Emotion, spiritual experience and education: a reflection

Abstract

This paper, informed especially by the work of the philosopher John Macmurray, focuses on two personal anecdotes in order to explore the relationship and distinctions between emotional and spiritual experience. Despite being unique to the individual, emotional experience requires relationship, and thus appreciation of the feelings of others is possible through empathy. Emotional development may be a pre-requisite for spiritual experience, and shares some of its features, but the latter is shown to be distinctive in a number of ways, not least in being playful, unpredictable and total. The kind of (child-centred, progressive) education which might facilitate and promote the development of this kind of spirituality is briefly examined.