Search Results for: Spirituality

Connect to your inner self and the world around you and enjoy a new sense of peace and happiness. This stunning book will help you along your own spiritual journey, by introducing you to traditions, philosophies and practices which have the power to open your heart and broaden your mind. Along with tips on how to practise spirituality in your everyday life, this book provides the stepping stones to a more fulfilling life.

A former BBC Newsnight journalist and management consultant, Michal Levin’s life changed when she became troubled by an incomprehensible inner disquiet. She left her career and a new – spirit – world opened when she took up meditation. Over a period of months, she began to accept that she was a healer, an intuitive and a teacher. She was even able to diagnose her own near-fatal brain tumour, despite doctors’ dismissals, and so save her life.

Michal encounters many people in her teachings with the same ‘ache’ in their lives. Spiritual Intelligence addresses that increasing number who feel – despite money, success, education, even fame – that there is a missing element. It teaches us how to go on a personal journey – to embrace spirituality, develop intuition and bring it into our everyday lives for ultimate fulfilment.

In SPIRITUAL WISDOM, spiritual teacher Claire Montanaro explains the ancient spiritual truths and how they apply to you and to our world. She teaches you:

* How to achieve peace of mind and heart through spiritual understanding
* The meaning and relevance of the Spiritual Laws, karma, reincarnation, the seven Rays, your soul’s journey, life and death – and much more
* How to contact and work with spiritual guides and discover your place in the divine cosmos
* How to maximise your potential as a spiritual being

Filled with information, advice and easy-to-follow exercises, SPIRITUAL WISDOM is for everyone, whatever their level of understanding and experience. Claire’s is the voice of spiritual reason – her message is intensely profound and yet essentially simple.

Organizing her text into four parts, Schreurs invites the attentive reader to engage the book’s insights on the existential and relational levels. Rich with vignettes, this intriguing work may speak to both believers and nonbelievers… The book, rich with bibliography and endnotes, will prove valuable to graduate students in psychology and theology alike.’

– Theological Studies

‘This clear and engaging book is essential reading for all therapists who feel out of their depth when patients raise spiritual concerns.’

– Religion & Theology

‘Somewhat more practical in its emphasis on integrating the spiritual dimension in therapeutic practice is Agneta Schreurs’ Psychotherapy and Spirituality (Jessica Kingsley). Informed from a Christian theological background and the therapeutic orientation of group analysis this book sets out to study the interface between psychotherapy and spirituality. It focuses on understanding and differentiating the nature of religious/spiritual issues that may arise for people in the present western cultural and historical context of psychotherapy and also considers how these may be approached by the therapist. A number of complex conceptual issues are examined and these are frequently illustrated with vignettes from the therapeutic material. Although restricted in its orientation to the western Christian tradition the book elaborates a wide range of fundamental issues and provides a good starting point for further reading in related fields.

– Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling & Psychotherapy

‘Schreurs presents a variety of vignettes, mostly – but not exclusively – about clinical situations, and invites the reader to explore his or her responses. In the process she reveals the differences, similarities and, most intriguingly, the overlaps between the spiritual and the therapeutic: specifically group analytic paradigms. Such a synthesis is long overdue. This is a book that all mental health practitioners should read.’

– Mental Health

This detailed study of the interface between psychotherapy and spirituality introduces professionally trained psychotherapists and mental health specialists to the subject of spirituality and the influence it may have in a therapeutic context. The majority of psychotherapists receive no formal training in the psychology of religion and many studies report that most psychotherapists either avoid the theme of religion, or handle it with insufficient skill, feeling uncomfortable and ill-equipped to deal with the spiritual concerns of patients. Psychotherapy and Spirituality contributes to the development of professional know-how in the field of spirituality in a straightforward and practical way, avoiding complex doctrinal terminology.

Schreurs focuses primarily on the connections between group analysis and mainstream Christianity, while bearing in mind the wider implications of other therapeutic schools and other spiritual traditions. She presents a range of therapeutic situations, analogies and case-studies in which spiritual concerns may arise, and explores them from a spiritual and a psychological perspective, showing where and how they connect and differ. This clear and engaging book is essential reading for all therapists who feel out of their depth when patients raise spiritual concerns.

Brendan Hyde identifies four characteristics of children’s spirituality: the felt sense, integrating awareness, weaving the threads of meaning, and spiritual questing. These characteristics can be observed in children if those who work with them know what to look for and are alert to the time, place and space in which children find themselves.

This book provides ways in which schoolteachers and parents can nurture and foster these particular characteristics of children’s spirituality. It also considers two factors, material pursuit and trivialising, which may inhibit children’s expression of their spirituality.

Children and Spirituality will be of great interest to educators, policy makers, parents, and others who work with and seek to nurture the spirituality of children.

Spirituality and Ageing presents the experience of ageing as an opportunity for spiritual reflection and affirmation of life. The contributors are religious and spiritual leaders and ethical thinkers from a range of different backgrounds. They define ‘spirituality’ not just as a religious concept but as the fulfilment of the universal human need for purpose, values and relationships – a sense of wholeness in life.

This spiritual dimension helps people face the emotional and psychological challenges of growing older, such as memory loss, dementia, bereavement and fear of death. Existing systems of social care often focus on the material and physical needs of older people; this collection proposes that the spiritual needs of older people are as vital a consideration for their welfare. Through their spirituality, older people can attain a fuller appreciation and understanding of life, which can also inform and enrich the lives of others.Spirituality and Ageing will be an invaluable resource to carers looking for a holistic and more reflective approach to work with older people.

Now available in paperback and from the authors of the bestselling Spiritual Literacy comes “a marvelous guide that translates ‘feeling spiritual’ into ‘being spiritual'” (Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Reinventing Medicine).In their bestselling book Spiritual Literacy, the Brussats introduced an alphabet of spiritual practices, from Attention and Beauty through Imagination and Play. Now, in Spiritual Rx, the Brussats describe the best ways to explore 37 essential practices, including identifying key teachers, recommending books to read, art works and videos to view, tapes to hear, plus much much more.

In Everything is Spiritual, the author Rob Bell explores how ideas about creation, love and connection shaped him and how they shape every one of us. Bell observes that more than anything, people want to understand their purpose here on earth. And when you embrace who and where you come from, including your wounds, your pains and your regrets, you will discover that lurking there in the mess of life is an invitation to expand – just as the universe has been expanding for 13 billion years.

Written in a lyrical, almost stream of consciousness style this wide-ranging book shares stories from Bell’s life to illuminate lessons about the world around you to help you find purpose, meaning and connection.

‘Rob Bell might have left the church, but he will always be my minister – in the purest and most uncorrupted sense of that word. Nobody else can take ancient teachings and modern science, and blend them together into wisdom that makes sense to me, and heals me. Rob’s unorthodox and bold thinking stirs my intellect, comforts my heart and makes me believe that – within all the frightening chaos of the unknowable universe – I still have a sacred place. His work is a sacred gift to a troubled world.’ – Elizabeth Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Big Magic

The author of the international bestseller Shantaram takes us on a gripping personal journey of wonder and insight into science, belief, faith and devotion. Drawing on sacred traditions, rigorous logic and the six-year instruction of his spiritual teacher, Roberts describes the step-by-step process he followed in search of spiritual connection – a process that anyone, of any belief or none, can benefit from in their own lives. This gripping personal account of the ‘Leap Of Faith’ is a compellingly fresh addition to such enduring, spiritually inspiring works as Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, The Road Less Travelled and The Celestine Prophecy. As Roberts writes, ‘The Spiritual Path is a book on spiritual matters that my younger self wanted desperately: one that offers more answers than questions, and helps to reset the spiritual compass.’

Spirituality is increasingly accepted as integral to human psychology, vital for physical and mental health.

The Psychology of Spirituality is an accessible book that introduces the relationship between spirituality and psychology. The author sets out what spirituality is, the values it represents and how it can contribute to mental health and wellbeing. He then illustrates how knowledge of spirituality can provide a deeper understanding of people’s problems and can help them develop resilience and aid recovery. With reference to a new holistic or ‘psycho-spiritual’ paradigm, the book then covers stages of spiritual development: from having natural spiritual awareness in early childhood to the waning of interest in later childhood; largely conforming to group mentality in adolescence before discovering individuality; and then the final journey towards full personal and emotional maturity. Finally, the author outlines practical advice on how to explore and make use of spirituality, covering a range of spiritual skills and practices, including meditation and contemplation. Each chapter includes case examples and exercises to explore the ideas covered.

This book will be compelling reading for psychologists, psychiatrists, chaplains, healthcare professionals, students, and anyone wanting to understand better the role of spirituality and psychology in the lives of all.

Olga Bogdashina argues persuasively that, contrary to popular belief, spirituality plays a vital role in the lives of many people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Drawing on interdisciplinary research from fields as diverse as psychology, philosophy, anthropology, linguistics, neuroscience and religion, as well as first-hand experiences of people on the spectrum, she shows how people with ASD experience their inner worlds and sense of self, and how this shapes the spiritual dimension of their lives and vice versa. She presents a coherent framework for understanding the routes of spiritual development and ‘spiritual giftedness’ within this group, offering insights that will inform understanding of how to support and nurture spiritual wellbeing in people with ASDs.

This book gives a voice to both verbal and non-verbal individuals on the autism spectrum whose spiritual experiences, though often unconventional, are meaningful and profound. It is essential reading for all those interested in the spiritual wellbeing of this group, including pastoral carers and counsellors, ministers of religion, spiritual leaders, parents and carers and individuals on the autism spectrum.

I’ve had my fill of superficial religiosity. But deep religion, authentic, naked spirituality – that’s what I’m thirsty for, and so, I think, are you.

In our busy lives we often sideline prayer and spiritual practice, or wrap the subject up in a tangle of guilt-driven showmanship and ‘self-motivation’. Stripping away the jargon that we can often get caught up in, NAKED SPIRITUALITY presents the core concepts of prayer in a fresh and accessible way.

Brian D. McLaren has spent years working with these concepts in his own life and shares candidly his own experiences and insights as well as challenge in this very applicable book.

Using twelve words as a structure, he shows how we can connect with God in practical, doable and durable ways, and use that connection to serve others.

THE SPIRITUAL HEALING HANDBOOK is the ideal companion to Jack Angelo’s bestselling instructional book Your Healing Power. Drawing on their healing work and teaching experiences, Jack and Jan Angelo provide much-needed, step-by-step advice and guidance on the spiritual aspect of healing.

* Explains the basics of spiritual healing * Provides step-by-step exercises to help you to develop more powerful and rewarding healing techniques * Gives guidance on how breathing, meditation, the etheric body, chakras, intuition and psychic awareness will help you channel healing energies * Includes advice on self-healing and working as a healer.

Based on the extensive experience of two highly regarded healers and teachers, THE SPIRITUAL HEALING HANDBOOK will help you to achieve a new level of insight and understanding.

Publishing on the 50th anniversary of the opening of St Christopher’s Hospice – widely thought of to be the first modern hospice, combining pain and symptom management with education and training – this edited collection discusses what motivates professionals and volunteers to provide spiritual care. This book shows how the world of hospice care is moving on from Cicely Saunder’s, founder of St Christopher’s Hospice, legacy to providing spiritual care in a more integrated manner.

With entries from doctors, nurses and CEOs among others, this book informs good practice for professionals and volunteers providing spiritual care for patients and their families. It looks at how, for many of these professionals, spirituality does not have to be grounded in organised religion, but stems from understanding and providing for our human needs.

The spiritual factors associated with healing are increasingly being acknowledged by modern medicine. Our definition of what constitutes health has expanded beyond the purely medical, yet the delivery of modern medicine to the patient often fails to take this into account. Doctors, anthropologists, psychologists and sociologists have all written on the subject, but thus far the literature has been fragmented between the disciplines.

David Aldridge presents the first unified approach to the subject. In Spirituality, Healing and Medicine he evaluates the existing literature from across the disciplines to ascertain just how effective and influential spiritual healing may be on the patient’s physical and psychological well-being. He encourages us to redefine treatment strategies and the ways in which we understand health, and argues that the spiritual elements of experience help the patient to find purpose, meaning and hope in the face of sickness. It is in the understanding of suffering and the need for deliverance from it, he suggests, that the traditions and aims of medicine and spirituality meet.

This book takes an in-depth look at spirituality and its continual expression in children, to support those working with children in developing their own perceptions and interaction with them.

The authors outline exactly what is understood by contemporary spirituality, and discuss the importance of context in a consideration of spirituality. They explore key issues in understanding children’s spirituality under three broad headings: children’s voices – how they are often lost in the context of spirituality and what the implications of that loss are; children’s worlds – how children draw on the spiritual as a means of addressing notions of meaning and value in life; and children’s lives – how context shapes the spiritual dimension.

Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives, this accessible book will enrich the working practices of educators and other professionals who work with children, and will also be of interest to parents and anyone interested in children’s spirituality.

This collection examines theological and ethical issues of ageing, disability and spirituality, with an emphasis on how ageing affects people who have mental health and developmental disabilities.

The book presents ways of moving towards more effective relationships between carers and older people with disabilities; ways in which to connect compassionately and beneficially with the person’s spiritual dimension. The contributors highlight the importance of recognizing the personhood of all people regardless of age and of disability, whatever form it takes. They identify factors inherent in personhood and provide ways of affirming and promoting spiritual well-being for older people with disabilities.

Valuable reading for practitioners in aged care, healthcare, chaplaincy, social and pastoral care, and diversional therapists, this book will also be of interest to older people, their families and friends.

Defining spirituality as ‘the spirit with which we confront concrete reality’, this is the first book to focus on the spirituality of people with autism spectrum disorders. Drawing on verbal and non-verbal narratives, Abe Isanon explores the individual’s struggle to come to terms with his or her humanity, as well as the spirituality of those who can neither reflect upon, nor express, their own life experiences, and how this affects both them and their carers.

This thought-provoking account will inspire all those who live and work with autism to strive for a better understanding of the spiritual nature of autism.

The book includes chapters on ethics, religion and spirituality; the community of care; fit for purpose; values, virtues and the patient, and challenging faith. This is a welcome addition for the practitioners and those training in human services.’

– Nursing Standard

Spirituality, Ethics and Care provides guidance on how to integrate spirituality and ethics in professional and voluntary care.

The author argues that the strong connections between moral meaning and spirituality are often not reflected in the health and social care literature. Using case studies and examples from everyday situations, such as end of life decisions, conjoined twins, heart conditions, social work, mental health and emergency care practice, the author provides a practical framework for incorporating spirituality into ethical decision-making and care.

This book will encourage and inspire social workers, healthcare professionals and church pastoral practitioners.

This comprehensive and much-needed resource is for professionals and students in social care, who are required to engage with the spiritual dimension of their therapeutic work with clients. The authors, who include social workers, mental health professionals, religious professionals and academics, show how they have developed ways of applying their own and their clients’ spirituality in their practice. They describe their work in an international range of human service contexts including:

* working with grief and loss

* community development work

* working across cultures

* social justice work

* social work teaching and learning.

The client groups they cover include children, older people, individuals with learning disabilities, and ethnic minority and indigenous groups. Drawing on theological and philosophical ideas from different cultures, this much-needed resource gives guidance on and examples of practice that together enable the reader to explore and develop the role of spiritual awareness in their work. It is an essential resource for all those training or practising in social work, mental health, pastoral care and counselling.

The contributors, who each work with spiritual issues, either explicitly as spiritual directors or accompaniers, or as an implicit part of their therapeutic work, offer a psychologically-informed approach to Spiritual Accompaniment and Direction, and to working with others on a spiritual level more generally. They explore what it means to be attuned to the spiritual process of another, discuss what makes an effective relationship in Spiritual Accompaniment and counselling, and consider how best to work with spiritual crisis, spiritual abuse, and pain. The unconscious process informing the work, forgiveness, changing spiritual needs over the life-span, and models of supervision that can inform the practice of Spiritual Accompaniment are also explored. A case study is presented, providing psychological and theological insights into the accompaniment process.

Grounded in work with the spiritual dimension of others and aspiring to improve encounters at a spiritual level, this concise book has important implications for the practice of counsellors, psychotherapists, and spiritual accompaniers and directors.

Connect to your inner self and the world around you with this uplifting pocket guide. Filled with inspiring quotes, insights into a wide range of philosophies and useful tips on how to practise spirituality in your everyday life, this little book will help you along your own spiritual journey and instil within you a sense of peace and happiness.

‘Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins.’
Jim Rohn
To be spiritual is to connect, through heart and mind, with something greater than oneself – and this can take many forms, from simple actions to deep meditations.
This little book offers inspirational quotes, insights into philosophies and practices, and suggestions to help you enrich your own spiritual journey.