You are a Modern Day Pilgrim in Cyberspace

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If you are reading this column online, you are a modern day pilgrim, a fellow traveler along the Internet Highway on a journey through cyberspace toward self-realization. You are a pioneer, an explorer, a trailblazer. You have an important story to tell and I want to hear it. Sharing your story is important for it is through our shared experiences that we can help each other along our pilgrimage toward spiritual and personal growth.

The explosive growth of spirituality and the Internet/World Wide Web are parallel phenomena. In America alone, according to the Gallup Poll, the percentage of people who say they feel the need in their lives to experience spiritual growth surged 24 points in just four years-from 58 percent in 1994 to 82 percent in 1998. The growth of the Internet has been even more dynamic. In the early '90s, there were only around 150 Web sites and few users on the Internet. Today there are millions of sites to explore and more than 300 million users. Fifty-three percent of all U.S. households have Internet access. It is estimated that close to a billion people will be online within the next decade.

My own interest in exploring how people are using the Internet for spiritual and personal growth is multi-dimensional. First, I think that it is vital to share these stories through vehicles like "CyberWeave" and The Monthly Aspectarian. Second, I'm in the midst of getting an M.A. in Religions Studies (with a focus on building bridges between spiritual paths) at the Chicago Theological Seminary in Hyde Park. As a student, I am putting together a special research study, The Internet and Spirituality. Either way, your input is vital.

My premise is that the Internet is changing the way people explore their spiritual and personal growth options. And that the Internet is, in fact, contributing to the dramatic increase in that interest. I am seeking personal stories about the influence of the Internet on your own journey toward spiritual and personal growth. What sites have had the most impact on you? Do you participate in interactive activities like daily inspirational messages in your e-mail, RealAudio broadcasts, collective prayer or meditation vigils, etc.? Do you belong to an Internet community of faith or a personal development group? Have you helped develop or maintain a spiritual or personal growth site? What are your positive experiences - and your negative ones?

This is an important project. Just as the Internet is changing the way we do business, it is also changing us in deeply personal ways. Please take a few moments to answer the following questions. Then e-mail your answers to me at Monty764@aol.com or snail mail them to me at Mary Montgomery-Clifford, c/o Chicago Theological Seminary, 5757 S. University Ave., Chicago, IL, 60637. You can also give me a call at 773-235-8821. You can also contact me at Monty764@aol.com to request an e-mail version of the questionnaire.

And - please feel free to send out the word to friends and e-mail pals who also might have stories to share.

P.S.: The emphasis of this project is on spiritual and personal growth rather than religion. Religion is an important subset of spiritual growth, but it is not synonymous. The focus here is on a broader context and, therefore, on a multitude of spiritual paths and practices, both religious and non-religious.

The Questionnaire

1. When and why did you start using the Internet on your journey toward self-realization?

2. How have the Internet and the World Wide Web helped you?

3. Why do you think the Internet and the World Wide Web are important for your spiritual and personal growth?

4. Which Internet experience or experiences have had the most impact on you?

5. Which Web sites have had the most impact on you?

6. What are your e-mail experiences (i.e.: Do you receive inspirational messages, subscribe to an e-zine, correspond with a list of other individuals on a similar path to you, etc.)?

7. What kind of interactive experiences have you participated in (i.e.: online peace vigils, prayer rooms, meditations, chat rooms, message boards)?

8. What's so special about the Internet? What makes it different from other methods that promote spiritual and personal growth?

9. Have you had any negative Internet experiences that may have hindered your spiritual or personal growth? If so, what were they?

10. Are you involved with creating or maintaining a spiritual or personal growth site? What is the purpose of this site and how have visitors responded to your efforts?

Lightworks.com - Pass It On

In the Chicago area and in Arizona, we are fortunate because we can pick up the print version of The Monthly Aspectarian and keep up with the latest news, interviews and reviews on spiritual and personal growth. The online version of The Monthly Aspectarian is housed at lightworks.com. If you haven't visited the site lately, please do. Lightworks.com is a pioneer site that has been in operation since the early WWW days in 1995. The site was recently redesigned and in my opinion, it is downright elegant and user friendly.

Featured at the site are current and archived articles from The Monthly Aspectarian (including "CyberWeave" columns), "Guy Spiro's Astro-Weather," "Local Connections," and "The Lightworks Visionary Art Gallery." Those who appreciate The Monthly Aspectarian cover art will certainly enjoy the "Visionary Art Gallery." The Gallery currently contains over 200 images from some of the best visionary artists around, including Marty Noble, Francene Hart, Jean-Paul Avisse, Sharka Glet, Dianni-Kaleel and Tito Salamoni. The images include cover art and new images. Most are available as 13" x 19" prints and all of them are available on T-shirts, longsleeved shirts or sweatshirts. This section is well worth a visit.

For those of us who spend a lot of time online, "Guy Spiro's Astro-Weather" is a perfect way to check out your astrological week. Just go to the section and click on the time zone that applies to you (Eastern, Central, Mountain or Pacific).

Definitely bookmark this site, but don't stop there. Chicago area and Arizona folks are gifted with The Monthly Aspectarian twelve times per year. But what about our family, friends and e-mail pals throughout the United States and around the globe? There is plenty of valuable information in The Monthly Aspectarian that is not place specific. Do your friends a favor and let them know about the spiritual and personal growth treasures that can be mined at lightworks.com.

The School of Exceptional Living

Not too long ago, I received a request for a review of the site for the School of Exceptional Living (www.exceptionalliving.com). The School of Exceptional Living is one of the advantages of living in Chicago. Located at 445 W. Ohio, the school is designed to "provide an environment to help students transform their lives." The site gives an in-depth look at what students can expect.

The first thing that pops out at you when you surf over to www.exceptionalliving.com is the black background. I usually don't care much for this effect. However, I must make an exception for The School of Exceptional Living site. It's the best black background usage that I've come across. It is the exception that proves the rule, as they say. The site is elegant and easy to navigate. The sections include "Calendar," "Program," Courses," "Articles," "About Us," "Students," and "Events." The "About Us" section includes the following description that tells you a lot about the school's philosophy and mission:

"Once there was a school where everyone, whether old or young, could go to learn and to be inspired and discover the secrets of the universe. Its doors were open to all who had a desire to learn and to live. Whether they wanted to advance or retreat or expand or do better or be better or enjoy life, the school was there for them... The school was called Earth... Let us consciously attend this Earth School in full awareness, where our souls have chosen to manifest and develop themselves. Let us learn to enjoy this adventure of life and do so together."

The core curriculum at The School of Exceptional Living includes Primary Relationship Training, the Peer Empowerment Program, the Loving Life Series and Women's and Men's Intensives. Recent courses have included "Woman's Essential Experience" and Men's Basic Training for a High Performance Life. One very helpful section of the site is "Articles." This section contains articles written by students who have experienced various courses. It gives potential students a sneak preview of what they can expect and allows them to savor the transformational experiences of others.

Except for special events like the "Journey to the Holy Lands" that took place in late September, most School of Exceptional Living courses and events take place in Chicago. That's the one drawback to the site. If you don't live near Chicago or plan to travel to Chicago, the full impact of the School of Exceptional Living site is limited. It would be great to see interactive components like online courses, lecture transcripts, streaming audio access, etc.

Do you have a favorite spiritual or personal growth Web site that you'd like me to review? Please drop me an e-mail at Monty764@aol.com. And remember, I also want to hear your story about how the Internet and the World Wide Web have impacted your journey toward self-realization.