What Does Spirituality Mean for Patients, Practitioners and Health Care Organisations?

Abstract

The issues of meaning, purpose, hope, connectedness and values are at the core of our understanding of spirituality. Wattis and Curran, writing in a health care context, suggested that religion can be seen as a means of relating to God and our fellow human beings, connected with the beliefs and rituals found in many faiths and often associated with power structures; briefly, 'the politics of spirituality'. Religion is not the same as spirituality or spiritual well-being, though for many people religion will be an expression of their spirituality and may help them achieve spiritual well-being. The place of religion and spirituality in a secular, multicultural society needs to be negotiated. This involves understanding different worldviews concerning spirituality; being self-aware and recognizing that patients and colleagues may have different worldviews. Boundaries also vary between cultures, with practitioners in North America generally being more willing to accept the idea of praying with patients.