The document discusses a model of spiritual health and well-being called the Four Domains Model. It proposes that spiritual health is a fundamental dimension of overall health and well-being. The model describes spiritual health as being reflected in the quality of relationships people have in four domains: 1) Personal domain - relating to oneself, 2) Communal domain - relating to others through interpersonal relationships, 3) Environmental domain - connecting with nature, 4) Transcendental domain - relating to something beyond the human level like God or a higher power. The model was developed based on qualitative research and aims to embrace people of all worldviews, both religious and non-religious.
Spiritual Intelligence: The ability to behave with wisdom and compassion, while maintaining inner and outer peace regardless of the situation.
Spiritual Intelligence must show up in our actions an our behaviors.
Part 1 (Spirituality) Lecture on Spirituality & Development to students at Cambridge University -- explains why misconceptions about knowledge in west make it difficult to understand spirituality
Spiritual Intelligence: The ability to behave with wisdom and compassion, while maintaining inner and outer peace regardless of the situation.
Spiritual Intelligence must show up in our actions an our behaviors.
Part 1 (Spirituality) Lecture on Spirituality & Development to students at Cambridge University -- explains why misconceptions about knowledge in west make it difficult to understand spirituality
Presentation on "Well-being in Regions: building more coherent policies for a better growth model" made at the Hvordan får vi nyt liv i væksten? [How do we spark growth?], Copenhagen Denmark, 2 May 2014, by by Joaquim Oliveira Martins, Head, Regional Development Policy Division & Monica Brezzi, Head of Statistics Unit,OECD. For more information see www.oecd.org/regional/how-is-life-in-your-region.htm.
WHY SPIRITUALITY IS IMPORTANT ..
1. IT GIVES MEANING TO LIFE
Knowing the meaning to life is one of the main reasons why spirituality is important to most people.Reflecting on whom you are as a person can expand your knowledge about what human existence means in general.
2. IT GIVES HOPE TO THE HOPELESS
Having faith in something greater than yourself tends to give you confidence in a hopeless situation.Spiritual customs and teachings help people heal from sustained pain and hurt.
3. IT RELIEVES STRESS AND INSPIRES PEACE
Introspective activities like prayer or meditation relieve stress and cultivate peace from within.Meditation typically relates to training the mind to relax and the spirit to develop compassion, forgiveness, or serenity.
4. IT AIDS IN MAKING BETTER CHOICES
In most cases, spirituality encourages people to be a better person.Being more aware of how important is to live to the best of your ability may encourage you to eat better or to not engage in illegal activities.
5. IT ADDS TO HAPPINESS AND CONTENTMENT
The satisfaction in knowing that everything works out according to plan is quite fulfilling.
Spiritual people usually have this mindset.
6. IT LESSENS FEAR OF DEATH
Spirituality offers reassurance in something to come.People who have mastered this are typically not fearful or adamant to the thought of death.
7. IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER
Religious fellowship with others is normally established from having the same faith or philosophies.Spirituality, however, conjoins different people with different outlooks on life into one place.
Spirituality can eventually bring everyone to a commonality of spirit.
Separating Spirituality From ReligiosityA Hylomorphic Attit.docxedgar6wallace88877
Separating Spirituality From Religiosity:
A Hylomorphic Attitudinal Perspective
Carlos M. Del Rio and Lyle J. White
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
It is truly a logical question to ask what spirituality is. We sustain this position as
we review important corollaries from dualistic and hylomorphic views of human
nature. We argue that in 21st century America we ought to be able to think of
spirituality separately from religiosity and propose conceptual clarity is necessary
to study spirituality. We uphold every person is a substance of two coherent
principles, a body and a soul; the nature of which is spirituality. Spirituality’s
functions are intellect and volition and their proper ends are truth and goodness. We
call on ethicists, theoreticians, researchers, and practitioners in health care disci-
plines to focus on the interaction between these aspects of spirituality. We define
spirituality as an attitude toward life, making sense of life, relating to others, and
seeking unity with the transcendent. We challenge the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994)
codification of spirituality and ask that it be reviewed or removed because spiri-
tuality is not equivocal to religiosity, germane to loss of faith, or a factor of cultural
diversity. We insist that human individuals are born spiritual, not religious, and
present distinctions between these notions at every juncture. We conclude that
spirituality must be separated from religiosity if effective epistemic endeavors are
to be achieved on either construct. We reject current conflations of “religious-
spirituality.”
Keywords: spirituality, individual and systemic clients, dualism, hylomorphism, health care
Several events have contributed to the
growing literature on (religious)spirituality in
the United States. For example, the codifica-
tion of religiosity and (religious)spirituality
into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM–IV; V62.61;
American Psychiatric Association, 1994; Lu-
koff, Lu, & Turner, 1995) has fomented in-
terests to study the relationship between (re-
ligious)spirituality and mental health (e.g.,
Fukuyama & Sevig, 1997; Lukoff, Lu, &
Turner, 1998; Weaver, Pargament, Flannelly,
& Oppenheimer, 2006). Other events con-
comitant to the DSM–IV codification that
have contributed to studies on the relationship
between (religious)spirituality and health in-
clude: (a) accrediting agencies’ promotion of
educational quality and professional account-
ability, (b) professional associations’ publica-
tion of ethical codes and practice guidelines
that recognize the importance of individuals’
and systems’ (religious)spiritual needs, and
(c) development of professional competencies
for providing (religious)spiritual care.
As research amounts, other publications have
attempted to conceptualize spirituality. Com-
mon among all publications on (religious)spiri-
tuality however, has b.
Essay 1 generally good content; but some issues with content as n.docxYASHU40
Essay 1: generally good content; but some issues with content as noted and some writing issues
Essay 2: good content, but writing issues in several places
Essay 3: good content, but lots of writing issues
Religion and Society
1. What is the “sociological perspective” and how does it impact the way we study religion? How is it different from non-social scientific (philosophical, theological) approaches to the study of religion? From other social scientific (psychological, anthropological) approaches?
The sociological perspective is a way of looking at religion that focuses on the human especially social aspects of religious belief and practice. It has two characteristics that separate it from non-scientific approaches to religion. It is empirical and objective. Sociologists usually try as much as possible to base their interpretations on empirical evidence. “They verify their images and explanations of social reality by experimental or experienced evidence. The objectivity in the sense that they do not attempt to evaluate accept or reject the content of religious beliefs .In the sociological perspective there is no religion that is superior to the other. One religion is not superior to another. Indeed the perspective does not presume the merits of religious over non-religious approaches. But if a religion has ideas on these subjects, it examines them and tries to understand them.
There are two central sociological perspectives which are: substantative and functional. Substantative tries to establish what religion is. It attempts to establish categories of religious content that qualify as religion and other categories specific as non-religion. Functional describes what religion does. It emphasizes what religion does for individual and social group. Accordingly religion is defined by the social functions it fulfills in the society
It emphasizes on the provision of meaning because the establishing of shared meaning is an essentially social event.
The sociological perspective impacts on the way we study religion in various ways. The aspects of the sociological perspective on religion may create elude a bad feeling to students who find their cherished beliefs and practices dispassionately treated as object of study as stipulated in (http://fasnafan.tripod.com/religion.pdf).Normal human beings due to their nature tend to feel bad when they find their religion becoming the subject of discussion and study. They feel that those people are abusing and disregarding their religion. It may be disturbing to have one’s own religion treated as comparable to other religions and not as superior or uniquely true.maybe maybe not---you need proof to make this claim--not just ideas
Also true, but awkward writingwhat the sociologist and the believer hold about a certain religion may be contradicting. What is central to the sociologist may be irrelevant and uninteresting to th ...
Religion is an amalgamation of different world views, cultural beliefs, morals, revelations, and prophesies that often have spiritual backgrounds and meanings to members who subscribe to a given faith.
Similar to The Four Domains Model: Connecting Spirituality, Health and Well-Being (20)
"The rise of black power had a profound effect upon the appearance of black theology. When Carmichael and other radical black activists separated themselves from King's absolute commitment to nonviolence by proclaiming black power, white Christians especially members of the clergy, called upon their black brothers and sisters in the gospel to denounce black power as unChristian. To the surprise of white Christians, the National Committee of Negro Churchmen (NNC); later to become NCBC) refused to follow their advice and instead wrote a "Black Power Statement" that was published in the New York Time, July 31, 1966.
The Theology of Spirituality: It's Growing Importance Amid the Transformation...Jonathan Dunnemann
Abstract: This article raises issues surrounding the theology of spirituality as a relatively new theological focus. It argues that, faced with a changing world and numerous new (or perceived as new) phenomena, the theology of spirituality, as a scholarly area examining spiritual experience, is becoming a branch of
theological research of increasing importance. The first part of this article focuses on the ever-growing areas of interest found within the theology of spirituality, a growth stemming from the core of the field itself (agere sequitur esse). The second part emphasizes the newer areas of interest within the theology
of spirituality. These new horizons arise from the pluralism of theology itself and the criteria used in differentiating theological disciplines, such as ethno-geographic, doctrinal, and ascetic-practical concerns. In particular, amid a fast-changing world in which information and mutual contact have become incredibly accessible, the interpenetration of cultures and traditions can not only be of great value but also carry the dangers of a chaotic eclecticism. As this accessibility becomes ever easier and more pervasive, contemporary human beings can thus become confused, not only about their worldviews but also concerning their spiritual and religious beliefs. Thus, research into the theology of spirituality is becoming increasingly more important.
Using an interdisciplinary approach and a phenomenological, hermeneutic, mystagogical methodology, this paper explores how children describe the deep fruits of meditation in their lives. Seventy children, aged 7 to 11, from four Irish primary schools were interviewed; all had engaged in meditation as a whole-school practice for at least two-years beforehand. The study sought to elicit from children their experience, if any, of the transcendent in meditation. It concludes that children can and do enjoy deep states of consciousness and that meditation has the capacity to nourish the innate spirituality of the child. It highlights the importance of personal spiritual experience for children and supports the introduction of meditation in primary schools.
ASSESSMENT OF CHARACTER STRENGTHS AMONG YOUTH: THE VALUES IN ACTION INVENTORY...Jonathan Dunnemann
Raising virtuous children is an ultimate goal not only of all parents and educators but also of all societies. Across different eras and cultures, identifying character strengths (virtues) and cultivating them in children and youth have been among the chief interests of philosophers, theologians, and educators. With a few exceptions, these topics have been neglected by psychologists. However, the emerging field of positive psychology specifically emphasizes
building the good life by identifying individual strengths of character and fostering them (Seligman, 2002). Character strengths are now receiving attention by psychologists interested in positive youth development.
African American spirituality provides a rich lens into the heart and soul of the black church experience, often overlooked in the Christian spiritual formation literature. By addressing this lacuna, this essay focuses on three primary shaping qualities o f history: the effects of slavery, the Civil Rights Movement under Dr. Martin Luther King’s leadership, and the emergence of the Black Church. Lour spiritual practices that influence African American spirituality highlight the historical and cultural context of being “forged in the fiery furnace,” including worship, preaching and Scripture, the community of faith and prayer, and community outreach. The essay concludes by recognizing four areas o f the lived experiences of African Americans from which the global church can glean: (1) persevering in pain and suffering, (2) turning to God for strength, (3) experiencing a living and passionate faith, and (4) affirming God’s intention for freedom and justice to be afforded to every individual.
Strengths Building, Resilience, and the Bible: A Story-Based Curriculum for A...Jonathan Dunnemann
Depression is the leading cause of illness and disability in adolescents worldwide. Resilience training, founded on principles of positive psychology, is correlated with lower depression and
substance misuse in U.S. adolescents and military personnel. However, resilience training has focused primarily on secular interventions using western material. Religion is strongly correlated
with lower depression and also with well-being in developing countries. Ninety percent of adolescents live in developing countries, and at least two-thirds are oral learners who prefer
learning through stories and drama. This paper proposes a Bible story based curriculum that trains students in problem solving skills, character strengths, and both spiritual and secular
research-tested principles for resilience and well-being. The Bible is available by audio recording in 751 languages and offers a broad base of archetypal stories for teaching resilience. The
program is easily reproducible, culturally adaptable, respectful of all religions, and specifically crafted for oral learners. Through audio recordings to maintain fidelity, train the trainer programs
for dissemination and support of national and community leaders, the proposed curriculum for Global Resilience Oral Workshops (GROW) has potential to lower depression and lift well-being
in adolescents around the world.
Historical criticism attempts to read texts in their original situations, informed by literary and cultural conventions reconstructed from comparable texts and artifacts. African American interpretation extends this approach to questions about race and social location for the ancient text, its reception
history, and its modern readers. It arose as a corrective and alternative to white supremacist use of the Bible in moral and political arguments regarding race, civil rights, and social justice. Accordingly, African American interpretation has combined the
insights of abolitionists and activists with academic tools to demonstrate how biblical interpretation can function as an instrument of oppression, obfuscation, or opportunity. Of course, most of these developments have occurred in the larger framework of American Christianity. Yet, its analyses reach
beyond that specific setting, touching on the connections between the Bible and race in public discourse generally, whether in government, academia, or popular culture.
Appropriating Universality: The Coltranes and 1960s SpiritualityJonathan Dunnemann
The role of the Black Protestant Church has figured prominently in scholarly discussions of African American music culture, and to some extent its importance has been explored with respect to jazz. However, with the exception of the Nation of Islam, the influence of Eastern religious practices among black Americans has not been significantly researched nor have adequate connections been made between these spiritual pursuits and the musical innovations they inspired. Nevertheless, since the mid-’60s, black American artists have explored Yoga, Hinduism, various sects of Buddhism, Ahmadiya Islam, and Bahá’í. The
aesthetic impact of these pursuits has been multi-dimensional and far-reaching. In their study of Asian philosophy and religion, jazz musicians have been exposed to the sounds and musical processes they have discovered in the cultures from which these traditions have emerged. One can hear this influence in musical borrowings, such as the use of traditional instrumentation, the reworking of melodic material from folk and classical genres, and the incorporation of indigenous
improvisational and compositional techniques. Though less audible, Eastern spiritual traditions have also exerted a more abstract philosophical influence that has shaped jazz aesthetics, inspiring jazz musicians to dissolve formal and stylistic boundaries and produce works of great originality. Contextualizing the spiritual explorations of John and Alice Coltrane within American religious culture and liberation movements of the 1960s, this essay explores the way that
their eclectic appropriation of Eastern spiritual concepts and their commitment to spiritual universality not only inspired musical innovation, but also provided a counter-hegemonic, political, and cultural critique.
Who Is Jesus Christ for Us Today?
To say that Jesus Christ is the truth of the Christian story calls for further examination. It is one thing to assert that the New Testament describes Jesus as the Oppressed One who came to liberate the poor and the weak (Chap. 4); but it is quite another to ask, Who is Jesus Christ for us today? If twentieth-century Christians are to speak the truth for their sociohistorical situation, they cannot merely repeat the story of what Jesus did and said in Palestine, as if it were selfinterpreting for us today. Truth is more than the retelling of the biblical story. Truth is the divine happening that invades our contemporary situation, revealing the meaning of the past for the present so that we
are made new creatures for the future. It is therefore our commitment to the divine truth, as witnessed to in the biblical story, that requires us to investigate the connection between Jesus' words and deeds in firstcentury Palestine and our existence today. This is the crux of the christological issue that no Christian theology can avoid.
The pivotal role of religion and spirituality in the lives of African Americans marks this ethnoracial group as a particularly important target for attention in research on the psychology and sociology of religion. In this chapter we endeavor to achieve three ends: First, we briefly review literature on meanings of religiosity and spirituality among African Americans. Second, we review the literature on the link between religiosity, spirituality, and health among African Americans. Finally, we examine findings regarding the pathways by which religion and spirituality may achieve its ends.
Transformative Pedagogy, Black Theology and Participative forms of PraxisJonathan Dunnemann
"This formative analysis is... on the significant developments in religious education by and for Black people, principally in the US. ..., I describe my own participative approaches to Black theology by means of transformative pedagogy, which utilizes interactive exercises as a means of combining the insights of the aforementioned ideas and themes into a transformative mode of teaching and learning."
"..., I have attempted to combine the radical intent of transformative education arising from the Freirerian tradition with Black liberation theology in order to develop a more participative and interactive mode of theo-pedagogical engagement that moves intellectual discourse beyond mere theorizing into more praxis based forms of practice.
Development of a Program for the Empowerment of Black Single Mother Families ...Jonathan Dunnemann
The most rapid growing family type in the United States is the single parent family. It is the dominant family type in the African-American community. According to the United States Bureau of the Census (2010), 69% of all Black children are born to single mothers. Single mother families are at a dramatically greater risk for drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, suicide, poor educational performance, teen pregnancy, and criminality (National Center for Health Statistics, 1993).
Black Males, Social Imagery, and the Disruption of Pathological IdentitiesJonathan Dunnemann
Throughout the history of the U.S., racialized groups have often had their experiences profoundly shaped by social imagery in ways that have created tremendous hardships in the quest for
self-actualization and a healthy sense of self.
The purpose of this article is to shed light on the manner in which Black males have been one of the primary victims of negative social imagery and how the remnants of these constructions continue to have contemporary influences, ....
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way.pptxCelso Napoleon
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way
SBs – Sunday Bible School
Adult Bible Lessons 2nd quarter 2024 CPAD
MAGAZINE: THE CAREER THAT IS PROPOSED TO US: The Path of Salvation, Holiness and Perseverance to Reach Heaven
Commentator: Pastor Osiel Gomes
Presentation: Missionary Celso Napoleon
Renewed in Grace
What Should be the Christian View of Anime?Joe Muraguri
We will learn what Anime is and see what a Christian should consider before watching anime movies? We will also learn a little bit of Shintoism religion and hentai (the craze of internet pornography today).
The PBHP DYC ~ Reflections on The Dhamma (English).pptxOH TEIK BIN
A PowerPoint Presentation based on the Dhamma Reflections for the PBHP DYC for the years 1993 – 2012. To motivate and inspire DYC members to keep on practicing the Dhamma and to do the meritorious deed of Dhammaduta work.
The texts are in English.
For the Video with audio narration, comments and texts in English, please check out the Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF2g_43NEa0
In Jude 17-23 Jude shifts from piling up examples of false teachers from the Old Testament to a series of practical exhortations that flow from apostolic instruction. He preserves for us what may well have been part of the apostolic catechism for the first generation of Christ-followers. In these instructions Jude exhorts the believer to deal with 3 different groups of people: scoffers who are "devoid of the Spirit", believers who have come under the influence of scoffers and believers who are so entrenched in false teaching that they need rescue and pose some real spiritual risk for the rescuer. In all of this Jude emphasizes Jesus' call to rescue straying sheep, leaving the 99 safely behind and pursuing the 1.
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, and is the first book of the Deuteronomistic history, the story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian exile.
The Chakra System in our body - A Portal to Interdimensional Consciousness.pptxBharat Technology
each chakra is studied in greater detail, several steps have been included to
strengthen your personal intention to open each chakra more fully. These are designed
to draw forth the highest benefit for your spiritual growth.
Exploring the Mindfulness Understanding Its Benefits.pptxMartaLoveguard
Slide 1: Title: Exploring the Mindfulness: Understanding Its Benefits
Slide 2: Introduction to Mindfulness
Mindfulness, defined as the conscious, non-judgmental observation of the present moment, has deep roots in Buddhist meditation practice but has gained significant popularity in the Western world in recent years. In today's society, filled with distractions and constant stimuli, mindfulness offers a valuable tool for regaining inner peace and reconnecting with our true selves. By cultivating mindfulness, we can develop a heightened awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, leading to a greater sense of clarity and presence in our daily lives.
Slide 3: Benefits of Mindfulness for Mental Well-being
Practicing mindfulness can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, improving overall quality of life.
Mindfulness increases awareness of our emotions and teaches us to manage them better, leading to improved mood.
Regular mindfulness practice can improve our ability to concentrate and focus our attention on the present moment.
Slide 4: Benefits of Mindfulness for Physical Health
Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can contribute to lowering blood pressure, which is beneficial for heart health.
Regular meditation and mindfulness practice can strengthen the immune system, aiding the body in fighting infections.
Mindfulness may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity by reducing stress and improving overall lifestyle habits.
Slide 5: Impact of Mindfulness on Relationships
Mindfulness can help us better understand others and improve communication, leading to healthier relationships.
By focusing on the present moment and being fully attentive, mindfulness helps build stronger and more authentic connections with others.
Mindfulness teaches us how to be present for others in difficult times, leading to increased compassion and understanding.
Slide 6: Mindfulness Techniques and Practices
Focusing on the breath and mindful breathing can be a simple way to enter a state of mindfulness.
Body scan meditation involves focusing on different parts of the body, paying attention to any sensations and feelings.
Practicing mindful walking and eating involves consciously focusing on each step or bite, with full attention to sensory experiences.
Slide 7: Incorporating Mindfulness into Daily Life
You can practice mindfulness in everyday activities such as washing dishes or taking a walk in the park.
Adding mindfulness practice to daily routines can help increase awareness and presence.
Mindfulness helps us become more aware of our needs and better manage our time, leading to balance and harmony in life.
Slide 8: Summary: Embracing Mindfulness for Full Living
Mindfulness can bring numerous benefits for physical and mental health.
Regular mindfulness practice can help achieve a fuller and more satisfying life.
Mindfulness has the power to change our perspective and way of perceiving the world, leading to deeper se
HANUMAN STORIES: TIMELESS TEACHINGS FOR TODAY’S WORLDLearnyoga
Hanuman Stories: Timeless Teachings for Today’s World" delves into the inspiring tales of Hanuman, highlighting lessons of devotion, strength, and selfless service that resonate in modern life. These stories illustrate how Hanuman's unwavering faith and courage can guide us through challenges and foster resilience. Through these timeless narratives, readers can find profound wisdom to apply in their daily lives.
The Good News, newsletter for June 2024 is hereNoHo FUMC
Our monthly newsletter is available to read online. We hope you will join us each Sunday in person for our worship service. Make sure to subscribe and follow us on YouTube and social media.
The Four Domains Model: Connecting Spirituality, Health and Well-Being
1. Religions 2011, 2, 17-28; doi:10.3390/rel2010017
religions
ISSN 2077-1444
www.mdpi.com/journal/religions
Article
The Four Domains Model: Connecting Spirituality, Health and
Well-Being
John Fisher 1,2
1
School of Education, University of Ballarat, Victoria 3350, Australia;
E-Mail: j.fisher@ballarat.edu.au; Tel.: +61-3-5320-3531; Fax: +61-3-5320-3763
2
School of Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3350, Australia;
E-Mail: jwfisher@unimelb.edu.au
Received: 11 November 2010; in revised form: 10 December 2010 / Accepted: 7 January 2011 /
Published: 11 January 2011
Abstract: At our core, or coeur, we humans are spiritual beings. Spirituality can be viewed
in a variety of ways from a traditional understanding of spirituality as an expression of
religiosity, in search of the sacred, through to a humanistic view of spirituality devoid of
religion. Health is also multi-faceted, with increasing evidence reporting the relationship of
spirituality with physical, mental, emotional, social and vocational well-being. This paper
presents spiritual health as a, if not THE, fundamental dimension of people‟s overall health
and well-being, permeating and integrating all the other dimensions of health. Spiritual
health is a dynamic state of being, reflected in the quality of relationships that people have
in up to four domains of spiritual well-being: Personal domain where a person intra-relates
with self; Communal domain, with in-depth inter-personal relationships; Environmental
domain, connecting with nature; Transcendental domain, relating to some-thing or
some-One beyond the human level. The Four Domains Model of Spiritual Health and
Well-Being embraces all extant world-views from the ardently religious to the
atheistic rationalist.
Keywords: spiritual health; spiritual well-being; world-view
1. Brief Introduction
Human spirituality is increasingly being recognized as a real phenomenon and not merely a “mental
illusion” [1,2]. Valid and reliable assessment is needed to extend knowledge about spiritual wellness,
OPEN ACCESS
2. Religions 2011, 2 18
to help diagnose spiritual dis-ease, so that appropriate spiritual care might be provided to restore
spiritual health [3]. This action is not only needed for individuals, but the whole world, for the survival
of the human race [2].
Many and varied attempts at defining spirituality range from religious to humanistic ends of a
spectrum (see Spilka, cited in [4]). „Spirituality‟ and „well-being‟ are both multifaceted constructs that
are described as being elusive in nature [5-7], but this has not prevented people from trying to define
spirituality and well-being, as well as their interrelationship, in the form of spiritual well-being (SWB).
2. Nature of Spirituality
Much debate about the nature of spirituality has occurred for centuries. However, writers have had
difficulty in defining the concept [2,8-10].
Spirituality can mean many things in popular usage, and is often understood differently by different
people. While retaining a certain ambiguity, its current range of application extends from traditional
institutional religion to occult practices. In general, the term appears to denote approaches to
discovering, experiencing, and living out the implications of an authentic human life [11].
Twenty-four separate meanings for the word „spirit‟ are listed in the Oxford English
Dictionary [12]. The general meaning underlying all the uses is that of an animating or vital principle
which gives life, transcending the material and mechanical. It refers to the essential nature of human
beings, their strength of purpose, perception, mental powers, frame of mind. “„Spiritual‟ may refer to
higher moral qualities, with some religious connotations and higher faculties of mind” [13].
Literature on spirituality reveals several points of agreement about its nature, as well as divergent
opinions, which are worth noting:
2.1. Spirituality is innate
Consensus is reported in the literature for spirituality being posited at the heart of human experience
[14], and it being experienced by everyone [15]. Not only is it believed that “each individual has
spiritual needs” [16], but also it is claimed that “human spirituality in a very real sense...unifies the
whole person” and is “an inbuilt feature of the human species that develops from the beginning of an
individual‟s life (or not) depending on [prevailing] conditions” [17]. Spirituality can thus be seen as a
fundamental, vital component of being human.
2.2. Spirituality is emotive
The notion of spirituality is emotive [18]. It touches people's hearts because it deals with the very
essence of being. It is important for people in positions of influence to remember that they cannot be
neutral, or value-free, but must try to be objective in examining the concepts of spirituality and
spiritual health, especially as they relate to young people [19].
2.3. Spirituality and religion
A variety of opinion prevails on the nature of any relationship between spirituality and religion.
Some people equate spirituality with religious activity, or use the words interchangeably
3. Religions 2011, 2 19
(e.g., [20,21]), whereas others believe this assumption is not valid (e.g., [22,23]). Some people discuss
commonalities between spirituality and religion, as well as differences [4]. This is another way of
saying that although spirituality and religiosity are often used interchangeably, they are distinct, if
overlapping, constructs. Three polarizations between views are held by behavioral scientists,
differentiating spirituality and religion [24]. Some people argue that spirituality is subsumed by
religion [4], whereas others see religion as one dimension of spirituality [15]. The view that
“religiosity can but does not necessarily include spirituality” [25], is countered by one that claims,
“Outstanding spiritual leaders developed most religions” [17]. Rather simplistically speaking,
Horsburgh maintains that religion focuses on ideology and rules (of faith and belief systems) [26],
whereas spirituality focuses on experience and relationships which go beyond religion [27]. This
simplistic view is rejected by many [17,28,29]. In a recent study “using a large sample of American
adults, analyses demonstrate that subjective spirituality and tradition-oriented religiousness are
empirically highly independent” [30], suggesting divergence between the two constructs. A close
inspection of the instruments used in this study is warranted to see how much faith can be placed in
the findings.
“A relationship to the sacred or transcendent” [my italics] is included in one definition of
spirituality [28]. Taking this broader view, Seaward asserts that spirituality involves “connection to a
divine source whatever we call it” [2]. But, spirituality does not have to include “God-talk” according
to Jose and Taylor [18]. A number of authors have followed this latter, humanistic line of thinking by
providing attempts at defining secular spirituality as spirituality without any need for a religious/God
component [31,32]. Many Christian writers raise arguments against removing religion and God from
discussions of spirituality (e.g., [33,34]).
Abraham Maslow, reputed by many to be the father of humanistic psychology, and John Dewey, a
founder of the philosophical school of Pragmatism, both consider spirituality to be part of a person‟s
being, therefore, prior to and different from religiosity [35]. Many supporters of the notion of
evolutionary psychology fail to distinguish between “spiritual awareness as a natural phenomenon
[i.e., innate] and religion as a belief system”, which is enculturated through family, education and
community [17].
This kaleidoscope of viewpoints illustrates how people‟s worldviews and beliefs can influence their
understanding of spirituality, a key feature in the model of spiritual health presented later in this paper.
2.4. Is spirituality subjective?
Spirituality has been seen as personal, or subjective, lacking much of the objective nature
considered necessary for its investigation via the scientific method [36]. But, science can neither
affirm nor deny metaphysical issues, such as spirituality [37], any more than it can aesthetics.
Proponents of scientism, those who exalt the scientific method to the unholy status of
"science = truth", tend to dismiss spirituality, claiming it cannot be studied through current scientific
methodology [9]. However, “If we can accept concepts such as self-worth, self-esteem, and
self-actualization, then it should be legitimate to explore...spirituality, for these concepts are equally as
intangible as spirituality” [18] . If the view is taken that the use of the five physical senses and the
empirical way of knowing is the only true science, then much of logic, mathematics, reason and
4. Religions 2011, 2 20
psychology have no place in science. To focus too much on the sensory realm, and, from a spiritual
perspective, to reduce a person to mere matter, is a classic example of mistaking substance for
essence [35].
In order to balance an over-emphasis on the subjectivity of spirituality, Thatcher argued that there is
a “crippling price to pay for misidentification of spirituality as inwardness” and we need to go beyond
the inner search to fully understand spirituality [38].
2.5. Spirituality is dynamic
“The spirit is dynamic. It must be felt before it can be conceptualized” [39]. In keeping with this
view, terms like „spiritual growth‟ and „development‟ are used to express the vibrant nature of
spirituality [36]. A person‟s spiritual health can be perceived to be high or low. If it is static, there is
neither growth nor development, nor spiritual life. The spiritual quest is like being on a journey: If you
think you've arrived, you haven't yet begun, or you are dead.
2.6. Understanding spirituality
Five types of spirituality are believed to exist in the United States, namely “humanistic spirituality”
with focus on human spirit with no claim to a higher power; “unmoored spirituality” focusing on
energy, connection, and nature; and three types of “moored spirituality” based on Eastern religions; or
Western religions with evangelical, or conservative, bases [28]. These five types of spirituality could
just as easily be grouped into the three categories described as “God-oriented, worldly-oriented with
an idolatrous stress on ecology or nature, or humanistic, stressing human potential or achievement”
(Spilka, cited in [3]).
An attempted integration of the divergent views described spirituality as the ancient and abiding
human quest for connectedness with something larger and more trustworthy than our egos—with our
own souls, with one another, with the worlds of history and nature, with the invisible winds of the
spirit, with the mystery of being alive [40].
This definition has many similarities to this author‟s functional definition:
Spirituality is concerned with a person‟s awareness of the existence and experience of inner
feelings and beliefs, which give purpose, meaning and value to life. Spirituality helps individuals to
live at peace with themselves, to love (God and)* their neighbor, and to live in harmony with the
environment. For some, spirituality involves an encounter with God, or transcendent reality, which can
occur in or out of the context of organized religion, whereas for others, it involves no experience or
belief in the supernatural. (NB * These words were placed in parentheses as they will be meaningless
to those people who do not acknowledge a relationship with God.) [41]
Although it must be kept in mind that there can be negative as well as positive expressions of
spirituality [42], the focus of this paper is on positive aspects of spiritual health and well-being.
3. Dimensions of Health
The nature of health needs to be addressed, before investigating the relationship between
spirituality and health. Even in Greek times, educators considered the total health of each individual as
5. Religions 2011, 2 21
having a sound spiritual base [43]. Thus, “for Hippocrates, it is nature which heals, that is to say the
vital force—pneuma (or spirit)—which God gives to man” [44]; whilst „healing‟ may be defined as “a
sense of well-being that is derived from an intensified awareness of wholeness and integration among
all dimensions of one‟s being” [45], which includes the spiritual elements of life.
It has been suggested that there are six separate, but interrelated, dimensions that comprise human
health (e.g., [2,46]). Health involves much more than physical fitness and absence of disease; it
includes the mental and emotional aspects of knowing and feeling; the social dimension that comes
through human interaction; the vocational domain; and, at the heart, or, very essence of being, the
spiritual dimension. It is the spiritual dimension which seems to have greatest impact on overall
personal health [47].
4. Spiritual Health and Well-Being
Ellison suggested that spiritual well-being “arises from an underlying state of spiritual health and is
an expression of it, much like the color of one‟s complexion and pulse rate are expressions of good
[physical] health” [48]. Fehring, Miller and Shaw supported this view by adding, “spiritual well-being
is an indication of individuals‟ quality of life in the spiritual dimension or simply an indication of their
spiritual health” [49].
In the framework definition of spiritual well-being (SWB) proposed by the National Interfaith
Coalition on Aging (NICA), in Washington DC, four main themes appeared as SWB was seen as “the
affirmation of life in a relationship with God, self, community and environment that nurtures and
celebrates wholeness” [50]. Literature reveals that these four sets of relationships are variously
mentioned when discussing spiritual well-being (references across the last three decades include
[48,51-55]). These relationships can be developed into four corresponding domains of human
existence, for the enhancement of spiritual health:
relation with self, in the Personal domain
relation with others, in the Communal domain
relation with the environment, in the Environmental domain, and
relation with transcendent Other, in the Transcendental domain.
Principles of Grounded Theory qualitative research methodology were used to develop detailed
descriptions of these four domains of spiritual health from interviews with 98 educators from 22
secondary schools (State, Catholic and Independent) in Victoria, Australia. Up to five senior staff were
interviewed in each school to elicit their views on the nature of spiritual health and its place in the
school curriculum. Surveys were also collected from 23 Australian experts in fields related to SWB
[41]. The following definition was derived, in which spiritual health is described as:
A, if not the, fundamental dimension of people‟s overall health and well-being, permeating and
integrating all the other dimensions of health (i.e., physical, mental, emotional, social and vocational).
Spiritual health is a dynamic state of being, shown by the extent to which people live in harmony
within relationships in the following domains of spiritual well-being:
Personal domain—wherein one intra-relates with oneself with regards to meaning, purpose and
values in life. Self-awareness is the driving force or transcendent aspect of the human spirit in its
search for identity and self-worth.
6. Religions 2011, 2 22
Communal domain—as shown in the quality and depth of interpersonal relationships, between self
and others, relating to morality, culture and religion. These are expressed in love, forgiveness, trust,
hope and faith in humanity.
Environmental domain—beyond care and nurture for the physical and biological, to a sense of awe
and wonder; for some, the notion of unity with the environment.
Transcendental domain—relationship of self with some-thing or some-One beyond the human level
(i.e., ultimate concern, cosmic force, transcendent reality or God). This involves faith towards,
adoration and worship of, the source of Mystery of the universe [41].
This definition outlines the inter-connective and dynamic nature of spiritual health, in which
internal harmony depends on intentional self-development, coming from congruence between
expressed and experienced meaning, purpose and values in life at the Personal level. This intentional
self-development often eventuates from personal challenges, which go beyond contemplative
meditation, leading to a state of bliss, perceived by some as internal harmony.
Morality, culture and religion are included in the Communal domain of spiritual health, in accord
with Tillich‟s view that the three interpenetrate, constituting a unity of the spirit, but “while each
element is distinguishable, they are not separable” [56]. Tillich adds that separation of religion from
morality and culture yields what is generally called „secular‟. In the work presented here, religion
(with small „r‟) is construed as essentially a human, social activity with a focus on ideology and rules
(of faith and belief systems), as distinct from a relationship with a Transcendent Other such as that
envisioned in the Transcendental domain of spiritual health. It is acknowledged that the ideals of most
religions would embrace relationships with both the horizontal (Communal) and vertical
(Transcendental) aspects, but the two have been separated, for emphasis, in the following model.
5. A Model of Spiritual Health
Table 1 depicts the dynamic interrelationships between the component parts of the definition of
spiritual health given above. Here, each DOMAIN of spiritual health is comprised of two aspects—
knowledge and inspiration. The Knowledge aspect (written in bold type under the heading for each
DOMAIN) provides the cognitive framework that helps one to interpret the Inspirational or
transcendent aspect of spiritual health /well-being (in italics), which is the essence and motivation of
each domain of spiritual health (SH). Here we see the metaphorical „head‟ and „heart‟ working
together, striving for harmony. Once achieved, this harmony is reflected in expressions of well-being,
examples of which are presented at the bottom of each DOMAIN in Table 1.
In this model, people‟s worldviews are seen to filter the knowledge aspects of spiritual health, while
their beliefs filter the inspirational aspects. A key feature of this model is the partially distinct nature
of, yet interrelation between, the „knowledge‟ and „inspirational‟ aspects of each of the four domains
of spiritual well-being.
The quality, or rightness, of the relationship that a person has with themselves, with others, with
nature and/or with God constitutes a person's spiritual well-being in those four domains. An
individual's spiritual health is indicated by the combined effect of spiritual well-being in each of the
domains that are embraced by the individual. Spiritual health is thus enhanced by developing positive
relationships in each domain, and can be increased by embracing more domains.
7. Religions 2011, 2 23
Table 1. Four Domains Model of Spiritual Health and Well-Being.
DOMAINS OF SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING
PERSONAL COMMUNAL ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSCENDENTAL
Knowledge
aspect
- filtered by
world-view
Inspirational
aspect
- essence and
motivation
- filtered by
beliefs
meaning,
purpose, and
values
- human spirit
creates awareness
-self-
consciousness
morality,
culture (and
religion)
- in-depth inter-
personal
relations
- reaching the
heart of
humanity
care, nurture and
stewardship of the
physical, eco- political
and social
environment
connectedness
with
Nature/Creation
Transcendent Other
- ultimate concern
Tillich
- cosmic force
New Age
- God, for
theists
Faith
Expressed as - joy, fulfillment,
- peace, patience,
- freedom,
- humility
- identity,
integrity,
creativity,
intuition
- self-worth
- love
- forgiveness
- justice
- hope & faith in
humanity
- trust
- sense of awe and
wonder
- valuing Nature/
Creation
adoration & worship,
being:
- at one with Creator
- of the essence of the
universe
- in tune with God
The notion of progressive synergism is proposed here to help explain the interrelationship between
the four domains of spiritual well-being. As the levels of spiritual well-being in the domains are
combined, the result is more than the sum of the quality of relationships in the individual domains.
Progressive synergism implies that the more embracing domains of spiritual well-being not only build
on, but also build up, the ones they include.
When relationships are not right, or are absent, we lack wholeness, or health; spiritual disease can
grip our hearts. The quality of relationships in each of the domains will vary over time, or even be
non-existent, depending on circumstances, effort and the personal worldview and beliefs of the person.
Not many people hold the view that they are sole contributors to their own spiritual health
(relationship in the Personal domain only); most at least include relationships with others in their
world-view of spiritual well-being. The notion of progressive synergism implies that development of
the Personal relationships (related to meaning, purpose and values for life) is precursor to, but also
enhanced by, the development of the Communal relationships (of morality, culture and religion).
Ideally, a person‟s unity with the environment builds on, and builds up, their Personal and
Communal relationships. Cultural differences apply here. Many people from Western societies do not
hold the same view of environment as other people groups, for example First Nations people and
adherents to many Eastern religions. Westerners are more likely to have some awareness of
environmental concerns rather than the deep connection or a sense of wonder and oneness with the
environment that is evidenced in some non-Western cultures.
8. Religions 2011, 2 24
The relationship of a person with a Transcendent Other embraces relationships in the other three
domains. For example, from a theistic point of view, a strong faith in God should enhance all the other
relationships for SWB, reflecting Macquarrie‟s assertion, “As persons go out from or beyond
themselves, the spiritual dimension of their lives is deepened, they become more truly themselves and
they grow in likeness to God” (cited in [57]).
People known as Rationalists would be willing to embrace the knowledge aspects of „spiritual‟
well-being, but not the inspirational aspects. These people would hold atheistic or agnostic
worldviews.
Just as spiritual health is a dynamic entity, it is similarly through the challenges of life that the
veracity and viability of a person‟s worldview and beliefs will be tested, together with the quality of
their relationships in the domains of SWB considered to be important. Spiritual health will be
enhanced or emaciated. When we have ways of assessing the current state of a person‟s spiritual
health, as clinician, friend, counselor, parent, or teacher, we have a basis from which to help nurture
relationships appropriately, to enhance our own, and others‟, spiritual well-being.
6. Final Comments
The four domains model of spiritual health and well-being purports to provide a clear conceptual
framework which embraces the diversity of views expressed in discussions of spirituality in the
general populace. SWB is the expression of the underlying state of spiritual health of a person. As
such, spiritual health, spiritual well-being and the composite, spiritual health and well-being, all
encompass the same field of enquiry, namely the quality of relationships people have with themselves
(Personal domain), with others (Communal domain), with the environment (Environmental domain)
and/or with a Transcendent Other (Transcendental domain).
Spiritual well-being should not be confused with positive psychologists‟ notion of psychological
well-being. Although these two aspects of well-being are inter-related, psychological well-being
focuses on headspace (i.e., study of the psyche or mind). The four domains model asserts that spiritual
well-being encompasses the psychological/cognitive, or knowledge, component of each domain, but
goes beyond the head to the very heart or core of a person through in-depth relationships (what is
referred to here as inspiration). For example, a few labels of Ryff‟s Psychological Well-Being
scales [58] bear resemblance to some detail in the 4D Model of SH/WB (spiritual health/well-being),
but there are different emphases in the content of each factor. It is also worth noting that the factorial
validity of Ryff‟s scales has been questioned because of considerable cross-loading of items on a
variety of factors [59-61]. Empirical studies on a spiritual well-being questionnaire, called SHALOM
[62], have provided evidence to support the factorial independence of SWB from personality [63], and
mental, physical and emotional well-being [64]. SHALOM was based on the 4D model of SH/WB.
6.1. Applications of the 4D model to measurement of SH/WB
This 4D model has been employed as the theoretical foundation for a number of empirical studies,
investigating spiritual health and well-being of youth in the U.K. [65], and Australia [66].
Approximately 190 available spirituality and spiritual health and well-being measures were critiqued
against the four domains model [67]. That work showed the extent to which available spiritual
9. Religions 2011, 2 25
well-being questionnaires address the quality of relationships in each of the four domains. Very few
instruments were found to provide a balance of items across the four domains. This four domains
model of SH/WB also provided the base for the development of well-balanced SWB measures, namely
Spiritual Health in Four Domains Index [68], teachers‟ SWB [69], the Spiritual Well-Being
Questionnaire/SHALOM for adolescents and adults [63,70], and Feeling Good, Living Life, a spiritual
well-being questionnaire for primary school children [71]. The model also gave significant structure to
the Quality Of Life Influences Survey, which integrated resilience theory with the four domains model
of SH/WB to assess the level of support that young people gain from home, school, church and the
wider community in nurturing relationships which enhance their SWB [67,72].
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