How to Become a Spiritual Naturalist Influencer

In my previous article, “How Spiritual Naturalism Could Save Our Future,” I argued that SN advocacy is a moral imperative that demands our immediate attention. In this article, I will offer practical strategies for raising public awareness of SN in the public sphere.

Online Advocacy
In our digital age, SN advocacy is most widely and effectively practiced via online communication. The Spiritual Naturalist Society currently advocates for SN through its website, TikTok account, YouTube Channel, Instagram account, Facebook page, Facebook group, and Reddit page. These efforts are a noble first step toward SN advocacy, but how can we expand our reach even further?

The Rise of SN Influencers
In an interview, Professor of Philosophy Eric Steinhart suggested TikTok and Instagram as one way to go about building naturalistic cultures. Steinhart has written for SNS and has further discussed his vision for building Spiritual Naturalism in his book, Believing in Dawkins.

On this note, there’s a noticeable increase in Spiritual Naturalist content on social media. Over the past few years, I’ve seen numerous SN-related accounts emerge, particularly meditation teachers (many of whom are secular Buddhists), Naturalistic Pagans, Critical Thinking Witches (aka SASS Witches), and others. The accounts with the largest online audiences I’m aware of include:
● Sam Harris, a widely recognized and often polarizing figure I’m sure many of us are aware of. While he didn’t build his reputation on YouTube, his YouTube channel currently has the largest audience I’m aware of in the SN niche. His influence is undeniable, though his controversial image underscores the need for other voices to emerge if SN is to cultivate a more positive and inclusive reputation.
● @jordanthegreywitch, an Atheist Witch on TikTok who has discussed Atheopaganism and Secular Spirituality.
● @nononsensespirituality, a Spiritual Director on TikTok specializing in Secular Spirituality.
● Doug’s Dharma, a Secular Buddhist YouTube channel by Doug Smith, who has been uploading videos since 2017.
● John Vervaeke on YouTube – an award-winning professor of psychology, cognitive science, and Buddhist Psychology at the University of Toronto. Vervaeke has contributed articles to SNS, and his 2019 series, Awakening From the Meaning Crisis, has launched him into online stardom.
● @bittybuddha, a ritual agnostic on TikTok who also examines rituals through a modern lens on her YouTube channel. Naturally, the influencers I’ve mentioned above are only a glimpse into a much broader and expanding community of voices advocating for SN. These are the people who are most effectively bringing Spiritual Naturalism into the cultural conversation. Through their efforts, we can envision the potential for SN to expand significantly, taking on a larger role in creating a better future for ourselves and the planet.

The SN Niche Up Close
Effective communication in the digital realm requires us to meet our audience where they already are, rather than imposing our message on an audience that isn’t interested in Spiritual Naturalism. The SN demographic is diverse, including of any combination of Scientific Pantheists, Secular Buddhists, Naturalistic Pagans, Critical Thinking Witches, Atheistic Satanists, Christian Naturalists, Humanists, Sentientists, Stoics, Epicureans, Atheists, Agnostics, Skeptics, Inquirers, Freethinkers, and SBNR’s (those who identify as “Spiritual But  Not Religious”).

Among those seeking a naturalistic spirituality through SNS, a significant proportion are women, constituting 72% of our Facebook audience and 54% of our Instagram audience. Age distribution is trickier to pinpoint. Our Facebook and Instagram audiences are mostly between 35 and 44 years old, though this is more likely to be a reflection of the age groups more active on these platforms. It is also likely that there is an untapped demographic of younger people interested in Spiritual Naturalism, particularly on TikTok. The above TikTok creators suggest that there indeed may be many younger spiritual naturalists that are just beginning to seek their place in the cosmos.

Top Strategies for SN Creators

Best Platforms
SN content and SN creators on TikTok have found a remarkable resonance, going viral more often than on other platforms. This might be attributed to the thriving “#SpiritualTikTok” and “#WitchTok” communities. While the future of TikTok in America remains uncertain, for now, it stands as the most effective platform for promoting public awareness of Spiritual Naturalism.

After TikTok, YouTube is another key platform, especially for creators that focus on long-form content (which I will discuss more of below). Meanwhile, Instagram is experiencing a surge of SN accounts, particularly meditation teachers and Naturalistic Pagans.

Lastly, Facebook remains a valuable platform for reaching Baby boomer, Gen X, and some Millennial audiences. It has also proved successful in bringing Spiritual Naturalists together as a community. However, it may be more difficult to reach people on Facebook due to the limitations of its algorithm.

Of course, social media platforms change over time, so we can expect that these rules will eventually change. What holds true today may shift tomorrow. This is why keeping up with updates in platform algorithms and consumer trends are essential for any successful communication strategy that aims to endure.

Types of Content
Short-form videos tend to reach a broad audience on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, and have proven to be a powerful strategy for reaching non-followers. These are ideal for sharing quick tips, personal thoughts, and short stories, and the best part is that they don’t require any design skills or fancy software. Short-form videos where you are talking to the camera are a great way to showcase your personality and humanize your content, however this can be challenging for introverts. The three essential factors to consider with this form of content include 1.) recording vertically, 2.) making sure you are focused in the center of the camera frame, and 3.) ensuring proper lighting by positioning yourself so that your light source is in front of you. If you want to take your content up a notch however, CapCut is a powerful, yet user-friendly video editing tool. CapCut is especially fantastic for including captions in your video—a crucial feature as many users scroll without sound. Knowing how to edit videos also allows you to create short-form content without showing your face, if being on camera isn’t your thing. For this approach, stock footage from free sources like Pixabay or Pexels can be used in combination with your own voiceover, or a text-to-speech option using tools like Descript or Eleven Labs.

Long-form videos are primarily found on YouTube, and can include educational videos, lectures, tutorials, podcasts, interviews, and vlogs. These videos allow for a more detailed exploration of topics, making them an excellent choice for creators who want to dive deep and provide real value to their audience. However, with the added depth comes a greater need for quality, which is why it’s good to invest in time learning videography, video editing, audio recording, and sound editing. Investing in high quality cameras, microphones, and professional editing software (such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro) can significantly elevate the production value of your Content.

Graphic content, such as infographics, quotes, carousels, and artwork, can attract a highly targeted audience, particularly if you already have an established following. This can be great for introverts, offering a comfortable and powerful alternative to video. Infographics and quotes are particularly useful for boosting engagement, drawing in viewers with eye-catching designs and concise messages. Carousels, on the other hand, allow you to delve deeper into topics, showcasing your expertise and providing valuable insights. A solid grasp of graphic design is invaluable here, and being tech-savvy certainly helps, though it could be said that utilizing Canva makes an exception to this. Canva is an incredibly accessible and user-friendly tool that includes a wealth of professional templates, making it possible for anyone to create striking content. For those that want to take their designs to the next level however, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop offer advanced capabilities, though they’re not necessary to create high-quality content.

Hooks
Without a strong hook, even the best content will fail. This is why capturing your audience’s attention within the first 3 seconds of viewing your content is crucial, as those initial moments determine whether viewers will stay engaged or keep scrolling. To find effective hooks for your content, a quick search for “social media hooks” on Google will reveal a treasure trove of ideas. Searching this on any of the social media platforms will yield similar results.

Hashtags
The most popular SN hashtags include the following:
● Spiritual Naturalism: #spiritualatheist #secularspirituality #rationalspirituality #spiritualatheism #spiritualnaturalism
● Religious Naturalism: #religiousnaturalism #spiritualnaturalist #atheistspirituality
● Scientific Pantheism: #pantheism #pantheist
● Secular Buddhism: #secularbuddhist #secularbuddhism
● Naturalistic Paganism: #atheopagan #secularpagan #atheopaganism #nontheisticpagan
● Critical Thinking Witchcraft: #secularwitch #atheistwitch #secularwitchcraft #seculartarot
● Christian Naturalism: #progessivechristian #progressiveclergy #progressivechristianity #liberalchristian
● Humanism: #humanism #humanist #secularhumanism #secularhumanist
● Stoicism: #stoic #stoicism #stoicquotes #stoicmindset #stoicphilosophy
● Epicureanism: #epicurus
● Ecospirituality: #naturespirituality #spiritualnature #ecospirituality #sacrednature #spiritualecology

Thumbnails
If you’re looking to publish videos on YouTube, mastering the art of designing eye-catching thumbnails is essential for driving clicks and views. Thumbnails are often the first impression your video makes, and a compelling one can significantly influence whether someone decides to click on it. You can create these thumbnails using the same tools you would use to make regular graphic content, such as Canva, Adobe Illustrator, or Photoshop. To make your thumbnails stand out, use bright and contrasting colors, bold text that’s easy to read, and attention-grabbing images such as faces or visuals that evoke a sense of curiosity.

Collaborations
One of the most effective strategies for expanding your reach and building support is to engage and collaborate with other creators. Start by following other SN accounts and take the time to like and comment on their posts. These simple yet thoughtful acts increase the odds that the creator–and potentially their audience–will take notice and engage with your content in return.

Once you’ve connected with other creators, you have the opportunity to reach out and ask if they’d like to collaborate. The possibilities for collaboration are vast and include a variety of formats such as videos, carousels, live streams, interviews, guest appearances, social media takeovers, and events.

Social Media Ambassadors
Our friends at the Religious Naturalist Association use a brilliant strategy on social media that SNS is now beginning to adopt: Social Media Power Users, or users who find and share RN content on behalf of RNA. This is an amazing strategy for those that simply don’t have the time to post. Sure, recording a video or designing a carousel takes time, but it takes less than a second to like a post, and just a few seconds to share or leave a comment.

In this month’s newsletter, I announced our very own Social Media Ambassadors initiative. The best part about this is nothing is required! You don’t have to sign up or go through a formal process to become an SNS Social Media Ambassador. In fact, if you regularly engage with our posts, you’re already an ambassador! It’s an easy and impactful way to contribute, and we’re thrilled to have you on board!

Building Online Communities
Where are all the Spiritual Naturalists? Currently, there are a few chapters that meet over Zoom or in person, in addition to the online meetings we host. Outside of these, however, they seem to be on Facebook, Reddit, and even Discord. These sites have become central hubs for Spiritual Naturalists to connect, share ideas, and support one another. Currently, our Facebook group sits at 860 members, and our Reddit page is growing relatively fast, currently sitting at 735 members–up from 647 since January.

Facebook
The Atheopagan Society is probably the best example of a Spiritual Naturalist tradition that has excelled building a strong and engaged community on Facebook. Although the society’s founder, Mark Green, researched and wrote his foundational essay on Atheopaganism between 2005 and 2009, he notes that the movement didn’t take off until the creation of their Facebook group in 2012. Today, this group has grown to an impressive 5,000 members, with 37 Affinity groups meeting regularly across various platforms and in person.

Reddit
Reddit is another promising frontier, particularly for reaching younger audiences. Our Reddit page is growing steadily, with more users actively posting and engaging in discussions. As an example of the kind of community SNS could build on Reddit, we can look to r/SASSWitches, a subreddit created in 2019 for practitioners of witchcraft who are skeptical, agnostic, atheist, and/or science-seeking. Today r/SASSWitches boasts over 60k members–and they even listed us among their related subreddits!

Discord
As SNS continues to expand its online community, we can also look to Discord as another promising platform. The SASS Witches have also successfully expanded their presence to Discord, building a community of over 2,600 members. In this virtual environment, they have chat rooms for a variety of purposes, ranging from book clubs to gaming to peer support groups.

Closing Thoughts
Currently, the spiritual niche on social media is saturated with gurus, conspiracy theorists, charlatans, grifters, and fundamentalists. One need look no further than a search for “spirituality” on social media to come across a plethora of cult phenomena, conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, grifts, and other exploitations of the human propensity to engage in magical thinking.

In an age where people are leaving their religions in droves and seeking alternative approaches to spirituality, it is clear that they deserve to know they don’t have to settle for the false dichotomy between conspirituality and nihilism. They deserve to know there is a third way–a path that embraces the rigor of science and reason without forsaking the spiritual values, symbols, and practices that enrich our lives. In this light, advocating for Spiritual Naturalism becomes more than mere activism–it becomes a profoundly potent spiritual practice. Perhaps even among the most impactful forms of spiritual engagement a naturalist could engage in.

Ultimately, I would love to envision a community of Spiritual Naturalists on social media, united in their mission to raise public awareness of SN as an emerging online subculture. Visionaries such as Ursula Goodenough, Michael Cavanaugh, Todd Macalister, Michael Dowd, and Jerome Stone, have long argued that a cultural movement of this sort has the potential to promote eco-moral values and challenge the oppressive and authoritative elements of traditional theism. In this way, I believe that Spiritual Naturalism has the potential to evolve into a counterculture that can promote much needed change in our world.

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Learn about Membership in the Spiritual Naturalist Society

The Spiritual Naturalist Society works to spread awareness of spiritual naturalism as a way of life, develop its thought and practice, and help bring together like-minded practitioners in fellowship.

SNS strives to include diverse voices within the spectrum of naturalistic spirituality. Authors will vary in their opinions, terms, and outlook. The views of no single author therefore necessarily reflect those of all Spiritual Naturalists or of SNS.
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References
Edvenson, M. [Micah Edvenson]. (2020, October 23). Should Atheists Worship the Sun?
Dr. Eric Steinhart on Religious Naturalism & Spirituality. [Video] YouTube.
https://youtu.be/4SPqUni9NBc
Green, M. (2022, August 9). The Atheopagan community at Ten Years. Mark Green’s Atheopaganism Blog. https://atheopaganism.org/2022/08/09/the-atheopagan-community-at-ten-years/
Steinhart, E. (2020). Believing in Dawkins: The New Spiritual Atheism. Palgrave Macmillan.