Recently I spoke about Christian mysticism and interspirituality for the Closer than Breath Christian Mystic Summit. One attendee, a person named Kurt, wrote a follow-up email to me and asked this question:
Does the experience of interspirituality open one up to charges of some sort of ‘cultural misappropriation’ because I might adopt some practices or texts or whatever from a spiritual/religious tradition that was not my own? Is it only a hardened fundamentalist who would level that charge if I’m seen not staying inside my own house and yard?
Kurt, this is an important question. Thanks for posing it. Let me begin by reviewing what cultural appropriation (or, in your words, misappropriation) is, in case any readers are not familiar with the concept. Wikipedia’s definition is actually pretty good:
Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be especially controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures. According to critics of the practice, cultural appropriation differs from acculturation, assimilation, or equal cultural exchange in that this appropriation is a form of colonialism. (accessed 6-28-2023)
I remember back in the early 1990s, when the movie Dances with Wolves was such a big hit, there was a period of time when Native American spirituality was all the rage. And suddenly white people were lining up to participate in sweat lodge ceremonies. It sure seemed like, for many of them, this was a kind of spiritual tourism where they were eager to have the unusual (for them) experience of a sweat lodge, but without any real engagement with the depth of Native American spirituality, or the guidance of a Native American elder, or an understanding of how indigenous spirituality is linked to an entire way of life with ethical and moral values that matter just as much as the ceremonies or rituals.
In other words, white folks were appropriating (taking) an important element of Native American spiritual culture, without meaningfully acknowledging what was going on, or how it might be experienced by many native people, who saw the taking of their spirituality as just one more dimension of the longstanding of whites taking from indigenous people whatever they wanted.
So no wonder that many Native American people really want whites to leave their spirituality alone.
I’m using sweat lodges as an example I’m familiar with, but cultural appropriation can happen any time members of a dominant culture plunder a minority culture without meaningful respect. And cultural appropriation isn’t just a spirituality issue: any aspect of culture (art, technology, architecture, music, clothing, etc.) can be taken by members of a more powerful/dominant culture without proper acknowledgment or recompense. Cultural appropriation is basically a form of theft.
So back to Kurt’s question. Interspirituality involves the conscious and intentional integration of spiritual teachings and practices from different cultures and religious traditions. Christians exploring Buddhism; Jews practicing Vedanta — that sort of thing. As a contemplative whose spiritual background is Christian, I have long been interested in the east-meets-west ethos of Christians who integrate their spirituality with elements of other faith traditions, especially Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, or Paganism. But is this an “inappropriate or unacknowledged” type of cultural consumption? Or is interspirituality a more balanced and respectful practice of “acculturation, assimilation, or equal cultural exchange”?
The short answer is, it depends.
Christianity, at least in the west, is a dominant religious tradition embedded in dominant cultures, especially white European/American culture. Given the tragic history of white chauvinism and the long practice of enslaving people of color, colonizing their land, and stealing their natural resources, those of us who are white need to be mindful that our interest in spiritualities from marginalized cultures is not about our feelings of entitlement or self-directed need to consume other spiritual cultures just because they are different or “exotic.”
Meanwhile, some types of spiritual exchange are not properly speaking forms of “appropriation.” I remember asking an Asian Zen priest I know if it is a form of cultural appropriation for me, a white Christian, to practice zazen. “Of course not,” he replied. “I, and most Buddhists I know, want white people to practice zazen! We think that would make the world a better place.”
So it’s important to understand the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange. Appropriation is a type of theft. It’s a consuming act where members of a more powerful society “consume” the spiritual culture of a less dominant community, typically without any meaningful acknowledgment or humble commitment to learn from the people who are being ripped off. It’s a form of hubris: “I’ll just help myself to this, thank you very much.” It is not relational and not respectful.
But what if members of the dominant culture (such as whites from Europe and America) were humble, respectful, and considerate in their desire to learn and practice other spiritual practices? And were able to connect with qualified teacher and elders who could instruct them, not just in the fun bits of a spirituality, but in the entire tradition? And what if these students recognized that they needed to pair their interest in spiritual practices from other cultures with a meaningful commitment to support the people from that culture? These are the kinds of questions that can help us to understand the difference between a one-sided appropriation and a more interactive/egalitarian exchange.
Now, I know there are Native Americans who would say “We don’t want to share our spirituality with you, go home and practice your own faith better.” Clearly, this needs to be respected. Meanwhile, there may be other native folks who are willing to share, as long as their wisdom is received with respect and humility. Each person will have to decide for themself whether they should respect the boundaries of the ones who say no, or go ahead and learn from the ones who are willing to share, even though that ignores the wishes of others. But I hope that in any case, the effort to learn a spiritual practice from another culture will only be undertaken with care, respect, and sensitivity to the cultural issues that make many people unhappy about sharing their spirituality.
Cultures cross-fertilize each other for many reasons (and have been doing so since the dawn of history). Sometimes cultures merge as a result of war, conquest, migration or trade. Interspirituality represents an invitation for cultural encounter and exchange, in terms of religion and spirituality. Some people (in all cultures) will oppose this kind of acculturation, but their reasons for such opposition may vary from culture to culture. For people in dominant cultures, there can be a desire to keep their culture “pure” (think of Hitler trying to expunge all elements of Judaism from German society). Meanwhile, people from marginalized cultures may be desperately trying to keep their spiritual traditions from disappearing or dying out. We need to respect how these are different motivations, even though the end result (let’s not mix our cultures) looks the same.
As much as I believe interspirituality is good for the entire human family, I understand these reasons why some might oppose this kind of spiritual cross-fertilization. My only hope is that we can foster a society where cultural diversity is respected and preserved, even if a broad “mainstream” culture emerges that integrates interspiritual ideas and practices.
Kurt, again, thanks for a great question, and there’s no easy answer. But if you want to explore interspirituality, I encourage you to approach the topic with reverence, respect, and humility. If you are trying to learn about other religious and spiritual traditions from a book or video, don’t stop there; seek out qualified teachers who can help you to understand the fullness of the tradition that you are drawn to. Take the time to learn with depth, care, and gratitude. Ask yourself “What gift or blessing can I offer in return for the spiritual wisdom that I am gaining?” It’s a serious and important question. How you answer that one question may be the key to the difference between respectful exchange and toxic appropriation. So be discerning.
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