Thursday, July 15, 2021

Book Discussion: The Spiritual Child by Lisa Miller. The spiritual journey called "parenthood."

 

The spiritual journey called “parenthood.”

We can see how our spiritual growth as parents can progress in tandem with our children’s spiritual development. 


The arrival of a child in our lives awakens us spiritually, whether we call it that or not. Haven’t we all, upon becoming a parent, felt the “something more,” experienced something difficult to describe but very real stirred by this new being in our lives? Many parents, particularly fathers, have told me that they “did not believe in anything” until their child was born.


Miller, Dr. Lisa. The Spiritual Child (p. 317). St. Martin's Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 


Parenthood is an opportunity for spiritual growth. It is an opportunity to create a better version of ourselves which moves us from an egocentric level of consciousness to an ethnocentric and worldcentric view. 


Our sense of purpose is enhanced beyond our individual sense of self to a concern for the next generation and the world they will be living in. Our narcissistic motivations and incentives are enlarged and move beyond just the egocentric self.


Parenthood raises existential questions, if we allow a recognition of them, about why a person is born, what the purpose of life is, what really matters to be created before physical death occurs. Why has this soul become incarnated into this physical body and how can I recognize, acknowledge, and nurture this soul’s development and how does this desire to nurture and facilitate encourage and enhance one’s own spiritual development?


If you are or have been a parent how has raising children influenced for better or worse your own spiritual development?


In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. How does being a parent shape that search?


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