|
Religious Traditions dating back before the Bible speak of a person's life in terms deemed extraordinary today. The patriarchs reached hundreds of years of age. Methuselah lived for 969 years according to tradition. In Judaism it is traditional to consecrate an older person upon the occasion of a birthday with the phrase ad meah v 'essrim, that they should live to one hundred and twenty, the age given Moses upon his death. The Psalms describe a person's lifetime as three score years and ten or by reason of strength four score. These traditions hint at an underlying attitude that we are rewarded with a longer life for walking in the way of the Lord.
Today, more than ever, physicians, theologians, and the community are taking a closer look at the relationship between health and spirituality. Popular books written on the subject include
The Road Less Traveled, by the American psychiatrist Scott Peck, MD And Love, Medicine and Miracles, by Bernie Siegel, MD
The book, Megatrends 2000, projects an upsurge of Spirituality the end of the 1990's. Certainly the word itself is being used with greater frequency and in a wide variety of settings, though often in vague terms. But what is Spirituality? What does it have to with health? And what does it mean to live a spiritual life?
Is There A Relationship Between Health And Spirituality?
Back to the Table of Contents
Holistic health, a term growing in popularity, necessitates the presence of spiritual health. Holistic health encompasses health of the mind, body and soul. A recent conference addressed to religious and mental health professionals was entitled: Mending the Mind, Minding the Soul: Explorations Toward the Care of the Whole Person. The implication of this conference was that religion and mental health necessarily compliment one another in that they both ultimately focus on the total well being of an individual. Spiritual health refers to one's religious values or one's system of belief which contributes positively to the life of the individual.
And By The Way, What Is Spirituality?
Spirituality has been described as the inherent religious consciousness of the person which informs one's thoughts and actions in the world. Some have characterized it as a way of being religious or of becoming a person in the fullest sense. Whatever the form of spirituality, and there are many, it offers us a perspective on life and meaning rooted in one or another human tradition which affirms a sense of the sacred or holy.
Spirituality demands that we exist in the present, not for some future time or promise that may or may not happen. A healthy spirituality teaches us to be present where we are and to accept what we have.
What Does The Scientific Literature Say (Or Not Say)?
Unlike following a low-fat diet, there is not an overwhelming amount of scientific evidence to suggest that spirituality enhances health. Unlike bodily health, spirituality cannot be measured using traditional means of assessment. There is no way, for example to analyze one's blood for its faith content: There is strong evidence, however, that faith improves mental health (happiness and overall quality of life) which, in turn, helps to reduce the risk for diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
Issues of Control
Researchers have documented an inverse relationship between the incidence of chronic disease and socio-economic status. It has been postulated that the lower one's socio-economic status is, the less control over the factors that affect life and living circumstances, e.g. money, power, access to information and services, prestige, and experience. A reduced level of control may be one of the common factors which have been shown to increase risk for illness and disease: stressful life events, lack of social support, isolation, and Type A behavior.
It may be helpful, then, to recognize that control can be a negative force, as well as a positive force. Trying to control situation unnecessarily, or when they cannot be controlled, tends to increase stress (Type A Behavior).
Could it have anything to do with the fact that it is not uncommon for Mexicans to say Si Dios quiere, which means If God wills it, when making plans? In the same way Fundamental Christians say, praise God and Orthodox Jews say Baruch Ha-Shem (Blessed is God), trusting in a higher force, as opposed to oneself, to ultimately control life's circumstances may do much to alleviate the stress that comes from self-dependence. The literature shows that married persons and those with extensive social networks experience better health primarily because they have others to depend upon and support them.
Faith
The positive influence of faith on well-being is direct and substantial: individuals with strong religious faith report higher levels of life satisfaction, greater personal happiness, and fewer negative psychological consequences of traumatic life events. Further, such positive effects are especially pronounced for older persons and those with low levels of formal education.
- Research shows that religion positively influences subjective well-being in four ways:
-
(1)strong religious beliefs significantly enhance quality of life.
(2) religious attendance (eg., going to church or temple) and private devotion (prayer) contribute to well-being indirectly, by strengthening religious beliefs and world views.
(3) religious faith buffers the negative effects of trauma.
(4) persons with some tie to a religious organization (whether liberal, traditional, nontraditional, or nondenominational) have greater life satisfaction than unaffiliated individuals. This is related to the positive effects of belonging to a community.
Emotional Release
We have learned from psychology that through the healthy expression of our emotions we carry less stress and negative energy. To be fully spiritual means that one has access to the entire range of human feelings. Joy and celebration coexist for all people along with anger and sadness. Religion has historically understood the role of human emotion and offered opportunities to express them within appropriate venues. The rituals and ceremonies of birth and death, of marriage and maturity aid religious people in expressing their feelings. Psychological studies confirm that the person who can release the energies of emotional expression carries less stress and therefore lives longer.
Spirituality And Community Health
Spirituality provides a sense of connectedness. When you feel connected spiritually with the world, you attend more carefully to the small things that provide meaning in life. You pay more attention to what you eat, perhaps avoiding artificial additives or choosing not to eat animal products (vegetarianism). You pay more attention to the environment, perhaps deciding not to purchase products which are harmful to the environment. A lifestyle that destroys as much as it creates is not likely to be spiritually centered. While these insights and behaviors may not directly increase an individual's longevity, they certainly have an impact upon the longevity of the human race.
Prayer
Back to the Table of Contents
Prayer may be a step towards longevity in that it fosters faith. Prayer is not a technique for curing real and organic diseases, Though it contributes enormously to the enjoyment of abundant health and to the relief of numerous mental, emotional, and nervous ailments. Even in actual bacterial disease, prayer has many times added to the efficacy of other remedial procedures. And much better recognized are the effects of spiritual resources on healing. Clinicians have long observed that patients with a strong personal faith recover better and live longer than those without such resources.
To Pray or Not to Pray
Throughout time, people have been especially apt to pray during times of extreme danger or fear and extreme joy and gratitude. Many pray out of obligation, as a custom. Some pray for things, including a job, a partner, or health. And some pray with a whole-hearted yearning to find God and to do God's will.
Common reasons why people choose not to have religious faith (l) the existence of evil in the world, (2) conflicts between faith and science, and (3) the feeling that life really has no meaning. Nonetheless, it is a fact that most persons, if sufficiently hard pressed, will turn in some way to a divine or transcendent source of help. People are particularly likely to turn to religion, or to find God when confronting bereavement and serious health disabilities.
What Is Effective Prayer?
Prayer is most effective when values, not things, and growth, not gratification, are sought. Perhaps the primary condition for effective praying is to have faith. Effective prayer is quite simply the sincere desire to adjust one's will to the will of God. (In this sense, one is releasing 'control,' which may reduce stress and improve health.)
Prayer can take on numerous forms. It can be individual or take place in a group or congregation. It can involve words or not. Common forms of prayer are traditional prayer (usually with words), movement meditation such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Sufism, and Zen, song, dreamwork, dance, journal writing, and still others.
Certainly, further research is needed to help elucidate the important role of spirituality to overall health and longevity. Until that time, one must take it in good faith (pun definitely intended) that such a relationship exists.
- After all, there is really no good reason not to pray:
- 1. It could help you, and certainly can't hurt.
2. It's free.
3. Giving thanks helps you to appreciate the good things in your life.
4. You can do it alone, or with family and friends.
5. You can do it anywhere.
6. You can do it at any time.
7. Nobody has to know that you're doing it.
8. You'll feel that you're not alone in your decision-making.
9. You might live longer.
The Influence Of Religion On Health
In human history, it has been the task of religion to address spiritual health by providing a framework for behavior and discipline. In some cases, it is easy to see how such frameworks could support a physically healthy life: Most conservative Protestant denominations, for example, frown upon the use of alcohol, caffeine and other drugs. Certain religious groups, such as Mormons, have broader lifestyle requirements, which include dietary habits. These frameworks are consistent with medical research which suggests that religiously active Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, and members of other conservative Protestant groups benefit from reduced risks of certain health problems. In other words, some of the guidelines put forth by religious organizations have extremely well documented health benefits. Additionally, the organizational culture of some religious groups foster a stable, ongoing opportunity to engage in community which, as discussed above, positively influences health.
Summary
There is mounting evidence that persons who enjoy a greater sense of coherence and order in their lives also have better physical and psychological health than those who do not, and that religious faith is a cornerstone to a stable lifestyle. Faith may be fostered through sincere prayer and for believers is a mighty force for the promotion of personal happiness, individual self-control, social harmony, moral progress, and spiritual attainment. It certainly seems that if something can enhance overall health, it should be made available to all persons. Indeed, religious faith or spirituality is in no way dependent on the worshiper's educational level, philosophic acumen, socioeconomic level, geographic location, nor cultural status. And while there are definite benefits to affiliating with a religious group (e.g., community), the most important aspect of faith is the personal spiritual relationship with God, or the
Universal Spirit.
|
|
