to the experience and what being of service means to them. What is their attitude while doing service? What are their lessons, individually and collectively? There's an inner life that has to be explored, reflected upon. How much anger do they have? What are their issues that they may be playing out in that setting? What is their own inner sense of self and experience based on in regards to what they are doing?"

My friend believes that by examining these questions, by being rather than doing, her students gain a deeper sense of themselves, a kind of spiritual awareness. Students in the program often frame what they do in terms of tapping into a higher purpose. They begin to listen to an inner voice. Even though they don't have a language to fully discuss it, her students show a willingness to talk about their inner lives.

"College students are so hungry and so dissatisfied with the narrow approach to what they receive, but they don't have the language. They don't know what they're not getting, but they know they want something more. They're not getting fed by what they're getting.

"Are students more spiritual now than ever before? Probably not. They're as spiritual as they've always been, which means they're ravaging, hungry, spiritual beings!"

Yet what opportunities are there for college students to reflect upon their spirituality? Perhaps as more teachers are allowed to create platforms of exploration without being burned at the stake, we can collectively co-create new meaning in ways together. My students would like that. And if students can learn to heed their inner voice, if they are even aware that they have a higher self, inner guidance that will help them, then they will be empowered as a whole person to create a life with meaning and purpose. I think they're asking for that.