Rediscovering spirituality.

The challenge of addressing spiritual values at camp has remained constant since organized camping began over a century ago. Many authors, including Mason (1980), Weiner (1983) and Chenery (1984), have written eloquently about the spiritual values of camp. However, reexamining spirituality in light of the pressing social and environmental issues of the 1990s may be useful.

It is plain that spirituality and environmental ethics are integrally connected in the outdoor world. Environmental ethics concerns our responsibility for the outdoors and comprises the values we hold about good and bad behavior in the outdoors. It encompasses a spiritual sensitivity about the outdoors and the way that we, as individuals and as groups, relate to the outdoors.

We may want to think about the interaction between spirituality and environmental ethics as a ven diagram, where environmental ethics and spirituality share a common ground. (See figure 1.) The impact of religious beliefs can also intersect with spirituality and environmental ethics in camps where encouraging particular religious beliefs is a part of the mission of the camp. For all camps regardless of their mission, however, spirituality can and should be connected to environmental ethics to "nurture the human spirit" in camp.

The emergence of environmental ethics presents a basis for rediscovering spiritual values in camp. While the subject of spirituality at camp encompasses more than just environmental ethics, a connection between the two can lead to camp experiences focused on creating a more ethical and personally rewarding world.

What is Spirituality?

Spirituality is manifest in relationships -- with a higher being or beings, with one another, with nature, and with ourselves. It usually includes a quest for self-knowledge with the recognition of a higher power. The higher power may be the awesome majesty of nature or the more traditional concept of God.

Spirituality involves a sense of mystery about the world and the things in the world that exceed our analysis or understanding. The common denominators of a sense of spirituality include a sense of purpose in life, a belief in a connectedness to people and things, and a belief in a power greater than oneself.

Experiences defined as spiritual may occur in any number of settings, both natural and human-made. For many people, however, natural environments are a fundamental setting for spiritual experiences. Spirituality often is easier to explain if another person has the same experience, such as seeing a beautiful sunset or watching loons fishing.

Religion may be closely associated with spirituality, depending on how it is defined. Religion usually is manifested as a part of a group experience and requires guidance from someone trained in the religion. It is possible to be religious, however, without experiencing any sense of spirituality. On the other hand, religion can be the basis and the foundation for daily and revelational spiritual and environmental encounters. The focus of this discussion on spirituality is not on any particular religion but on rediscovering how spirituality can be fostered in any organized camp program that emphasizes the value of the environment.

In any organized camp situation, it is possible to ignore, allow, encourage, or focus on spirituality. Spirituality sometimes just happens, but it is more likely to happen if staff focus on its importance and facilitation. Weiner (1983) cautions us that because there is such an abundance of nature immersed in camp, we must help staff not to indifferently accept it but to plan for how to maximize the learning and spiritual values of nature. As Chenery (1984) suggests, at least some of the teaching of spiritual values must be explicit, overt, concrete, and planned.

Spirituality in the Camp Program

Many opportunities exist to foster the human spirit in camp. As Roberts (1989) points out, "The human spirit itself depends for its vitality on the exuberant variety and richness of the natural world." Ten years has not diminished Chenery's (1984) significant message on how to nurture the human spirit as a focused part of the camp program. Listed below, however, are some areas to reconsider, along with some questions to help stimulate discussion by camp staff who wish to focus on the environmental meanings of spirituality:

Defining the Meaning of Spirituality. Camp personnel may want to reflect upon what is meant by nurturing the human spirit and spirituality in camp. Paraphrasing questions asked by Dustin (1990), camp directors may need to grapple with three questions at the onset: What kind of world do we want? How can we serve as the society's environmental conscience? And how can we set an example to demonstrate spirituality and environmental wisdom in the conduct of our camp programs?

Rather than ignoring or simply allowing spirituality to occur at camp, it may be necessary to encourage and focus on the value of spirituality in camp life. In pre-camp training the physical and emotional development and needs of campers are discussed. Do we also address spiritual development as it relates to the camp setting? Do staff have a sense of how spirituality impacts upon the camper's experience or even their own experience?

Even if the focus of the camp is not on principles of religion, spirituality may be manifested in many ways. Is the environment viewed as something that people are to have dominion over or is the role of staff and campers to provide stewardship? How might spirituality be embodied in notions of real caretaking, learning from the land, and having a day to day relationship with the outdoors? Camp staff must be shown how to provide structured opportunities for communion with nature, such as vesper programs and sunset-watchings, as well as informal and individual camp activities.

Part of the meaning of spirituality and environmental ethics within a camp relates to the obligations we have as camp professionals. In a world that is often lacking in a sense of spirituality and disregard for the environment, what is the camp staff's moral obligation in assisting campers (whether they are children or adults) to live as if nature mattered and to seek what is good for life in its entirety? In promoting spirituality in our camps we need to teach respect for the natural world in which we reside; this respect must be sustained not only at camp, but in the homes and cities to which campers will return.

If spirituality is defined as meaningful in camp and becomes a focus of camp, staff will need to be trained in how to provide structured as well as spontaneous opportunities. Chenery (1984) suggests that the staff will need to have opportunities to explore their own spiritual issues and will need help with facilitating and guiding discussions so that they resist laying out absolute values and create a climate of trust and confidence in which campers will share their thoughts.

Time Alone for Campers. Spirituality is personally experienced. Although a group may share it and spirituality may become more meaningful if shared, campers need to have time to themselves to develop self-knowledge concerning their relationship with the outdoors. Encourage time alone for campers.

It seems that we have over-programmed campers with group activities. Certainly, there are some liability issues that require staff always to be nearby. But if spirituality is to be incorporated into the camp, campers ought to have a chance to commune with nature in a personal, generally silent way.

Prayer as practiced in some camps may be useful, but meditating specifically about the outdoor experiences may also be useful. Semi-structured activities may also be helpful. Try having campers go off by themselves to notice as many sounds as they can, or as many smells, or as many moving things. This time alone may help campers get in touch with the natural world. Unless we know something about the outdoors, it is difficult to understand it or to appreciate it.

Furthermore, as Chenery (1984) suggested, by consciously setting aside a time and often a place for contemplation, we highlight to campers the importance the camp places on being spiritual. We do not need to make Buddhists out of children. But as Kaza (1990) suggests, one must quiet the mind in order to cultivate the individual's direct experience of connection with all beings. Some campers may find it useful to keep a diary of their relationship to the outdoors through the camp experience.

A Special Place. Campers should also be encouraged to have a special place at camp where they can go to be by themselves or which has special significance. A special tree, an overlook, or another favorite spot is often a place where campers can find the connection that is necessary to facilitate spirituality and communion with nature. Some of my fondest memories of camp as a child and as a staff member have been the special places at camp that provided meaning to me. The images of that overlook and the tree that silently bends into the river have provided a meditative way to get me through stressful situations 20 to 30 years later. I close my eyes and remember those special places and find some of the same strength that I experienced as a camper and staff member years ago.

Developing Rituals. Certain rituals practiced at camp are a special way to develop spirituality and a concern for nature. Rituals are defined as something that is done at an appointed time, in an appointed way, consistently over the years. They are something to which campers look forward and that provide a unifying experience. Camps that have sustainable rituals are likely to prosper because campers define who they are and their connection with the camp through these rituals.

For example, I will always cherish one particular ritual practiced at a camp where I worked. Each of us made a candle holder for a candle that we burned the last night of camp. We all agreed to bum it again on December 24 and think about one another and the summer we shared. For several years after that one summer at camp, I continued the December 24 ritual because of what it symbolized to me about my connection to the camp, the mountains, and the people who were there.

Celebrations of Natural Holidays. In the United States and Canada we have many national and religious holidays. Special celebrations for natural holidays may be another way to celebrate the connection between the environment and spirituality. Interestingly, most religious holidays evolved from seasonal festivals that once predominated before Christianity (LaChapelle, 1985).

Instead of celebrating Christmas in June or the 4th of July, other natural celebrations may be valuable in helping to connect campers to the environment and the rhythms of the natural world. Most camps are in session during the summer solstice and the Lammas Day holiday. Many camps are now open all year long and could celebrate equinoxes, full moon days, or any other natural phenomenon.

Sharing Spiritual Experiences. Campers and staff may find it meaningful to share their spiritual experiences with one another. This sharing comprises more than simply talk, however. Sharing means living our lives and talking "from" the experiences and connections that we have with the outdoors. Sharing involves getting in touch with the feelings that emerge about the outdoors and their influence on each of us every day of our lives. To realize that we have these feelings and need to have them all the time can be enlightening.

It is useful to talk about the meaning of the connections we have with the environment, both formally and informally. Weiner (1983) suggests that trip camping provides a particularly good opportunity for fostering spirituality. He suggests that rather than using the campfire solely for entertainment through songs and stories, which have little or no ties to the spiritual values inherent in the trip experience, that at some point during each trip the staff try to get campers to address feelings, thoughts, and understandings about people's relationship to nature, the creator, and all creation. He further suggests that we view the cooking of meals as more than just a way to provide physical sustenance: it is a relationship between the fuel, the meat or the vegetation, and the people who will consume the food. Expressing gratitude in the form of prayer or some other group or individual means is essential to appreciating the spiritual dimensions and ethics of the outdoors.

Being Open-Minded about Spirituality. Exploring other religions outside the traditional Judeo-Christian domain may bring a new understanding of spirituality. This suggestion does not mean that "new age philosophies must be countenanced in camps. Some of the Eastern religions as well as Native American spirituality, however, are closely tied to the outdoors and may be useful for some campers and staff in examining their spiritual needs and quests.

Eastern religions, for example, promote self-restraint and moderation in living, along with the realization that we live in a world of limits and are all in this environment together (Dustin, 1984). Similarly, Native American religions, while as varied as are native peoples, share a common world view including a notion of cosmic harmony, an emphasis on direct experience of powers and visions, and a common view of the cycle of life and death. Native American philosophies suggest that one should take only what one needs and thank the earth for every gift.

Cultivating Respect. A respect for all living creatures as well as all non-living aspects of the outdoors can be pursued at camp. For example, while pests such as snakes and skunks are not welcome in most camps, their removal does not have to bring about their death. An understanding of how all animals, whether they are classified as "cute" or "dangerous," contribute to the ecosystem is needed. Even the objections some people have to eating meat or using cosmetics tested on animals may be a topic for discussion with campers, not in an attempt to convert them to any particular belief, but to help them understand the concept of respect for nature and for ourselves. Respect for both living and nonliving aspects of the outdoors also can be reflected in an emphasis on low-impact camping, which requires the user to learn, to think, and then to commit knowledge to action that preserves the environment (VanDerWege, 1990). It is not enough for campers to practice low-impact or minimum-impact camping; they must know why they do what they do and how the preservation of the outdoors comprises a part of our spiritual commitment to a world based on the relationships that exist among humans and all other living and nonliving entities.

Voluntary Simplicity. A camp philosophy of "voluntary simplicity" may help to rediscover the meaning of spirituality for camps. Voluntary simplicity means essentially living one's daily life with some degree of conscious appreciation of the conditions of the rest of the world (Elgin, 1981). If each of us were to do this, there would be far less waste and greed.

Camp is often a place where children and staff are isolated from the "real" world. If we live at camp with an understanding of what the rest of the world is like, it may be easier to take some of what we learned and connect it to the world outside of camp. Thus, being aware of what is going on elsewhere may be important.

Current events, social problems, and the environmental crisis should be discussed at camp. It is not enough to just recycle at camp: campers need to know why it is necessary and why it is no longer possible to lead our lives without considering the consequences of our actions, both positively and negatively. It is only when we act from a base of knowledge and concern for what is happening to the rest of the world that we can fully appreciate the meaning of spirituality as it can be experienced in a camp situation.

Flexible Schedules. Certainly, camp programming needs to be focused, and the health and safety of campers should be uppermost in the minds of those working at camp. However, camps should also strive to have a flexible enough schedule that campers can experience the natural world and special experiences when they occur. Weiner (1983) admonishes those that remain in the dining room after dinner to sing songs when a beautiful sunset is taking place outdoors -- what a tragic loss of an opportunity for spiritual uplifting. Similarly, one should after the planned schedule for other natural events that one may come upon, such as a rainbow or a beaver building a dam. These events may make a group late for the next scheduled activity, but the spiritual and natural connections made may be far more important than missing 15 minutes of free swim.

Final Thoughts

The qualities of our thoughts and actions are inextricably linked and have a powerful impact on the environment (Kasa, 1990). Respect and restraint are the foci of the world that we ought to build at camp, as well as in our day to day living. Abram (1987) offers us a description of how a hypothetical future human might talk about the meaning of "spirit." It is my hope that it might also be the way that campers and staff learn to think about the meaning of spirituality and their ethical commitment to the environment:

"Spirit... is simply another word for the air, the wind, or the breath. The atmosphere is the spirit, the subtle awareness of this planet. We all dwell within the spirit of the earth and this spirit circulates within us.... And all our perceiving, the secret work of our eyes, our nostrils, our ears and our skin, is our constant communication and communion with the life of the whole. Just as, in breathing, we contribute to the ongoing life of the atmosphere, so also in seeing, in listening, in real touching and tasting we participate in the evolution of the living textures and colours that surround us and thus lend our imaginations to the tasting and shaping of the Earth."

References

Abram, D. (1987). The perceptual implications of Gala. Revision, 9(2),7-15. Chenery, M.F. (1984). Nurturing the human spirit in camping. Camping Magazine, 57 (1), 21-28. Dustin, D.L. (1984, March). Recreational limits in a world of ethics. Parks and Recreation, 48-51+. Dustin, D.L. (1990, September). Looking inward to save the outdoors. Parks and Recreation, 86-89. Elgin, D. (1981). Voluntary simplicity. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. Kaza, S. (1990, Fall). Towards a Buddhist environmental ethic. Buddhism at the Crossroads, 22-25. LaChapelle, D. (1985). Ritual is essential. In G. Sessions and B. Devall (eds.), Deep ecology. Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith. Mason, J. (1980). Uncertain outposts: The future of camping, the challenge of its past. Chicago: Fund for the Advancement of Camping. Roberts, E. (1989, March). Awakening the sacred: Ecological prayer. IDOC Internationale, 24-26. VanDerWege, D. (1990). Low-impact camping: Loving nature softly. Camping Magazine, 62(4), 56-58. Weiner, J. (1983). Spiritual values. Camping Magazine, 56(2), 25-26.

Karla Henderson, Ph.D., is a professor in the department of leisure studies and recreation administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.