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"Sacred Moments": Notes on Article by Goldstein

By Ryan M. Niemiec, Psy.D.
Education Director, VIA Institute on Character
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Study: Goldstein, E. D. (2007). Sacred moments: Implications on well-being and stress. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 63(10), 1001-1019.

Introduction: Many studies reflect correlations between spirituality, stress, and well-being, however, little research has been done on interventions that actually increase spirituality/sacred moments. For the purposes of this study, Goldstein defines sacred moments as having two components: 1.) a spiritual quality involving a feeling of connection with and support from the transcendent (e.g., God, higher power, all of life), a connection with others, purpose, gratefulness, awe, compassion, mercy, and/or a deep sense of inner peace; and 2.) involvement of descriptive qualities such as precious, dear, blessed, cherished, and/or holy. Examples of this vary per each individual, ranging from the individual perceiving a sacred moment with a higher power describing it as blessed to the person hiking and feeling a sense of awe in the natural world describing it as a cherished moment.

The study: Randomized controlled trial with an intervention and control group (n = 83). Use of five quantitative measures (the SWLS & PANAS for subjective well-being; PWB to measure psychological well-being; the Perceived Stress Scale; the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale) and one qualitative (semi-structured interviews). For the first 3 days of the 3-week experiment, the intervention group practiced a mindfulness strategy; starting on day 4 participants sanctified a sacred, tangible or non-tangible object of their choosing; sanctification was defined as reimbuing the object with a sense of what was considered by the individual to be precious, dear, blessed, special, holy, and/or cherished qualities. Participants then spent 5 minutes per day starting with a mindfulness practice followed by turning attention to that which is sacred in the object for no determined time period. The control group spent 5 minutes per day reflecting on and writing about daily activities (an already proven intervention). Both groups were to do the activity 5 days per week.

Results: Both interventions were equally effective in boosting psychological well-being. Significant increases were found in satisfaction with life, positive affect, positive relations with others, and purpose in life and a decrease in perceived stress. The increase in life satisfaction was sustained at six-week follow-up. Qualitatively, 89% reported the intervention was conducive to creating a sacred moment, while 11% found it obstructive; 100% found they could cultivate sacred moments in their life.

 Previous research: There is an abundance of research citing the health benefits of spirituality: stress reduction, life satisfaction, life purpose, positive relations with others, and positive relations among others. For example, previous research has found psychological benefits for individuals who focus on a spiritual mantra for 20 minutes a day over 2 weeks (Wachholtz & Pargament, 2005).

Less discussed in the literature and by spiritual writers is the potential negative side effects associated with attempting to increase spirituality and sacred moments. Here are a few Goldstein mentions that have been alluded to in the literature:
  • Increase in competitive nature with a need to have more and more sacred moments (the emphasis becomes one of striving not meaning)
  • Need to compare oneself with others (sense of being better than others)
  • Grandiosity, self-centeredness, and/or a demand for control (sense of self-importance)
  • Obsessive idealism – a sense that things have to be a certain way, e.g., forcing sacred moments in a relationship or marriage
  • Struggle to successfully build sacred moments, leading to increased stress or feelings of inadequacy
Niemiec's comments for practitioners: This study is important in terms of the character strength of religiousness/spirituality. While other research examines the definitions, why spirituality is important, and the health correlations therein, this research looks at one potential intervention for building it up in one’s character. Whatever the person’s religious, spiritual, or non-religious preference, any person can develop a sacred moment.

Thus, practitioners can help their clients cultivate sacred moments; since not every client will follow the same procedure with connecting with the sacred, clients can be asked if they have a preference for how they might connect with the sacred and if they are unsure, the approach summarized in this article might be used as a starting point. Practitioners should be cautious to not assume that only good things will happen with such an exercise; there can clearly be negative effects for those individuals who “overuse” their spirituality strength. Practitioners would do well to discuss these potential side effects with their clients before using the intervention.