Neurobiology of Spirituality

Spiritual practices have been proposed to have many beneficial effects on one’s mental health. “The role of spirituality as a resource for finding meaning and hope in suffering has also been identified as a key component in the process of psychological recovery. Most studies have shown that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes, including greater longevity, coping skills and health-related quality of life (even during terminal illness) and less anxiety, depression and suicide. Several studies have shown that addressing the spiritual needs of the patient may enhance recovery from illness. Spirituality is defined as that relating to or consisting of or having the nature of spirit. The nature of spirit is intangible or immaterial. The English word ‘spirit’ comes from the Latin ‘spiritus’ meaning breath. The spiritual realm deals with the perceived eternal realities regarding man's ultimate nature, in contrast to what is temporal or worldly. Spirituality involves as its central tenet a connection to something greater than oneself, which includes an emotional experience of religious awe and reverence. Spirituality is therefore an individual's experience of and relationship with a fundamental, nonmaterial aspect of the universe that may be referred to in many ways – God, Higher Power, the Force, Mystery and the Transcendent and forms the way by which an individual finds meaning and relates to life, the universe and everything.   Read article