The spiritual journey is the process of learning to know oneself and becoming self-aware. We learn to love ourselves as the sacred beings that we are, and discover in that love that we are connected to all that exists; thus we develop compassion and strength.

— Elisa Davy Pearmain

Sessions 9 through 12 all include spiritual moments of some sort. Their purpose is to let youth experience different paths to spiritual feeling. Creating a true spiritual moment that will sweep youth out of the present and into a transcendent experience of the mystery in the midst of a busy hour with friends is a major challenge and perhaps an impossibility. But showing them the way and preparing them to experience such a moment in their own time and space is a reasonable goal. Achieving it means treating the idea seriously yourself and encouraging the youth to settle down for a quiet moment and open themselves to the possibility of new sensation.

This session explores the nature of spirituality and how it relates to right and wrong. This session is the first of four that focus on spiritual development. The session begins by returning to the concepts of soul (introduced in Session 6, The First U) and conscience (introduced in Session 4, Telling Right from Wrong, and Session 7, The Second U).

Activities open with a play that deals with soul and conscience. The next activity involves a spiritual moment based in music. Participants then consider the relative influence of various moral advisors to youth and experience two stories relating to the session themes. Faith in Action asks participants to search for ways to develop their own understanding of soul and spirituality.

Earlier sessions have encouraged youth to honor the voice of conscience in distinguishing right from wrong. This one will help them appreciate conscience as reflection and expression of deepest spiritual self.

Like our ideas about spirituality and God, our ideas of soul and self are personal, sometimes, even private. Through your own modeling, help participants to see and honor the rights of others to keep some thoughts to themselves. But also accept and welcome the openness that some youth may offer as you encourage all to look deep into themselves and matters of the spirit. Sixth graders are typically at the edge of a growth period that will greatly expand their ability to delve into the philosophical and the abstract. Amazing Grace: Exploring Right and Wrong can help make them ready for and open to that process.

Goals

This session will:

• Enlarge participants' understanding of spirituality
• Explore the concept and inner reality of soul
• Consider the role of conscience and moral advisors in distinguishing between right and wrong
• Present two stories, one about God's nature and one about knowing self.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Consider the nature of soul and conscience
• Experience a spiritual moment based in music
• Consider the relative importance of possible spiritual and moral advisors.