Spirituality and Health - Term Paper Example

 Spirituality and Health Name Institution Course Date Spirituality is related to health in many ways. In order to establish this relationship, it is critical to consider the relationship that is evident between the body, the mind and the spirit. This will help to provide a basis for the thesis states above. In the modern world, science has strived to offer knowledge pertaining to the universe, more especially, treatment of diseases. Indeed, cure for certain diseases has been found after numerous inventions of sophisticated objects and technological components. Regardless of these attempts, scanty techniques have been formulated to treat diseases related to the brain. Therefore, mental health is an aspect of human beings which can be solved by spirituality. Spirituality is often confused with religion. Many researchers define it on the context of being connected or belonging to the universe. It means the craving of mankind to seek for personal truths and also the search for a purpose and meaning in life. Furthermore, spirituality entails the demand to investigate both visible and invisible aspects of the universe. This is founded on the fact that a person has an internal relationship between the individual and the divine. Consequently, this element of human life makes an individual to encounter boundless love, therefore advancing to a high level of wholeness. Historically, negativism was projected towards spirituality because it was regarded as being synonymous to religion. To distinguish spirituality from religion is easy. The former takes into account the direct experiences of the latent higher consciousness inside a person. On the other hand, every religion has got its own foundation that had to do with the spiritual experience with a spiritual master. Consequently, people began to follow the teachings of this master only after they were consolidated and stored in a form of doctrines. The beliefs and strength obtained through religion contribute to the well-being of a person. The well-being of a person constitutes the health of such individual. However, it should be noted that spiritual nourishment barely contributes to the curing of illnesses. It only helps to make a person feel better. Most often, mental health is linked with spirituality. With this regard, meditations and prayers enhance to the mental wellness of a person, thereby contributing to health of a person. When a person receives proper is properly nourished in a spiritual perspective, he or she can avoid illnesses which would otherwise be inevitable. Additionally, a spiritually well person is capable of coping with stress arising out of illness and even death of loved ones. Spirituality and health have one common goal, which is alleviation of emotional suffering of human beings models that are widely used to justify the interrelations that is prominent between the two concepts. Jung’s analytical psychology and Washburn’s contributions Jung argues that the self of a person suffers in circumstances when it was disconnected from the transpersonal and the spiritual conscious. The latter contained mythic and spiritual vigor that go along with the desires of instinct. In addition to the personal consciousness, he also formulated a common conscious that is evident in all human beings. It this niche, there are archetypes that are responsible for molding the psyche and they also enhance organization of the psychological events and experiences. Psychological health depends on the extent of expressing all the above archetypes. Assagioli’s psychosynthesis Besides repressing unacceptable potions of themselves, people also repressed their higher order impulses, like intuition and love and joy. Psychosynthesis is all about the various stages of consciousness, such as lower, middle and the super consciousness. This is attributed to the research by many researchers in the field of psychology and theology. This has been possible through scientific techniques that are capable of investigating the contribution of spirituality towards mental health. Spirituality plays a very crucial role in alleviating mental illness. Depression can be alleviated through observation of spirituality. This is only possible when the patients suffering from depression visualize the purpose of life, which they had lost because of such illness. Spirituality helps to bring back the hope and the vigor that these people need to have a meaning and purpose in life. It can be imparted through thorough spiritual nourishment. For each and every 10 percent increase in the person’s spirituality, there is a 70 percent rate of healing from symptoms of depression. Stress and posttraumatic stress disorder Religious coping is a mediator that promotes the relationship between spirituality and mental health. This is needed in times of stress. Mental health can be promoted by styles such as collaborative and deferring styles, which are common with religious coping. Spiritual helps people to effectively deal with the after math of trauma. Meditation focuses on the mantra, leading to reduction of symptoms of stress and anger. Schizophrenia. Spiritual orientation for people with chronic symptoms of schizophrenia can help them to reconstruct a sense of self and recovery. The patients find hope, meaning and comfort when they get information on spiritual beliefs and religious practices. Some of the transpersonal therapists view psychosis as a way of renewing oneself by the help of the psyche, by first breaking down the existing structures in psyche, then thereafter activating the spiritual energies of the person. Moreover, behavioral problems among children can be eliminated by engaging this group in a pranic healing meditation programme. It helps to reduce behavioral problems such as nail biting, lying and aggression. Eventually, it enhances the health of the adolescents and children. In the recent developments in psychological medicine studies, spirituality has been integrated into psychotherapy. The opinion of psychotherapists that psychotherapy is a spiritual entity gives an insight into human beings as independent to each other. It suggest that patients can feel the warmth and acceptance needed to deal with the disavowed portions of the body. Mental health can be approached in many way by spirituality. The following are the common Since time immemorial, it has been believed that the spiritual endeavors of a rational being contribute to a large extent of well-being. This hypothesis has been proved by many studies conducted under the field of psychology. Life satisfaction co relates with mystical experiences that are positive. Religion helps people to cope better with the life events that are negative. Individual who have a high belief in divine beings are capable of experiencing personal happiness and hence they are barely depressed. Transcendental meditation enhances integration in the brain of a human being. a unique style of activity of the brain is also witnessed in the people who have received spiritual meditation. A relative form of excitement is prevalent in the brain of a non-enlightened person, and this is in contrary to the enlightened people who experience a low level of excitement. The latter has a pervasive impact of calming the mind. Research has also revealed that intercessory prayers have been significant in the healing of groups of people under experiment. It involves praying for the good of other members of the society. This so happens even when they are not aware that someone else is praying for them. Conclusion From the discussion above, it has been identified that spirituality is connected with health. Mental health is a critical aspect of human health that has drawn attention for various innovations in science to curb the threat in vain. Spirituality plays a very important role in treating this condition. It therefore enhances the health of human beings by bringing recovery from conditions such as stress, trauma and schizophrenia. In addition, spirituality has been linked to enhancement of recovery from depression. The interrelation between spirituality and health has been proven in studies by psychologists, who have identified the role of spirituality in alleviation of mental illness. It therefore promotes a state of health in the body of a human being. References Read More