Spirituality and Stress CHAPTER 8 Spirituality and Stress

RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY Are these two the same thing? Or are they different? Are they related?

RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY cont. Spirituality – a person’s view of life’s meaning, direction, and purpose; also the feeling of connectedness with other things, people, the past, and the future Religion – an organized entity in which people have common beliefs and engage in common practices relevant to spiritual matters

RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY cont. Can you be one of these without the other? Subjectivity…(more detail later)

SPIRITUALITY & HEALTH There is a clear and strong connection between a developed sense of spirituality and being physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy Spirituality=>Better Stress Mgmt=>Health

SPIRITUALITY & HEALTH cont. Larry Dossey’s study Prayer group & non-prayer group Non-local events/particles (physics) Einstein (after life)…

CONTROL THEORY Primary control (situation) Secondary control (self) Which of these is PROBABLY easier to do? Reframing (perception) - examples

CONTROL THEORY cont. Self-Directing – individual perceives him/herself as responsible for the outcome of a life situation, ALTHOUGH God or nature (genetics, nutrition, etc.) has provided the RESOURCES needed to be successful

CONTROL THEORY cont. Collaborative – individual WORKS TOGETHER with God or forces of nature to control the situation Deferring – ENTIRE SITUATION is turned over to God or forces of nature, with reliance on external forces to manage or cope with the situation

CONTROL THEORY cont. Pleading – individual begs God or forces of nature to intervene in the life situation to resolve it Activity...(choice and rationale)

CONTROL THEORY cont. Research shows that…BUT in life situations where the individual has little or no control… Remember, research is…

SOCIAL SUPPORT THEORY What do we already know about Social Support and stress mgmt?! What are some examples of Spiritual Social Support? What are the effects of this Spiritual Social Support?

PLACEBO THEORY Is it simply BELIEVING that provides strength, relief, and/or health? Is it what is asked for and/or the relationship with God or forces of nature that provide…? Or is it really supernatural forces in control? “Contact”

FORGIVENESS Of God? (Deferring? Pleading?) Of self (Self-directing? Collaborative?) Of others? Ability to FORGIVE=>Stress Mgmt=>Physical, Mental, Emotional Health

SPIRITUALITY closing Spiritual Health=Knowing/believing/feeling that YOUR LIFE HAS MEANING! Where you find meaning (self, God/other, other people)… Having FAITH in…=>Stress Mgmt=>Health