Spirituality and Health

Mindfulness• Rosenzweig (2013), Sister of

Mindfulness– Acceptance– Forgiveness– Loving-Kindness– Compassion– Best-Self Visualization

Spirituality• Religion and medicine both have healing

practices• Less so as Western biomedicine evolved• Seems to be changing though– 90% US med schools include content of

spirituality and health– 99% of physicians surveyed (1998) listed prayer

or meditation as enhancing medical treatment– 4 out of 5 Americans (2005) believe spirituality

promotes health

Spirituality• Religiously active people tend to live

longer• Frequent attendance at religious services

is associated with better health– Correlation doesn’t equal causation– Possible third variables-gender, pre-exisiting

health, lifestyle– But the correlation still holds when you

control for these factors, and in large-scale longitudinal studies

Spirituality• What accounts for correction

between spirituality and healthy? Likely…– Lifestyle– Social support– Positive emotions

Spirituality• Lifestyle– Compare with general population,

religiously active tend to• Eat healthier• Be more physically active• Smoke and drink less• Engage in less risky sexual behavior

– But only account for about 25% of health differences

Spirituality• Social Support– Compare with general population,

religiously active tend to• Have more social social support of all three

types• Plus invisible support (perception that

people are there for me)

Spirituality• Positive emotions– Compare with general population,

religiously active tend to• Be more optimistic, hopeful, accepting• See meaning in life• All relates back to positive coping with stress

• Compare this to the “Sisters” of mindfulness

When Spirituality Doesn’t Help

• View stressors as punishment from God

• Prayer alone, not associated with religious involvement

Nature• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

v_P_1lBGbLs

Link Between Nature & Spirituality

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXDMoiEkyuQ

Importance of Time in Nature• Relieves Media Immersion– Partial Continuous Attention– Digital fog– Techno-stress– Hyperreality

• Other benefits– Improves health—cognitive, attention, emotional,

spiritual, and SWB– Reduces stress, depression, ADHD

Homework (bring in for T Quiz)• Go to a park, grassy area, your favorite tree, some spot in

nature. Take a journal or a notebook.• Take a selfie at the location.• Turn off your phone.• For 10 minutes, sit (alone, no music, no phone) and listen to

the sounds, look at the surroundings, touch the grass around you, smell the smells. Let your mind wander, but keep coming back to your surroundings.

• For 10 minutes (in the same setting) write about your experience. What did you hear, see, smell? How did it make you feel? Where did your mind wander? Write for a solid 10 minutes.

• Stretch and enjoy the rest of the day!• On Tuesday, bring in your writing and your selfie for you quiz.