Seeing is believing: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experiences of the ‘spiritual but not religious’ in Britain

A majority of the British population now consider themselves not religious, but many of these individuals still have some beliefs they consider spiritual. This study explores the connections between the beliefs and practices of five British participants who identified as ‘spiritual but not religious’ (SBNR). Semi-structured interviews with each participant were analyzed inductively using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). This analysis developed seven sub-themes that were organized into two superordinate themes: ‘Experiencing Transcendence’ and ‘Constructing a Personal Spirituality’. The participants’ spirituality was an important part of their identities and lives. They pragmatically and eclectically drew on a wide range of spiritual tools and resources to enrich their lives. In a complex world where they considered traditional sources of religious or spiritual authority untrustworthy, the participants developed their own answers to existential questions that resonated with their own experiences of the world. Both their personal experiences and sociocultural influences were important in shaping and sustaining the participants’ worldviews and practices. These idiosyncratic ways that individuals made sense of their experiences show why it is important the research tools used to study worldview dynamics are sensitive to a wide range of factors and the iterative interactions between them.