The Spiritual Resource - Chris Eller's Knowledge Garden

## The Spiritual Resource and Bridges Out of Poverty - The spiritual resource is a key component of the Bridges Out of Poverty framework, which defines poverty as the extent to which one does without resources, and it is believed that building this resource can be a pathway to hope and designing one's future story [(00:00:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=10s). - There are 11 resources that are considered key indicators of stability, including financial, emotional, mental, and health resources, all of which are interconnected and can impact one another [(00:00:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=56s). - The spiritual resource is the capacity for hope, purpose, and meaning in life, and it is often tied to something bigger than oneself, serving as an internal drive that can empower individuals to envision and pursue a better future [(00:03:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=214s). - The Bridges Out of Poverty framework encourages individuals, organizations, and communities to build resources that can help bridge individuals out of poverty and build stability, with the spiritual resource being a critical component of this process [(00:02:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=162s). - The spiritual resource is believed to be a great resource that can be developed and strengthened, and it is not often overlooked, but rather it is an important aspect of overall quality of life and stability [(00:03:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=189s). - The 11 resources identified in the Bridges Out of Poverty framework can help individuals, organizations, and communities build an overall quality of life and achieve stability, with the spiritual resource being a key part of this process [(00:01:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=90s). - The spiritual resource is a critical component in helping individuals tap into their internal power and drive to envision a future story, and it is often tied to faith, but not necessarily religion, as it helps people see beyond their current situation and build hope [(00:04:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=262s). - The spiritual resource is essential in building purpose and hope, and it helps individuals overcome the survival mindset, develop the ability to dream, plan, and take action towards long-term goals, which is crucial for bridging out of poverty and building a life of stability [(00:04:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=264s). ## Hope and the Spiritual Resource - Hope is the belief that a better future is possible and within reach, even in the face of hardships, and it acts as an internal motivator, helping individuals see beyond their current struggles and envision a life of greater possibility and purpose [(00:05:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=358s). - The spiritual resource is vital in building hope and confidence, and it helps people persist in achieving long-term goals despite setbacks and systemic barriers, making it a key component in helping individuals experience sustainability and bridge out of poverty [(00:06:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=391s). - Life in poverty can be a deterrent to hope, and it is often characterized by a faded mentality, where individuals struggle to navigate their economic environment, making it essential to build hope and provide support to help people overcome these challenges [(00:07:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=470s). - The spiritual resource has implications for organizations, communities, and policy levels, as investing in it can help build resilience, confidence, and hope, ultimately leading to long-term sustainability and a better life for individuals [(00:07:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=452s). ## Tyranny of the Moment and the Survival Mindset - Mental models for instability or life in poverty often involve challenges such as transportation, agency time, childcare, food insecurity, housing insecurity, and health challenges, which can create a sense of being trapped in a cycle of crisis [(00:08:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=524s). - The concept of "tyranny of the moment" describes the state of being in a constant state of crisis, which can lead to a survival mindset where all energy is focused on concrete problem-solving, making it difficult to focus on abstract thinking or planning for the future [(00:09:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=582s). - This survival mindset can create a sense of powerlessness and limited choice, making it essential to build a spiritual resource to reincorporate power and choice into one's circumstances [(00:11:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=678s). - The need to act in response to crises can overwhelm the willingness to learn and plan for the future, highlighting the importance of the spiritual resource in helping individuals break out of the tyranny of the moment and envision a future story [(00:11:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=699s). - The concept of tyranny of the moment was coined by [[Paulo Freire]], a Brazilian activist, who described poverty as a state of crisis after crisis, leading to a survival mindset [(00:09:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=589s). - Having stability, whether psychological or otherwise, allows individuals to make changes in their lives, and the spiritual resource can help provide this stability, enabling people to envision a future story and break out of the cycle of poverty [(00:12:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=760s). - The mental model of the economic environment of poverty and instability is characterized by one problem after another, with each challenge having a ripple effect on other areas of life, making it difficult for individuals to cope with the fragility of their economic situation [(00:13:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=807s). - This economic environment can lead to a resilient mindset and cultivate strong problem solvers, as individuals navigate the challenges of poverty and instability, often finding creative solutions to concrete problems [(00:14:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=878s). - The voice of those who can navigate this economic environment should be amplified and included in building sustainable solutions for communities, as they bring a unique perspective and set of skills to the table [(00:15:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=904s). - Building the spiritual resource is essential for developing an internal drive to envision a future story, build resilience, and overcome the challenges posed by the tyranny of the moment [(00:15:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=919s). - The tyranny of the moment is a mindset characterized by a sense of crisis, anxiety, and worry about the present, making it difficult for individuals to envision a better future and creating a feeling of powerlessness to stop bad things from happening [(00:15:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=939s). - The concept of future stories is about envisioning a better future, but the tyranny of the moment can hinder this process, making it essential to understand how it plays a role in shaping one's mindset and ability to imagine a better life [(00:17:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1032s). - The spiritual resource can be a pathway to building future stories, but it is crucial to recognize how the tyranny of the moment can limit one's ability to see a future beyond their current circumstances [(00:17:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1036s). - Tyranny of the moment can occur not only with individuals, but also with organizations and communities, leading to instability, and this concept is crucial to understand when building the spiritual resource [(00:17:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1053s). ## The Economic Environment of Poverty and Instability - The mental model of the economic environment of poverty and instability is characterized by one problem after another, with each challenge having a ripple effect on other areas of life, making it difficult for individuals to cope with the fragility of their economic situation [(00:13:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=807s). - This economic environment can lead to a resilient mindset and cultivate strong problem solvers, as individuals navigate the challenges of poverty and instability, often finding creative solutions to concrete problems [(00:14:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=878s). - The voice of those who can navigate this economic environment should be amplified and included in building sustainable solutions for communities, as they bring a unique perspective and set of skills to the table [(00:15:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=904s). ## Building the Spiritual Resource and Future Stories - Building the spiritual resource is essential for developing an internal drive to envision a future story, build resilience, and overcome the challenges posed by the tyranny of the moment [(00:15:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=919s). - The tyranny of the moment is a mindset characterized by a sense of crisis, anxiety, and worry about the present, making it difficult for individuals to envision a better future and creating a feeling of powerlessness to stop bad things from happening [(00:15:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=939s). - The concept of future stories is about envisioning a better future, but the tyranny of the moment can hinder this process, making it essential to understand how it plays a role in shaping one's mindset and ability to imagine a better life [(00:17:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1032s). - The spiritual resource can be a pathway to building future stories, but it is crucial to recognize how the tyranny of the moment can limit one's ability to see a future beyond their current circumstances [(00:17:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1036s). ## The Importance of the Spiritual Resource - Organizations can experience tyranny of the moment due to factors such as instability, lack of professional development, insufficient funding, and poverty, which can hinder their ability to plan for the future [(00:17:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1068s). - Communities can also experience instability and tyranny of the moment, often due to limited budgets and an inability to plan beyond the next year, making it essential to build the spiritual resource at all levels [(00:18:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1088s). - Building the spiritual resource is vital to embed at all levels, including individual, organizational, and community levels, to create sustainable communities and promote stability [(00:18:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1120s). - Poverty and related concerns can drain mental energy, making it challenging for individuals to think about their future and devote brain power to areas of life beyond survival, highlighting the importance of building the spiritual resource [(00:19:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1168s). - When bandwidth is loaded, individuals are more likely to not notice, resist, or remember things, and may have less patience and attention to devote to important relationships and tasks, underscoring the need to manage mental energy and build the spiritual resource [(00:20:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1249s). - The spiritual resource is a pathway to building future stories, hope, and destiny, and understanding its importance can help individuals and communities overcome the challenges posed by tyranny of the moment and create a more stable and sustainable future [(00:20:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1231s). ## The Draining Experience of Poverty - The experience of poverty can be draining, both mentally and emotionally, and can feel like a constant struggle to survive, with individuals having to expend significant mental energy and brain power just to get by, [(00:21:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1301s). - Poverty simulations can provide insight into the challenges faced by those living in poverty, but the reality is that poverty is a 24/7 experience that can be overwhelming and exhausting, [(00:21:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1318s). - Building spiritual resources is key to supporting individuals and families in bridging out of poverty and creating sustainable solutions within communities, [(00:22:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1351s). ## Hidden Rules and Destiny - Hidden rules, such as those related to destiny, can play a significant role in shaping an individual's beliefs and behaviors, particularly in the context of poverty, where the hidden rule may be that one's fate is predetermined and cannot be changed, [(00:22:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1369s). - The hidden rule around destiny can lead to a "faded mentality," where individuals believe they have no control over their circumstances and are powerless to change their fate, [(00:24:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1461s). - This mentality can be particularly prevalent in cases of generational poverty, where the experience of poverty is passed down through multiple generations, making it seem like an inescapable fate, [(00:25:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1502s). - The hidden rules around destiny are dynamic and can vary from person to person, depending on their individual experiences and social cognitive framework, [(00:23:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1421s). - Understanding and addressing these hidden rules is crucial to helping individuals break free from the cycle of poverty and build a more positive and empowering mindset, [(00:25:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1541s). ## Mindsets of Middle Class vs. Poverty - The middle class often has a belief in choice and a belief in one's future story, which is tied to the idea that the healthier a person is psychologically, the more opportunities they have to make changes in their life, allowing them to plan out their future story due to stability [(00:25:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1552s). - In contrast, poverty and instability can create a mindset where one feels they are in a state of crisis and survival mode, making it difficult to envision a different future, and it is in these situations that the spiritual resource of hope is crucial [(00:26:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1589s). - The spiritual resource is about building hope and the ability to envision one's future, making possibilities seem tangible and within reach, and it is essential to nurture hope at the individual, organizational, and community policy levels [(00:26:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1603s). ## Building Hope and Vision - A quote by [[Helen Keller]] emphasizes the importance of vision, stating that the only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision, highlighting the need for vision in transformation and building future stories [(00:27:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1649s). - Practical tools for building hope and vision at the individual level include visioning exercises, planning backwards, and storytelling, while at the organizational level, it involves embedding the spiritual resource in programming and the organization's future story [(00:28:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1712s). - At the policy level, it is essential to promote hope and resilience in public policy, and embedding the spiritual resource at all levels is crucial to overall quality of life and wellness, not just for individuals but also for organizations and communities [(00:29:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1753s). - Visioning and planning backwards are two powerful tools that can work at all levels, including the individual level, and are especially helpful for folks experiencing poverty or instability, as they promote abstract thinking, power, and hope [(00:29:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1795s). - Visioning involves exploring how a desired future would look, feel, and be, using all senses, and considering factors such as thoughts, values, health, relationships, and lifestyle, to create a comprehensive picture of one's future self [(00:30:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1808s). - Visioning exercises can be guided by tools such as the "have, do, be" framework, which helps individuals think about what they would want to have, do, and be if there were no restrictions or constraints in their life [(00:32:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1941s). - The concept of visioning is also supported by laws of quantum physics, which suggest that what we think and perceive in our mind can help build a pathway to our reality and shape our future [(00:32:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=1973s). - Planning backwards is another tool that involves breaking down plans into smaller parts, starting with the end goal in mind, and working backwards to the present day, to create a clear roadmap for achieving one's desired future [(00:33:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=2015s). - Planning backwards can be applied to goals that are anywhere from six months to a year or more in the future, and involves identifying the smaller steps needed to reach the desired outcome [(00:33:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=2030s). - Planning backwards is a powerful tool that helps to anticipate challenges and develop solutions by working backwards from a future goal, allowing individuals to break down the procedural steps needed to achieve their vision [(00:34:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=2040s). - This tool can be applied to various timeframes, such as five years, three years, or one month, and is effective in thinking through the steps that lead to the end goal and future story [(00:34:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=2084s). - Visioning is a fun exercise that allows individuals to dream and step away from their current circumstances, building confidence and resilience as they paint and draw out their future stories [(00:35:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=2104s). - Accompanying visioning with planning backwards is even more powerful, as it enables individuals to create a clear plan to achieve their goals [(00:35:36)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=2136s). - Building hope and vision is a powerful force that can transform lives, as stated by [[Viktor Frankl | Victor Frankl]], a [[The Holocaust | Holocaust]] survivor, who said that the last of human freedoms is the ability to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances [(00:35:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=2145s). - Victor Frankl's quote emphasizes the importance of hope and attitude in rewriting one's future story, and this concept can be tied to faith for many individuals, as it empowers them to transform their lives [(00:36:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=2167s). - The combination of visioning, planning backwards, and building hope can help individuals achieve their goals and create a better future for themselves [(00:36:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM&t=2190s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ZqyYlVoSM)