MetaValues and Religion

The Self-Actualizers Dr. Maslow studied had very personal religious beliefs. He found that they all had transcendent peak experiences. However, they were guarded; they tended not to wish to share them. Although many Actualizers had a formal religion, they had also discovered, developed, and retained their own personal, inner religion. Their inner religion often augmented their formal religion. This concept of a supplementary religion of inner experience contrasted with what Maslow saw as the religious experience of "Sunday only" believers. There is no intervening organization or guru between the Self-Actualizers and their inner religious experience. Maslow saw MetaValues as a path to a different kind of religious experience. This path was not in opposition to typical mainstream religious practices, but rather complementary to them. Maslow wrote:

"The forms, rituals, ceremonials, and verbal formulae in which [the profoundly and authentically religious person] was reared remain for him experientially rooted, symbolically meaningful, archetypal, unitive. Such a person may go through the same motions and behaviors as his more numerous co-religionists, but he is never reduced to the merely behavioral, as most of them are."

Five candlesThe disciplines of science, philosophy, and religion ask different questions in their quest for truth. The religionist may perceive MetaValues as originating in the highest power of the universe, and a pathway to a better understanding of God. The philosopher could see MetaValues as factors that will help unify the discoveries of science with enlightened spiritual insights. New levels of efficient living will come about through the unification of idea systems, energy systems, and spiritual systems. Regardless of how MetaValues are defined, ideally they are tools to simplify and integrate humankind's exploding inventory of facts with its highest eternal principles. When thus applied, MetaValues will enhance human life with unprecedented meaning and certainty, and unlock the slumbering genius of the people.