Spiritual outlooks
A spiritual outlook is the way someone relates to belief, meaning and practice. MindScale's six outlooks run from finding meaning within a faith tradition, through personal and nature-centred spirituality and open questioning, to a secular outlook without belief in the supernatural.
These outlooks aren't religions or denominations, and they don't rank beliefs. Many people see something of themselves in more than one, and outlooks often change over a lifetime.
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Rooted in tradition
Finding meaning in a faith tradition: its teachings, practices and community.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, a faith tradition is central. Its teachings, rituals and community shape how they live.
- Around the middle
- A faith tradition means something to people here, alongside other ways of finding meaning.
- Toward the low end
- A set faith tradition is not where people here mainly find meaning.
Spiritual seeker
Exploring many paths, teachings and practices to find what rings true.
- Toward the high end
- People here love to explore. They read, try and ask about many spiritual paths to find what rings true for them.
- Around the middle
- People here are curious about other paths now and then, without needing to search all the time.
- Toward the low end
- Exploring many different spiritual paths is not a big part of life for people here.
Spiritual but not religious
A personal sense of the sacred, lived out on your own terms rather than through an institution.
- Toward the high end
- Spirituality matters to people here, but on their own terms. They feel connected to something larger without needing an institution.
- Around the middle
- People here have some sense of the spiritual and keep a little distance from formal religion.
- Toward the low end
- A personal spirituality of their own making is not how people here mainly approach meaning.
Nature-centred
Feeling the deepest sense of meaning and wonder in the natural world.
- Toward the high end
- Nature is where people here feel most connected. Forests, the sea or the night sky bring them a deep sense of wonder.
- Around the middle
- Time in nature means something to people here, alongside other sources of meaning.
- Toward the low end
- The natural world is not where people here mainly find a sense of meaning.
Open questioner
Holding big questions open: thinking them through without settling on a firm answer.
- Toward the high end
- People here live with the big questions. They think about them a lot and are comfortable not having final answers.
- Around the middle
- People here wonder about the big questions sometimes and hold some answers more firmly than others.
- Toward the low end
- Leaving the big questions open is not the way of people here. They tend to have a settled view.
Secular humanist
Finding meaning in reason, people and this life, without belief in the supernatural.
- Toward the high end
- People here find meaning in reason, people and this life. Belief in the supernatural plays little or no part for them.
- Around the middle
- Reason and evidence guide people here a lot, while they leave some room for the spiritual.
- Toward the low end
- A purely secular view is not how people here see the world. They leave room for something more.
How scoring works
Each statement has five response choices. A response contributes from 1 to 5 points to the scale it belongs to, and the points become a position from 0 to 100. Around 0–33 is the low third, 34–66 is around the middle and 67–100 is the high third.
For the outlook result, the highest position is the closest match. A scale within 10 points of the highest can also appear as close behind, because a questionnaire cannot turn a mix of traits into one perfect box.
The benefits of knowing your outlook
Putting words to your outlook can help you think about what gives your life meaning and what practices or communities might suit you.
It can also make conversations about belief easier, with family, friends or a partner whose outlook differs from yours.
Spiritual outlooks in everyday life
Every outlook has its own everyday practices: prayer or worship, reading and exploring, quiet reflection, time outdoors, thinking big questions through, or giving time to people and causes.
There's no need to settle on one. Many people draw on several outlooks at different times.
How to take the test
MindScale's faith and spirituality test has 30 statements and no time limit. Choose the response that best matches how you usually are, not how you would like to be.
You can go back and change an answer. When you finish, you can unlock your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Conclusion
MindScale's six spiritual outlooks are rooted in tradition, spiritual seeker, spiritual but not religious, nature-centred, open questioner and secular humanist. No outlook is better or worse than another.
If you'd like to find your closest one, the MindScale faith and spirituality test has 30 statements. It is for adults 18 and over, and the price is shown before you start.
See your own result
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.