Why Spiritual Development is The Missing Lever in Solving the Poly-Crisis

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Spirit Tech: Field Notes from the Edge is a newsletter written by members of the Spirit Tech Collective (STC). Inspired by the Climate Tech movement, our mission is to 50x the funding and talent flowing into the Spirit Tech sector over the next 10 years, paving the way for greater collective wisdom and flourishing. Our aim with this newsletter is to share the synthesis of our ongoing research for feedback as we collectively cultivate the soil to usher in the next wave of Spirit Tech innovation.

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We’re in the midst of what some call the “meta-crisis” or "poly-crisis" – a convergence of global challenges ranging from epidemics of mental health and loneliness, ecological collapse and climate instability, social division and distrust in institutions. With so much at stake, why would we care about “spiritual development”? Precisely because these issues are not isolated problems. At the root of many global challenges is disconnection – disconnection from self, others, nature, and meaning. As material wealth has increased, meaning has diminished.

The research is increasingly clear: cultivating inner life and spiritual health has measurable and transformative impact on many facets of the poly-crisis – spanning mental wellbeing, physical health, social cohesion, environmental stewardship, and even organizational health. For example, research by McKinsey has found that people with good spiritual health are four times more likely to have good mental health. Dr. Lisa Miller cites spiritual development to be “the most robust protective factor against depression known to medical and social sciences”, cutting risk of major depression by 75%, substance abuse by 80%, and suicidal ideation by 60%. It can reduce all-cause mortality by 33%, increase longevity, and reduce homicide and violence. Research paints the link to better emotional regulation, resilience, and empathy and even greater environmental care. For organizations, it could unlock access to greater levels of wisdom, intuitive insight and complexity-handling.

While funding flows heavily to health and climate directly, little goes toward spiritual innovation – a lever that may help address these issues at their root. Spiritual development certainly isn’t a complete solution, but it may be one of the most underutilized tools to simultaneously move the needle on many different battlefronts of the poly-crisis. To attract investment, the sector must clearly link spiritual development to real-world outcomes aligned with funding priorities.

Our aim with this article is to explore and share the most compelling evidence of how spiritual health contributes to solving pressing societal challenges. We highlight both established research and areas where the data is still emerging as we seek to reframe spiritual development as an essential ingredient to addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges. We hope these data points support sector leaders in making the case for their work, and inspire more builders and researchers to engage with spirituality as a path to addressing humanity’s deeper problems.

We welcome your feedback in the comments on how to strengthen these connections and invite you to share any research or data points we may have missed. Our goal is to continue building this narrative and argument together over time.

Table of contents:

1. What do we mean by “Spiritual Development”?

2. A vaccine against mental ill-health and loneliness

3. Is spirituality the most underutilized lever in healthcare?

4. Can spirituality heal a divided world?

5. What if the climate crisis is a spiritual crisis?

6. The hidden engine of human and organizational flourishing

7. Why we can’t wait any longer

What do we mean by “Spiritual Development”?

We think of spiritual health as the deep sense of meaning, vitality, and connection that emerges from self-transcendence and expanded present-moment awareness. It transcends, yet is supported by, our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Spiritual development encompasses practices that help people regulate emotion, clarify values, connect with others, and experience themselves as part of something bigger than themselves.

The word “spiritual” may not resonate with everyone. In this work, we see alternate frames such as consciousness work, inner work, wisdom practices, as more or less interchangeable.

It’s important to point out that spirituality is not synonymous with religion. While many find spiritual growth through faith traditions, millions of others access it through secular means like mindfulness, journaling, somatic practice, time in nature, or community service. Increasingly, people are constructing their own “spiritual stacks” - drawing on practices from specific lineages like Buddhism, Taoism, Sufism, and others that resonate most with their lived experience, without necessarily adhering to the entire belief system.

A vaccine against mental ill-health and loneliness

According to the WHO, depression is now the leading cause of disability worldwide, and one in eight people lives with a diagnosable mental health disorder. In the U.S., suicide rates have increased by 30% since 2000, and among people aged 15–29 globally, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death.

At the same time, loneliness has become a defining issue of our era. Nearly one in four people worldwide feels lonely "very" or "fairly often", and Gen Z is the loneliest generation: 61% say they often feel lonely. Substance use disorders now affect over 35 million people globally, with more than 100,000 opioid-related deaths annually in the United States alone.

In this context, spiritual health shows promising protective factors. Over the past decade, growing research has examined the link between spirituality and mental health. A 2024 McKinsey Health Institute study, surveying individuals across 26 countries, found that those with good spiritual health were nearly four times more likely to report strong mental health.

Dr. Lisa Miller’s longitudinal studies show that spiritual wellness is a potent protective factor against depression, substance abuse, and suicide. Her work demonstrates that individuals with strong spiritual lives are:

• 75% less likely to experience major depression

• 80% less likely to struggle with substance abuse

• 60% less likely to report suicidal ideation

MRI studies have showed that individuals with a strong sense of spirituality exhibited increased cortical thickness in brain regions tied to emotional regulation and resilience – suggesting a neurological basis for stronger mental health.

Multiple other studies corroborate this link. A 2017 meta-analysis found that almost half of the 152 studies observed significantly better depression trajectories among more spiritual individuals, though the overall protective effect size was small. Research shows spirituality offers a buffer against loneliness. A study of older adults in India found that lonely individuals without daily spiritual experience had 1.53x higher odds of low life satisfaction. In the U.S., both religiosity and non-religious spirituality are associated with lower levels of loneliness. Systematic reviews find higher spirituality or religiosity to be linked to fewer suicides - particularly among those who regularly attended religious or community services.

Spirituality also appears to help those recovering from severe mental disorders, fostering self-confidence, self-control, and hope for individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. For trauma and PTSD, clinical studies indicate that “positive religious coping”, for example, interpreting suffering through a spiritual lens or seeking solace in faith, is associated with fewer PTSD symptoms and greater post-traumatic growth. U.S. veterans report that their faith gave them hope or a sense that their sacrifice had a larger meaning, and Veteran Affairs has now integrated spiritual health into their Whole Health framework. Israeli civilians under rocket fire who have high personal spirituality have significantly fewer PTSD symptoms. Emerging approaches like spiritually-integrated trauma therapy, which support patients to process moral injuries or existential questions show early promise in helping individuals rebuild meaning and connection.

Cultivating purpose in life – often deepened with spiritual practice – is one of the strongest predictors of mental and physical health, linked to lower rates of depression and anxiety. This reflects decades of positive psychology research showing that hope, transcendence, and meaning are central to emotional resilience. Decades ago, Viktor Frankl warned that many modern neuroses are a “cry for meaning,” noting that depression, aggression, and addiction often stem from an underlying existential vacuum. Today, with the erosion of traditional structures of belonging, many lack the psychological scaffolding to navigate life’s uncertainty. Cognitive scientist John Vervaeke calls this the “meaning crisis,” a deeper cultural breakdown driving today’s mental health epidemic.

As Author Charles Eisenstein puts it:

“when community disintegrates, when ties to nature and place are severed, when structures of meaning collapse… we grow hungry for addictive substitutes to numb the longing and fill the void.”

This helps explain not only rising substance abuse, but also the appeal of conspiracy theories and radical ideologies, attempts to restore coherence and belonging. Research supports that alienated individuals often turn to such beliefs as surrogate meaning-systems. In this vacuum, spirituality offers a path back to purpose, awe, and connection. Through practices like contemplation, ritual, and service, it provides a stabilizing force and an inner compass to stay grounded amid complexity.

Further, when spiritual development is layered into conventional treatments, the outcomes often improve. For instance, spiritual awakenings have been shown to double recovery success rates in addiction programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and religiously-tailored CBT has outperformed secular CBT in reducing depression among religious patients in several small trials.

This begs the question, if the link between spiritual and mental health is so clear, why is spiritual health still so overlooked, underfunded and left out of most treatment models? And what breakthroughs in mental health care could be possible if spiritual practices and deeper understandings of human wholeness were better integrated? How can Spiritual Technology, both ancient and modern, compliment our existing mental health solutions?

Is spirituality the most underutilized lever in healthcare?

Beyond the psychological benefits, spiritual development is increasingly recognized as a vital component of overall health and even longevity. Harvard research has shown that spiritual health correlates with lower disease burden, better recovery from illness, better coping during illness and longer life expectancy. It concluded that spiritual care should be integrated into mainstream healthcare. People with high levels of spiritual health tend to live longer, even after accounting for income, lifestyle, and other health behaviors. A separate 2016 Harvard study found that women who attended religious services more than once per week had a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality, a 27% reduction in cardiovascular mortality, and a 21% reduction in cancer mortality. A 2024 review found 75% of rigorously designed studies reported that higher spirituality and religiosity levels predicted greater longevity.

We’re now seeing signs of institutional recognition, with health leaders speaking of spirituality as the “fourth dimension” of health. A WHO public health review noted the “impending necessity to… go beyond the health triangle of physical, mental and social dimensions” to include Spiritual Well-Being. The U.S. Army is making spiritual wellness a core component of their health and fitness programs. In family and community health, mindful parenting programs have been linked to improved family relationships, better child outcomes, and increased parental resilience. Meditation, once considered fringe, is now mainstream in medical literature. Peer-reviewed studies confirm its positive effects on stress reduction, emotional regulation, immune function, and brain plasticity.

Further afield, there is growing interest in biofield therapies and energy-based healing practices. While not always central to spiritual development, these approaches engage with non-material dimensions of human experience and the body’s subtle energetic systems that are often accessible through greater sensitivity, and openness linked to spiritual traditions. Though this field remains outside mainstream scientific consensus, emerging research points to early, promising results in areas of healing and integrative medicine: a review of 66 clinical studies found strong evidence that biofield therapies reduce pain, and more recent studies suggest benefits for cancer patients, including reductions in fatigue and depression. While these aren’t conclusive, thousands attest to the healing potential of these practices from their lived experience. Biofield therapies remain in use in healthcare settings due to patient interest, with approximately 5% of the US population already using biofield therapies.

Overall, spiritual health remains dramatically underrepresented in healthcare systems and research funding – only about 1% of all health research studies examine spiritual health. There is, notably, growth in nursing research focused on spiritual topics reaching 7.4% in 2023, reflecting a growing recognition of the importance of spirituality in nursing care.

Again, given the promising data, why isn’t spirituality more central in healthcare? What if we shifted the paradigm — treating the human spirit and energetic system as seriously as the symptoms of illness? Studies show that up to 75% of doctor visits are stress-related, and yet we largely ignore the inner sources of that stress. Spiritual practices cultivating non-resistance and inner alignment can significantly reduce stress when approached skillfully and over time. So we must ask: how many cases of cancer and chronic disease could be prevented, better managed, or even alleviated if people had a deeper sense of purpose, peace, and spiritual alignment?

Can spirituality heal a divided world?

It’s easy to view today’s rising political polarization, global conflict, and declining trust in institutions as exposing deeper breakdowns in empathy and perspective-taking. Through this lens, spiritual development offers a set of tools that could counteract these forces by fostering connection, compassion, and coherence across differences.

Research shows that spiritual practices like forgiveness, compassion meditation, and prayer can reduce interpersonal violence and promote prosocial behavior. These practices increase our capacity to hold complex emotions, understand opposing views, and choose cooperation over competition. One U.S. study found that group meditation was associated with a 21% reduction in national homicide rates. In prisons, mindfulness-based interventions improve self-awareness and reduce aggression, leading to 18% reduction in anger intensity. Community-based spiritual interventions have seen reduced intimate partner violence by up to 22%. Among adolescents, regular engagement with spiritual practices correlates with increased empathy, altruism, and reduced aggression.

One particularly compelling area of study is the work of the HeartMath Institute. Their research shows that when individuals reach a state of heart-brain coherence — marked by synchronized emotional and physiological patterns — they emit more harmonious electromagnetic signals that can positively affect the emotional state of others. This makes it possible to lift others into coherence – so they too have a chance to see from new perspectives and choose harmony, love and care. They see this social coherence as key for conflict resolution and collaboration.

These outcomes map well to theories like Spiral Dynamics and Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory, which suggest that as individuals evolve from ego-centered or conformist worldviews (e.g., red or blue stages) into more pluralistic and integrative perspectives (green and teal), they develop the capacity to hold paradox, navigate ambiguity, and synthesize opposing ideas. This growth helps transcend “us vs. them” mentalities and fosters more constructive engagement in pluralistic societies.

Practices like self-inquiry, contemplative reflection, and values work build this internal capacity. Without self-awareness, we remain stuck in reactive loops of blame, defensiveness, and rigidity. Despite this, spiritual development is rarely seen as an obvious tool for people seeking an answer to political polarization or conflict. What would it take for spiritual development to be recognized as a form of civic leadership? What might be possible for social harmony if there were systematic efforts to facilitate greater emotional maturity, perspective-taking and compassion in all people?

What if the climate crisis is a spiritual crisis?

It’s easy to see that our ecological crisis isn’t just a failure of policy or technology, but stems from a deeper spiritual disconnection — a rupture in how humans see themselves in relation to nature. When we perceive ourselves as separate from the web of life, systems of extractive capitalism, growth-at-all-costs economics, and utilitarian views of Earth become normalized. As eco-philosopher Joanna Macy says:

“The root of our ecological crisis is our illusion of separation — from each other and the Earth.”

Could spirituality offer an antidote by fostering a lived sense of interconnectedness? Many believe so. Traditions across time and cultures emphasize the sacredness and interdependence of life, expanding our sense of self. When that understanding is embodied, exploiting ecosystems for short-term gain becomes unthinkable. As Tibetan teacher Khedrup Rinpoche puts it, “We will never solve the climate crisis on the outside until we solve the climate crisis on the inside.”

There is some data to support this link: A 2023 large cross-cultural study across major world religions found that 70% of people felt a spiritual duty to care for the Earth. British Hindus were significantly more likely than other groups to engage in eco-conscious behaviors – 78% actively changed consumer habits, 64% took part in rewilding, and 44% joined environmental groups – potentially influenced by Hindu teachings of interdependence and reverence for life. Leaders like the Dalai Lama, Satish Kumar, and Vandana Shiva have long blended spiritual consciousness with ecological advocacy. And movements like Eco-Buddhism and Eco-Christianity are emerging that blend spiritual practice with environmental stewardship.

While early data suggests a meaningful connection between spiritual development and pro-environmental behavior, more research is needed. What could emerge if we studied spirituality not just as a personal practice, but as a societal lever for ecological transformation? What would it take to invest in spiritual health as a means for planetary healing and resolving the climate crisis? What if the leaders most responsible for environmental harm were to embark on spiritual transformations that sparks a deep reconnection to nature and all of life?

The hidden engine of human and organizational flourishing

Spiritual development and inner work can also catalyze human potential. There’s plenty of research on the benefits of meditation and mindfulness for improving energy and stress management, resilience, focus, emotional regulation and even productivity. This is reflected in the penetration of mindfulness within the corporate mainstream: in 2024, over 50% of American employers provided mindfulness training. The global meditation and mindfulness market is expected to grow by 18.7% CAGR from 2024 to 2028. A few case studies illustrate the potential of embedding spiritual practice into the workplace:

• At Aetna, CEO Mark Bertolini introduced yoga and meditation after a near-death experience. Over 25% of employees participated, and outcomes included a 28% reduction in stress, 20% better sleep, 19% less pain, and an 11:1 ROI ($3,000 in productivity gains and $2,000 in healthcare savings per employee).

• Deloitte and Salesforce found that mindfulness-based programs led to increased engagement and reduced burnout, and Johnson & Johnson’s stress management and mindfulness training returned an estimated $2.71 for every $1 spent.

• Coca-Cola Bottling and Pizza Hut even employ workplace chaplains - and attribute a 50% drop in turnover to their presence.

• Case studies by companies like Complete reported leadership teams at large multi-nationals that deepened emotional regulation and energy alignment correlate with improvements in revenue as much as 17%.

Many top business leaders credit spiritual practice as a key driver of their success, showing that spiritual practice does not take away from professional success, but can enhance it if applied skillfully:

• Ray Dalio (founder, Bridgewater) says Transcendental Meditation is “the single most important reason” for his success.

• Rose Marcario (former CEO, Patagonia) practiced daily Buddhist meditation and used it to lead bold, values-driven initiatives - including donating $10M of Black Friday revenue to environmental causes.

• Jeff Weiner (former CEO, LinkedIn) embraced compassionate leadership influenced by Thích Nhất Hạnh, transforming culture and performance.

• Jack Dorsey (co-founder, Twitter & Square) attends 10-day Vipassana retreats and credits meditation for his clarity and resilience.

• Marc Benioff (CEO, Salesforce) was influenced by Zen and spiritual teachers like Amma, and incorporated mindfulness into Salesforce’s DNA.

• John Mackey (co-founder, Whole Foods) blends meditation, breathwork, and spiritual inquiry to inform leadership and purpose-driven strategy.

Perhaps more compelling is that we are at a cultural tipping point when exponential technologies like AI are reshaping the meaning of work at a dizzying pace and making knowledge more and more commoditized. The human edge will rather become access to wisdom, emotional clarity, ethical judgment, and intuitive insight. This is reflective of Otto Scharmer’s work on Theory U that describes the necessity of leading from the emerging future, where Leaders using the skill of "presencing" – a blend of presence and sensing – are able to navigate increasing complexity and facilitate spaces where collective intelligence can flourish. Harvard Leadership Professor William Torbert's decades of research conducted with thousands of leaders also found that leaders at the Strategist level or higher (corresponding to the Integral level in Wilber's model) are significantly more successful in implementing change initiatives, achieving sustainable results and adapting to complex, rapidly changing environments. Finally, research by the Heart Math Institute shows how self regulation of emotions and group flow and coherence can lead to higher corporate innovation, opening up higher brain functions that allows for optimal performance in groups.

Meditation has succeeded in breaking through into organizations. If we accept the growing evidence that spiritual development improves resilience, creativity, and bottom-line performance, the real question is, what would it take for companies to open to deeper spiritual practices? What would we need to prove to open up the B2B channel for Spirit Tech companies? And what would it take to credibly research the link between spiritual development and bottom lines?

Why we can’t wait any longer

The poly-crisis we face today, including rising mental distress, ecological collapse, and societal fragmentation, is real and urgent. Gen Z is the most mentally distressed and as a result, the most spiritually curious generation. “Spiritual but not religious” is now the fastest-growing identity in many countries. At the same time, spiritual development is gaining mainstream traction and institutional legitimacy. Universities like Harvard, Yale, and Stanford have centers focused on consciousness and spirituality. Health systems and governments are beginning to explore spirituality as a dimension of wellbeing, resilience, and performance. Meditation has moved from fringe to mainstream, with U.S. adults engaging in mindfulness practice increasing from 1.9 percent in 2012 to 17.3 percent in 2022.

As AI and technology rapidly advance, they hold the potential to either uplift humanity or deepen our suffering. Without inner development, we risk amplifying harm through systems that drive attention hijacking, polarization, and existential malaise. As Einstein famously said:

“We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.”

The Inner Development Goals (IDGs) movement reflects this need by highlighting inner capacities as essential to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. Without them, even billions invested in external solutions may fall short.

Of course, we must keep investing in solutions across climate, healthcare, mental health, and systems reform. But without a deeper, unifying frame, we risk addressing symptoms while ignoring the root cause. Part of that deeper frame involves rethinking societal incentives and breaking out of the multipolar trap that keeps institutions locked in short-term competition instead of long-term cooperation. Another essential piece, more fundamental than institutions or systems, is our spiritual foundation.

Spirituality, in its truest form, is humanity’s ancient technology for seeing clearly, restoring connection, and cultivating wisdom. Yet even with growing evidence of its benefits for mental health, resilience, social cohesion, and physical wellbeing, it is still often conflated with religion and excluded from mainstream innovation. It is time to decouple spirituality from religious institutions and reclaim it as a universal human capacity: the drive toward meaning, inner alignment, and compassionate action.

Those who are building tools to support spiritual development today are not working on something fringe or esoteric — they may be creating some of the most essential technologies of our era. Spiritual development deserves a seat at the table alongside mental health, climate solutions, and personal development as a systems-level lever for change.

We believe modern technology has an important role to play in fostering spiritual development at a global scale. “Spirit Tech” can help improve the UX of spiritual development making transformative practices more accessible and personalized. This is not a silver bullet. It may, however, be the missing layer beneath all others — the soil from which lasting solutions can grow.

At the Spirit Tech Collective, we are exploring how to cultivate fertile soil to support the next wave of Spirit Tech innovation (Spirit Tech 3.0), and to answer many of the open questions we laid out in this article. Our current working hypothesis is that the sector can greatly benefit from a heart-centered, spiritually aligned version of YC that can help grow the Spirit Tech market, open up new GTM channels for spiritual technologies, and solve the systemic funding misalignment.