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Spirituality and Health

  • 1.  Spirituality and Health

    Posted 06-24-2009 05:24
    dear John Milliman and others in MSR with this interest:

    I highly recommend you look at the new book which is 'hot-off-the-press',
    'The Art and Science of Mindfulness' (with Foreword by Jon Kabat-Zinn).

    You can find it at APA books, http://books.apa.org/books.cfm?id=4317196, or
    AMAZON,
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/1433804654/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books


    Or you can contact the author who has also a number of empirical studies
    and conceptual articles, as well, in the area of spiritual practice and its
    effects on stress and overall health: shauna shapiro
    <shaunashapiro@hotmail.com>

    Note: Dr. Shauna Shapiro is in the Counseling Psychology Department at
    Santa Clara Univeristy.

    Summary of Book:

    Intention is fundamental to any project, endeavor, or journey. Related to
    intention is the concept of mindfulness—the awareness that arises through
    intentionally attending to oneself and others in an open, accepting, and
    discerning way. Drawing from Buddhist teachings and psychological theory,
    authors Shapiro and Carlson explore why mindful awareness is integral to
    the therapeutic healing process. Their book integrates the art and science
    of mindfulness to inspire greater well-being in both clinicians and their
    patients. As such, mindfulness is understood as a universal human capacity
    that can help bridge the gap between therapist and patient, reminding us
    that we are all human beings aspiring to greater health, happiness, and
    freedom from suffering.

    Selected Reviews:

    A brilliant and clear summary of the whole field of mindfulness research
    and clinical applications.
    —Jack Kornfield, PhD, best-selling author of The Wise Heart: A Guide to the
    Universal Teachings of
    Buddhist Psychology

    The Art and Science of Mindfulness successfully combines the rigor of
    Buddhist thought with
    Western empiricism. It shows why and how to apply mindfulness in therapy
    and in life. Instead of
    telling people under stress “never mind,” Drs. Shapiro and Carlson lucidly
    describe how mindfulness
    leads to selflessness—enriching experience and relationships.
    —David Spiegel, MD, Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry &
    Behavioral Sciences,
    and Medical Directer, Center for Integrative Medicine, Stanford University,
    Stanford, CA

    Imagine the rigor of science, the beauty of art, the wisdom of reflection,
    and the effectiveness of
    years of practical clinical application rolled into one easily accessible,
    joy-to-read book. This is what
    you have at your fingertips when Shapiro and Carlson’s The Art and Science
    of Mindfulness rests in
    your hands. Written with clinicians in mind, this treasure is far more than
    a useful healers’ guide. The
    wealth of the ideas and practices presented in this illuminating work will
    be of benefit to educators
    and professionals in a range of fields as well as to the general reader who
    welcomes a new way of
    living that has the power to transform our individual and collective lives.

    —Daniel J. Siegel, MD, author of Mindsight: The New Science of Personal
    Transformation and
    The Mindful Brain; Co-Director, UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, Los
    Angeles;
    Director, Mindsight Institute, Los Angeles, CA

    Psychotherapies are a century young; meditative disciplines millennia old.
    As therapists, we have
    much to learn from these venerable disciplines, and this book offers a fine
    introduction to both
    recent applications and research.
    —Roger Walsh, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Philosophy and
    Anthropology, University of California,
    Irvine; coeditor of Paths Beyond Ego and author of Essential Spirituality:
    The Seven Central Practices

    The relevance of mindfulness for both clients and therapists has often been
    proclaimed, but rarely
    presented with such passion and rigour. The Art and Science of Mindfulness
    is a wonderful
    exposition of how awareness, presence, and intention can be elemental in
    constructing an effective
    context for healing and self-care.
    —Zindel Segal, PhD, Morgan Firestone Chair in Psychiatry, Department of
    Psychiatry, University of
    Toronto; author of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression and
    The Mindful Way
    Through Depression

    Hope this helps.

    BEst,

    Mark Kriger
    Professor of Strategic Management
    Norwegian School of Management BI
    Nydalsveien 37, NO-0442 Oslo, Norway
    Tel: +47-46-41-0477
    email: mark.kriger@bi.no

    Re. Hello All,

    Can anyone recommend articles/books which discuss how spirituality
    (either one’s own sense of spirituality or being in a more spiritual
    oriented organization/organizational climate) may be related to
    improved personal health or wellness?

    I would also be interested in studies that have linked spirituality to
    reduced work stress which in turn is linked to better health.

    If you send your ideas directly to me at jmillima@uccs.edu I would be
    happy to summarize all of possible cites in an email back to this
    listserv.

    I have listed some articles below which have been mentioned in
    previous posts which appear to link spirituality to work stress.

    Thanks much,

    John Milliman
    University of Colorado at Colorado Springs