What does it mean to be spiritual in a culture shaped by extreme individualism?
Liz Bucar is a prize-winning author, professor, and longtime scholar of religion with no religious affiliation of her own. Her work explores how understanding religious difference can reshape our sense of what’s right and good. Daniel Foor, founder/director of Ancestral Medicine and author of the book by the same name is an activist and vocal critic of “wellness culture” who has multiple religions and spiritual doctrines in his own practice.
They sat down to question the familiar divide between being “spiritual but not religious” and ask what we might discover when spiritual practice is approached as something that can genuinely change how we live, relate, and participate in the world. They explore spirituality, religion, spiritual practices, and the search for meaningful community.
From spiritual practice to real life
Liz and Daniel also explore the importance of finding the right communities and teachers, approaching other religious traditions with humility and reciprocity, and allowing ourselves to be changed by genuine practice instead of simply collecting spiritual ideas.
Beyond Individual Spirituality
Th extreme individualism and autonomy that shapes much of contemporary culture, especially in the U.S., can make spirituality feel like another form of personal optimization: something we do to feel better, become more grounded, heal ourselves, or find our own answers. Liz and Daniel ask what happens when we move beyond that framework. They ask what comes after endless self-work: How can spirituality help us become useful? How can community involve both belonging and responsibility? And how might spiritual traditions help us imagine and build a different future?
The conversation also touches on animism, ancestral relationships, different ways of knowing, and the limitations of an entirely individualistic approach to spirituality.
Watch the full conversation here:
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Learn more about Liz Bucar, her work, and her recent book, Beyond Wellness on her website.
