Global spirituality - local development

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the dynamics between spirituality and development. The point of departure for the study took place in Rishikesh and Dharamsala, in India. Our main object was to examine the role of the Divine Life Society (DLS), in Rishikesh and the Tibetan government in exile, in Dharamsala, in terms of local development. To achieve a solid platform regarding the theoretical framework, relevant studies were made in Hinduism and Buddhism. The study shows that there is a connection between religion and development. Nevertheless, this connection is not unequivocal, hence, in comparison, the results shows differences between the two objects studied. The conclusion of this study is that although there is a connection between spirituality and local development, spirituality in itself doesn’t mean development.