Making Sense of it All: Old-World Spirituality & Religion Today

Spirituality in modern times is not narrowly defined – despite its strong connotations and ties to ‘new-age’ religions, modern forms of spirituality or religion can either be derivative from or an adaptation of older faiths. From this emerges frequent acts of spiritual appropriation: often at the intersection of corporate and other commodifications of older religions. 

Recent interviews with three modern experts on religion and spirituality offered varying views of spirituality’s modern expression; as well as how that can tie in to both spiritual appropriation and its connections to older faiths. 

Joseph Blankholm is a professor of religion at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His focus is on secularism, the history of atheism, and religious decline, though he also expands on a “broad range of [religious-based] things.” 

“Appropriation is always about being sensitive to the history of where you’re at now,” he says. 

In reference to spiritual and cultural acts of appropriation, Blankholm states, “You don’t want to say that people of a certain race can only do things from that race, so [with appropriation], the problem is really that when we are living in the world, we arrive in the midst of something that’s already going on…for instance, if we take cultural appropriation for Native Americans [sic], there’s a history of genocide in the United States. And so, if I were to appropriate, I’m in some ways situating myself in that long history. And it’s an uneven and unfair history. So I need to be respectful of the situation to which I’ve arrived, even if it’s not one that I chose, or one that I get to choose.”

Naturally, modern spirituality and religion are derivative of what has come before them. Christianity, through colonization, has reached a large amount of the world – affecting spiritualities, faiths, and religions that were adapted and erased in the process. 

To Blankholm, Chrisitianity is described as, “the perspective through which we understand what religions are…for that reason, any time you’re thinking about religion, of any kind, you’re kind of always thinking about it through Christianity.”

However, Christianity is not the only example that Blankholm provided when speaking on modern spirituality and its ties to older faiths. “You can trace it all the way back to Plato, in Ancient Greece, and the influence of his ideas. But it’s strongly associated with what’s sometimes called hermetic religion, or the Occult in Europe,” he says. Blankholm goes on to state that modern forms of spirituality and religion are “taking many things from Buddhism” and “taking things from Hinduism”; this is a strong aspect of spiritual appropriation itself. 

When asked on whether or not power and privilege have an influence within spiritual appropriation, Blankholm said, “[to] think of yourself as unmarked, to not recognize that you’re from a particular place…and then think you can just take things, absolutely.” He connected this mindset to a long history of colonialism, which continues to view other people, items, and practices as things to capitalize from or benefit off of, rather than being paid actual respect. 

To conclude, Blankholm’s words connected academic and religious insight to how modern spirituality plays into the current world. In order to receive a different standpoint on modern forms of religion, Diane Rose, a Los Angeles rabbi, offered her words. 

Through being a practitioner of Jewish Universalism, Rose offers a Reform view of Jewish spirituality as a way to personally find inner peace. 

When explaining that modern religion or modern spirituality is mostly found by those who want connection, order to the universe, more love, or gratitude, Rose explains that, “what religion can do is create a structure so that you’re reminded to tap in to those things.” She goes on to say that, “you have to constantly re-interpret and re-examine the things that are older, to help you find [connection, love, order, or gratitude] that way, and certainly there are plenty of people who look at religion very traditionally and strictly.” 

Though it is often overlooked, Rose explains that a sect of Judaism called ‘mystical Judaism’ borrows and adapts for new-age religion and other forms of modern spirituality. According to Rose, adaptation is a necessary aspect for older religions to maintain relevance. “There are so many different movements [within Judaism], and the movements keep evolving…if you take something ancient and it’s gonna be relevant in any way, it has to adapt,” she says.

As a result of there being many different evolving and adapting forms of religious expression through Judaism, Rose follows Jewish Universalism. She describes this as looking at, “what the human lesson is, how a Jewish lens can help you be a better human…for me it’s not about practicing Judaism, it’s about practicing humanity.”

Amethyst and clear quartz crystals – two important features of spiritually-based shops, as shown in Morioka’s Bamboora on Montana. Los Angeles, California, September 25, 2020 (Paige Homer / News Road)

While Blankholm uses his knowledge of historical and religious contexts for insight, and Rose speaks on her knowledge of Judaism and Jewish Universalism, Kari Morioka – or Mo, as she’s often referred, has a business perspective, from owning a crystal shop in Los Angeles. 

Though her store’s demographic used to be mainly comprised of those in their late 20s-mid 30s who were already familiar with crystals and spiritual practice, it’s now composed of “people who are looking for alternative ways of healing, [and] ways of being,” she says.

Whether due to the COVID-19 pandemic or general times of uncertainty, her main demographic is often looking for something more or larger than what they currently have. 

This appears to connect to the appeal of modern spirituality; which, similar to the words of Rabbi Rose, intends to largely seek out love, gratitude, an order to the universe, or connection. Mo defines spirituality as “a collective… it’s the teachings that allow us to connect to our higher selves and understand the divinity within.” 

Modern forms of spirituality, though varied, seem to be described by all who were interviewed – Mo, Rose, and Blankholm – as something largely rooted in older faiths. 

“I was raised in a Buddhist family, and I think a lot of spiritual teachings are taken from some form of Buddhism, especially in the mindfulness tradition now, and I think it’s derivative from Eastern beliefs,” she says. “People in the West need science to validate what people in the East knew for ages, but people in the West need proof or scientific backing, which I find interesting. That the belief needs to be grounded in something other than faith in what is true.” 

Mo’s sentiment on the West’s need for proof in spirituality is one that is not new to Rabbi Rose – who states that, for many of those seeking spiritual guidance, faith is “a matter of what’s on the page.” Though the search for spirituality may begin in different places, its expressions and forms are often found in similar spaces.