We are part of a growing movement exploring the concept of spirituality, its relevance to current society and its potential impact on well-being.
Existing research suggests that spirituality has a positive impact on other aspects of health and well-being, this includes our own research into spirituality and older-people which can be read at the following link Spirituality & Older People. We’re asking what are the implications of this for policy and practice for government, agencies, communities, families and society as a whole with the aim of generating wider discussion about how we understand and respond to the ‘spirit’ as a central aspect of being human.
The terms ‘spirituality’, ‘spirit’ or ‘spirited’ are used widely within New Zealand society, but what these terms actually mean and why they are important is not well understood. Our focus on the well-being of individuals, families, communities and environments is often skewed away from including the dimension of spirituality. National and international disasters or trauma laden events often challenge life’s meaning for many and open up deep questions for individuals and communities. These events have led many people to quite publicly seek spiritual comfort and have seen responses to the crises through spiritual events and actions.
This discussion can be accessed at http://spiritualityandwellbeing.co.nz/ including an interactive blog space.