What comes to your mind when you see or hear the word “spiritual”? A common answer is that it refers to religion or religious beliefs.
Everyone has a spiritual component, but not everyone is religious. A comparison of the two is provided by the Merck Manual: “Religion and spirituality are similar but not identical concepts. Religion is often viewed as more institutionally based, more structured, and more traditional and may be associated with organized, well-established beliefs. Spirituality refers to the intangible and immaterial and thus may be considered a more general term, not associated with a particular group or organization. It can refer to feelings, thoughts, experiences, and behaviors related to the soul or to a search for the sacred (e.g., a Divine Being, Ultimate Reality, Ultimate Truth).” 1
The spiritual need for connection with the divine may be fulfilled in a community church, temple, mosque or other gathering place or a personal relationship with a higher power and may involve prayer, singing, meditation, chanting, fellowship, being alone or other. The main stipulation is that however you accomplish this; it does not harm yourself or others.
The next sections will look closer at connection and meaning, the two parts that make up spiritual wellness.
Connection
A definition of Spirituality provided by the University of Minnesota website states: “Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and typically involves a search for meaning in life. As such, it is a universal human experience—something that touches us all. People may describe a spiritual experience as sacred or transcendent or simply a deep sense of aliveness and interconnectedness.”2
Spiritual wellness then relates to: developing a personal sense of connection to God and/or a power greater than ourselves and as a result create more meaning in our lives.
Positive inner states of peace, gratitude and hope are indicators that your efforts to find connection and meaning are succeeding.
Meaning
The second part of the spiritual dimension is how we derive meaning in our lives. This will differ for each person and change over time as our circumstances do.
Examples of how meaning can be experienced include but are not limited to:
- Religious or personal beliefs and practices that aim at connecting us to God or a higher power.
- Meaningful connection may also be found by spending time in nature, listening to music, artistic pursuits or other activities.
- Relationships with others can give our lives meaning.
- Meaning can also be experienced through working, both paid and unpaid
Meaningful connection usually results from a combination of activities in our lives. For my mother, her family was central for connection and meaning. She also cherished nature and music and believed in the power of prayer. This gave her life meaning and direction.
Since ancient times the: “Native Americans follow their ancestors’ two purposes of life: to know the self and be of help to others. They vest many of their beliefs and spiritual powers in nature, the land, and animals.” 3 This provided the connection to something larger and is very different from the beliefs of Christianity or other forms of religion. These differences are an example of diversity and inclusion within free societies.
Stepping back from our lives
A good place to return to as our lives change, is reflecting on the big picture questions. Examples of a few questions that I have pondered are listed below. I provided a sample of my answers to illustrate.
Why am I alive?
- Grow into my potential
- Do the best I can each day
- Build bridges to others to increase connection
- Develop compassion for myself and others
What do I find fulfilling in my life?
- Spending time with family and friends
- Living a wellness lifestyle
- Belonging to a spiritual community that provides connection
- Travelling and experiencing, embracing diversity
Where do I fit in?
- With others who are adventurous and into exploring their potential
- Sharing my creativity
- As part of the wellness community
Each person may have different answers depending on their spiritual perspective, there are no right or wrong responses. Answers to these or other questions can ground us and provide a spiritual foundation to build connection and meaning
Health, Longevity and Spiritual Wellness
There are many studies that correlate spiritual health with longevity, an example of these findings follow.
“Medicine has begun to recognize the strong influence of spirituality on health and illness. Studies of cancer patients have shown that those who continuously pursue goals related to living a meaningful life boost the natural killer cell activity in their immune systems.” 4
“Gerontology professionals agree that spirituality is important to older adults towards effective psychosocial function and successful aging.” 5
Our Spiritual needs are an important dimension of our wellbeing that influences our quality of life.
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References
1 Religion and Spirituality in the Elderly
Retrieved from: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/geriatrics/social_issues_in_the_elderly/religion_and_spirituality_in_the_elderly.html
2 Taking charge of your health and wellbeing
Created by the Center for Spirituality & Healing and Charlson Meadows. What Is Spirituality?
Retrieved from: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-your- wellbeing/purpose/spirituality/what-spirituality
A collaboration between University of Minnesota-Center for Spirituality & Healing and Charlson Meadows renewal center
3 Spirituality and Aging
Retrieved from: http://cas.umkc.edu/casww/sa/spirituality.htm
4 Understanding Wellness
Retrieved from: Chapter 1, 5 Mauk, K. (2006). Gerontological Nursing: Competencies for Care. Sudbury, MA. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
