영적 순례의 길을 찾아서

영적 순례의 길을 찾아서

다음은 우리 사랑하는 손녀 안지은의 2년 전 존 존스 박사의 지도 아래 한 학기 동안 배우면서 연구 작성한 글입니다. 놀라운 것은 존스박사 아래에서 할아아버지도 석사과정 시 배운 일이 있는데 손주도 같은 교수님으로부터 배운 일입니다. 안지은은 2018년 6월 17일에 라시에라대학교 생물학과를 Summa Cum laude로 졸업하고 로마린다대학교 의과대학에 입학하였는데, 졸업 직 후 4년만에 잠시 틈을 내 할아버지를 찾아와서 그동안 배운 것을 묻고 그의 자료들을 연구한 리서치들을 보면서 우선 신앙적 연구에 관련된 글을 여기에 옮김니다. 올린 이유는 영적 순례자들의 길  네 가지 유형을 조사 분석하면서 참된 영적 순례의 길을 모색하고 있다는 점 때문입니다. 

Jieun Ahn 
Dr. John Jones 
Religious Understandings
3 March 2016 
                        Journey to Find One’s Spiritual Pathway  
    Every individual has his or her own personality and it is considered to be unique for all. However, in a psychological perspective, these “unique” personalities can be grouped and organized based on their similarities and differences with others. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was based on the research from psychologists Carl G. Jung and Isabel Briggs Meyers. This test is a useful tool to help identify one’s personality and also to relate it to other personality types. MBTI uses four letters to distinguish a personality type: E or I, S or N, T or F, and J or P. The first letter indicates an individual’slife attitudes, the second letter indicates for perceiving functions, the third letter indicates for judging functions and the last letter indicates for life orientations. In Richardson’s book, Four Spiritualities, he discusses how one’s spirituality pathway can be determined based on the similar concept observed in the MBTI. In contrast, he focuses on the middle two letters: S or N and T or F. These letters indicate for sensing, intuition, thinking, and feeling, respectively. He emphasizes these letters because they are part of cognitive functions. Thus, they are more important in determining a particular spiritual pathway because it reflects how a person think about certain ideas regarding religion. In this book, Richardson explores and discusses about four spiritual pathways: Journey of Unity, Journey of Devotion, Journey of Works, and Journey of Harmony. With these four pathways, Richardson creates a blueprint for his audience to discover their own spiritual pathway as well.  

     According to Richardson, the Journey of Unity is based on NT personality and Jnana yoga. As children, they tend to ask many questions that involve complex ideas and also enjoy solving problems. During their youth, they work hard and establish their own independence. As adults, they have a vision and they like to focus on their tasks (Richardson 44). The four
characteristics observed in NT spiritual pathway are the principles on life and nature, honest truth, social justice that aims for people’s involvement, and clarity (Richardson 45). Richardson matches Buddha with NT spiritual pathway. I think his characterization of Buddha’s spiritual pathway is agreeable since Buddha’s personal journey follows the NT personality. As a young child, Buddha asked questions like “What is death?” and “What is life about?” He was curious about the world around him. As he got older, he left his family and decided to live in a forest where he sought answers and clarity regarding the complexity of the world. Living an ascetic life, Buddha developed principles that explained the middle line between excess and little self indulgence. These principles are known as the Middle Path. With these guidelines in mind, Buddha eventually became the “awakened one” by the bodhi tree where he also created the Four Noble Truths. From these sets of principles, Buddhism was born. People with NT personality like to organize principles that connect nature and life together; Buddha illustrated this trait with the creation of two belief systems. Jnana yoga can be observed in Buddha’s journey towards enlightenment since this yoga focuses on the importance of knowledge. It also reflects on how Buddha did not focus on “the subject-object division” instead he recognized the true form of the main subject as the “transcendental Self” (Richardson 53). In other words, Buddha emphasized the importance of the unity between one self with the natural world. Starting with questions and having a vision, Buddha achieved his personal goal in life: gain knowledge of the world around  him. He explored the world by himself which made him capable to create principles that provide an easier explanation for all. Therefore, Buddha’s personal pathway follows the NT pathway. Many Buddhists follow these principles in order to live a life full of enlightenment. It may seem as if these followers devote themselves to these principles which may lean more towards to the spiritual pathway of devotion. However, this is not the case. These beliefsystems are only followed in order to have an idea of how to achieve enlightenment. Buddha paved his own discovery of finding the key to enlightenment. His teaching encourages his followers to experience this journey on their own. He wanted them to understand that answers for difficult questions come from within. They come from a person’s own soul. Therefore, Buddhists follow the pathway of unity because they are continuously searching for enlightenment. The teachings of Buddha inspire this journey of knowledge. 

 
     The Journey of Devotion is based on the SF personality and bhakti yoga. As children, they tend to be gentle and cooperative. They avoid conflict and try to move toward harmony. They love to learn step by step and it is easy for them to interact with others. They are characterized to be caring and trusting (Richardson 72). As adults, they carry these same traits. The SF spirituality focuses on eight concepts: pilgrimage, heroes, stories, hands on approach to
spiritual life, archaic forms, personal experience, simple things, and direct service to the world (Richardson 74). Richardson matches Mohammed to this pathway of devotion. I agree with Richardson because he devoted his life to the Islamic God, Allah. Mohammed is also characterized as a caring person who always thought of those in need. He was also a man of great sensitivity and honesty. These traits are observed in an SF personality. Consequently, the pathway of devotion influenced the religion that he created, Islam. This religion follows the bhkati yoga which is a devotion of love to God. The practices in this yoga responds to God’s love and creates a relationship with this loving God. Thus, it provides this “sacred emotion” regarding God (Richardson 85). The Muslims express this journey of devotion very explicitly. A practice that revolves around feeling and sensing is the Five Pillars: monotheism, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage. They identify Allah as the creator of all and describe him as a loving God. Muslims emphasize the importance of praying by having a ritual that consists of praying five times a day. Also, they donate to charity which connects to the SF personality of generosity that Mohammed had. Fasting enables Muslims to reflect and to self-discipline. The pilgrimage to Mecca is important because it reenacts the origins of the Islamic roots (Richardson 93). Muslims learn to devote their love to Allah in a step by step fashion. This mentality is observed in the SF spiritual pathway. The Five Pillars show how Muslims are on the pathway of devotion like Mohammed. They express their love to God by praying. Also, they show the act of service through fasting and charity. Islam makes the  spiritual pathway a very personal one which can be observed with the Five Pillars. Thus, Mohammend’s spiritual pathway inspired and motivated Muslims to interact in a loving relationship with the sacred. 

     Another spiritual pathway that Richardson describes is the Journey of Works. This pathway is based on a ST personality and karma yoga. ST children tend to be always in motion and they need to test everything. They want to understand the relationship between cause and effect (Richardson 106). As adults, they become responsible and fair people. They focus on
leading a productive life (Richardson 107). In other words, people with this personality believe that their actions define their purpose in life. The main components of ST spirituality are the foundation of law, strong sense of morals, and responsibility. There is one idea that connects all these components into one: work inspires spiritual growth. Richardson uses Moses as an example for this journey. I agree with Richardson’s characterization of Moses with the journey of the works since Moses’s life portray this specific pathway. He is known as the most important prophet in Judaism. Moses embraced the necessity of acting without being attached to one’s selfish deeds; he fulfilled this when he lead the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promise land. This task was presented by God through the burning bush. As a ST, Moses responded to this great responsibility in order to serve his God and the people of Israel. He worked to bring these hopeless people to a land where God promised great prosperity. And whenever the people questioned God’s instructions, Moses reassured them. An example of this is when they were in the desert, and the people were suffering from thirst. Moses went to God and when he came back, he hit the rocks with his rod. A miracle happened, water started to come out in the middle of the desert. This relationship with God is also observed in parting of the Red Sea. These
examples illustrate the sensing trait of this personality; Moses sensed the presence of God. For Moses, this sensing was transformed and produced into the works of serving God. Another concept of this pathway is the importance of strong morals. This was observed when the Ten Commandments were presented. By following these laws, the people of Israel would fulfill their
duty to God. The fact that Moses was the one who presented the Ten Commandments shows how morals were important to him. Unlike Moses’s ST spirituality, Jews seem to enhance the journey of devotion due to prayer and singing. They connect to God by showing their love to God.
Nevertheless, Moses sacrificed his whole life to serve God and to pave a path for those who needed hope. This is how he fulfilled his spirituality through works.

 
     Like Moses, Confucius is characterized as a ST spiritual person. Confucius was born during the Chou period where China was divided due to political conflicts. It was a time of chaos and trouble. He spent most of his lifetime in the courts of kings which enabled him to voice out his reform ideas. He repurposed many rituals, and these new ideas became the Confucian Classics. He dedicated his life to institute new reforms. Confucius emphasized that it is not about making a new path to travel. Instead it is about changing and refining the current path. In this case, he was referring to the troubles. So, by introducing reforms in the social and political aspects, one can redefine his or her current path in life. Confucius also talks about the importance of Li. It describes the importance of morals and responsibility that are observed in a ST spiritual person. Confucius introduced Li to motivate rulers to take responsibility in maintaining stability in China. Even though Confucius showed traits of a ST spiritual pathway, I disagree with
Richardson’s identification. I think Confucius should have been re-assigned to the NT spiritual pathway, the journey of unity. There is a correlation of reform and the way of knowledge. In order to create reforms for society, one must be on a path to enlightenment. Contrast to Buddha, Confucius strived to unite the community and its rulers. With this unity, the country was able to
save and protect humanity. Confucius paved a philosophical and ethical system for all to follow. He provided certain guidelines for people to follow like Buddha. With organization of ideas and providing knowledge for the greater good, Confucius should be viewed as a person with an NT
spiritual pathway and not a ST one.  

    According to Richardson, the Journey of Harmony is based on NF personality and raja yoga. The NF spirituality focuses on mystical harmony, openness to healing, and focus on relationships (Richardson 146). Richardson groups Jesus of Nazareth with this spiritual pathway. People with NF personality have visions of making a better world for people. They are insightful and recognize the needs of the community; they may be identified as hope for all. These characterizations are consistent with the persona of Jesus. He is considered to have NF spirituality because of his quest on Earth. This quest seemed to be far beyond his limits and reality, however he was able to fulfill it with his own sacrifice. This mission was to both save us
and to unite us with God. It was a way to bring harmony, love, and peace to the world. Despite this mystical insight, he knew he needed to show God’s love to all people. Another trait that supports this pathway is his healing abilities. One of his way to show the power and love of God, he healed the sick, the old, and even the outcasts in the community. Jesus was able to heal the society by helping the people. He inspired them to grow their own wholeness and spirituality. Jesus also focused on the importance of relationships. He had his own disciples and shared parables like the Prodigal Son. Jesus used the element of relationship to demonstrate the importance of having one with God. Even if people sinned and thought they did not deserve forgiveness, he worked to share God’s love and repentance for all. Jesus was the mediator between the powerful God and the people. Yet, Christianity does not fully focus on NF spiritual pathway. I feel Christians may be placed in several groups like ST and SF pathways. A lot of Christians believe that doing work in the name of the Lord fulfills their spirituality. Others
express their spirituality through devotion. So, I think Christianity slightly strays away from Jesus’s NF pathway and diverges into SF and ST pathways. Nonetheless, Jesus followed the Journey of Harmony. 

     Since I was raised in a Seventh-Day Adventist background, I am more accustomed to the SF spirituality: the Journey of Devotion. I was raised to love God and not to fear him. I learned to embrace my love for him. My family emphasized this throughout my life. We prayed and gave
thanks before dinner. We would also have a family worship every Friday night and occasionally devotionals in the morning. Also, my grandpa strongly influenced this type of spiritual pathway. My grandpa is a retired pastor and a religious professor in Korea. So, he was the main person
who influenced me religiously. Whenever I would visit him, he would express his love for God through singing and sermons. He would always sing in English, so that I was able to follow along. Also, he would always have morning worships with me and end them with singing. He always reminded me of how great God’s love is. Seeing how much my grandpa loved singing to God, it inspired me to do the same. I think that is why I feel connected to God when I sing praise songs during worship. Also, praying is another way for me to show my love. 

  
     Since my family raised me in one particular spiritual pathway, I feel NT pathway is the weakest for me.This pathway contrasts with my personality. I have a hard time asking complex questions regarding the world and religion. I seek answers that are already given and stated. A person with NT spirituality would organize principles by themselves and try to seek answers
from their soul. They are more interested in a philosophical manner whereas I express a straightforward mentality. I compile ideas from literature and science in order to answer questions. It is difficult for me to ponder questions like “What is happiness?” or “What is the purpose of life? I dislike sitting around and questioning everything. Most of the time, I distance myself from the abstract ideas and uncertainties in life. I think this pathway became the weakest because of my family background. Since we focused more on devoting love to God rather than questioning him, it is second nature to fit with journey of devotion. 

     From the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, my result was Guardian. Also, from the Myers Briggs Test, I obtained the personality of ISTJ. This indicates that I have a ST spiritual personality. Even though I am comfortable with an SF spiritual pathway, I also keep finding myself leaning towards to the Journey of Works. I have traits like a realistic perspective and strong sense of morals that are consistent with this path. Also, I believe work can fulfill my purpose in life. I do not like to wait and seek answers. Instead, I like to step out in the word and make a difference through works. I believe that doing good deeds for others will also fulfill one’s life; this is observed in karma yoga. My spiritual growth can grow from theworks that I do and also become a sacred ritual for me. I realized how much I love helping people in need, especially children. I love to help build better environments for children who do not have the luxury to do so. Going on mission trips and volunteering help me to grow my spirituality. Thus, it relates to the traits of being a Guardian and my goal of becoming a medical doctor. Also, this fits closely to my religious heritage because serving and volunteering is a way to illustrate God’s love for all. Therefore, I can incorporate ST spirituality with the SF one which I grew up with. Even though I have two prominent pathways in my life, I want to explore and strengthen other pathways like NT and NF. I can do this by asking more complex questions regarding the natural world and its connection to religion. By asking more philosophical questions, I am able to understand how certain principles were formed and also experience the quest of searching for answers. The first step would be to study my religion and start asking questions about certain beliefs. 

 
     From these four different spiritual pathways, I believe everyone has their own unique way of expressing their religious beliefs. However, it does not limit us from exploring different religions and incorporating modes of religion into our own belief system. One religious mode that I would like to introduce to my religion is principles observed in Buddhism. I want to add them because they pave a guideline that encourages to stray away from the details. It inspires curiosity and investigation. These principles help one to explore his or her own spirituality. I think having this component in a Christian based religion can be beneficial. Most of the time, I am used to obeying the words of the Bible and do what others think is right. However with a guideline that reassures and supports different interpretations of life, it pushes one to discover one’s own independent spiritual journey. This journey does not have to follow religious norms and the principles encourage people to do so. In order to appeal my religious tradition to all people, I would talk about the spiritual journey of Christianity instead of the conservative rules. I would focus more on how we view God and the many ways that we show our love and appreciation to him. Showing this aspect of my religion can make others feel comfortable. Also, respect and open perspective of other religions will help others to feel welcomed. In Four Spiritualities, Richardson demonstrates how there are different approacheswhen developing one’s spirituality. He emphasizes how every journey is unique, but connected to one another in some way. These spiritual pathways can be mixed and matched with one another. Overall, Richardson presents a framework of different spiritual pathways for people to follow.  
      
                                             Works Cited 
Richardson, Peters T. Four Spiritualities. Palo Alto: Davies-Black Publishing, 1996. Print.