Decade Roundup: 7 Signs We Are Becoming More Spiritually Focused

Quite the opening decade for the new millennium eh? In 1999, the last millennium closed with a combination of fear about the world coming to an end because of a little clock embedded in your computer (remember Y2K?) and the thrill of a stock market in the middle of a giant run up.

Warnings of "irrational exuberance" were pushed aside by the 20 and 30 somethings, claiming that this was a new world, a new stock market and a new prosperity. Old rules no longer mattered.

And then the planes went in. The Dow tumbled from near 11,000 to 8,235, American flags sprouted everywhere, God Bless America became the song of choice for most any public gathering, and people seemed to pull together in an amazing way. For a while.

It didn’t take too long before American focus on the upwardly mobile dream regained a foothold and soon the economy was humming again, pushing toward 14,000 on the Dow, and the promise of a new home for every American.

Of course, that bubble burst as well, and the market tanked like crazy, falling into the 6,500 range just last year. And then we saw some real panic amongst a whole lot of people. Some would say the sky is still falling, even though the Dow has climbed back into the 10,500 range. Unemployment is still staggeringly high, foreclosures keep springing up on every block, and times continue to be bleak for many.

So, should we view the first decade of the third millennium as the economic roller coaster years? We could, and we can certainly find data to support that thesis. And who knows where this roller coaster is heading?

However, I have an oddball view of the past 10 years. I think we may be on the verge of a roller coaster decade of spiritual awakening.

Any number of phenomenon have grown across divergent cross sections of the public. Following is an incomplete list of several that have become increasingly in the public eye along with my very limited, and most likely misrepresentative summation of their focus or intent. My apologies in advance if I am butchering any of these amazing gifts:

The Kabbalah has become increasingly popular, emphasizing various mystical aspects of Judaism, looking at the relationship between an infinite, eternal and mysterious Creator and the finite and mortal universe. Devotees explore the nature of the universe and the human being, the nature and purpose of existence, along with methods to aid understanding of these concepts and to attain spiritual realization. It’s an interesting comment on shifting aspects of life when you see that mysticism and mystical practices can now be followed via webinars and all things internet.

Celebrities such as Madonna, (now known by her Kaballistic name, Esther), David Beckham, Elizabeth Taylor, Demi Moore and Britney Spears have all embraced the Kabbalah.

Yoga has become available in more consumer oriented settings, ranging from yoga on the beach in resorts to classes offered in traditional fitness facilities. 8 percent of Americans who have never practiced, indicate that they are very interested in learning more. Yoga has been embraced by celebrities as diverse as Ricky Martin, Meg Ryan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Anniston, Jerry Seinfeld, Shirley MacLaine, and Charlie Sheen. Many credit their practice with an ability to remain centered and more at peace in these turbulent times.

In 2004, What the BLEEP Do We Know¸ kicked off a huge interest in the impact each of us have on each other, our surroundings and life in general. Some call it a spiritual marriage between quantum physics and consciousness. While millions loved the movie, the critics were quick to dismiss it as pseudo-science or quantum mysticism. Regardless of any alleged errors in the message, the underlying question did get quite a few conversations going about the nature and purpose of life.

In 2006, The Secret leapt all over us, as both a runaway bestselling book and a widely watched movie. Heavy weight celebrities were all over "the law of attraction" as a way to improve life through focus and thought (Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, Larry King, etc). Critics again called it pseudoscience and some religious groups thought it more the work of the devil. And still, millions have flocked to it. Some see its appeal as a sign of desperation, while others would say the real secret is as old as the oldest of spiritual scriptures.

In 2007, The Shack came out with little or no notice, but then in 2008 it exploded onto the New York Times list as #1 for 35 weeks and is still #29 overall for Amazon sales, and #6 in religious and spirituality sales. Well over 5,000,000 people have read the book. Some Christian groups are thrilled, and others see it as the work of the devil. One critic even called it "undiluted heresy."

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