Spirituality in Healthcare
By: Nora Hennessy, Nursing ’21
Trinity College Dublin – Dublin, Ireland
The first day of work I attended a conference on Spirituality in Healthcare in Ireland. It was so great. There were many excellent lecturers and guest speakers, including Janet Quinn, who is a major mindfulness speaker in the US. My favorite part was the Spiritual Crisis and Awakening Lecture by Dr. Karen Ward. She, along with her colleague, Dr. Noelia Molina, described the definition of a spiritual crisis and the resulting distress that occurs. It is often caused by surgery, loss of a loved one, disease, childbirth, or any other significant life event.
According to Dr. Molina, the best way to help a patient coping with a spiritual crisis is with a humble, sensitive, and compassionate response in tune with whatever feelings and needs the person seems to be expressing. Dr. Ward went on to discuss how many people experience this, but they do not want to talk to a health care provider about their feelings for fear that the provider will prescribe medication. Therefore, she provided us with a list of secular spiritual tools: mindfulness, meditation, and yoga.
Dr. Ward ended her presentation by walking the members of the audience through a practice of mindfulness for those in distress. I will list her directions below:
- Close your eyes and think of a place in nature. Think of a pretty place–one that is calm and allows you to feel peaceful.
- Now think of yourself sitting at that place. Observe your surroundings. Take in the sounds and smells. Feel the sun shine upon you or the wind in your hair.
- Now, think of people you trust joining you in that place. It could be your best friends, your family, your roommate. It could be your pet or a deceased loved one. It could be a deity. Have these people join you, sitting on the ground in a cross-legged style.
- Pose the problem that is causing you distress to these trusted individuals. Imagine how each of them would respond. Consider their opinions.
- Finally, give thanks to these people in this beautiful place, and after counting back from 10, slowly open your eyes.
This activity is a simple 5-minute practice that can allow a person in distress about any situation to find peace and advice.
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