The essays below contain ideas that have helped me practice spiritual humanism. They are my personal theory of spiritual humanism. I have also included three tips for creating your own theory of spiritual humanism.
Please note that I tend to write in the first person (“I”, “me”, “my”). This is because I do not wish to speak for you. I am sharing what I have learned, so it seems appropriate to speak for myself. You are always free to ask, “Is the same true for me?”
The ideas that I have found helpful in practicing spiritual humanism fall into five categories. Click on a link below to read about the ideas in that category.
I have also created a list of all ideas that I teach.
Each of the five categories of ideas can help you fulfill the mission, the six commitments, and the everyday practice of spiritual humanism. Think of the five categories of ideas as general knowledge that can be applied to all aspects of spiritual humanism.
Spiritual humanism is flexible about the supernatural. People can practice spiritual humanism regardless of their views about the supernatural (atheist, agnostic, or believer). I happen to be agnostic. I would like to share a few ideas with other agnostics. Atheists and believers are free to skip these ideas.
Spiritual humanism does not have an official theory. There is no official theory because many different ideas can help you practice spiritual humanism. What matters is that the ideas you choose help you fulfill the mission, six commitments, and everyday practice of spiritual humanism.
Here are three tips for creating your own theory of spiritual humanism.
The first tip is to identify sources of ideas that fit your worldview. The ideas that I teach come from a wide range of sources: poetry, religions, philosophies, and fields of science. However, it is not necessary to use ideas from a wide range of sources. For example, you might prefer to use ideas only from a specific religion, or you might prefer to use ideas only from philosophy and science.
The second tip is to search for ideas that fall into the following five categories: compassion, protection, interdependence, suffering, and resilience. There is nothing magical about these five categories. They are merely a starting point for creating a well-rounded theory of spiritual humanism.
The third tip is to experiment with ideas. The ideas you discover may or may not prove helpful in your practice of spiritual humanism. If you find an idea that seems helpful, then apply the idea to your personal growth and to your everyday activities. Keep the ideas that help you practice spiritual humanism. Leave behind the ideas that do not prove helpful.
The photo of the sunflower on this page was taken by TIVASEE. It is available for free here.