...Inventory The concept of spirituality is a part of the human experience and encompasses the search for meaning in life. It is a sense that there is a power greater than ourselves and it connects us to each other and other creatures. Spirituality is about seeking a meaningful connection with something bigger than yourself, which can result in positive emotions, such as peace, awe, contentment, gratitude, and acceptance ("Spirituality," n.d.). Philosophically the search for spirituality encompasses asking the questions “Who, what and why are we, what is my purpose and where did I come from?” ("Spirituality," n.d.). Some people seek the answers to these questions through their religion while others find them through art or nature. Sociology’s definition of spirituality is based on the study of relationships where people influence other people. Sociology describes spirituality as spiritual practices, rituals, and social morality of a group of people (Seaward, 2013, p. 34). Thus sociology would encompass the idea of religious pluralism. Religious pluralism is the concept that no one religion is the way to god. Rather it recognizes that there are religions other than Christianity that seek to commune with god ("Pluralism," n.d.). The ecumenical concept has only recently become part of western culture ("Pluralism," n.d.). People perceive their lives through the lens of their experiences based on their cultural and spiritual background. Spirituality and scientism to the writer...
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...Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling 4-MAT Review 4-MAT Review: McMinn Summary Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian Counseling written by Mark McMinn (2011) discuss the integration of psychology and spirituality including impacts of such in our daily lives both personally and professionally. According to McMinn (2011) there are three essential categories that must be considered within counseling; psychology, theology, and spirituality. To incorporate the three categories, the book down into further sections including prayer, scripture, sin, confession, forgiveness, and redemption including “what if” sections with descriptions of circumstances and the corresponding results, what works and what doesn’t within the sessions. By beginning with an active and healthy prayer life personally, the counselor is able to pray for the client both inside of and outside of the counseling sessions. McMinn (2011) discusses the importance of ethical issues of using prayer which is the source of growth in spiritual lives, promoting a relationship with God rather than promoting health. According to McMinn (2011) prayer must only be used after consent given and the potential effects considered as some forms of prayer may be detrimental to the client. Scripture use within counseling can be considered a self-help book enabling personality and behavioral changes. McMinn (2011) discusses the use of Scripture to support...
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...Albert Mitchell 11 Jul. 2012 Cultural Description How do religion and spirituality differ? What is the worldview of God an does he actually exists. There has been debate over the existence of God since time began. Many have tried to prove of his existence mostly to no avail but some though with greater success, has convinced many to believe in a higher power. Was all this for no reason? Philosophers from the past have provided many answers to proving something so large scale as the existence of a greater power. There work is undone and so the debate continues. Religion to me is a community that relies on members in search of an undeniable indemnity. A religious group is one that expresses and primarily share a common belief or mission. Perhaps this belief is what has cause the source of debate over religion and its effect on cultures throughout the world. The interest for communality has not always been so defined every religion has a beginning. “It is interesting that almost every one of the great religions of the world originated with someone who had such a direct, inner revelatory or enlightenment experience. Jesus who became the Christ, Buddha, Moses, Zoroaster, and various other evolved beings are obvious examples. After achieving enlightenment, such persons (who usually did not themselves intend to start a new religion) has always returned to society to minister, teach, and share their spiritual experiences and enlightenment as best they could with others. Eventually...
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...ways. Food taboos are one of the many taboos that are experienced all over the world. They are caused by society norms, religion, morals, and by personal beliefs. Many food taboos are not universal, but the idea behind them can be considered a universal concept. Religion and Spirituality Many food taboos are created because of religious or spiritual purposes. Each culture defines these taboos through social communications and specific rules. Taboos can be used to put boundaries between people and the objects that are tabooed. Because of religion or spiritual practices, food taboos can express group identity and social differentiation between cultures or a single culture which further divides each culture (Lien, 2004). Lien suggests that “classifications of food and edibility are intimately connected to cultural distinctions between society and nature, or between humans and animals, and linked to questions about what it means to be a morally responsible human being” (2004). The ideology of each culture is different based on the definitions and morals of the culture. This is what causes the variations of food taboos from culture to culture. Firstly, food taboos can be based on the specific spirituality or religion of a culture. Specific animals and plants can be banned because of morals within the culture. Lien explains that this might be because food is “intimately linked to the body and the self, [it] is an effective medium for expressing identity and social differentiation...
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...to promote comfort and healing in all individuals. Respect for how an individual believes, the way they choose to allow growth in their belief system and how an individual chooses to maintain their spirituality are important aspects of the holistic approach to health care delivery Until June 8, 2008 my exposure to any religion had been forced by my parents or used as a way to get out of difficult or unwanted circumstances. On June 8, 2008, I had the first true and lasting heart conversion in my life. The journey since this time has been up and down with many trials and unwanted circumstances and the knowing that the Lord is with me to walk me through. Faith and spirituality are different from religion in my mind and I believe that the Lord meant for them to be different. Religion, to me, is legalistic rituals with rules that tell you what you should and should not do to get to heaven without any power to carry them out. Faith and spirituality go hand in hand and enables individuals to seek the power to live a victorious life in Christ Jesus in this present life. Spirituality can be defined as the way to find meaning, hope, comfort and inner peace and is characterized by acts of compassion and selflessness (Ehrlich, 2011). It is through faith and trust that spirituality is developed and made to grow. Acceptance of faith...
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...Running head: HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND FAITH DIVERSITY Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Cindy Hardeman Grand Canyon University Spirituality in Health Care HLT310V Emory Davis April 22, 2012 Abstract The practice of health care providers at all levels brings you into contact with people of a variety of faiths. Within a clinical setting an important aspect of spiritual care is enabling participation in religious observation, where desired. This article reveals the authors and Christianity’s perspective in comparison with the Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu faiths approaches to healing. Cultural and spiritual diversity must be embraced in the healthcare setting in order to provide holistic healing. Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Spirituality is part of the human experience that is difficult to comprehend. Each person embraces their spirituality in their own manner. Spirituality is multidimensional and there is evidence that it plays a beneficial role in medical care and healing. Individuals derive this spirituality through their relationship with their families, themselves, and their faith experience (Anandarajah & Hight, 2001). The purpose of this paper is to acknowledge this writers spiritual perspective on healing and its critical components. After presenting a Christian perspective and approach to healing, the Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim faith perspectives will be compared to the Christian approach to healing. The conclusion will include...
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...Spirituality in Counseling Integrating Religion and Spirituality In Counseling Anntoni Leonard University of the Cumberlands COUN 636 Abstract Religion and spirituality are arguably among the most important factors which structure human experience, beliefs, values and behavior. Religion and spirituality are clearly important to most Americans; however, most counselors have little or no training in dealing with religious and spiritual issues. Since the mid-1990’s, the integration of spirituality and religion into therapeutic sessions has generated much interest as an area that needs to be addressed with regards to diversity in clients. This paper will address the inclusion of religion and spirituality in client’s session and counselor’s attitudes toward a client’s faith based on the assumption that the client’s faith and the counselor’s attitude can have significant impact on the outcome of the treatment of the client. A counselor’s willingness to attend to faith as a means of growth can build rapport and lessen potential resistance with clients who are religious (Worthington, 1989). Spirituality in Counseling: Integrating Religion and Spirituality Spirituality has become increasingly important in counseling and prayer has become the spiritual intervention of choice for Christian counselors, as well as secular counselors. The controversial nature of including prayer in counseling requires much consideration on the grounds of ethical boundaries. Majority of mental health...
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...Avatar Movie I choose the movie Avatar because it demonstrates a universe where we can see the beautiful and enlightened nature with animations, spirits that interact with human beings. One expression of this movie was that those creatures were physically and emotionally connected with other creatures in order to control them. First of all, I will start talking about the world views portrayed in this movie. From my point of view i would say the movie portrays a pantheistic spirituality and I can see a little bit of naturalistic worldview. The Na'vi people in the movie are spiritually connected to their entire world, including their animals and their plants. Even though they are so primitive, the Na'vi people think that they are above the reality of the nature itself. In their everyday life, they are enlightened and are always in communion with Eywa, called the "All Mother". The "All Mother" Eywa is not regular being, like we view God as, but Eywa is their powerful force behind the existence of their nature. The Na'vi people are so connected to nature that they say prayers of gratitude; sometimes they would even cry when they kill an animal for their food. You can see spirituality in every detail of their lives including what they eat, how they pray, how they worship the planet, and also how they relate to each other. After watching that movie two or three times, I can how pantheistic spiritually literally being preached to the audience through the characters and how...
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...energy that can be manipulated to restore balance. The Christian worldview believes that we have been created by God in his image (Shelly & Miller, 2006). Spirituality, religion and personal beliefs surrounding worldview questions, can all impact healthcare today. This paper will discuss the meaning of spirituality in the context of healthcare and the questions relating to individual worldviews. Meanings of Spirituality Spirituality can mean different things to different people. It can be the exploratory component of religion (Borg, 2013). There are some who will say that spirituality is meditation, being in tune with nature or talking to spirits, others will say that spirituality is being linked with something greater than them. This often involves seeking for the meaning of life. It can also be said that true spirituality comes from the Holy Spirit of God. As a result the person experiences emotions such as: love; joy; peace; kindness; goodness; faithfulness; gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5: 22-23). The importance of spirituality is that it shows people that there is more out there than our life on earth. Sociological Perspectives The spiritual and religious world has changed in recent years. Fewer people go to church and more consider themselves to be spiritual rather than religious (Lorimer, 2014). Spirituality can be linked with thoughts and emotions such as: love and compassion; forgiveness and...
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...I choose the movie Avatar because it demonstrates a universe where we can see the beautiful and enlightened nature with animations, spirits that interact with human beings. One expression of this movie was that those creatures were physically and emotionally connected with other creatures in order to control them. First of all, I will start talking about the world views portrayed in this movie. From my point of view i would say the movie portrays a pantheistic spirituality and I can see a little bit of naturalistic worldview. The Na'vi people in the movie are spiritually connected to their entire world, including their animals and their plants. Even though they are so primitive, the Na'vi people think that they are above the reality of the nature itself. In their everyday life, they are enlightened and are always in communion with Eywa, called the "All Mother". The "All Mother" Eywa is not regular being, like we view God as, but Eywa is their powerful force behind the existence of their nature. The Na'vi people are so connected to nature that they say prayers of gratitude; sometimes they would even cry when they kill an animal for their food. You can see spirituality in every detail of their lives including what they eat, how they pray, how they worship the planet, and also how they relate to each other. After watching that movie two or three times, I can how pantheistic spiritually literally being preached to the audience through the characters and how they interact with...
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...Spirituality is about the concept of soul that deals with issues of inner beliefs and feelings. It included a belief in a power operating in the universe that is greater than oneself and an awareness of the purpose and meaning of life and the development of personal plus absolute values. In another word, it is the way you find hope, comfort, meaning and inner peace in your life. Some examples of the characteristics of spirituality would be the acts of compassion and selflessness, altruism, and the experience of inner peace. (Spirituality, n.d.) Religion is defined as the human quest for, experience of, and response to the holy and sacred. In religion, the religious expressions are in thought – the intellectual expression, in action – the practical expression, and in fellowship – the communal expression. These are also known as the ways that universal human activity expresses itself. (What is religion?, n.d.) Secularism is a wider view to the world that assures the independence in connection with all its strengths, qualities, values and behavior towards all sects, religion and other spiritual actions. Apparently, there are 3 different historical types of secularism - secularism that is against, secularism that is compliance too, and secularism that is bias towards religion. (What is secularism, n.d.) Although spirituality and religion have their own definition, but the truth is both of them are actually closely associated with each other. However, we often heard people said...
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...Trauma, Development, and Spirituality Clayton Newsome Dr. Pamela Todd Counseling 502 September 11, 2014 Introduction People can suffer from many different situations throughout their life time. Trauma is one effect that can cause a person to do things out of the ordinary. When a person suffers from trauma it can affect them for the rest of their life. In this essay I will discuss how trauma can affect a person through development as well as spiritually. Neural Development Trauma can affect a child’s neural development and will attack their fine motor skills in a way where it is hard for them to function. In young children, gross motor, fine motor, and cognitive development are intertwined processes related to the maturation timetables of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Neurons are migrating, proliferating, and making more complex connections. Children become capable of more sophisticated communications with the production of neurotransmitters. Myelination, the sheathing of neurons in protective layers of fatty and protein substances, increases the rate of neuronal firing and facilitates faster, more complex signals between brain cells and from the brain to the rest of the body (Roehlkepartain, 2006). Children who are tested for ADHD are normally given a false reading, which causes a since of not know for sure how many children have the disorder. There are drug treatments for this type of disorder such as Ritalin or Dexadrine. However, some studies suggest...
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...Religio of Religious Freedom In class, we examined the crisis of Europe’s “religio”, which played a crucial role in the disintegration of the Church as an institution and eventually brought an end to the Middle Ages. In reaction to the Church’s corrupt cases, extensive political involvement, wealth and power overshadowing spirituality, and complicated doctrines incomprehensible by laypeople, many reform movements sprouted across Europe that escalated a new way of thinking about religion. The Mendicant movement, which stressed spirituality of simplicity in response to church wealth, power, and corruption, and Mysticism, which stressed individual spiritual experience instead of dogmatic doctrines, were monumental steps in the direction towards religious freedom. These movements, along with the Renaissance’s emphasis on human experience and capability and the recovery of classical and early Christian sources produced a serious challenge to the Roman Catholic concept of Christendom and introduced a spirit of fresh inquiry and independent thought. These movements created a snowball effect for intellectual emancipation, eventually leading to the 30 years war, religious splits, and territorial splits. What is most interesting is that institutionalized Christianity, the crux of society for more than three centuries, was no longer the same glue or “religio” in the Early Modern Era; ironically, the development of religious freedom was this “religio” for society. It is important...
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...Shan Rogers Religion Professor Orr December 1, 2012 The Great Awakening and Its Leaders and Theology The Great Awakening was a revival movement meant to purify religion from material distractions and renew any and every person’s faith in God. The movement was a reaction against the diminishing of religion and the spread of disbelief during the Enlightenment of the 1700’s. During this time, revival ministers stressed the emptiness of material comfort, the corruption of human nature, and the need for immediate repentance for fear that individuals shall receive divine fury. So basically, the Great Awakening was a period in history in the American colonies, where the importance of the church was deemphasized and there was more of a focus on the spirituality of individuals themselves. Among this historical event, were leaders who would help carry the Great Awakening to where it was destined to be. Though there were many leaders, two leaders stood out more than any other and had the greatest impact on the Great Awakening. These two leaders were Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield. The revival had begun with Jonathan Edwards in Northampton, Massachusetts. Edwards came from Puritan, Calvinist roots, but emphasized the importance and power of a personal religious experience. Edwards’s role in the Awakening was major and crucial in many ways. First, Edwards was a very prominent and effective preacher who not only used his faith as inspiration for his sermons but also from...
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...without a spiritual life.” -Buddha What is spirituality? According to dictionary.com; “spirituality is the state or quality of being dedicated to God, religion, or spiritual things or values, esp. as contrasted with material or temporal ones. ” Personally, I believe that we are all spiritual beings that were put here on earth to fulfill a purpose and serve the Lord. To me, living life without a spiritual life is like living without morals. It’s like living a sin everyday. Who would want to live a life of sin? I don’t think a child of God would want to live like that. We live in a world of chaos. The earth is full of temptation and sin. Having a spiritual life sets boundaries to the good and bad, depending on your beliefs. Having these beliefs helps man stand ground and stand up for what he believes in. Believing can help a man to the right path and the right lifestyle. Believing in God can really help us in our struggles. Listening to the gospel and how Jesus lived a holy life can also help us in making our life better and spiritual. Having this spirituality can stable us to be who we are supposed to be. We can be much more holy when we start to build our spirituality. In order to build our spirituality, we need to do God’s will, such as; going to church, helping others, and preaching the good word of the Lord. By doing all of these things, we can be enlightened to the path that can lead us to the God. Spirituality doesn’t always apply to religion. Non-believers...
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