THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF TIME AND SPACE FOR SELF: THE POTENTIAL OF LEISURE TO ENGAGE THE HUMAN SOUL

Transcription

1 THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF TIME AND SPACE FOR SELF: THE POTENTIAL OF LEISURE TO ENGAGE THE HUMAN SOUL Christopher Schmidt, University of Waikato Donna E. Little, University of Waikato Introduction Understanding the nature of the leisure experience has become a key to comprehending not only what leisure is, but also how it is lived and the complexity of its character. No longer is leisure simply explained by objective measures of time or activity (e.g. Kelly, 1996; Mannell & Kleiber, 1997; Wearing, 1996; Samdahl, 1988), rather it is recognized as an evolving and dynamic subjective phenomenon involving several types of emotions, personal meanings and challenges (Lee & Shafer, 2002). With such a change the need to understand the lived experience of leisure has become increasingly popular and there has been a return to exploring not just the dimensions of leisure, such as freedom, choice and enjoyment, but also the meanings of leisure, the potentials of leisure and the quality of the leisure experience. In this search, the less tangible aspects of the leisure experience have been remembered. The nature of leisure as an opportunity for people to explore truth, beauty and knowledge (de Grazia, 1962; Pieper, 1952) is being reconsidered, and the potential of leisure to allow people to explore what it means to be human (Kelly, 1987) are philosophically investigated. Building on these understandings, the current paper reports on an exploration of the existence and nature of spiritual leisure experiences. The results revealed that spiritual leisure experiences were real and lived aspects of some people s lives and that the experience of spiritual leisure was embedded in the circumstance of having time and space for self. In their leisure, the co-researchers who participated in the study revealed a consistent message of finding freedom to participate, freedom from the everyday ties of their life, and the freedom for connecting with the more spiritual aspects of self. Methods A phenomenological approach was adopted in this study to explore individuals lived experience of spiritual leisure. As a theoretical perspective, phenomenology offers a form of inquiry to explore and describe how specific everyday phenomena appear in our consciousness in particular circumstances (Moustakas, 1994; Pollio, Henley & Thompson, 1997). Given the intentions of the study, phenomenology offered a valid method. Grounded in the search for meaning and reflective of participants awareness and understandings, phenomenology allowed the researchers to seek knowledge through subjectivity whilst still following a rigorous process of research. This included endeavoring to bracket, or set aside researcher assumptions to be able to hear the coresearchers stories; remaining close to the words of the co-researchers throughout the analysis processes; and seeking to describe not just what spiritual leisure experiences were, but how they appeared in the co-researchers consciousness. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and self-reflective journals with twenty-four co-researchers who self-identified as experiencing spiritual leisure. Based on their descriptive understandings a number of core, underlying potentials of leisure to be spiritual were revealed, along with evidence of leisure as providing time and space to further understand one s self and life world. Following qualitative protocols, the

2 interviews conducted with the co-researchers were audio-tape-recorded and then transcribed verbatim. Data analysis reflected the phenomenological desire to understand the what of the co-researchers different experiences before searching for common, shared themes of how the experience was spiritual leisure. From this foundation core essences of spiritual leisure could be described. One of these was time and space for self. Results The co-researchers leisure gave them the time and space to learn more about the self and to gain a greater spiritual awareness. Though the contexts of their spiritual leisure differed, time and space reflected the requirement to have the room in their lives to participate in their activity, take time for them selves, to reflect, and do something important for them. Time in this regard meant time to do, as well as time away whether that was from social expectations, from work, from their partners and/or the conditions of everyday life. Space represented the creation of space for self that could be found in a loved location (e.g. nature), in difference (e.g. travel), or in an activity (e.g. behind the break line waiting for the next wave). Combined these aspects provided the coresearchers with an opportunity in their life to reflect, take stock, understand or make changes. Through spiritual leisure people had the time to experience, to find an interval in their lives to be aware of things other than the everyday. Normally caught up in the expectations of modern life, their spiritual leisure incorporated an outlet where they had time to think, feel and evaluate in ways that were not always available. These times were not special because they were focused on leisure, rather they were special because leisure allowed an individuals spirituality to be at the forefront. As Fay, a woman in her late forties summed up: Some people think the spiritual side of their lives is something quite separate, but it s not, it s always there and it s always your core. But too often we re just not in touch with that side. Our normal routine takes that away. So time out for leisure gives you time to feel and to sort out who you are inside and to connect. It s that free time to tap into the roots of what the earth, the universe and others are saying. Without that time my spirituality wouldn t be as deep. Similar understandings were part of other co-researchers experiences. Paul, a man in his thirties who found his bushwalking spiritual, realized that leisure offered him the time and space to reconnect and recharge. Busy in his life he found spiritual leisure was the time when I withdraw from the world as much as possible and re-centre. I recharge myself I re-affirm what I know, my faith and my universality. Dianne, who experienced spiritual leisure in nature and solitude, realized this was the time when she could experience true choice and was freed from dependency on others, or their dependency on her. Part of the experience of spiritual leisure, was the chance to not only be tapping into the self, but to be away from the ties that limited their ability to be themselves. Discussion For the co-researchers, access to time and space for spiritual leisure was a life space of freedom, and one that provided the context for the other core essences of

3 spiritual leisure to evolve. Perceiving a sense of freedom in their spiritual leisure the coresearchers found time out to connect with the spiritual side and the space and time for myself and inner growth. In other research it has been suggested that the mental state of freedom is required in order to be spiritual (Lee, 1964), and it has been recognized that freedom is perceptual (Iso-Ahola, 1980; Witt & Ellis, 1985). Able to perceive their spiritual leisure as freeing and appreciative of the time and space this leisure provided, the co-researchers transcended the everyday assault of their lives and reserved space for me. In this forum they were able to learn, self-better and improve (Adler, 1970). In their time and space the co-researchers did not just recharge the body; they recharged the soul. Wholly engaged, not just one element of the self was involved. Rather their leisure allowed them to experience the spiritual ( this is the time I am really in one with my faith, Fran); to know God ( I thrash things out with this God, but the only time that I do it is when I m on my own in pure leisure, Dianne); and to intensely be aware of a power beyond the individual ( being up in the Himalayas, it s almost like a power saying, this is what I created, it s amazing, Penny). In the achieved moment of leisure, the co-researchers experienced a transcendent realization that there is more to life than the ordinary. Potential Applications While it is recognized that leisure is a subjective experience, it is important to remember that it can also be a spiritual experience. In leisure people not only engage the body and the mind, they can engage the soul. Leisure provides us with the possibility of experiencing our self, of knowing a connection that is greater than the material, of being more aware and appreciative. Leisure is not just a consumptive experience or an avenue for physical or emotional health, it can also be spiritually engaging, a whole experience that touches the mind, the body and the spirit. In their spiritual leisure the co-researchers in this study created and found the time and space for self, and in that forum achieved a sense of personal fulfillment. The potential of leisure to touch the soul was reaffirmed and offers possibility not only for leisure providers to recognize the spiritual potential of programs and places, but to raise the relevance of leisure as a vital and meaningful element of living a whole life. References Adler, M. J. (1970). The time of our lives: The ethics of common sense. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Wilson. De Grazia, S. (1962). Of time, work and leisure. New York, NY: The Twentieth Century Fund. Iso-Ahola, S. (1980). The social psychology of leisure and recreation. Dubuque, IA: Wm Brown. Kelly, J. (1987). Freedom to be: a new sociology of leisure. New York, NY: Macmillan. Kelly, J. (1996). Leisure (3 rd Ed.). Boston, USA: Allyn & Bacon. Lee, R. (1964). Religion and leisure in America: a study in four dimensions. New York, NY: Abingdon Press. Lee, B., & Shafer. C. S. (2002). The dynamic nature of leisure experience: An application of affect control theory. Journal of Leisure Research, 32 (3),

4 Mannell, R. C., & Kleiber, D. A. (1997). A social psychology of leisure. State College, PA: Venture. Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. California, USA: Sage Publications. Pieper, J. (1952). Leisure: The basis of culture. New York, NY: Pantheon Books/ Schocken Books. Pollio, H. R., Henley, T. B., & Thompson, C. J. (1997). Phenomenology of everyday life. New York, USA: Cambridge University Press. Samdahl, D. (1988). A symbolic interactionist model of leisure: Theory and empirical support. Leisure Sciences, 10, Wearing, B. M. (1996). Gender: The pain and pleasure of difference. Melbourne: Longman. Witt, P., & Ellis, G. (1985). Conceptualizing leisure: Making the abstract concrete. In T. Goodale & P. Witt (Eds.), Recreation and leisure: Issues in an era of change (pp ). State College, PA: Venture Press.

5 ABSTRACTS of Papers Presented at the Eleventh Canadian Congress on Leisure Research May 17 20, 2005 Hosted by Department of Recreation and Tourism Management Malaspina University-College Nanaimo, B.C. Abstracts compiled and edited by Tom Delamere, Carleigh Randall, David Robinson CCLR-11 Programme Committee Tom Delamere Dan McDonald Carleigh Randall Rick Rollins and David Robinson Copyright 2005 Canadian Association for Leisure Studies ISBN