Abstract
M.Phil.
This study focuses on the unique characteristic of the human being to function as a
spiritual being. It purports the individual's search for sense, meaning and purpose
to live and accomplish an authentic life. The study emphasizes the influence of
the individual on fellow members of its community within which it functions.
Characteristics, which the human being requires to be able to make functional
contributions as a spiritual leader, are emphasized. The properties of a functional
community, as a contribution to its members' spiritual leadership, are discussed.
The negation or ignorance of the spiritual dimension of man is an important
contributing factor towards unhappy individuals. Man is ignorant of the spiritual
process and denies his own unique self. In this way a community is constructed of
'unstable ' individuals resulting in a problematic community.
Communities often experience retrogression with regards to norms and values.
Important principles such as respect, trust and love fade. People live in envy of
one another and depression become a general simptome. An important reason for
this is the incomplete paradigm, where the human being is looked upon as only
'body', 'heart', and 'intellect', whilst the 'spirit' is unwittingly ignored.
This study endeavours to disclose a new mental attitude by cultivating greater
consciousness with regard to the relationship between spiritual leadership and a
functional community.
To achieve the objective of this study two questions were asked.
What do spiritual leadership and a functional community mean?
Is there a relationship between spiritual leadership and a functional community?
In a literature study and with the aid of concept analysis t vanalysis these questions were
answered.
The following important findings were derived from the study.
• Humans are more than merely physical, social, emotional and intellectual
beings but above all they are spiritual beings. Consequently individuals yearn
Navorsingsessay 7 Neiman' Oosthuysen
for sense and meaning in their lives, to be of some importance, acceptance of
and commitment to themselves, others and to a Superior Being.
Should the abovementioned needs not be satisfied, humans are not only
unhappy but their physical, intellectual, emotional and social dimensions are
affected and this also affects relations with other people. It can be assumed
that these unfulfilled needs will also influence the lives of other people with
whom such an individual comes into contact.
With reference to 'spiritual' a clear distinction is made between the spiritual and
religious existence of humans. Man needs spirituality to be religious, but the
reverse is not necessarily true.
Unfulfilled individuals have a negative impact on the community, which consists
of schools, organizations, churches etc. Organizations consist of families,
which consist of individuals. These individuals interact and influence one
another. In this way each individual indirectly effects the functioning of the
community.
A connection was found between spiritual leadership and a functional
community in the corresponding comparison of characteristics of both
concepts. Seven characteristics, related to spiritual leadership and a functional
community were identified.
The respondents described their community as disfunctional. The interviews
indicated that a large majority of the respondents do not have spiritual
leadership. The assumption is made that the respondents are a reasonably
true representation of how the average person in the community reveals
spiritual leadership. This is confirmed by a second group of respondents who
associated themselves with the findings, as well as the ethnographical findings
of the researcher. One can therefore deduce that there is a relation between
spiritual leadership and a functional community.
A functional community cannot be created from individuals without a
commitment towards themselves. Spiritual leadership is essential for a functional
community.