lems, or whether a social or spiritual awakening will make the world a better place. While there were similar distributions of responses to each of these questions, an interesting overlap of patterns is apparent. There are three shared patterns between these three questions: one, those who are concerned about serious problems in the future and who see little change on the horizon; two, those who are concerned about serious future problems and who see social and spiritual awakening making the world a better place to live; and three, those who see life not changing much, yet see the possibility of a global awakening making the world a better place to live.

Spirituality and Religion

Data from the IOOW 2000 Research Program and various other research studies show that over 90% of Americans believe in God or a higher spiritual consciousness. This is in dramatic contrast to countries where only a minority hold this belief. Most Americans (78%) claim to practice meditation or prayer, and almost two thirds (64%) say they follow the teachings of a specific spiritual or religious teacher. Many (70%) attend church services or other meetings of a religious organization. For more than two-thirds of Americans (67%), going to church, synagogue, or mosque gives them the opportunity to make and maintain social contacts.

The IOOW study team also created an index of spirituality based on analyses of eight questions. Two types (SCT and WNL) scored highest on this index. One type includes those most concerned with positive change in the world and creating a more integral society, and the other type includes those more likely to be new to the U.S. and who are working to create a new life of wholeness for themselves and their families. The two types that scored lowest (CMW and DSC) are those who identify with a material outlook on life and those who are disengaged from social concerns.

Throughout recent history, religion and spirituality have often been equated. When asked, 61% of Americans say religion and spirituality are not the same.

A Sense of the Sacred

In its exploration of the connection between spirituality and consciousness, the IOOW 2000 research study found that most Americans (73%) report being directly aware of or individually influenced by the presence of God or a higher consciousness. More than half (55%) say they have experienced a sense of the sacred in everything around them or per-