What is it like to research in children’s spirituality? Phenomenology, autoethnography, and reflections on critical incidents in lived experience

In this article, I conduct a phenomenological investigation influenced by elements of autoethnography to show my evolution as a researcher in the field of children’s spirituality. I use a series of short vignettes that serve as ‘critical incidents’ in the development of my thinking and I reflect on these phenomenologically using the lifeworld existentials of lived body, lived time, lived space, and lived relationships. My investigation reveals four key findings – (1) trust in my corporeal instincts – knowing what spirituality is, (2) my research is about the process, not the product, (3) the role of my trusted colleagues in my research endeavours, and (4) I re-interpret the past in the light of who I have now become as a leader in the field of children’s spirituality. It is hoped that this approach may provide an avenue for other researchers in children’s spirituality to consider.