Spiritual health has been defined in a number of ways. Some definitions recognize the existence of a Supreme Being; others relate spirituality to one's relationships with others and to one's place in this world. One definition of spiritual health is adherence to doctrine as prescribed by a religion. Another definition of spiritual health is the ability to discover and express your purpose in life; to learn how to experience love, joy, peace, and fulfillment; and to help yourself and others to achieve full potential. Spiritual health may include answers to such questions as "Who am I?" "Why am I here?" and "Where am I headed?" Developing one's spiritual nature can help alleviate stress by feeling connected to others, by having purpose in life, and by being better able to view hassles and stressors with proper perspective.
Spirituality is a person's orientation toward or experiences with the transcendent existential features of life such as meaning, direction, purpose, and connectedness. Spirituality is sometimes referred to as the search for the sacred life.
Religion is an external manifestation of spiritual experience, or an organized social entity in which individuals share some basic beliefs and practices.
It is possible to be spiritual without being religious, or to be spiritual but antireligious. It is also possible to engage in a religious practice but to do so in a nonsecular, spiritual manner, such as using prayer as the focus of meditation rather than as a means of praying to a Supreme Being.
Spiritual health is related to a number of physiological conditions such as heart disease, anxiety, depression, and mortality.
The means by which spiritual health affects other components of health has been explained by various theories: control theory, social support theory, and placebo theory. Religious approaches to increase control as a mechanism to cope include self-directing, collaboration, deferring, and pleading.
Forgiveness is also associated with health and stress. The inability to forgive another person or a Supreme Being leads to anger, which in turn leads to ill health. For example, studies have shown an inability to forgive associated with anxiety and depression. The ability to forgive has been associated with marital satisfaction, effective families, improved mental health, and higher self-esteem.
Volunteerism, a spiritual activity, is related to a variety of benefits for the person volunteering, the people and agencies receiving the service, and the college supporting student, faculty, and staff volunteers. Volunteerism has been associated with lower mortality, better physical functioning, healthier habits, and the availability of social support. Volunteers are more sociable, are more altruistic, are in better health, have higher morale, and possess higher self-esteem.
Believing one is connected to the past and to the future, either through a religious belief or a belief in nature and the oneness of the world, is a developmental stage related to health and the ability to manage stress.
