With "Eat, Pray, Love," by Elizabeth Gilbert, topping the New York Times Best Seller List, and "The Secret" still creating a sensation around the country, there's little doubt that women are on an individual and collective journey to discern their life's purpose and awaken their spirituality. Although women continue to believe and participate in traditional religious practices, it's clear that many women are seeking tools that help them define themselves and inspire them to live the best life possible.
New Age or a Certain Age?
While about 20 percent of women identify with one or more elements of the New Age movement, a much higher percentage are on metaphysical quests - even though they might not define them as such. If you were to break down the demographics, the pattern that emerges is a snapshot of a woman over 40 who has spent most of her life excelling in her career, taking care of her husband and children, or both. It seems as though women of a certain age begin to question their assumptions about their lives, reflecting upon careers spent trying to get ahead and caregiving roles that might not fit as comfortably as they once did.
Taking Stock and Stepping Out
What triggers women to step outside of their lives and critically assess where they've been and where they're going? Perhaps, like Gilbert, they are coming out of a divorce and trying to build a new life. Maybe their children are all in college or married, and they need to redefine themselves. It could be that a parent has died, and they are faced with their own mortality. Rather than the hackneyed "mid-life crisis," these women are experiencing a "mid-life assessment." They might have a deeper understanding of who they are, their dreams may have come more clearly into focus, and perhaps they are better able to articulate their priorities. Above all, they are open to utilizing all available tools to help them both achieve their goals and achieve inner peace.
The Inner Journey
Gilbert may have traveled to Italy, India, and Bali, but women across the country are finding that they don't have to travel outside of the city limits to visualize and realize their newfound goals. Instead, theirs is an inner journey, taken alone or in the company of like-minded women.
At the heart of women's spiritual quests is the understanding that the mind, body, and soul are inextricably intertwined. For example, the New Age belief of synchronicity often comes into play. This synchronicity is at the heart of "The Secret," which outlines the ways in which our thoughts create our circumstances. Simply put, "like creates like," so when we think positive thoughts, we create positive energy that, in turn, creates positive opportunities and events in our lives.
Some women use meditation to create inner quietness and peace, while others integrate yoga or other spiritual-physical practices to bring harmony to the mind, body, and soul. Many women give themselves permission to get regular massages to release tension and connect with their bodies, or participate in other self-care activities for the first time.
Healing and Happiness
Spiritual quests - in whatever form they take - often lead women on a healing journey and a path to greater fulfillment and happiness. No matter what event or events trigger introspection and the longing for metaphysical wholeness, the outcome is invariably positive.
