Spiritual Therapies

A state of wholeness or health is dependent not only on one’s relationship to the physical and interpersonal
environment but also to the spiritual aspects of self. The idea that there is a relationship between spirituality and health is not new. “At the core of many holistic modalities are spirituality and healing, which encompass a person’s values, meaning, and purpose in life . . . The concept of spirit implies a quality of transcendence, a guiding force, or something outside the self and beyond the individual nurse or patient” (Dossey, 1998).
The role of the spirit in healing is witnessed in all cultures. The inseparable link between the state of one’s
soul (life energy or spirit) and the state of one’s health is accepted by many cultures. Scientists (especially
psychoneuroimmunologists) are beginning to validate that there are inner mechanisms of healing within individuals. Many of the major religions have ideologies relating to health, illness, and healing.