Better Health through Spiritual Practices

A Guide to Religious Behaviors and Perspectives That Benefit Mind and Body

Dean D. VonDras Ph.D.

• Publisher: Praeger
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN:
  9781440853678
• eBook ISBN:
  9798216052586
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: General Health

An in-depth examination of religious practices around the world and the fascinating science behind how they make us healthier.

Many religious and spiritual beliefs promote wellness through their practices or stated objectives—for example, focusing on simple living, having compassion for others, vegetarianism, or meditation and mindfulness. This refreshing work provides a review of the world's spiritual perspectives and traditions, and explores how their guiding principles encourage healthy lifestyle choices. An examination of religious and nonreligious perspectives from around the world—from atheism, Confucianism, and Christianity to Islam, Judaism, Shamanism, and Zoroastrianism—reveals how faith beliefs and values influence behavior and inspire healthy living.

With contributions from leading international scholars, the chapters include a discussion of Eastern and Western world religions and their practices—such as fasting or the avoidance of alcohol and tobacco—and how they may foster healthfulness. A contemporary analysis of current research findings suggests possible interventions that individuals and health providers may utilize to enhance healthfulness. A final chapter explores the connection between health, illness, and religious and nonreligious perspectives.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Series Foreword
• Preface: The Prospect of Our Journey
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1. The Religio-Spiritual Context of Lifestyle Practices and Health Behaviors
• Chapter 2. Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism
• Chapter 3. The Middle Path to Health: The Relationship between Buddhist Practices and Beliefs, and Health Outcomes
• Chapter 4. Health, Spirituality, and Chinese Thought
• Chapter 5. Ways of Healing and the Roles of Harmony, Purity, and Violent Rhetoric in Japanese Shinto and Shamanism
• Chapter 6. Judaism and Health
• Chapter 7. Christianity—Catholic and Seventh-day Adventist Examples
• Chapter 8. Islam and Health
• Chapter 9. Sufism and Optimal Health
• Chapter 10. Lesser Known Spiritualities: Bahá’í’, Rastafari, and Zoroastrianism
• Chapter 11. North American Indigenous Spiritualities
• Chapter 12. The Spirituality of the Eastern Cherokee and Ani’-Yun-Wiya Shamanistic Medicine
• Chapter 13. Agnostic, Atheistic, and Nonreligious Orientations
• Chapter 14. Epilogue: Religion, Science, and Health—A Question of Balance or the Space Between?
• Index