We know spirituality matters throughout the course of life. Both young and old benefit from spiritual and religious beliefs in so many ways. But we’re always discovering new ways that spirituality can make a difference. For instance, a team of researchers at the University of Notre Dame think it’s about control. In a recent study […]
The Whisper of Wisdom
Wisdom. It can be hard to define. But when you hear it, you know. And when teachers share spiritual wisdom, everyone around them benefits. Spiritual teaching helps the heart, mind, and body in so many ways. In fact, a team of researchers at Calvin College systematically reviewed 75 studies of spirituality and mental health in […]
Ram Dass – Responding to Challenge with Grace
Disease and aging are natural parts of life. We can’t keep our patients free from illness or forever young. But we can help them respond to challenging life events with grace. When Ram Dass, PhD, experienced a life-changing stroke, he focused on the grace his experience brought him. He found kindness from strangers, and used […]
Do Patients Want to Talk about Spirituality?
It’s an important question to ask yourself: do my patients want to talk about their spiritual concerns? A recent study may help shed light on the topic. Farr Curlin, MD and his team at the University of Chicago analyzed data from 3,141 hospitalized patients looking to answer these questions. Patients who had a spiritual conversation […]
Can Spirituality and Medication Work Together?
I never would have imagined that medication and spirituality had anything in common. But a study out of Rush University Medical Center led by chaplain and assistant professor Patricia Murphy, PhD brings new findings that suggest spirituality can act synergistically with medication to produce better patient outcomes. For instance, spirituality may be a key factor […]