Spirituality, stewardship and consumption: new ways of living in a material world

an article by Amabel Hunting (Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand) and Denise Conroy (University of Auckland, New Zealand) published in Social Responsibility Journal Volume 14 Issue 2

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how spirituality impacts on the consumption choices of consumers who are adopting a sustainable lifestyle.

Design/methodology/approach
This is a longitudinal study of urban-based consumers who are actively engaged in living sustainably. To effectively study these lifestyles, a multi-modal research design was used, which combined photo-elicitation, journaling, interviews and observational data.

Findings
Spirituality and material consumption are traditionally depicted as being in opposition, with research finding a decrease in conspicuous consumption when spirituality is enhanced. This research demonstrates sustainability-mindful consumers who are reversing this trend by enacting their deeply held ideological beliefs through their consumption choices. The merging of ideology with consumption elevates even mundane purchases to be acts of meaning and purpose.

Practical implications
With an unwillingness to compromise on their beliefs, there is a growing gap between these consumers’ demands and what the market is offering. The study found evidence of these consumers developing their own consumables in direct response to a lack of appropriate market alternatives.

Originality/value
This study demonstrates consumers for whom spirituality is at the centre of their consumption choices. Further, it provides evidence that supports Maslow’s theory of being motives (self-actualization and self-transcendence), in which people are motivated by the desire to fulfil their highest life potential. This research suggests opportunities for those businesses that are willing to meet consumers’ transcendent needs through more transparent and socially responsible practices.

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How I Transformed My Anxiety and What to Do If You Feel Emotionally Stuck

a post by Dr Eric Tan for the Tiny Buddha blog


“There is still vitality under the snow, even though to the casual eye it seems to be dead.” ~Agnes Sligh Turnbull

For as long as I can recall, I have always been a fretful and anxious person. Mine was a low-key anxiety that’s always colored the background of my life, a constant companion of ambiguous dread and imminent doom (just around the corner!)

The annoying part was that I never quite knew why the anxiety hung around. There weren’t any real situations in my life that evoked this constant, nagging fear.

I have tried various techniques to manage my anxiety. I tried deep breathing. I tried to balance out the fearful thoughts that sometimes follow the feeling of fear with logical investigation of the facts.

I tried self-hypnosis—imagining a safe place in the depths of my psyche protected by multiple layers of force fields. I tried going toward the fear instead of running from it by putting myself in fear-inducing situations, so I could learn to tolerate it better. I tried self-psycho-analysis.

All these produced various small results, but always, always there was something missing. I somehow felt like I did not go all the way to the bottom of my anxiety.

Continue reading

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