What is Spirituality?
Spirituality is a core component to ‘living life in all its fullness’ as the mind, body and soul needs to be nurtured equally. It relates to fundamental questions about the meaning and purpose of life which affect everyone and is not dependent on a religious belief. It is also based on the search for ways to answer questions about life and a search for identity.
Spirituality in Collective Worship
Collective Worship is the beating heart of St Bridget’s. It provides the opportunity for our school community to share experiences, ideas and understanding. It is the context in which the language of spirituality, which we use as a school, is regularly and explicitly shared. Collective Worship provides the opportunity for pupils to become aware of the importance of reflection and how our positive and negative experiences can be formative. It also provides a real sense of being present (now moments) which are often linked to invitations to pray.
Through daily Collective Worship, pupils are offered a space and a place for hearing the Christian story. They are offered an understanding of worship by being invited to participate in, or observe, Christian spiritual practices such as: prayer, reading and reflection on the Bible and liturgy and are introduced to different musical traditions. Opportunities to reflect on the wows of life such as beauty and joy of the world are given, as well as time to reflect and empathise with the ow moments of disappointment or pain.
Pupils are given time to consider their responsibilities to others and to grow in love and service. Time is given for celebration, both for the accomplishments of school members and to mark seasonal Christian festivals and celebrations in the calendars of other faiths. In this way pupils are offered time to be able to contemplate and develop spiritually. Collective Worship in St Bridget’s is invitational, inspirational and inclusive.
Spirituality in Religious Education
Learning activities in RE provide for the needs of all pupils, offering a safe space to explore their own religious, spiritual and/or philosophical ways of seeing, living and thinking, believing and belonging. They provide opportunities to engage in meaningful and informed dialogue with those of all religions and worldviews, linking these to pupils’ ideas of spirituality and the language of wows, ows and nows where appropriate.
Spirituality within the Ethos of the Daily Life of the School
In St Bridget’s we view spiritual growth as becoming more and more aware of one’s natural, innate spirituality.
These opportunities happen throughout each and every day as children deal with delight, disappointment and the chance to be present with themselves. For this reason, every member of the school community is familiar with the school’s shared language of spirituality and will respond to pupils appropriately.
Throughout the daily life of the school, including lunch times and playtimes, pupils know that their references to wows, ows and nows will be heard and taken seriously. They will be encouraged to reflect on these experiences and be comfortable about talking about the golden glue of spirituality.
The Language of Spirituality
The terms "wow," "ow," "now," “how” and "vow" can be used to explore different aspects of spirituality, often within the context of collective worship or personal reflection.
Elaboration:
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Wow:
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Ow:
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Now:
- How:
This is about asking how we can search for meaning in what we have learned.
- Vow:
