Triggers of Spiritual Dryness – Results from Qualitative Interviews with Religious Brothers and Sisters

Abstract

Religious persons may experience phases of spiritual dryness, ranging from spiritual insecurity to a spiritual crisis. The authors analyzed the underlying causes of spiritual dryness in religious brothers and sisters who had lived for several decades in monastic structures. They performed qualitative interviews with 16 brothers and 14 sisters and asked for triggers of phases of spiritual dryness. In the content analysis of the 30 narratives, the identified categories were inductively structured and condensed to five main topics: (1) Loss of Relationship with God, (2) Loss of Orientation, (3) Loss of Depth, (4) Difficulties with the Religious Community, and (5) Intrinsic Factors: Overload, Uncertainty, Depression. These five main topics can be further categorized as extrinsic (God is not responding, others cause difficulties) and intrinsic (loss of orientation and depth, uncertainty, and depressive state) causes. A thorough discernment of the underlying ‘spirits’ (the triggers) is important to help and support individuals during these phases. It seems that no single (theological) interpretation of the causes is correct but that different interpretations might be true for the very diverse persons experiencing these phases of darkness, dryness, desolation, or loss of faith.

Perceptions of Spiritual Dryness in Iran During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Spiritual dryness refers to the perception that God is distant, regardless of our efforts to get close to Him, that one's prayers go unanswered, as well as the feeling of being completely abandoned by God, the feelings of being "spiritually empty" and not being able to give any more (Büssing et al, 2013(Büssing et al, , 2020b(Büssing et al, , 2021c. Similar concepts described in the mystic literature are "dark night of the soul," "spiritual desolation" or "desert experience," which nevertheless may be different from a theoretical point of view (Büssing et al, 2020a). These concepts refer primarily to spiritual struggles without the assumption of an underlying psychopathology.…”

“…One of the most important examples of such crises in the twenty-first century is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected societies in different ways. From the beginning of this pandemic, the moments of fear, pain, loneliness and the sense of imminent death have been experienced by patients and all those who are at risk, as well as anyone who perceives its dangers and adverse outcomes (Büntzel et al, 2020;Büssing et al, 2020aBüssing et al, , 2020bHeidari et al, 2020).…”

“…Both religious and non-religious individuals may experience such spiritual distress (Nolan et al, 2020). However, "spiritual distress" is usually seen as disease related or triggered by the impact of disease and its prognosis, while spiritual dryness is also and foremost experienced by "healthy" persons (Büssing et al, 2020a).…”

“…The underlying causes of spiritual dryness can be differentiated as extrinsic and intrinsic (not in terms of exclusive states, but polarities) (Büssing et al, 2020b). Some attributed these perceptions to temptations of evil spirits or hint that spiritual life needs to be changed, or to the need to let go of all materialistic concerns, or to an "inertia of the heart" in terms of a boredom or negligence (Büssing et al, 2020a). Modern scholars discuss that spiritual dryness can also be seen in the context of depressive states (Bäumer & Plattig, 2008;Durà-Vilà, 2017;May, 2009;Ott, 1982).…”

Strategies to Cope with Phases of Spiritual Dryness in Seventh-Day Adventists

“…Qualitative interviews with religious brothers and sisters revealed that the causes of spiritual dryness are complex and depend on the individual and its life situation. Five main categories of causes and triggers were identified: Loss of Relationship with God, Loss of Orientation, Loss of Depth, Difficulties with the Religious Community, and Intrinsic Factors: Overload, Uncertainty, Depression (Büssing et al 2020a ).…”