| This qualitative, interview-based study used feminist, organic inquiry, and relational research approaches to examine women's stories of discovering a personal spiritual framework after rejecting the organized religion of their family of origin. The 5 women were each: (a) at least 45 years old, (b) raised in a traditional organized religion in her family of origin, (c) self-identified as having rejected this religion, (d) engaged in a process of discovering personal spiritual truths, (e) not presently in an organized religion, and (f) able to communicate sensitive information verbally.;Semistructured, recorded interviews were conducted either in person or by telephone. The interviews yielded narrative summaries of each woman's story, which were then reduced to issue-relevant coded material in 4 categories. The categories were the: (a) positive ramifications of the religion of origin, (b) negative ramifications of the religion of origin, (c) process of development of a personal spirituality, and (d) new beliefs. The themes in the positive ramifications of the religion of origin category were: (a) retaining good basic human values, and (b) having a sense of community. The negative ramifications of the religion of origin themes were thoughts about: (a) fear, (b) negative messages about self, (c) anger, (d) a lack of joy, (e) being different/isolated, (f) lack of choice, and (g) feeling wrong. The process of developing a personal spirituality themes were: (a) experiences of early questioning, (b) experiences about when the coresearchers left their religions of origin, (c) experiences about why they left, and (d) experiences that influenced spiritual development. The new belief's themes included information: (a) derived from the religion of origin, (b) that emerged from the quest for spiritual truth, (c) about a positive self-image, (d) about joy in life, (e) about changing consciousness, (f) about minds being powerful, and (g) about life being a journey.;This study revealed that the 5 women believe that they have become more spiritually healthy and are living purposeful, joyful, love-based lives. Women dissatisfied with their current religious affiliation might be inspired by stories such as these to seek their own personal spiritual orientation. |
