An interesting article in the Vancouver Sun by their religion writer Douglas Todd. The article’s focus is on the growing acceptance of “eastern” practices such as yoga for both physical and mental/emotional needs by West Coasters. A notable observation though is by Grayston, an Anglican priest about the spiritual disciplines of men. The excerpt is below:
In a different vein, Grayston finds it disturbing that men are much less likely to practise any spiritual discipline, including prayer, than women.
Only one B.C. man for every two B.C. women does yoga, the Mustel poll shows. When it comes to meditation or prayer, two men engage in them for every three women.
“I think men are in big trouble in our culture,” says Grayston, who helped found Vancouver School of Theology’s spiritual direction program.
“Men are drifting. Men are floundering — vocationally, relationally and spiritually,” Grayston says.
“They’re not doing spiritual disciplines because they’re not disciplined in their personal lives. Men have to be disciplined for their professions, so they value the goof-off time. But I think it takes an adult to follow a spiritual discipline.”
I have heard it suggested that the proliferation of late nite media personalities such as David Letterman represent a chronic adolescence in the the lives of men. This is the first time I have seen immaturity related to the lack of discipline in the lives of men in the regular press. Writer’s in the Christian realm are often pursuing this need. For example John Eldridge was seeking to engage men in the disciplines of the heart, when he wrote Wild at Heart. It seems to me we are lacking a compelling vision of “man” that includes the disciplines of the heart. It’s fascinating to me when I consider how Jesus engaged both men and women in a compelling vision of life in the Kingdom of God. His vision of “man” included disciplines (see Matthew 5-7 and John 13-17).
So what do you think? Are men in trouble today in our culture?
