Zoomers and spirituality

It’s hard to define, but it can play a big role in our lives. It can bring us peace of mind, a greater sense of connection and even contribute to our health and longevity.

Spirituality is also something we seek as we age — and it doesn’t have to be tied to a particular religion or religious organization. Once again, Zoomers are on the leading edge of changes to how we view and practice spirituality.

Why does spirituality increase as we age?

It’s more than just the habits we’re raised with — surveys show that our spirituality and strength of religious beliefs (our “religiosity”) increase as we get older. For instance, a Gallup Poll found that the older people are, the more likely they were to report that spirituality and religion played a major role in their lives. People aged 75 and up reported the highest level (75 per cent), followed by the 65-74 age group (67 per cent) and people ages 50-64 (60 per cent). A survey from Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life yielded similar results.

Likewise, a 2005 Newsweek/BeliefNet poll found that age correlates with spirituality. The poll found that 44 per cent of people ages 18-39 said spirituality was “very important” in their daily lives compared to the 63 per cent of people aged 40-59 and 66 per cent of people over age 60. (Read the poll results on BeliefNet.)

So why the upswing? Experts note there could be several factors at play. As we get older, we’re increasingly confronted with illness, vulnerability and death — first through our parents and older friends and family, and then our own social circle. Perhaps it’s only natural that we’re more curious about the purpose of life, not to mention finding new sources of strength and support.

Aging is also a wake-up call of sorts as we consider our achievements and regrets. Experts surmise that when we’re lonely or unhappy these feelings can become more pronounced, and we reach out to find meaning. Luckily, this magnification works the same way for happiness — we seem to feel it more keenly and want to share it and express our thanks.

Then there’s the practical side of the equation. With the children grown and full time careers winding down, older adults often have more time, energy and disposable income to pursue new passions. They may also be looking for meaning and identity beyond these traditional roles.

Naturally, spirituality spans all age groups, but the general trend is it increases with age. With the aging of largest demographic group in our population — the baby boomers — we’re in for some changes.

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The changing religious marketplace

You might be thinking “wait, these numbers don’t jive with what I’ve heard in the news” — and you’d be right. Recent polls from Gallup and Pew Research report that roughly 70 per cent of Americans feel that religion has less influence over daily life than it did in the past — a proportion that has been steadily rising in recent years. Overall, church attendance has been steadily declining, and an increasing number of people are “disaffiliating” with their faith — that is, switching religions or becoming “non-religious”.

Still, older adults report a higher rate of church attendance than younger cohorts, according to the Pew Forum’s U.S. Religious Landscape Survey and Statistics Canada. People over the age of 50 outnumber younger generations in traditional designations like Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism. The numbers also show that people over 50 were more likely to be affiliated with a particular faith — though their numbers are declining. A study published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion reported that boomers are up to 50 per cent more likely than Gen X-ers to disaffiliate.

But don’t be fooled by the decreases. Church attendance may be on the decline, but that doesn’t mean spirituality is taking a hit. On the contrary, people are finding more ways to explore their beliefs outside traditional institutions. Experts see this as a “restructuring of the religious marketplace”. For one thing, there are many new, smaller religious organizations to choose from, and an ever-increasing number of religious websites, online communities and emerging groups where people can find knowledge and fellowship.

However, being spiritual doesn’t necessarily mean being attached to a religious organization at all, nor do spiritual or religious activities have to take place within church walls. For instance, spiritual activities could include things like travel, volunteering, meditation, prayer at home and even exercise (think yoga.) According to Statistics Canada, 45 per cent of older adults who say they never attend church services still engage in personal religious activities. Other studies have found that while people don’t attend church services on a regular basis, they’re likely to engage in activities like daily prayer.

How do baby boomers and their predecessors fit into this picture? Think numbers: we know they’re the largest demographic group in our population, and their increasing interest in religion and spirituality is fuelling change in the religious marketplace — as well as continuing to support more traditional modes.

The benefits of faith

Want to live a longer and healthier life? Researchers say there’s a link between religion or spirituality and longevity, though the causes aren’t always so clear. Some of the many benefits include:

Sense of purpose. The more religious or spiritual people are, the more likely they feel their life has a sense of purpose. True, other factors like education and employment status play a role, but not as big a one as religiosity, according to the research. Spiritual people have a strong sense of connection with the world, and are therefore less likely to feel alone.

Greater sense of well being. Gallup polls throughout the years show that across all faiths, people who reported being “very religious” also reported a greater sense of well-being than people who are non-religious or moderately religious. Even people who didn’t attach themselves to a particular religious designation shared this benefit — and this pattern spans most of the globe.

Reduced stress. People who are very religious are less likely to experience worry, anger, stress and sadness on a daily basis than people who are moderately religious or non-religious. (Curiously, non-religious people did fair better than moderately religious people.)

In addition, practices like meditation and prayer are relaxing, which in turn helps beat stress. (For more information, see Spirituality and stress.)

Positive outlook. According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, a positive outlook contributes to health and longevity, and many people achieve it through spirituality and religion. Previous Gallup polls also note that people who are very religious have the lowest reported rates of depression, and countries where religion is strong also have lower rates of suicide.

Better health. People who attend to the spirit often attend to their bodies too. According to Gallup’s 2008-2009 Health Index, people who are very religious are also less likely to smoke and are more likely to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.

This trend has been noted by other experts, and one explanation could be that many faiths promote healthy habits and downplay vices — not to mention the mind/body connection in Eastern traditions that many people are adopting.

Social connection. We know that a strong social network is good for us, both in terms of providing emotional and moral support as well as keeping our brains healthy. Many people find fellowship through religious organizations and activities.

In general, we’re happier and healthier when we have a strong sense of belonging to our community, reports Statistics Canada.

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However, spirituality isn’t just good for us — it’s also good for society. Study after study has shown that people who are strong in their faith and spiritually active are more likely to volunteer, donate to charity and help others. Experts have noted that it’s possible that happier, healthier and more generous people gravitate towards to spirituality and religion, but it’s more likely that participation in these activities contributes to those attributes instead.

Overall, the influence of religion and spirituality in our society and our lives is very complex — and we’ve offered just a glimpse. One thing is for certain, however: we can expect the religious/spiritual landscape to continue to change in the years ahead — especially as the baby boomers age.

Sources: BeliefNet, CBC News, Gallup.com, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, ScienceDaily.com, Statistics Canada

Photo ©iStockphoto.com/ René Mansi

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