Impact of spirituality in the community development

Monique LIMA LEITE

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Spirituality has been disregarded by the development field. Yet the exclusion of spirituality is part of the consequences of the global humanitarian and environmental crisis. Researches have shown that the replacement of traditional manifestations including spirituality with modernity has provoked changes in all fields of humanity, including global development. This study aims to show how spirituality can impact community development in modern and multicultural societies and how the use of some spiritual practices in institutions can make differences in the life of the participants and their communities. Is it possible to apply spiritual approaches in a multicultural community? This is one of the questions that my reserch tries to answer. Spirituality is not the same as religion. In this context it is defined as the relationship that one has with oneself and everything else, it is a search for the meaning of life and the raising of awareness towards the world, which promotes interconnection. Based on a review of the literature on spirituality and development, an interview method approach was conducted in three institutions in Brazil, in different contexts and locations (rural and urban). None of them has spirituality as the main activity, although they apply it in their methodologies and approaches through their own activities. Respondents were selected by a set of criterias and asked questions about their lives, their involvement within the institutions and in the community. The results indicate that people who receive spiritual education are likely to notice changes in their lives and in perceptions about their communities, nature and society. It is then transformed into actions that benefit not only their personal lives, but their surroundings as well. On this basis, it is recommended that development institutions use spirituality as a tool to achieve real and long term impact in community development. Consequently, spirituality is a part of the solution for the humanitarian and environmental crisis we are faced with.

Abstract:

Spirituality has been disregarded by the development field. Yet the exclusion of spirituality is part of the consequences of the global humanitarian and environmental crisis. Researches have shown that the replacement of traditional manifestations including spirituality with modernity has provoked changes in all fields of humanity, including global development. This study aims to show how spirituality can impact community development in modern and multicultural societies and how the use of some spiritual practices in institutions can make differences in the life of the participants and their communities. Is it possible to apply spiritual approaches in a multicultural community? This is one of the questions that my reserch tries to answer. Spirituality is not the same as religion. In this context it is defined as the relationship that one has with oneself and everything else, it is a search for the meaning of life and the raising of awareness towards the world, which promotes interconnection. Based on a review of the literature on spirituality and development, an interview method approach was conducted in three institutions in Brazil, in different contexts and locations (rural and urban). None of them has spirituality as the main activity, although they apply it in their methodologies and approaches through their own activities. Respondents were selected by a set of criterias and asked questions about their lives, their involvement within the institutions and in the community. The results indicate that people who receive spiritual education are likely to notice changes in their lives and in perceptions about their communities, nature and society. It is then transformed into actions that benefit not only their personal lives, but their surroundings as well. On this basis, it is recommended that development institutions use spirituality as a tool to achieve real and long term impact in community development. Consequently, spirituality is a part of the solution for the humanitarian and environmental crisis we are faced with.

Keywords

Spirituality, community development, modern and multicultural society, humanitarian and environmental crisis

Language used: Czech

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 11. 4. 2019

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Mgr. Radovan Dluhý-Smith

Palacký University Olomouc

Faculty of Science

Master programme / field:
Geography / International Development Studies