(Miner-Williams, 2006) (Lane, 2005) Clinical experiences in which individuals and families both express need and communicate frustration with regard to spiritual needs, that are not being met are common, (Taylor & Mamier, 2005) (McEwen, 2005)but holistic focus in both nursing and the broader medical community is changing this phenomena and offering research and standards for addressing spirituality as a crucial human aspect. (Buck, 2006) (Baldacchino, 2006) (Ross, 2006) (Wilfred, 2006) (Delgado, 2006) (Sawatzky & Pesut, 2005) A recent clinical experience of my own demonstrates the fundamental need for realistic clinical standards and practices for guidance with regard to recognizing and honoring spirituality with patients and caregivers
The first part of the reflections have as their focus on the "inner depths of the human person as the potential and the way to come to meet the living God who dwells within us." (Hester, 2012, p
Three Types of Prayer Bloom holds that there are three types of prayer, including prayers that are spontaneous, prayers; those that are very short and vocal; and prayers that are ready-made. (Kopolus, 2005, paraphrased) for example, the use of a short vocal prayer is such as the Orthodox Jesus Prayer which centers on the name of Jesus and states "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner
(Revelation 15:3) and concludes "Search for a name, and if you have not named, do not be surprised that no one years you: you are not calling." (Bloom cited in Kopolus, 2005, p
This produces a child in whom "morality is not imposed…from outside but emerges from within and is learned by cooperating with their parents." (Gray) IV
What is your personal philosophy of life? (Joint Commission, 2008) 2. Do you like to listen to soothing music when you are experiencing discomfort and what type of music is soothing to you? (Edlin, Golanty & McCormack Brown, 2000, p
For example, when she advocated a program for free lunches for schoolchildren, Montessori provided a rational reason in its support from a social problem-solving perspective, but she also employed a spiritual one as well: "The necessity of eating is itself a proof that the matter of which our body is composed does not endure but passes like the fleeing moment. And if the substance of our bodies passes in this manner, if life itself is only a continual passing away of matter, what greater symbol of its immateriality and its spirituality is there than the dinnertable?" (Montessori, 1913, p
They also interpret Bible stories concretely depicting God as a man or a power threatening specific action, often in response to specific transgression. (Gottlieb, 2006, p
Stage two is held by Fowler to be the emergence of acquisition of language and a time when the child's imagination is "stimulated by stores, gestures and symbols combined with perception and feelings, creates long-lasting faith images." (Grajczonek, nd, p
It appears that children do not really make sense of a personal understanding of religion and thus tend to follow the pathways of trusted adults. Indeed, the understanding of spiritual development is such that it is difficult to be certain of a child's view of spirituality until mid-late adolescence, in much the same way as the abstract concepts of chronology and space (Karlsen, et al
Once we realize that spirituality is a necessary part of every culture, and that more and more cultures are part of the school system and therefore childhood and adolescent development, there becomes a universal need for spirituality to be present within the K-12 curriculum. That is not to say that this must be static and monolithic -- just as history, the humanities and social sciences evolve within the curriculum, so should religion and spirituality (Mattis, et al
.Spirituality speaks to our desire to make sense of our world and find our place in it" (Bogin 2000)
In addition, they noted that the issues had been "woefully underaddressed" by researchers, proposing that there were several areas of investigation still left untouched, despite abundant anecdotal evidence in the same areas. Those areas are: "the religious and spiritual needs of people of different religions, the positive and negative effects of religion and spirituality in palliative and end-of-life care, and the contributions that religious and spiritual institutions as well as health care professionals can make to such endeavors" (Cohen and Koenig 2002)
.A religious or spiritual history is best obtained during a comprehensive medical evaluation, introduced naturally as part of the social history" (Koenig 2001)
Also mentioned is the Eastern philosophies' path of engaging in "meditation or altered states associated with religious ecstasy and/or shamanic journeying" (2000). "Spiritual care for the Christian includes only those approaches that will deepen and enhance a person's relationship with God," and that include "worship, compassionate presence, prayer, Bible reading, music, love and support" (Meyer 2000)
Indeed, I argue that health care truly exists only when community and spirituality are allowed to flourish, for community and spirituality are the most fundamental modes of humanity in dealing with brokenness, pain, suffering, and death." Soggie's experience as a psychotherapist dealing with terminal patients gave him some insight; some he borrowed from the great psychologist Carl Jung, who pointed out that "the deepest and most human psychological function is spirituality" (Soggie 2003)
Everybody knows that this is one of the diseases which can not be cured, therefore such a diagnosis may very well sound like a death sentence, shaking the individual in all of his spiritual convictions and beliefs. The authors of the study under discussion (Szaflarski, M
One study in particular focused its attention upon the relation which could exist between health, risk prevention and spiritual practices. (Underwood, S
Conflict among peers is common and relevant to children's spirituality, and ripe for developing the spiritual craft of forgiveness… children are capable of responding with forgiveness and that the process of forgiveness should be nurtured in children for their spiritual development. This article is an effort to expand the discussion of forgiveness in childhood and into the realm of children's peer relations" (Flanagan et al
This is unacceptable: children should be able to explore their spiritual sides in a safe and practical manner with dialogue and communication strongly engaged. In fact, researchers found "that children had little opportunity for negotiating a shared understanding or experience of spirituality with adults and, as a result, either preserved an isolated and secret sense of spirituality or accepted what they observed to be their trusted adults' stance" (Karlsen et al