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Modern medicine has typically been viewed as separate from religious or spiritual matters. But in recent decades, there’s been a renewed recognition that these topics are important to many people. It can also be important to health. In one example, growing evidence suggests that religion and spirituality can have a measurable impact on the health and quality of life of people diagnosed with cancer.
A person’s spirituality can change and evolve throughout life’s journey. Even if spirituality is an aspect of yourself that you haven’t explored in the past, it’s never too late to do so. Here are some tips on how to get started:
- Reflect — Spirituality is closely linked to self-discovery. When you have quiet time, think about yourself and the path your life has taken. What are the things that have truly mattered? What’s important to you? Many people use prayer, meditation or journaling to help them reflect on their inner lives.
- Allow for struggle — Give yourself permission to wrestle with questions about meaning and existence or to leave them unanswered for a while. Often, that’s how you grow and move toward spiritual wholeness.
- Find beauty — Beauty has a long history of association with transcendence. Natural beauty in particular can inspire awe and reverence. A work of art may effectively capture what words fail to express. Beauty can be found in simple things too, such as a piece of fruit or in the way light shines through a window. When you see something beautiful, let yourself experience it with all of your senses.
- Connect — Sometimes, the most beautiful things in life are your relationships. To love and be loved, to belong and to cherish — these are certainly some of the most transcendent expressions of spirituality. Reach out to those who are important to you. Find ways to enjoy each other’s lives. Commit to comforting and supporting each other, even in the midst of struggle.
- Seek help — Many hospitals have chaplains and counselors who can help you address the psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects of dealing with cancer.
Join the many conversations on mental health, loneliness and accepting old age at our group chat, Aging & Health.
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Reading this piece on Cultivating Spirituality has more significance for me this morning. As many do with the approach of a new year, I also reflect on a past year as I near another birthday. The night before my birthday yesterday, I began jotting down gratitudes that had persevered as a continuing thread throughout my first 76 years. Much of what I listed is referenced in this piece. I hope many other Mayo members read this piece and reflect on the life, gifts and spiritual strengths that have most impacted their lives in a positive way.
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3 ReactionsDuring this social distancing and time at home I find thinking over my 77 yrs. brings so many good experiences, beautiful fun friends, blessings everyday, especially strength and support during tragic, difficult times. Faith has made my life, my family who we are and all we can face and accomplish. BI
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2 ReactionsThis is a good time to go into yourself and see what others see then act on what you need to change . Spirituality is most important to achieve now if you have just been to busy before with life now with the isolation is the time to look into it
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1 ReactionIn cultivating spirituality I particularly liked the aspect of connecting. This morning I finally had a conversation with a neighbor who, I thought, was doing her best to avoid me. It so happened that we met this morning while walking and had a lengthy conversation. I cannot express what that conversation meant to me. Today's experience was so up lifting. It is so true that being connected with others and being accepted are so important to us as humans. Being connected is truly part of our spiritually.
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4 Reactions@0616, What you wrote is so true. What a delightful gift you unexpectedly received on your walk and visit with a neighbor you'd believed was avoiding you. So often we make assumptions, or at least I do, about another that can change in a positive way when we connect. I am happy for and for your neighbor, too!
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