No Nonsense Spirituality (Brittney L. Hartley)
OVERVIEW
Brittney Hartley defines spirituality as “a deep connection to self and outside of self.” She’s most interested in the secular version, spirituality that requires no belief in the supernatural (no belief in nonsense). As an ex-Mormon who has spent years studying deconstruction (but more importantly reconstruction), she is the perfect teacher, and No Nonsense Spirituality outlines her best advice. If you’re interested in her courses or services as an atheist spiritual director, find her here.
If spirituality is a menu, there are three main dishes to choose from: religion, the occult, and atheism. Religion is an organized orientation toward what is sacred; it gives us ritual and community, shared myths, shared moral codes, and shared identity. The occult (think magic, alchemy, divination, etc.) is more a quest for hidden wisdom and esoteric knowledge; it’s earthy and intuitive, less hierarchical and less patriarchal. Lastly, atheism, which promotes skepticism; when done well, atheism humbly (not arrogantly) doubts the faith others place in their ability to uncover universal truths. The problem with going all in on religion is that it risks fundamentalism and the unwavering endorsement of untruths. The problem with going all in on the occult is that it places too much faith in our intuition (which is frequently wrong). (Both religion and the occult risk vulnerability to bad actors.) Many, then, throw both out and declare themselves non-believers; they invest in science and evidence-based reasoning. That’s fabulous, but science and atheism are not frameworks for living. Skepticism may be great at demolishing bad ideas, but skepticism is not scaffolding.
“Skepticism is a fantastic tool, but it’s not the tool you need for building. . . . Scientific research can tell us that rituals help us process emotions, or that meditation is good for the brain, but it can’t tell us how to implement that into your complex life circumstances. Truth sometimes needs a vehicle.”
Hartley’s recommendation is that we sample the best of all three, that we gather “the wisdom and tools in religion, the intuitive space of the occult, and the preeminence of science to create a path that uses the benefits of all three stances.” This is spirituality buffet style. It means anyone can be spiritual. It reclaims community, transcendence, peace, awe, meaning, purpose, and deep connectedness. All without nonsense. All without dubious truth claims.
Secular spirituality is a middle path between the rigid order of religion/structured spirituality and the chaos of nihilism. At the one extreme is fundamentalism, us vs. them thinking, inflexible belief systems, and the need to constantly defend one’s worldviews. At the opposite end of the spectrum, though, is the complete lack of any structure to help us cope with existential anxieties. This is why we need a middle path, not too structured, and not so unstructured that we feel untethered and unsupported (wracked with the anxiety of meaninglessness and no tools to save ourselves).
In No Nonsense Spirituality, Hartley reviews each element that can contribute to secular spirituality, with questions at the end of each chapter to help you contemplate and integrate the lessons. At a high level, here are your buffet selections:
· Awe; regular dosing with wonder and amazement, the core of spirituality.
· Ritual; the outward embodiment of your values and beliefs. Ritual is the enacted affirmation of what is important to you (externalized spirituality).
· The feminine; reclaiming those spiritual dimensions that might have been dismissed or diminished by patriarchal religions/systems (e.g., the spiritual exercises of mothering, making time for yourself, or cooking for friends).
· Meaning and purpose; thinking deeply on what purpose you are specially suited for – what tool(s) for making the world a better place you are uniquely poised to offer.
· Morality; living virtuously and upholding moral values; Hartley gives some great secular examples.
· Occult practices (just be sure to separate the tool from the bullshit)
· Mysticism and wisdom; pursuing experiences of oneness, self-transcendence, and wise knowing.
· Community and love; committing to love and connection.
· Sacred stories; re-homing yourself within a mythology (or worldly “narrative” if “mythology” chafes); Hartley presents several examples of archetypal stories that may resonate.
I appreciate Hartley’s sincerity in admitting there’s no turnkey option for atheists (John Vervaeke noted the same). There is no template we can follow. We must each create and claim our own spiritual paths. You will have to design your own rituals, make time for awe, contemplate your purposes, think about morality, rewrite your mythologies, and find which tools work best. And you will have to do it with intention. The creation of a naturalized, no nonsense spirituality will not happen passively and not without your deliberate effort.
“Like creating a home that is perfect for you, one has to sift through heirlooms and decide what to keep, what to DIY, and what to toss. Yes, it does take more work on the front end. Perhaps all things in life are this way, that things worth having are worth choosing.”
IN SUM:
Is this book entirely secular? Yes.
If I had to describe the book in one sentence? Spirituality for atheists (spirituality for everyone).
Who should read this book? Anyone who laments the loss of life’s spiritual dimension.
Interested in other books about spirituality? Check out Books about Spirituality for Atheists.