Where does spirituality come from?External observation, led to introspectionRooted in the need to explain reality, reasoning behind events in our livesSpirituality existed before organized ReligionPrehistorical Evidence of SpiritualityFertility symbols (ex: Venus of Willendorf statue), cave paintings, burial customs (ex: treatment of body and brain after death)Why do we need it?Compendium of Charaka: Three Priorities1. Life itself2. Gather what is needed to sustain life3. Develop spiritual life that transcends 1 and 2Maslow’s hierarchy of needs- InversionSpirituality: encompasses and extends outside of Religion; the search for the SacredWhat is the Sacred?Emile Durkheim- French Sociologist 1858-1917Established the Sacred and Profane DichotomyThe Sacred- set apart, forbidden, outside of worldly existence, collectiveThe Profane- ordinary, mundane, individualMircea Eliade- Romanian Historian of Religion 1907-1986Hierophany- Manifestation of the Sacred in the mundane worldQuestions that Religion AddressesWho am I? (nature of the self)How did I get here? (origin story/ creation)Who are you? (nature of the other)What is all this? (the meaning)Where will I go? (explanation of death and beyond)Defining ReligionSir James Frazer- Scottish Social Anthropologist 1854- 1941Wrote The Golden Bough- Humans are mainly concerned with extending their mastery over their world and destiniesThey do so through various successive means (magic > religion > science)Religion: Any of the faith based systems of belief and practices that1. Explain the nature of the self2. Describes the Divine/Ultimate/Sacred; at least takes cognizance of superior forces3. Presents mythology and eschatology; often including a description of a state of personal freedom (salvation or liberation)4. Employs ritual to bring positive effect5. Recommends a code of ethics and behaviorFaith: The notion of belief that can either be right or wrong because it cannot be proven; outside of logic; faith and belief are intertwined.Knowledge: can be proven.Spirituality encompasses more than religion- is more fluid and personal.Something can be spiritual AND religiousSomething can be spiritual but NOT religiousSomething can be neither spiritual OR religiousComponents of Religion: Self, Divine, Myth, Ritual, EthicsViews of the Self and ExistenceBody Only- Physicalists (Materialists) many modern scientists, atheistsYou’re just a body- no soul or essential natureBody and Mind- Buddhist onlyYou consist of a body and mind as separate entities but linkedBody, Mind, and Soul- Hindus, (loosely) Christians, Muslims, JewsYou have a physical body, a mind which makes up “you” and a separate, permanent soulViews of the Divine/ Ultimate/ SacredDivine refers to a God or DeityZoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, HinduismUltimate refers to a non-personal ultimate truthBuddhism, TaoismSacred refers to a entity that is set apart from worldly existence, considered great, sometimes forbiddenMyth: A narrative that seeks to explain the supramundane (things outside of our ordinary understanding)- accurate within groupsEx: origin of the world, origin of humanity, origin of other species, end of the worldPersonal freedom (salvation/liberation)Heaven, Nirvana, harmony with the Tao, etc.Religions developed to explain death and are in opposition to death- they seek to explain what comes after life (except Taoism)Meant to offer hope for the afterlife- denying that death is the ENDRitual: Religious behaviors or practices that have a symbolic element, are employed for a positive effect and are practiced within a sacred contextEx: Protestant communion (wine & bread)Rituals seek to bridge the gap between the profane and sacredEthics: Guidelines for what is right and wrong- practical advice on how to act and to achieve personal freedom, access to Divine or the UltimateEx: The Ten Commandments, The Noble Eightfold PathConfucianism- knowing the difference between right and wrong is called wisdomWhy is Science not a Religion?It is not faith based & it does not practice religious ritualDivisions of ReligionsLocation: Eastern & WesternAbrahamic/ Non-Abrahamic: can trace their history back to Old TestamentSource of liberation/salvation: self-powered and other-powered (prophet)How we gain access to the Divine or Ultimate: wisdom & prophetic traditions, visionary, meditative, and revelatory traditionsReligions TimelineHinduism (as early as 3500 BCE)Judaism (as early as 3000 BCE)Taoism (as early as 2600 BCE)Buddhism (500s BCE)Confucianism (500s BCE)Christianity (4 BCE- 30 CE)Islam (early 600 CE)ZoroastrianismFounded roughly 3000 years ago in Ancient Persia (modern Iraq)Prophet Zoroaster/ZarathustraBecame state religion of Persian Empire (6-4 centuries BCE) and Sassanid Empire (3rd century CE)- approximately 40 million followers thenOften referred to as Gambars (“infidels”) by the Muslim populationThree Main StagesStage 1: The religion prior to the arrival of Zoroaster- this is the Indo-Euro/Aryan culture that he reformedStage 2: The early faith, promulgated by ZoroasterStage 3: The Zoroastrianism of the Persian Empire- introduced elements into the religion mostly via a priestly group called the MagiParallels between Zoro & Jud, Christ, and IslamMonotheistic, creation stories, world ages/aeons, messianic figure of Saoshyant, prophets, final battle, angels/demons, bodily resurrection, final judgement, heaven/hellRadical Dualism- gives a moral dimension to the afterlife that not only strongly encourages and rewards virtue, but by doing so gives humanity a role in extinguishing evil from the worldStage 1:Aryan is Sanskrit for “noble ones”; many migrated from Iran into Indus ValleySpoke Indo-European languageThose who did NOT migrate from Iran became founders of ZoroastrianismMany similarities between Indian Vedic literature and Gathas of Zoro.Saoshyants- prophets, reformers, restores of truth and purityPolytheistic culture- variety of religious expressionStage 2: Life of ZoroasterBorn in NE Iran/ SW Afghanistan between 1200-900 BCE or 600-400 BCEBorn into warrior clan called SpitamaFather= Pourushapsa “Possessor of Horses”Mother= Dughdhova “One who has milked”His parents names are important b/c it gives insight into his statusHorses & “milked” livestock suggests he was well offAt 15 receives Kusti/Sadre (long robe and cloth belt; symbolize rite of passage)At 20 leaves homeNear 30 has pivotal religious experienceOne god speaks to him; tells that he is