Entwined beginnings : journeying towards an all-embracing understanding of spirituality

Abstract

Using an autoethnographic approach, I explore how stories shape perceptions of reality, identity, and spirituality. Starting within a Catholic context, this journey evolves through international research and pedagogical experiments, leading to the creation of a symbol literacy approach. By using the concept of beginnings as a foundational narrative device, I trace the antecedents that influence my understand of spirituality, through a socio-cultural lens. The use of narrative led to an uncovering of common underlying threads within my personal journey and the movement of children’s spirituality. Amongst those working in the field there is a consensus on honouring the child’s agency and dignity, while in my specific trajectory I have been advocating for practices that connect children to the continuum of human experience. Ultimately, my journey led me to the conviction that spirituality is an all-encompassing reality that transcends fragmentation encompassing all aspects of human experience and understanding.