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The human organism itself seems to be hardwired for these deep spiritual patterns, although not necessarily for the specific ways that they show up in a particular religion important as those are. Rather, the human being seems imbued by the realities suggested by these cross-cultural spiritual currents and patterns, with which individual religions and spiritual movements resonate, according to their own capacities and to their own degrees of fidelity.

Ken Wilber#29

ReligionSpiritualityCultureExperienceHuman naturePatterns

About this quote

What does it mean?
Humans seem hardwired for deep spiritual patterns, though specific religious expressions vary by capacity and fidelity.
In plain terms
People are wired for spiritual patterns, but religions show them in different ways.
What can you take from it?
Human nature aligns with spiritual patterns across cultures.

Where it applies

  • interpersonal understanding
  • spiritual development
  • religious studies

Putting it to work

  • recognize innate spiritual drives
  • respect diverse expressions
  • assess spiritual capacity

Questions to consider

  • Are humans naturally inclined toward spirituality?
  • How do capacity and fidelity affect spiritual experience?

Another view

The idea of being hardwired is difficult to prove empirically.

More from Ken Wilber

  1. These similarities would seem to suggest, among other things, that there are spiritual patterns at work in the universe, at least as far as we can tell, and th…

    Permalink to quote #28
  2. Attunement could occur through any of the great religions, but would be tied exclusively to none of them. A person could be attuned to an 'integral spiritualit…

    Permalink to quote #30
  3. We have, for the first time in history, easy access to all of the world's great religions. Examine the many great traditions - from Christianity to Buddhism, I…

    Permalink to quote #27

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