However, this spiritual journey is not always a straightforward path without obstacles. What may be an enlightening experience for one person may feel like an empty obligation for another, or at the very least a boring activity.
The fascinating thing about this phenomenon is that, despite the importance given to spirituality in everyday life, there is rarely reflection on the negative emotions that can arise in its practice. What if the silence in a meditation retreat becomes an overwhelming burden instead of a refuge of calm? What if a mass that should be a moment of encounter with the divine ends up being an endless experience of disconnection?
Although boredom is a well-studied topic today, spiritual boredom has been largely ignored in research. Specifically, psychologists from the University of Vienna (Austria) and the University of Essex (England) decided to address this «blind spot» and were surprised to discover that boredom is common among the population during spiritual practice and can have a clearly detrimental effect.
The results recently published in the scientific journal ‘Communications Psychology’ open up a completely new field of research and provide fascinating information about a phenomenon that has received little attention until now. Additionally, while the study’s goal was to analyze various spiritual activities as a whole, they did find out which activity is the most yawn-inducing.
According to the lead author Thomas Götz, from the Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology at the University of Vienna, «boredom develops when we feel that an activity or task demands too much or too little, which is a sign of inadequate control. It also develops when we consider the value of the activity to be low.»
MULTIPLE CAUSES AND FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES
In a large-scale study that analyzed five typical spiritual contexts (yoga, meditation, silent retreats, Catholic sermons, and pilgrimages), the researchers surveyed over 1,200 adults. The results show that the main triggers of spiritual boredom are, in fact, the feeling of being overdemanded or underdemanded, as well as the lack of personal relevance for those practicing the spiritual activity.
Both have a negative effect on motivation and mindfulness during practice and can seriously reduce its positive effect. «Our research shows that boredom in spiritual contexts can be a serious obstacle, reducing the transformative power of these practices,» says Götz.
WHICH PRACTICE IS THE MOST BORING AND WHY?
The study focused on five traditional spiritual practices that have endured for thousands of years. Yoga and meditation, with over 2,500 years of existence, aim to unify body and mind and train attention and awareness to achieve mental clarity and emotional stability.
Silent retreats, a practice rooted in various religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, invite individuals to consciously remain silent for spiritual reasons. On the other hand, Catholic sermons in church services, part of a tradition dating back around 2000 years, focus on religious preaching, although they include a variety of rituals that can generate different levels of boredom depending on the individual.
While pilgrimage, present in religions like Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam, has been a fundamental spiritual practice throughout history. Nowadays, it is also carried out outside of religious contexts, as a way to walk or travel in search of spiritual meaning.
According to the data provided, the most boring practice was sermons. The study suggests that many participants find the sermon boring, although they attend Catholic services for reasons other than the sermon, such as enjoying hymn singing or moments of tranquility. Therefore, some participants may tolerate the boredom of the sermon to experience other aspects of the ceremony that they find more enjoyable.
In contrast, boredom during pilgrimages was significantly lower. This low score could be explained by the inherent variability of the pilgrimage experience, which includes factors such as changing landscapes, weather, physical challenges, and interaction with a variety of people. These elements can maintain interest and reduce the feeling of boredom.
Overall, although boredom levels in spiritual practices were low in most cases (below the average value on the scale), there were some scores above the midpoint in almost all contexts, except in pilgrimage and certain items of meditation, highlighting that boredom remains a relevant emotion in spiritual experiences.
TIMES OF CRISIS AND SEARCH FOR MEANING
In a world marked by global crises such as the climate crisis and social tensions, more and more people are looking for guidance through spiritual practice. However, the study shows that perceived boredom can inhibit this process.
«It is important to individually adapt spiritual practices and repeatedly emphasize their relevance and meaning to promote their transformative value for our society,» says educational psychologist Götz. Based on the control and value (CVT) of each practice, the research team recommends better personalizing spiritual practices and responding to the needs of those who practice them.
«Spiritual teachers should maintain an active dialogue with people involved in spiritual practice about the feeling of being overdemanded or underdemanded. They should also emphasize the relevance of spiritual practice for a fulfilling life,» explains Götz. These measures could help reduce spiritual boredom and maximize the positive effects of spiritual practice.
