A Summary of “Chapter 8: Embodied, Spiritual and Narrative Learning”

Merriam, Sharan B., Rosemary S. Caffarella, Lisa M. Baumgartner. “Chapter 8: Embodied, Spiritual and Narrative Learning.” Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide., 3rd ed., Merriam, Caffarella, Baumgartner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2007. 189-216. Print.


Westerners have always equated learning as a process that takes place in the mind. It was thought that knowledge could only be obtained by reason alone. Only in the recent twentieth century did Westerners begin to look at other ways of knowing and learning. Adult learning theory takes into consideration the role of the body and spirit in adult development. The authors discuss the various ways in which we learn through body and spirit.

Embodied learning means we learn in an experience and somatic knowing is how we make meaning of it. The authors offer several examples of embodied learning and present Amann’s four part model of the dimensions of somatic knowing. Kinesthetic learning is learning that occurs because of the physical movement of the body. Sensory learning uses our fives sense to make meaning. Affective learning involves paying attention to and acting on feelings and emotions. The last is spiritual. This aspect allows people to make meaning of their lives through music, art, imagery, symbols and/or rituals. The authors provide evidence that solidify the relationship between identity, learning and the body by providing examples to challenge the old Western ways of thinking.

Spirituality is seen as the inward turn of the self to contemplate the meaning of life and the spiritual aspects of oneself. Studies are investigating how spiritual practices such as yoga, meditation and prayer can affect physical health. Spirituality has been defined in various ways. The authors offer Tisdell’s seven assumptions about the nature of spirituality. These assumptions were derived from a study of thirty-one higher adult educators who were specifically engaged in anti-oppression pedagogy.

Narrative learning has only recently received attention in adult education although it has been common practice in other fields such as psychology, literature, medicine and law. Narratives take a number of forms that can be useful for learning. Rossiter and Clark identify three. The first, is labeled as “storying” the curriculum. It means that the students treat the course as a story and interact with the texts in order to come to an understanding on the subject matter. The second is storytelling. Using fiction or providing cases as stories can foster the understanding of the content because they draw one into seeing another’s perspective. The final narrative, autobiography, is about the self and can include dream logs, journaling and blogs.

Narrative learning has strong ties to adult development and transformation learning. Life is seen as an unfolding story that assists with adult development. Narrative learning is also transformational in that both methods are primarily cognitive. However, adult development and transformational learning involve both embodied and spiritual learning. Adult educators have many ways to foster learning that all adults can engage in and help them to make sense of their experience.