NOTE: due to pre-empting for sports coverage, this week’s episode on Spiritual Health will only air Tuesday June 28th at 1:30pm, so remember to set your PVRs, or you'll have to wait for the repeat in six weeks!
Crack open a copy of the New Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus and you’ll find more definitions and synonyms for the word “spirit” than you’ll ever have use for. It can be a noun, a verb, an adjective or a verb transitive (yes, I had to look up what that last one meant). But whether your first thought is toward religious (“the Holy Spirit”) or secular (“she’s in good spirits”) uses of the word, we can all appreciate the value of having a “Healthy Spirit” when it comes to well-being. At the same time, having a “healthy spirit” could be considered as something very different from having “spiritual health”.
“Spirit” in its many forms is the focus of this week’s show, and I write this post with a spirit of gratitude for the intriguing guests and subject matter that transpired for Episode #4 in the Optimal Living series.
My first guest is Dr. Christopher Ross from Wilfrid Laurier University, who will share some interest-piquing information on the psychology of religion. I’m a person who has studied and taught about world religions and visited dozens of houses of worship, and I’ve been intrigued by the distinctly different moods, vibes and demeanours of the various faith communities. During our interview, we discuss some of Dr. Ross’ research which has focused on how Jungian* personality type influences one’s feeling of alignment with the religious tradition they are born into, or alternately, their choice of a different spiritual or religious practice. (*for additional information on Carl Jung, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and how your personality type influences your everyday life, you can visit the Myers & Briggs Foundation website).
I’ll also visit with Tanis Day, Advanced Energy Healer and the founder/director of the School of Energy Enlightenment in Kitchener. Have you ever walked into a room where two people have just had an argument, and although neither of them says anything, you can totally feel the tension in the room? On the other hand, anyone who’s been to a U2 concert will remember that even before the band came onstage, there was an incredible energizing vibe that was almost palpable. Those are both examples of how we’re affected by energy fields, and in this interview with Tanis, we discuss how our personal energy field is connected to those of others, to the collective human spirit, as well as to a greater spirit or source, whether you refer to that something larger as “God”, “The Universe”, “Allah”, “Brahma”, “Great Spirit”, or any other name.
Lastly, we head out to Guelph for an interview with the founder of Encounter World Religions Centre, JW Windland. JW has more than forty years experience in the study, teaching and first-hand encounter of world religions. In addition to an academic background in religious studies, JW has genuine friendships with practitioners, joins in their rituals and introduces thousands of people to the distilled wisdom of diverse communities in the North American mosaic. Together with Encounter's Director, Brian Carwana, JW has uncovered fifteen Perennial Themes that are common among the widely varying world religions. JW shares what some of these themes are, and how they contribute, whether one is religious or not, to leading a happy, fulfilling life.
Remember, this week’s episode of Optimal Living will only air on Tuesday June 28th at 1:30pm (due to pre-empting by sports events) so remember to set your PVRs! It’s sure to give you some food for thought, and if you hunger for more, you’ll find some great resources at discounted prices on the Resources page this week that can help you on your journey to spiritual well-being.