Jonathan Rowson is director of the Social Brain Centre at the Royal Society of Arts, a

Jonathan Rowson is director of the Social Brain Centre at the Royal Society of Arts, a writer, and a chess grandmaster It has been said that the problem with the word ‘spiritual’ is that it means too much to some people and too little to others.

While some see spirituality as a form of psychological depth, others see philosophical confusion or an unhelpful theological relic. Some see the best of religion, free of uncomfortable doctrine; others see a lack of discipline and a loss of institutional support, community and tradition. Some see the profit motive of capitalism exploiting our restless search for wellbeing, identity and experiences; others see a deep critique of materialism in all its forms.