Contemporary Ecocultural Bonds with the Non-human: From Spirit-animals to the Fly Mushroom

Concern about health-related risks dominates modern day public health discourses on young people's health. Based on ‘official’ notions of health, the public health risk-based approach not only downplays the potentially different meanings young people attach to concepts of health, but it also has a tendency to problematise and pathologise young people and their health. Drawing on findings from an ethnographic study with young people aged 15–16 years in England (n = 55); in this article, I examine young people's understandings of health and health-related risks. I used group discussions, individual interviews and observational work in a school and surrounding community settings to collect the data on which this article is based. In this article, I show the importance young people in my study attached to ‘being happy’ and ‘having fun’, but also how dominant constructions of youth as a time of risk were taken up and reproduced by young people themselves to create and sustain differences amongst young people. I examine the implications of these differences for young people's health and the possibilities for empowerment – highlighting some of the emergent contradictions between young people's constructions of the ‘healthy self’ and ‘risky’ young Other. Specifically, in this article, I highlight young people's preference for a more positive conceptualisation of their health, one which recognises the importance of their shared social positioning for the promotion of health.

What may we hope for? Education in times of climate change

Spiritual well-being is interconnected with mental health and significantly contributes to health maintenance and recovery from mental illness for all individuals, especially women who marry later in rural regions. The unfavorable perception of rural communities towards individuals who delay marriage manifests in stereotypes such as “old maid,” leading to gossip and labels like unmarketable, selective, playing hard to get, ugly, and very career-oriented. The research aimed to identify the conditions and factors affecting spiritual well-being in rural women who marry later, employing a qualitative phenomenological methodology. Fisher's theory of spiritual well-being was utilized for data analysis, as it offers a comprehensive conceptual framework that accommodates the diverse perspectives articulated in public discourse on spirituality and the viewpoints of historical figures. The study indicates that the spiritual well-being of rural women in Bilapora Rebba Village aligns with four aspects or domains of spiritual well-being, though it does not entirely encompass every element within each domain. The determinants affecting the spiritual well-being of village women who marry later in Bilapora Rebba Village encompass identity, life meaning, forgiveness, respect, kindness, environmental harmony, creator worship, peace with God, prayer practices, self-awareness, and relationships with nature and its wonders.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a significant paradigm shift in India’s approach to education by emphasizing holistic learning, life skills, value education, and health awareness. One of the key components of this reform is the integration of Yoga into the formal curriculum across different stages of education. Yoga, rooted in India's ancient wisdom, is acknowledged in NEP 2020 not only as physical exercise but as a medium for mental clarity, emotional regulation, ethical grounding, and spiritual well-being. This paper explores the policy framework, practical implications, theoretical underpinnings, and future directions of incorporating Yoga into mainstream education. Through a combination of classical references and recent research, it highlights the potential of Yoga to nurture well-rounded, emotionally resilient, and ethically aware individuals, aligning with the goals of the NEP.

The intricate relationship between Theravada Buddhism and traditional healing practices is vividly illuminated through the lens of the Bhesajjamañjusā (Bhes), a Pāli manuscript known as the "Casket of Medicine." This ancient text stands as a testament to the harmonious interplay of spirituality, holistic medicine, and compassionate care within the Theravada tradition. This article unravels the intricate tapestry of the Bhes by exploring its historical context, authorship, and intended audience. The study delves into the medical content of the Bhes, encompassing disease diagnosis, medicinal characteristics, and the rules of health articulated in this unique work. Additionally, the study investigates the traditional role of the Buddhist monastic community in medicine, emphasising the evolution of Vinaya regulations over time. This paper aims to substantiate the profound role of traditional healing practices within ancient Buddhist monastic traditions, highlighting the significance of Bhes. This exploration seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the significance of Bhes, contributing to a nuanced perspective on the intersection of Buddhism and medicine within the context of the Buddhist monastic community. The Bhes underscores the holistic approach to health advocated by the Buddhist teachings. While the Theravadin position on medicine places restrictions on monks treating the general public, the Bhes allows for internal use, highlighting the compassionate ethos of Theravada Buddhism by emphasising care and support for fellow monks in their pursuit of physical and spiritual wellbeing. The journey from its historical roots to its current status highlights the evolving dynamics in healthcare practices, with the Bhes standing as a timeless symbol of the enduring connection between ancient wisdom and the pursuit of wellbeing.

Modern myths about sexual aggression are contemporary beliefs that deny or justify male sexual aggression against women and downplay its consequences. They contribute to gender inequality and a rape-supportive culture. Modern myths about sexual aggression serve various functions: at the individual level, they serve as a cognitive schema for interpreting information about sexual aggression in a biased fashion (i.e., the cognitive function); for women, they also serve as a means to cope with the threat of sexual assault (i.e., the affective function); and for men, as a means to rationalise their own sexually aggressive tendencies (i.e., the behavioural function). In this chapter, we discuss research on the Acceptance of Modern Myths about Sexual Aggression (AMMSA) scale. Specifically, we review research on AMMSA conducted over the last 15 years, addressing the nomological network of AMMSA and highlighting how AMMSA fulfils its cognitive, affective, and behavioural functions. Our review focuses on research including novel aspects, such as studying AMMSA in relation to the diversity of victims or adopting laboratory methods (e.g., eye-tracking; implicit attitude measurement) to study AMMSA and its associated cognitive processes in greater detail. We conclude with the presentation of a revised and shortened scale, the AMMSA-21, whose items reflect recent changes in public discourse about sexual aggression.

Practices of branding, promotion, and persona have become dominant influences structuring identity formation in popular culture. Creating an iconic brand identity is now an essential practice required for politicians, celebrities, global leaders, and other public figures to establish their image within a competitive media landscape shaped by consumer society. This dissertation analyzes the construction and circulation of Vivienne Westwood, Barack Obama, and Pope Francis as iconic brand identities in contemporary media and consumer culture. The content analysis and close textual analysis of select media coverage and other relevant material on key moments, events, and cultural texts associated with each figure deconstructs the media representation of Westwood, Obama, and Pope Francis. The brand identities of Westwood, Pope Francis, and Obama ultimately exhibit a unique form of iconic symbolic power, and exploring the complex dynamics shaping their public image demonstrates how they have achieved and maintained positions of authority. Although Westwood, Obama, and Pope Francis initially were each positioned as outsiders to the institutions of fashion, politics, and religion that they now represent, the media played a key role in mainstreaming their image for public consumption. Their iconic brand identities symbolize the influence of consumption in shaping how issues of public good circulate within public discourse, particularly in regard to the economy, health care, social inequality, and the environment. Westwood, Obama, and Pope Francis are also texts used to promote the institutions they represent, and it is this aspect of their public image that illuminates the inherent contradictions between individual and institution underlying their brand identities. Interrogating the iconic identities of Westwood, Obama, and Pope Francis reveals how it is the labour and strategy behind the brand that creates meaning in consumer culture. Westwood, Obama, and Pope Francis are important figures for analysis because their iconic brand identities transcend the foundations of fashion, politics, and religion, and more significantly, demonstrate how branding as a promotional strategy is not unique to any particular realm or institution but a technique utilized by public figures regardless of the celebrity or elite status associated with their position.

1.1 There has been an increase in sociological literature concerned with friendship in modern societies, although it was neglected until recently (Allan 1977, 1986, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2007, 2008, Adams, Allan 1989, Alberoni 1990, Allan 1977, 1997, Bidart 1997, Bosisio 2006 , Di Nicola 2002, 2003, Duck 1991, 1993, Eve 2002, Ghisleni 2006, Ghisleni, Rebughini 2006, Kao, Joyner 2005, Jamieson 1999, 2002, Jamieson et al. 2006, Mancdich 2003, Nedelmann 1991, Oliker 1998, Pahl 2000, 2002, Rebughini 2006, Rebughini et al. 2011, Silver 1989, 1990, Spencer, Pahl 2006, Yager 2004, Walker 1994). Sociologists have neglected friendships in the past because they have been understood as personal choices rather than as allied to the public matters that were the subject of most sociological interrogation (Di Nicola 2002, p. 11). The idea of friendship as an intimate relationship which belongs only to the private sphere of social actors has been rejected in recent years by scholars. One reason for the change was that many social theorists turned their attention to the process of individualization and in particular institutionalized individualism (Beck, BeckGernsheim, 2002, p. xxi), which arguably characterizes contemporary society (Bauman 2003; Giddens 1992). As a result social thinkers began to interrogate the role of friendship in modern life not only in the private but also in the public sphere. Ancient wisdom has its part in this new interrogation. Friendship is not only a ’virtue’, according to the Greek philosopher Aristotle (1983), but a social practice: a social relationship between two individuals who freely choose and mutually trust each other. Trusting a person permits you to rely on him/her in order to receive advice, support, aid, affection but also in order to confide to him/her the ‘backstage’ of one’s self. A friend is a person to whom you can show your dreams, delusions, fears and certainties, strengths and weaknesses (Di Nicola 2002, p. 71). The social norm that regulates friendship is reciprocity. Friendship also has to be understood also as a feeling and emotion which arises between the two persons involved in the relationship (Di Nicola 2002, Alberoni 1999). As is well known emotions and feelings have been strongly marginalized in sociological discourse (Flam 2002).

This perspective article discusses the relationship between religion, spirituality and health and emphasizes their continuing importance in today’s world. The article examines the portrayal of moderation in religious texts, such as the teachings of mindful eating, the mindfulness approach, and the concept of fasting in the context of current research on intermittent fasting. This article accentuates the connection between body and soul and attempts to offer a perspective that combines medicine and religious wisdom. It discusses the modern understanding of ancient wisdom to understand the complex relationship between religion, spirituality and health and its effect on human well-being. By linking ancient wisdom with relevant contemporary trends, we seek to illuminate new dimensions of holistic health care and underline the important role of interdisciplinary research. We also look at the general history of health, spirituality and urban landscapes and highlight their relevance today. Furthermore, we aim to contribute to critical theology by highlighting perspectives that link spiritual practices to measurable physiological outcomes. The study promotes a paradigm shift in healthcare in which spirituality is recognized as an important determinant of health. Future experiments are proposed to unravel the complex mechanisms by which spiritual practices influence well-being and pave the way for evidence-based interventions. In developing cities where intergenerational health is a priority, our findings argue for sustainable societies based on the enduring wisdom of spirituality. This study serves as a guidepost for future research aimed at a deeper understanding of the relationship between spirituality, health, and the urban environment.

The article examines the health of a person and society in a wide range of social and personal existence: mindustrial and labor, socio-economic, political, cultural, family and household. It was found that there is a significant number of publications in the scientific literature reflecting the problems of social determination of human and society mhealth. The determinants of health are defined as a set of individual, social, economic and environmental factors that mdetermine the state and level of health of individuals, population groups and the nation. It was found that in modern mconditions, the fragmented approach to considering health is changing to an integrative approach, which assumes the munity of physical and spiritual health, and means that health is considered as a complex system that includes not only the physical state of a person, but also its mental and social spheres. An integrative approach involves interaction between various fields, such as medicine, education, social sphere, sports and others, with the aim of ensuring full human health. This approach makes it possible to more effectively solve public health problems and improve people’s quality of life. At the same time, real integrativeness is formed only with the inclusion of the third component in the health characteristics - the social health of the individual. It was found that with the beginning of the pandemic, new threats to national security related to the infodemic appeared - instead of increasing the most valuable human capital - health, material and spiritual well-being, there is an increase in morbi Security Strategy of Ukraine for 2016–2020 in terms of guaranteeing security to society. The State Security Strategy was adopted on February 16, 2022 to correct this situation, which defines real and potential threats to the state security of Ukraine, directions and tasks of state policy in the field of state security. It was concluded that based on the experience of our international partners in ensuring national security, our society is required to find its own way of such provision, therefore the relevance of the problem of personal health in moral and physical aspects remains, since health is one of the basic parameters, which determines the quality of life and security of the state.

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the Gratitude-Based Spiritual Group Guidance Program (GSGGP), a spiritually oriented group guidance process, on gratitude expression, intrinsic spirituality, and sense of meaning and peace. Using a pre-test-post-test control group design among quasi-experimental designs, the study examined an experimental group that received GSGGP and a control group that did not receive any interventions. The experimental group consisted of 44 university students (5 male, 39 female), with participants’ ages ranging from 18 to 30 (X = 21.55 ± 2.16). The study findings revealed subtle differences in post-test gratitude expression scores between the groups, suggesting a potential impact of the intervention. Intra-group analysis within the experimental group showed statistically significant increases in gratitude expression and intrinsic spiritual experiences. Moreover, the experimental group exhibited enhancements in dimensions of spiritual well-being, including peace-related experiences and the perception of meaning. Overall, the GSGGP demonstrates potential to influence various dimensions of gratitude expression, internal spirituality, and spiritual well-being, offering insights into its multifaceted impact and role in personal growth.

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the Gratitude-Based Spiritual Group Guidance Program (GSGGP), a spiritually oriented group guidance process, on gratitude expression, intrinsic spirituality, and sense of meaning and peace. Using a pre-test-post-test control group design among quasi-experimental designs, the study examined an experimental group that received GSGGP and a control group that did not receive any interventions. The experimental group consisted of 44 university students (5 male, 39 female), with participants’ ages ranging from 18 to 30 (X = 21.55 ± 2.16). The study findings revealed subtle differences in post-test gratitude expression scores between the groups, suggesting a potential impact of the intervention. Intra-group analysis within the experimental group showed statistically significant increases in gratitude expression and intrinsic spiritual experiences. Moreover, the experimental group exhibited enhancements in dimensions of spiritual well-being, including peace-related experiences and the perception of meaning. Overall, the GSGGP demonstrates potential to influence various dimensions of gratitude expression, internal spirituality, and spiritual well-being, offering insights into its multifaceted impact and role in personal growth.

This chapter discusses the contemporary trends in Egyptian intellectual currents after the 2011 revolution. It starts by shedding light on the contemporary intellectual transformations of political Islam and its manifestation in the Egyptian public sphere, and the most important transformations it faced as a result of the new political opportunities. In this context, the chapter discusses the different currents of Islamism in the state, like Salafism, Ikhwan (Muslim Brotherhood), and more liberal Islamists, and the role of Sufism and its relation to society and state bureaucracy. In addition to the description of their role, the chapter analyzes in depth the main intellectual transformations that occurred in the general perception of state and society after the revolution. Then it discusses the main trends in reforming religious discourse and the role of the state and its institutions vis-à-vis the political Islam currents, on one hand, and the struggle within the state institutions over the interpretation of the notion of “religious reform,” on the other hand, and the dispute between the various factions over controlling the public religious sphere. The third part spots the main transformations that took place in the contemporary Arab Nationalism trend and the main transformations it underwent after the revolution in Egypt, as the military dictatorship was considered as an outcome of this trend. The chapter discusses the main transformations in this trend as a result of the revolution, and the criticism that was directed to its ideas and practices and the endeavour for correcting its path and compass. In the final part, the chapter discusses the rise of the extreme national right in Egypt, supported by the military institution, within the main context of securitization of the public sphere in the wake of the 2013 military coup, with the state’s endeavour to regain its full control on the media and newspapers, and its impact on the intellectual atmosphere in the state.

Ayurveda, a timeless holistic health system, is undergoing a transformative journey by embracing modern medical science and technology. Rooted in ancient wisdom, Ayurveda emphasizes harmony and balance in body, mind, and spirit. This chapter explores the integration of tradition and innovation, revealing how Ayurveda leverages contemporary healthcare trends for personalized and effective wellness. The chapter covers several key sections. "Personalized Medicine and Genomics" introduces Ayurgenomics, combining Ayurvedic insights with genetic research to create personalized healthcare based on individuals' genetic traits. "Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning" highlights AI's role in enhancing diagnostics, personalizing treatments, and offering AI-driven guidance. "Digital Health and Wearable Devices" outlines how digital platforms, mobile apps, and wearables provide accessible, personalized Ayurvedic wellness solutions. "Nanotechnology and Ayurveda" explores nanotechnology's use in enhancing Ayurvedic medicine delivery. In wellness and lifestyle, "Ayurvedic Innovations" fuses tradition with modern luxury in wellness retreats, and integrates mind-body technologies. "Virtual Reality and Ayurvedic Healing" introduces VR's immersive therapeutic experiences. The chapter concludes, emphasizing the synergy between ancient wisdom and contemporary progress, positioning Ayurveda to shape the future of healthcare with highly personalized wellness solutions. It encourages us to embrace the harmonious fusion of tradition and innovation, paving the way for a healthier and brighter future for all of humanity.

Spiritual Well-Being (SWB) is an important aspect of health. Since soldiers, as members of community, are faced with numerous spiritual, psychological, and physical problems, belief in spirituality can play an important role in explaining their purpose in life (PIL). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate SWB, PIL, and the relationship between these two concepts in conscripts. In this cross-sectional study, 301 soldiers were selected by available sampling method from one of the military barracks in Iran 2019. Data were collected using the demographic, SWB, and PIL questionnaires. The results showed that SWB of the soldiers were at the high level (100.6 ± 12.30) and their PIL were at the moderate level (112.92 ± 13.70). Furthermore, a direct and intermediate relationship was observed between the soldiers' SWB and PIL (P <0.001, r = 0.50). Based on the findings, increased SWB enhanced PIL in soldiers and vice versa. To increase generalizability of the data, studies over a larger statistical population are recommended in different cultures. Findings of this study can also identify the interventional strategies to increase the soldiers' purpose in life.