The selected article is “Spiritual practices and adult transformative learning,” written by Covey. The author’s thesis is that spiritual activities such as reflection play a role in having a meaningful existence and may even lead to transformative learning. The logic behind the statement is that the human soul, also known as the intellect, will, and emotions, appears to have an innate drive to make sense and achieve congruence; spiritual activities can assist individuals in accomplishing this (Covey, 2021). The author intended to take a holistic approach to review adult psychological development by analyzing how adults gain increased conscious awareness and how individuals develop spiritually during midlife.
The article is written in the style of a literature review of adult psychological development, incorporating consciousness and spiritual development. The argument is set in the context of spiritual growth receiving less scholarly attention than other forms of development. Consequently, Covey (2021) emphasizes the need for spiritual research and overall human growth. Spiritual practices and transformational learning have several characteristics, such as using reflection to contribute to understanding human lives (Convey, 2021). Hence, reflection may assist individuals in enhancing their awareness, having a better knowledge of themselves, and connecting with their fundamental values.
The strength of the research is that the author included various scholars’ opinions on the selected topic. Nonetheless, the weakness is the structure of the paper: there is no clear introduction, as the researcher begins by describing the perspectives on adult development. The paper does not have the necessary sections for the literature review, such as discussion, theoretical implications, further research directions, and limitations. The article helps readers to understand the concepts because they are well-explained based on evidence from academic works. Nonetheless, the author often includes personal opinions without any evidence. Covey (2021), for instance, questions if the one point of transition can be identified. The writer underlined that a significant amount of time was spent considering this subject to comprehend this intangible and abstract reality. The following argument is Covey’s opinion: “The way that I conceptualize the moment of transformation is when new life is breathed into one’s mind or consciousness” (Covey, 2021, p. 40). The researcher also wrote the allegory about Folly and Wisdom, which is not structured academically and lacks proof. Thus, the paper can be used to understand the concepts of spiritual practices and transformative learning rather than for further academic research.
Reference
Covey, C. (2021). Spiritual practices and adult transformative learning. Journal of Transformative Learning, 8(2). Web.