Living with elder wisdom

This study is based on interview research with over a hundred creative elders. Their spirituality is explored through their life experiences as re-interpreted in later years. Spirituality is often expressed in non-religious language. They speak of inner empowerments: cultivating self-esteem, harvesting memories, transformative turning points, life-long learning, themes of humor and gratitude, and encountering mortality. They also explore outward empowerments: developing new purposes, welcoming possibilities, fostering more freedom, cultivating family and friends, forming intentional communities, and taking on larger social causes re peace, justice and ecology. This elder spirituality manifests important changes in their earlier views of religion.     

Research in spirituality, religion and aging

Research on the concept of "spirituality" demonstrates its overlap with "religion," so for many purposes they need to be considered together as "spirituality/religion." Investigations of age differences point to the likelihood that spirituality tends to increase during later adulthood. It has important positive relationships with various measures of life satisfaction, psychosocial well-being, and both physical and mental health. It benefits therapy for recovery from illness and is a source of meaning and purpose in life. Spiritual interventions help to relieve psychological distress and death anxiety, as well as the stresses of caregiving. Because of its therapeutic value, prayer is an important resource for coping with problems experienced during the life course. The Spiritual Well-Being Scale and many other instruments have been developed to measure spirituality and related concepts. As in all other domains of research on people, they all have limits and must be applied with caution for both technical and ethical reasons. Nevertheless, applications of the research findings, which overwhelmingly demonstrate the importance of spirituality to human well-being, already are improving the effectiveness of clinical work and social services in all of the health and human service professions. As scientific knowledge of spirituality expands, so does awareness of the need for further research, including the refinement of methodological procedures, expansion to new topics, and extension to international cultures and diverse religions. The outlook for research on spirituality and the consequent practical applications to benefit humanity is very promising.     

Living with Elder Wisdom

Abstract

This study is based on interview research with over a hundred creative elders. Their spirituality is explored through their life experiences as re-interpreted in later years. Spirituality is often expressed in “non-religious” language. They speak of inner empowerments: cultivating self-esteem, harvesting memories, transformative turning points, life-long learning, themes of humor and gratitude, and encountering mortality. They also explore outward empowerments: developing new purposes, welcoming possibilities, fostering more freedom, cultivating family and friends, forming intentional communities, and taking on larger social causes re peace, justice and ecology. This elder spirituality manifests important changes in their earlier views of religion.     

Conceptualizing Religion and Spirituality: Points of Commonality, Points of Departure

Psychologists' emerging interest in spirituality and religion as well as the relevance of each phenomenon to issues of psychological importance requires an understanding of the fundamental characteristics of each construct. On the basis of both historical considerations and a limited but growing empirical literature, we caution against viewing spirituality and religiousness as incompatible and suggest that the common tendency to polarize the terms simply as individual vs. institutional or 'good' vs. 'bad' is not fruitful for future research. Also cautioning against the use of restrictive, narrow definitions or overly broad definitions that can rob either construct of its distinctive characteristics, we propose a set of criteria that recognizes the constructs' conceptual similarities and dissimilarities. Rather than trying to force new and likely unsuccessful definitions, we offer these criteria as benchmarks for judging the value of existing definitions.     

Religion and Spirituality as Defined by Older Adults

ABSTRACT

This exploratory qualitative study examined the intrinsic definitions of spirituality and religion across three different religious or ethnic groups of older adults – Jewish, African American Protestants and Caucasian Protestants. The study explores how older adults from these various backgrounds self-identify with the terms religion and spirituality. Because both African-Americans and Jewish older adults are underrepresented in the research on spirituality and religion, their inclusion lends insights to this topic and helps to anchor the findings in a cross-cultural context. Focus groups were employed to understand how these groups characterize their relationship to spirituality and religion. Social work professionals can utilize these findings to work more effectively with the diverse and complex issues of older adults.     

The Citizenship of Excluded Groups: Challenging the Consumerist Agenda

The language of consumerism suggests that through involvement in consumer processes, consumers can influence policy formation and service provision. This paper examines, as illustrative cases in Australia, how two groups of consumers, people with a mental illness and older people, engage with these consumer processes. It finds they critically evaluate the opportunity offered by consumer processes for inclusion in policy and programmes. Both people with a mental illness and interviewed older people indicated how they acted as "agents involved in interpreting their needs", despite finding that in consumer processes their needs were predefined. Rather than allowing themselves to be constructed as passive objects, they positioned themselves as active citizens, having agency not as individual consumers but through drawing on networks. The responses of both groups go some distance toward dismantling power differences between professionals and "consumers", suggesting that social policy and programmes for both people with mental illness and older people can and sometimes do develop in a context of greater inclusivity.     

Religion, spirituality and aging for "The Aging" themselves

This article explores some likely characteristics of the particular and specific experiences of the relationship between religion and spirituality for cohorts born before 1935 by attending to three main points: (1) the word "spirituality" came into common usage in the 1960s, well after people born before; (2) for some in cohorts born before 1935 "spirituality" had negative connotations; (3) a definition of "spirituality" is possible that can express the experience of older adults and, at the same time, sharpen our current understanding of the term to include cognitive, experiential, and volitional elements.     

明代上川南地区的佛教与地方社会

明代上川南地区毗邻乌思藏,是西番朝贡贸易的必经之地,藏传佛教与汉传佛教在这一地区并行不悖,汉藏社会由此得以整合。佛教在“善”与“义”方面调和儒家思想,僧人社会接触之广,地方适应方式之多,令儒家士大夫普遍接受佛教信仰和寺院生活,地方政府的庆贺礼仪也在佛教寺院中完成。佛教仪式帮助乡民解决“死亡”问题,地方大族依赖佛教仪式祭祀祖先、维系家族组织,通过捐献茶园田土供养寺庵僧人来树立地方权威。在明末清初动乱的武装自保中,佛教为地方社会的稳定与延续做出重要贡献。     

Postcards to God: exploring spiritual expression among disabled older adults

Postcards to God was a creative method to allow individuals to express their spirituality. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of this innovative method. At a skilled nursing facility in a geriatric residence, 19 older disabled workshop participants created collage and message "Postcards to God", and completed a brief survey. Postcard content and construction were coded and analyzed using qualitative methods around self-reports along two attitudinal dimensions: a) making a postcard to God; and b) level of religiousness. Spiritual and religious dimensions were related to postcard thematic content. Postcards were used for expressions of spirituality and prayer across all levels of self-reported religiousness. The Postcards project seems like useful way to facilitate spiritual expression. If validated in further study, this method may prove a useful way to promote spiritual expression in a variety of older and frail populations.     

Spiritual assessment in aging: a framework for clinicians

Older adults may benefit from clinical conversations about the role of spirituality in their lives, but social workers and other helping professionals often do not have an understanding of where to proceed beyond initial questions of whether spirituality and/or religion are important and if so, what religious preference is held. Much has been written about definitions of spirituality and religion, but the literature has not yet provided a clear focus on ways to assess whether these are integrated positively or negatively in the lives of older adults. This article identifies eleven domains in spirituality that might be assessed. Within each domain an explanation is provided as well as a brief discussion of the rationale for including it in the classification. Sample interview questions and an illustrative vignette are included. Together these eleven domains build an important framework and resource for spiritual assessment with older adults.     

The impact of religiousness, spirituality, and social support on psychological well-being among older adults in rural areas

This paper presents the results of a study on the impact of spirituality, religiousness, and social support on the psychological well-being among rural elderly. With a rural community sample of 215 older adults, hierarchical regression analyses found significant associations between dimensions of spirituality/religiousness, social support, and psychological well-being, with spirituality/religiousness inversely related to depression and social support, positively related to life satisfaction. Findings of this study suggest that practitioners need to develop programs or services that are congruent with religious/spiritual beliefs and practices in order to better enhance the psychosocial well-being and improve the quality of life among older persons in rural areas.     

The Impact of Religiousness,Spirituality, and Social Support on Psychological Well-Being Among Older Adults in Rural Areas

Summary

This paper presents the results of a study on the impact of spirituality, religiousness, and social support on the psychological well-being among rural elderly. With a rural community sample of 215 older adults, hierarchical regression analyses found significant associations between dimensions of spirituality/religiousness, social support, and psychological well-being, with spirituality/religiousness inversely related to depression and social support, positively related to life satisfaction. Findings of this study suggest that practitioners need to develop programs or services that are congruent with religious/spiritual beliefs and practices in order to better enhance the psychosocial well-being and improve the quality of life among older persons in rural areas.     

Spiritual Assessment in Aging

Summary

Older adults may benefit from clinical conversations about the role of spirituality in their lives, but social workers and other helping professionals often do not have an understanding of where to proceed beyond initial questions of whether spirituality and/or religion are important and if so, what religious preference is held. Much has been written about definitions of spirituality and religion, but the literature has not yet provided a clear focus on ways to assess whether these are integrated positively or negatively in the lives of older adults. This article identifies eleven domains in spirituality that might be assessed. Within each domain an explanation is provided as well as a brief discussion of the rationale for including it in the classification. Sample interview questions and an illustrative vignette are included. Together these eleven domains build an important framework and resource for spiritual assessment with older adults.     

Moving Toward Spiritual Competency

Abstract

In spite of growing interest in spirituality and religion, and the prominent position given to religion in social work's educational policies and ethical standards, no studies have explored the profession's level of spiritual sensitivity. Accordingly, we examined the visibility of faith groups and their characterizations in 71 influential social work textbooks. This study found that faith groups, in contrast to a number of comparison groups, were essentially invisible as populations worthy of students' direct attention. Further, when faith groups were discussed, they tended to be characterized in a biased, spiritually insensitive manner. To move toward spiritual competency, social work must increase the amount of material devoted to faith groups and ensure that they are depicted in a manner that is consistent with their worldviews.     

国家规制与宗教组织的发展: 中国佛教的政教关系史的制度分析

政教关系是中国宗教的重要议题。本文基于佛教史的内容,从历史比较的角度梳理了围绕着佛教僧团制度建设与组织发展的有关问题,藉由僧团戒律与度牒制度之间的某种对立与比较,认为戒律作为一种组织和认同机制,体现了僧团自治的努力;通过对中华帝国的传统的宗教治理策略之一的度牒制的原由、作用及本质的分析,认为这一规制措施在本质上体现了政治凌驾于宗教之上的权威地位,但却在实施过程中成为寻租和逐利的工具。通过历史经验的比较,认为宗教组织的纪律、原则等有可能成为社会组织化的机制,指出政教关系的基点在于宗教组织的自治特性与能力,这应当成为国家的宗教治理的前提。     

Postcards to God

Abstract

Postcards to God was a creative method to allow individuals to express their spirituality. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of this innovative method. At a skilled nursing facility in a geriatric residence, 19 older disabled workshop participants created collage and message “Postcards to God,” and completed a brief survey. Postcard content and construction were coded and analyzed using qualitative methods around self-reports along two attitudinal dimensions: (a) making a postcard to God, and (b) level of religiousness. Spiritual and religious dimensions were related to postcard thematic content. Postcards were used for expressions of spirituality and prayer across all levels of self-reported religiousness. The Postcards project seems like a useful way to facilitate spiritual expression. If validated in further study, this method may prove a useful way to promote spiritual expression in a variety of older and frail populations.     

佛寺与家庙:滇西土官仪式的重构

明代中央王朝以违背伦理与礼仪原则为由废除西南土官。正统年间,革除鹤庆土官,改派流官。官员将佛寺改建为庙学,打击活佛信仰,士人也莫不以毁淫祀、诫僭越之名倡议正统祀典。此时,邻近土官开始谨慎处理身份与仪式的政治问题,并在经学传统中寻找身份、仪式的合法性基础。本文以云南丽江府与蒙化府的两位土官为主要研究对象,讨论他们如何以古代诸侯的身份,致力于建置相应的仪式和祠宇,如：（1）修建家寺、宦祠乃至勋祠与报功祠等;（2）将神话转为符合仪式正统的山川祭祀,成为土官领地的守护神;（3）建立宦谱,以文字书写的方式将氏族神话、传说系谱纳入正统历史叙事,并强化边境土官世系的优越性。通过分析在这一过程中土官的一系列作为,本文探究了土官在维护地方声望与地方利益时所采取的文化策略。     

Voices of Resilience

Abstract

Terminally ill older adults have the capacity to live well in the context of dying. Having negotiated a lifetime of challenges, they have resources to demonstrate resilience and achieve wholeness in life's final phase, but research has not adequately investigated this process. This qualitative research study considered the paths to resilience used by 30 older adult hospice clients in Kansas and Illinois. Responses were coded using the grounded theory method of Strauss and Corbin (1990) where data drives interpretation and text is coded into categories. Results centered on four themes that included: (1) a redefinition of self; (2) use of religion/spirituality or openness to uncertainty; (3) maintenance of social investments; and (4) guarding independence even as the scope of life contracted. Results imply that attention should be paid to building environments of wellness. This may be accomplished paradoxically through facilitating continuity of client interests and yet opportunities for creativity and growth as well. Listening with a healing stance and cultivating a habit of being fully present in interactions with clients assist in this process.     

略论日本侵略战争对殖民地朝鲜造成的损害

20世纪30年代以来,日本发动的一系列侵略战争不仅给亚洲被侵略国家和人民造成了莫大的人的、物的损失和精神上的伤害,而且也给日本殖民地人民带来了深重的损失和灾难。全面侵华战争后日本更是进一步强化了朝鲜作为其侵略战争的后方基地的地位,这给朝鲜造成了巨大的物质和精神损失。     

Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Education and Direct Practice at the Millennium: A Survey of UK Social Workers

Correspondence to Dr Leola Furman, 1201 Yale Place, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55403, USA. E-mail: furmanlfurman{at}aol.com Summary In recent years, an expanding body of social work publicationsand professional conference presentations has materialized inthe United States due to a resurgence of interest in spiritualityand religion. In order to explore the level of interest in theUnited Kingdom, a random sample of 5,500 practising social workersfrom the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) membershipwere mailed a questionnaire that examined religious and spiritualbeliefs, practices and affiliations. A total of 789 BASW membersin direct practice from England, Scotland Wales, and NorthernIreland returned questionnaires, a response rate of 20 per cent.The majority of respondents believed that spirituality was afundamental aspect of being human. More than three-quartersof the sample reported little or no content on religion andspirituality in their training programme. Respondents stronglyapproved of raising the topic of religion and spirituality withclients who are experiencing terminal illness or bereavement.This also held true in matters of adoption and foster parenting.Approximately 47 per cent of all respondents believed that includingreligion and spirituality in direct practice was compatiblewith social work’s mission. This sample may representthose social workers with a stronger interest in religion andspirituality than a random sample of the general populationof UK social workers. These findings, nevertheless, raise concernabout the availability of practice models and training curriculafor social work practitioners and students.