Awe and transcendence

ثُمَّ قَسَتۡ قُلُوبُكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِيَ كَٱلۡحِجَارَةِ أَوۡ أَشَدُّ قَسۡوَةࣰۚ وَإِنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنۡهُ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۚ وَإِنَّ مِنۡهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهُ ٱلۡمَآءُۚ وَإِنَّ مِنۡهَا لَمَا يَهۡبِطُ مِنۡ خَشۡيَةِ ٱللَّهِۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ

Even after that, your hearts became as hard as rocks, or even harder, for there are rocks from which streams spring out, and some from which water comes when they split open, and others which fall down in awe of God: He is not unaware of what you do

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنۡ خَشۡيَةِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ

Those who stand in awe of their Lord

لَوۡ أَنزَلۡنَا هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلࣲ لَّرَأَيۡتَهُۥ خَٰشِعࣰ ا مُّتَصَدِّعࣰ ا مِّنۡ خَشۡيَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡأَمۡثَٰلُ نَضۡرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

If We had sent this Quran down to a mountain, you [Prophet] would have seen it humbled and split apart in its awe of God: We offer people such illustrations so that they may reflect

وَلَمَّا سَكَتَ عَن مُّوسَى ٱلۡغَضَبُ أَخَذَ ٱلۡأَلۡوَاحَۖ وَفِي نُسۡخَتِهَا هُدࣰ ى وَرَحۡمَةࣱ لِّلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِرَبِّهِمۡ يَرۡهَبُونَ

When Moses’ anger abated, he picked up the Tablets, on which were inscribed guidance and mercy for those who stood in awe of their Lord

وَٱذۡكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفۡسِكَ تَضَرُّعࣰ ا وَخِيفَةࣰ وَدُونَ ٱلۡجَهۡرِ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡأٓصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡغَٰفِلِينَ

[Prophet], remember your Lord inwardly, in all humility and awe, without raising your voice, in the mornings and in the evenings- do not be one of the heedless

إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُهُۥ زَادَتۡهُمۡ إِيمَٰنࣰ ا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

true believers are those whose hearts tremble with awe when God is mentioned, whose faith increases when His revelations are recited to them, who put their trust in their Lord

Then your hearts became hardened after that, so they were like stones or even harder. And there are stones from which rivers come gushing, and among them are those that split and water comes forth from them, and among them are those that fall down in fear of God. In the case of the ignorant, the hardening of the heart is unkindness, lack of mercy, and distance from the path of the Real. In the case of the recognizers, the purifiers, and the limpid, hardening is the strength of the heart, the state of stability, the perfection of knowledge, and the state of limpid- ness. Abū Bakr used to show it from himself. Whenever he saw that someone was weeping and twisting in himself because of listening to the Qur'an, he would say, “I was like that until the hearts became hardened.” This hardening is an allusion to the perfection of the state of the recognizers and the majesty of the level of the s

Surely those who tremble in fear of their Lord… it is they who hurry to good deeds. When an intelligent man ponders the meaning of these verses, he will come to know that the obedi- ent are more fearful in their obedience than the disobedient are fearful in their disobedience. Just as the disobedient need His curtaining, so also the obedient need His curtaining. The Real says, “And repent all together to God, O you who have faith! [24:31]. O faithful, you who are obedient and you who are disobedient! All of you return to Our threshold with the attribute of pleading! In the state of poverty and brokenness ask for Our forgiveness, so that We may cover you with the curtain of Our mercy.” I wonder at the empty-headed Qur'an-reciter who makes two cycles of prayer at night and the next day knits the knot of self-seeing on his brow and places the favor of his own being on heaven and earth. All

Then your hearts became hardened O you Jews they your hearts became stiffened against acceptance of the truth thereafter that is after what is mentioned of the bringing back to life of the slain man and the other signs before this; and they are like stones in their hardness or even yet harder than these; for there are stones from which rivers come gushing and others split yashshaqqaq the initial tā’ of the root-form yatashaqqaq has been assimilated with the shīn so that water issues from them; and others come down from on high in fear of God while your hearts are unmoved unstirred and not humbled; And God is not heedless of what you do but instead He gives you respite until your time comes ta‘malūna ‘you do’ a variant reading has ya‘malūna ‘they do’ indicating a shift to the third person address.

Surely those who for fear of their Lord are apprehensive are fearful of His chastisement

Had We sent down this Qur’ān upon a mountain and had it the mountain been endowed with a faculty of discernment like man you would have surely seen it humbled rent asunder by the fear of God. And such similitudes as those mentioned — do We strike for mankind that perhaps they may reflect and so become believers.

Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rent asunder by the fear of Allah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect (21)He is Allah, beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa, the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (22)He is Allah, beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa, Al-Malik, Al-Quddus, As-Salam, Al-Mu'min, Al-Muhaymin, Al-'Aziz, Al-Jabbar, Al-Mutakabbir. Glory be to Allah! Above all that they associate as partners with Him (23)He is Allah, Al-Khaliq, Al-Bari, Al-Musawwir. To Him belong the Best Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise (24) Asserting the Greatness of the Qur'an Allah the Exalted emphasizes the greatness of the Qur'an, its high status and of being worthy of making hearts humble and rent asunder

حَدَّثَنَا هَدَّابُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيِّ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ، فُضَيْلُ بْنُ حُسَيْنٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا التَّيْمِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ قُمْتُ عَلَى بَابِ الْجَنَّةِ فَإِذَا عَامَّةُ مَنْ دَخَلَهَا الْمَسَاكِينُ وَإِذَا أَصْحَابُ الْجَدِّ مَحْبُوسُونَ إِلاَّ أَصْحَابَ النَّارِ فَقَدْ أُمِرَ بِهِمْ إِلَى النَّارِ وَقُمْتُ عَلَى بَابِ النَّارِ فَإِذَا عَامَّةُ مَنْ دَخَلَهَا النِّسَاءُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Usama b. Zaid reported that Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) said:I stood at the door of Paradise and I found that the overwhelming majority of those who entered therein was that of poor persons and the wealthy persons were detained to get into that. The denizens of Hell were commanded to get into Hell, and I stood upon the door of Fire and the majority amongst them who entered there was that of women

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، سَمِعَ أَبَا رَجَاءٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ ‏.‏

This hadith is narrated likewise through another chain of transmitters

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ جَامِعِ بْنِ شَدَّادٍ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ مُحْرِزٍ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ جَاءَ نَفَرٌ مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا بَنِي تَمِيمٍ، أَبْشِرُوا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا بَشَّرْتَنَا فَأَعْطِنَا‏.‏ فَتَغَيَّرَ وَجْهُهُ، فَجَاءَهُ أَهْلُ الْيَمَنِ، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا أَهْلَ الْيَمَنِ، اقْبَلُوا الْبُشْرَى إِذْ لَمْ يَقْبَلْهَا بَنُو تَمِيمٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا قَبِلْنَا‏.‏ فَأَخَذَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُحَدِّثُ بَدْءَ الْخَلْقِ وَالْعَرْشِ، فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا عِمْرَانُ، رَاحِلَتُكَ تَفَلَّتَتْ، لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَقُمْ‏.‏

Narrated `Imran bin Husain:Some people of Bani Tamim came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said (to them), "O Bani Tamim! rejoice with glad tidings." They said, "You have given us glad tidings, now give us something." On hearing that the color of his face changed then the people of Yemen came to him and he said, "O people of Yemen ! Accept the good tidings, as Bani Tamim has refused them." The Yemenites said, "We accept them. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) started taking about the beginning of creation and about Allah's Throne. In the mean time a man came saying, "O `Imran! Your she-camel has run away!'' (I got up and went away), but I wish I had not left that place (for I missed what Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said

وَرَوَى عِيسَى، عَنْ رَقَبَةَ، عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ طَارِقِ بْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ قَامَ فِينَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَقَامًا، فَأَخْبَرَنَا عَنْ بَدْءِ الْخَلْقِ حَتَّى دَخَلَ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ مَنَازِلَهُمْ، وَأَهْلُ النَّارِ مَنَازِلَهُمْ، حَفِظَ ذَلِكَ مَنْ حَفِظَهُ، وَنَسِيَهُ مَنْ نَسِيَهُ‏.‏

Narrated 'Umar:One day the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up amongst us for a long period and informed us about the beginning of creation (and talked about everything in detail) till he mentioned how the people of Paradise will enter their places and the people of Hell will enter their places. Some remembered what he had said, and some forgot it

حَدَّثَنَا الْمَكِّيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ـ هُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي هِنْدٍ ـ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ عَبَّاسٌ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ‏.‏

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: health and free time

حَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْمِقْدَامِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفُضَيْلُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَازِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَهْلُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيُّ، كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْخَنْدَقِ وَهْوَ يَحْفِرُ وَنَحْنُ نَنْقُلُ التُّرَابَ وَيَمُرُّ بِنَا فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ اللَّهُمَّ لاَ عَيْشَ إِلاَّ عَيْشُ الآخِرَهْ، فَاغْفِرْ لِلأَنْصَارِ وَالْمُهَاجِرَهْ ‏"‏‏.‏ تَابَعَهُ سَهْلُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ‏.‏

Narrated Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa`idi:We were in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in (the battle of) Al-Khandaq, and he was digging the trench while we were carrying the earth away. He looked at us and said, "O Allah! There is no life worth living except the life of the Hereafter, so (please) forgive the Ansar and the Emigrants

ومن فهم ذلك فجدير بأن يكون حاله الخشية والحزن ولذلك قال الحسن والله ما أصبح اليوم عبد يتلو القرآن يؤمن به إلا كثر حزنه وقل فرحه وكثر بكاؤه وقل ضحكه وكثر نصبه وشغله وقلت راحته وبطالته

وقال بعضهم إنما العلم الخشية لقوله تعالى إنما يخشى الله من عباده العلماء وكأنه أشار إلى أخص ثمرات العلم

فإن الخشية ثمرة العلم فتكون كالمجاز لغير تلك الغريزة ولكن ليس الغرض البحث عن اللغة

فالطمأنينة والاقشعرار والخشية ولين القلب كل ذلك وجد

والإنابة جامعة لمقام المحبة والخشية لا يكون العبد منيبا إلا باجتماعهما

ومقام المراقبة جامع للمعرفة مع الخشية فبحسبهما يصح مقام المراقبة

App-based mindfulness training supported eudaimonic wellbeing during the COVID19 pandemic.: A randomized-controlled-trial study (N = 219) tested two pre-registered hypotheses that mobile-phone app-based mindfulness training improves wellbeing and increases self-transcendent emotions: gratitude, self-compassion, and awe. Latent change score modeling with a robust maximum likelihood estimator was used to test how those changes are associated in the training versus the waiting-list group. The training increased wellbeing and all self-transcendent emotions regardless of interindividual var

Self-transcendence among adults 65 years and older: A meta-analysis.: Introduction: Self-transcendence is a human capacity for wellbeing by expanding one's personal boundaries and may act as a health-promoting resource among adults ≥65 years. Therefore, the objectives of this meta-analysis were to determine the mean score of self-transcendence based on place of residence and gender, and to evaluate the correlations of self-transcendence with meaning, sense of coherence, resilience and depression. Methods: Based on inclusion criteria, 13 studies were included. Orwi

Correlates of post-traumatic stress symptoms and growth in cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.: Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the relationships among demographic, medical, and psychosocial factors and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) in oncology populations. Method: A systematic search identified k = 116 relevant studies published between 1990 and 2012. Meta-analyses synthesized results from studies that reported data on correlates of PTSS (k = 26) or PTG (k = 48). A meta-analysis was performed for k = 5 studies reporting the correlatio

Systematic Literature Review of the Impact of Islamic Psychotherapy on Adolescent Spiritual Well-Being.: Islamic psychotherapy has been widely utilized in various fields, particularly in psychology, focusing on aspects of aqidah, worship, and morality, which can significantly contribute to individuals' spiritual well-being. Despite the abundance of studies on Islamic psychotherapy, systematic literature reviews on this topic remain scarce. This article aims to review the literature on the impact of Islamic psychotherapy on adolescent spiritual well-being. A qualitative research methodology was empl

Experimental elicitations of awe: a meta-analysis.: A meta-analytic review of studies that experimentally elicited awe and compared the emotion to other conditions (84; 487 effects; 17,801 participants) examined the degree to which experimentally elicited awe (1) affects outcomes relative to other positive emotions (2) affects experience, judgment, behaviour, and physiology, and (3) differs in its effects if the awe state was elicited through positive or threatening contexts. The efficacy of methods that have been used to experimentally elicit aw

Religiosity and spirituality in the prevention and management of depression and anxiety in young people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.: Historically, religion has had a central role in shaping the psychosocial and moral development of young people. While religiosity and spirituality have been linked to positive mental health outcomes in adults, their role during the developmental context of adolescence, and the mechanisms through which such beliefs might operate, is less well understood. Moreover, there is some evidence that negative aspects of religiosity are associated with poor mental health outcomes. Guided by lived experien

Wholeness of healing: an innovative Student-Selected Component introducing United Kingdom medical students to the spiritual dimension in healthcare.

Objective: This Student Selected Component (SSC) was designed to equip United Kingdom (UK) medical students to engage in whole-person care. The aim was to explore students' reactions to experiences provided, and consider potential benefits for future clinical practice. Methods: The SSC was delivered in the workplace. Active learning was encouraged through facilitated discussion with and observation of clinicians, the palliative team, counselling services, hospital chaplaincy and healing ministries; sharing of medical histories by patients; and training in therapeutic communication. Assessment involved reflective journals, literature appraisal, and role-play simulation of the doctor-patient consultation. Module impact was evaluated by analysis of student coursework and a questionnaire. Results: Students agreed that the content was stimulating, relevant, and enjoyable and that learning out…

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Quality of life, subjective well-being, and religiosity in Muslim college students.

Background: The majority of published research in quality of life (QOL), subjective well-being (SWB), and religiosity has been carried out on Western populations. The objective of this study was to explore the associations between QOL, SWB, and religiosity in an Arabic, Muslim, and understudied sample. Methods: A convenience sample of 224 Kuwait University undergraduates was recruited. Their ages ranged from 18 to 28 years. The Arabic version of the World Health Organization QOL scale-Brief (WHOQOL-Bref), along with six self-rating scales of physical health, mental health, happiness, satisfaction with life, religiosity, and strength of religious belief were used. The test-retest reliabilities of all the scales ranged between 0.72 and 0.88, indicating good temporal stability. All the correlations of the scales with criteria were significant and ranged from 0.39 to 0.65 indicating from acc…

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Creating a curtain of protection: nurses' experiences of grief following patient death.

Purpose: To describe the lived experience of nurses surrounding the death of their patients. Design: A qualitative phenomenologic approach was used for the interview and analysis framework. Methods to ensure trustworthiness and rigor were incorporated into the design. Methods: Using semistructured interviews and phenomenologic concepts, the investigators interviewed 11 registered nurses where data was analyzed using methods of Heideggerian hermeneutical analysis and van Manen's progression of reflection, description, writing, and rewriting. Findings: Four themes were identified: (a) Reciprocal relationship transcends professional relationship; (b) initial patient death events are formative; (c) nurses' coping responses incorporate spiritual worldviews and caring rituals; and (d) remaining "professional" requires compartmentalizing of experience. Conclusions: Nurses create a curtain of pr…

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End-of-life care preferences and needs: perceptions of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background and objectives: Despite high mortality rates, surprisingly little research has been done to study chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients' preferences for end-of-life care. The objective of this study was to evaluate end-of-life care preferences of CKD patients to help identify gaps between current end-of-life care practice and patients' preferences and to help prioritize and guide future innovation in end-of-life care policy. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: A total of 584 stage 4 and stage 5 CKD patients were surveyed as they presented to dialysis, transplantation, or predialysis clinics in a Canadian, university-based renal program between January and April 2008. Results: Participants reported relying on the nephrology staff for extensive end-of- life care needs not currently systematically integrated into their renal care, such as pain and symptom management, a…

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A prospective study of religion/spirituality and depressive symptoms among adolescent psychiatric patients.

Objective: Previous research has uncovered relationships between religion/spirituality and depressive disorders. Proposed mechanisms through which religion may impact depression include decreased substance use and enhanced social support. Little investigation of these topics has occurred with adolescent psychiatric patients, among whom depression, substance use, and social dysfunction are common. Method: 145 subjects, aged 12-18, from two psychiatric outpatient clinics completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the Fetzer multidimensional survey of religion/spirituality, and inventories of substance abuse and perceived social support. Measures were completed again six months later. Longitudinal and cross-sectional relationships between depression and religion were examined, controlling for substance abuse and social support. Results: Of thirteen religious/spiritual characterist…

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Pathways to distress: the multiple determinants of depression, hopelessness, and the desire for hastened death in metastatic cancer patients.

We tested a model in which psychosocial and disease-related variables act as multiple protective and risk factors for psychological distress in patients with metastatic cancer. We hypothesized that depression and hopelessness constitute common pathways of distress, which mediate the effects of psychosocial and disease-related factors on the desire for hastened death. This model was tested on a cross-sectional sample of 406 patients with metastatic gastrointestinal or lung cancer recruited at outpatient clinics of a Toronto cancer hospital, using structural equation modeling. The results supported the model. High disease burden, insecure attachment, low self-esteem, and younger age were risk factors for depression. Low spiritual well-being was a risk factor for hopelessness. Depression and hopelessness were found to be mutually reinforcing, but distinct constructs. Both depression and hop…

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Preparing family caregivers for death and bereavement. Insights from caregivers of terminally ill patients.

Many family caregivers are unprepared for the death of their loved one and may suffer from worse mental health as a result. We therefore sought to determine the factors that family caregivers believe are important to preparing for death and bereavement. Focus groups and ethnographic interviews were conducted with 33 family caregivers (bereaved or current) of terminally ill patients. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Life experiences such as the duration of caregiving/illness, advance care planning, previous experiences with caregiving or death, and medical sophistication all impacted preparedness, or the degree to which a caregiver is ready for the death and bereavement. Regardless of life experiences, however, all caregivers reported medical, practical, psychosocial, and religious/spiritual uncertainty. Because uncertainty w…

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The benefits of prayer on mood and well-being of breast cancer survivors.

Objectives: Prayer is becoming more widely acknowledged as a way to cope with cancer. The goal of this study was to compare differences in use of prayer between breast cancer survivors from different ethnic groups and examine how use of prayer is related to mood and quality of life. Methods: This study used a mixed methods design. One hundred and seventy-five breast cancer survivors participated in a longitudinal study of survivorship. Women completed in-depth qualitative interviews and a battery of measures including quality of life, spirituality, social support, and mood. Results: Eighty-one percent of the women prayed. There were no significant differences between the groups for any of the psychological, social support, or quality of life variables with the exception of higher benefit finding and spiritual well-being among those who prayed. The data did show that women who prayed were…

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An examination of the relationship between multiple dimensions of religiosity, blood pressure, and hypertension.

Researchers have established the role of heredity and lifestyle in the occurrence of hypertension, but the potential role of psychosocial factors, especially religiosity, is less understood. This paper analyzes the relationship between multiple dimensions of religiosity and systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and hypertension using data taken from the Chicago Community Adult Health Study, a probability sample of adults (N=3105) aged 18 and over living in the city of Chicago, USA. Of the primary religiosity variables examined here, attendance and public participation were not significantly related to the outcomes. Prayer was associated with an increased likelihood of hypertension, and spirituality was associated with increased diastolic blood pressure. The addition of several other religiosity variables to the models did not appear to affect these findings. However, variabl…

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Mental health, treatment preferences, advance care planning, location, and quality of death in advanced cancer patients with dependent children.

Background: Clinicians observe that advanced cancer patients with dependent children agonize over the impact their death will have on their children. The objective of this study was to determine empirically whether advanced cancer patients with and without dependent children differ in treatment preferences, mental health, and end-of-life (EOL) outcomes. Methods: Coping with Cancer is a National Cancer Institute/National Institute of Mental Health-funded, multi-institutional, prospective cohort study of 668 patients with advanced cancer. Patients with and without dependent children were compared on rates of psychiatric disorders, advance care planning (ACP), EOL care, quality of their last week of life, and location of death. Results: In adjusted analyses, patients with advanced cancer who had dependent children were more likely to meet panic disorder criteria (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], …

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Religious beliefs, social support, self-efficacy and adjustment to cancer.

Purpose: Religious beliefs have received relatively little attention in research on coping with cancer. In this study, the relationship of religious beliefs and perceived social support with adjustment to cancer was studied in a coping model that included self-efficacy for coping as a mediator. Of particular interest was the relationship between religious beliefs and social support. Method: Data were collected from 164 in-treatment cancer patients. They completed measures of religious beliefs, social support, physical functioning, self-efficacy for coping, and adjustment. A model comparison approach was used to assess the fit of models that included or excluded the contribution of religious beliefs while testing the relationship between religious beliefs and social support. Results: Religious beliefs were more strongly connected to perceived social support than with other constructs. Imp…

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Relationships among spiritual beliefs, religious practises, congregational support and health for individuals with traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To determine relationships among spiritual beliefs, religious practises, congregational support and health for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: A cross-sectional analysis of 61 individuals with TBI evaluated in an outpatient clinic using the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) and the Medical Outcomes Scale-Short Form 36 (SF-36). Results: For persons with TBI the BMMRS Meaning and Values/Beliefs sub-scales were significantly correlated with the SF-36 General Health Perception sub-scale and the BMMRS Religious Support sub-scale was significantly correlated with the SF-36 General Mental Health sub-scale. Hierarchical regressions indicated that the BMMRS Values/Beliefs and Forgiveness sub-scales accounted for 16% additional variance in SF-36 General Health Perception scores beyond that accounted for by demographic variables (…

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Re-conceptualizing the factor structure of the brief multidimensional measure of religiousness/spirituality.

Rationale: This study attempted to differentiate statistically the spiritual and religious factors of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS), which was developed based on theoretical conceptualizations that have yet to be adequately empirically validated in a population with significant health disorders. Participants: One hundred sixty-four individuals with heterogeneous medical conditions [i.e., brain injury, spinal cord injury (SCI), cancer, stroke, primary care conditions]. Methods: Participants completed the BMMRS as part of a pilot study on spirituality, religion, and physical and mental health. Results: A principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization identified a six-factor solution (opposed to the expected 8-factor solution) accounting for 60% of the variance in scores, labeled as: (1) Positive Spiritual Exper…

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Religiousness/spirituality and health behaviors in younger adult cancer survivors: does faith promote a healthier lifestyle?

Positive health behaviors are crucial to cancer survivors' well-being, yet little is known about the personal factors that may facilitate positive health behaviors. The current study focuses on the association of religion/spirituality (R/S) and health behaviors, examining links between health behaviors and religious attendance, daily spiritual experiences, and religious struggle in a sample of 167 younger adult survivors of a variety of cancers. The extent to which positive affect (self-assurance) and negative affect (guilt/shame) mediate these links was also investigated. Results revealed that religious attendance had little impact on health behaviors, but that daily spiritual experiences were related to greater performance of health behaviors,while religious struggle was related to less. Self-assurance partially mediated the effects of daily spiritual experiences, while guilt/shame par…

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Spirituality: a key factor in coping among Iranians chronically affected by mustard gas in the disaster of war.

The present study aimed to explore the approach used by Iranians chronically affected by mustard gas in the disaster of war to cope with their chronic illness complications. A qualitative approach was adopted using content analysis of unstructured interviews carried out with 20 patients in a medical center in Tehran and an outpatient clinic in the North West of Iran. Two main themes that emerged from the study were "religious sentiment" and "patriotism". The subthemes that emerged were "divine will", "illness as a means of absolving sin", "saying prayers in the anticipation of divine rewards", "defending the motherland" and "self-sacrifice as a source of pride". To sum up, spirituality was recognized as a key factor among the participants in accepting and coping with their chronic illness complications.

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Recovery capital as prospective predictor of sustained recovery, life satisfaction, and stress among former poly-substance users.

Many recovering persons report quitting their drug use because they are "sick and tired" of the drug life. Recovery is the path to a better life, but that path is often challenging and stressful. There has been little research on the millions of recovering persons in the United States, and most research has focused on substance use outcomes rather than on broader functioning domains. This study builds on our previous cross-sectional findings that recovery capital (social supports, spirituality, religiousness, life meaning, and 12-step affiliation) enhances the ability to cope with stress and enhances life satisfaction. This study (a) tests the hypothesis that higher levels of recovery capital prospectively predict sustained recovery, higher quality of life, and lower stress one year later, and (b) examines the differential effects of recovery capital on outcomes across the stages of reco…

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Perspectives on spiritual development as part of youth development.

Speaking to the issue of spiritual development from her extensive experience as a youth work practitioner, the author notes several ideas she finds particularly compelling, among them that spiritual development interacts with, yet is distinct from, moral and religious development; that spiritual development is a core construct of identity formation, one of the central tasks of adolescence; and that the spiritual dimensions of youth development relate not only to work with young people but also to motivations for engaging in this work. Engaging young people in the fundamental questions of life and being human is a task that belongs in both secular and religious settings.

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Religion, spirituality, and depression in adolescent psychiatric outpatients.

This study examines in a preliminary manner the relationship between multiple facets of religion/spirituality and depression in treatment-seeking adolescents. One hundred seventeen psychiatric outpatients aged 12 to 18 completed the brief multidimensional measure of religiousness/spirituality, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), a substance abuse inventory. Controlling for substance abuse and demographic variables, depression was related to feeling abandoned or punished by God (p < 0.0001), feeling unsupported by one's religious community (p = 0.0158), and lack of forgiveness (p < 0.001). These preliminary results suggest that clinicians should assess religious beliefs and perceptions of support from the religious community as factors intertwined with the experience of depression, and consider the most appropriate ways of addressing these factors that are sensitive to adolescents' and f…

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Relationships among communicative acts, social well-being, and spiritual well-being on the quality of life at the end of life in patients with cancer enrolled in hospice.

Background: The importance of communication in close, personal relationships has been well-documented. At the end of life, communication, social relationships, and spirituality seem to have greater importance. Some studies suggest that the quality of life at the end of life (QOLEOL) involves these components. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the communicative acts of love, gratitude, and forgiveness, and to explore the extent to which the communicative acts, social well-being, and spiritual well-being predict the overall QOLEOL when controlling for physical symptoms. Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational design. Setting/subjects: A convenience sample of all adult hospice patients, aged 35-80, with a cancer diagnosis, residing in their private home in a community setting, was recruited from a large, non-profit hospice program in the midwestern Unit…

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Spirituality, social support, and survival in hemodialysis patients.

Background and objectives: No studies have evaluated the relationship among spirituality, social support, and survival in patients with ESRD. This study assessed whether spirituality was an independent predictor of survival in dialysis patients with ESRD after controlling for age, diabetes, albumin, and social support. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: A total of 166 patients who had ESRD and were treated with hemodialysis completed questionnaires on psychosocial variables, quality of life, and religious and spiritual beliefs. The religious variables were categorized into three scores on a 0 to 20 scale (low to high levels): Spirituality, religious involvement, and religion as coping. Social support was assessed using the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support. Analyses were also performed including and excluding patients with HIV infection. Religious variables …

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Existential aspects of living with addiction - part II: caring needs. A hermeneutic expansion of qualitative findings.

Aim: This paper aims to describe caring needs associated with existential aspects of living with addiction. Background: Spirituality is considered a driving force within and the concept relates to self, others and God and the relationships between them. The spiritual dimension is of great importance in both the addiction itself as well as in recovery and addressing caring needs relating to spirituality is important in nursing. Design: Hermeneutic inquiry was used to explore caring needs related to peoples experiences of living with addiction. Method: This paper is a hermeneutic expansion of findings presented in Part I. Existential themes in the form of spiritual challenges and caring needs are reflected upon as a process between figure and background. Results: The themes presented are: meaning - meaninglessness, connectedness - loneliness, life - death, freedom - adjustment, responsibil…

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Spirituality, sense of coherence, and coping responses in women receiving treatment for alcohol and drug addiction.

Purpose: To examine the role of spirituality, sense of coherence, and coping responses in relation to stress and trauma symptoms among women in substance abuse treatment. Data sources/study setting: Data for the present analyses were obtained from baseline interviews of 393 women in an urban area of Massachusetts. Interviews were conducted from April 2003 to September 2006. Participants came from four substance abuse treatment programs (three residential and one outpatient) participating in the Mother's Hope, Mind and Spirit Study, an evaluation of an intervention funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA). Principal findings: Stress was significantly associated with drug addiction severity and trauma symptoms were significantly related to alcohol addiction severity. Spirituality, sense of coherence, and coping responses did not mediate the relations…

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The patient dignity inventory: a novel way of measuring dignity-related distress in palliative care.

Quality palliative care depends on a deep understanding of distress facing patients nearing death. Yet, many aspects of psychosocial, existential and spiritual distress are often overlooked. The aim of this study was to test a novel psychometric--the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI)--designed to measure various sources of dignity-related distress among patients nearing the end of life. Using standard instrument development techniques, this study examined the face validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, factor structure and concurrent validity of the PDI. The 25-items of the PDI derive from a model of dignity in the terminally ill. To establish its basic psychometric properties, the PDI was administered to 253 patients receiving palliative care, along with other measures addressing issues identified within the Dignity Model in the Terminally Ill. Cronbach's coefficient alp…

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Mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin mediate the attribution of personal meaning and spiritual significance 14 months later.

Psilocybin has been used for centuries for religious purposes; however, little is known scientifically about its long-term effects. We previously reported the effects of a double-blind study evaluating the psychological effects of a high psilocybin dose. This report presents the 14-month follow-up and examines the relationship of the follow-up results to data obtained at screening and on drug session days. Participants were 36 hallucinogen-naïve adults reporting regular participation in religious/ spiritual activities. Oral psilocybin (30 mg/70 kg) was administered on one of two or three sessions, with methylphenidate (40 mg/70 kg) administered on the other session(s). During sessions, volunteers were encouraged to close their eyes and direct their attention inward. At the 14-month follow-up, 58% and 67%, respectively, of volunteers rated the psilocybin-occasioned experience as being amo…

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Religious observance and acute coronary syndrome in predominantly Muslim Albania: a population-based case-control study in Tirana.

Purpose: We aimed to assess the association of religious observance with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in a predominantly Muslim population. Methods: A case-control study conducted in Tirana, Albania in 2003-2006 included 467 nonfatal consecutive ACS patients (370 men, 97 women; 88% response) and a population-based control group (469 men, 268 women; 69% response). Religious observance was assessed as a composite score based on mosque/church attendance, frequency of prayer and ritual fasting. The association of religiosity with ACS was assessed by multivariable-adjusted logistic regression. Results: Nonobservance was frequent in this population (67% among Muslim controls, 55% in Christian controls). Religious observance was inversely associated with ACS in both groups (multivariable-adjusted odds ratios for above median observance scores vs zero observance: 0.45 [95% confidence interval (…

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