Honoring Alternative Spiritual Beliefs at the End of Life
Crystals on a home altar.
Religion and Spirituality:
Religion and Spirituality: What’s the Difference?
Religion is often seen as a specific set of organized beliefs and practices, usually shared by a community or group. There are many different religions, with different organized beliefs, teachings, practices, rituals, and ways of worship.
Spirituality is regularly viewed as more of an individual practice, relating to the process of developing beliefs about the meaning of life and connecting with all beings, using rituals and activities to deepen relationships with the sacred and the world around you.
Religion is commonly seen as a public and outward form of expression whereas spirituality is generally seen as something inward and personal.
Defining Alternative Spiritual Beliefs
Alternative spiritual beliefs = A term generally used to describe spiritual practices that don’t fit into “conventional” institutional religions. Largely characterized by a combination of different forms of beliefs, spiritual practices, and rituals that often are chosen by the participants independently to fit their individual needs.
The Rise of "Spiritual But Not Religious"
Spiritual but not religious = An increasingly popular phrase used to describe those who are spiritually active or engaged on a personal individual level but who do not identify with a particular religious denomination or organized practice.
Growing up, many of us may have been told—by parents, teachers, or church members—that religious and spiritual practices that fell outside of our beliefs are bad, evil, and immoral.
Do not assume you know anything about a religion or spiritual practice that you do not practice yourself.
There’s a lot of misinformation about spirituality and other religions, so learning more about them can help you to find things that religions have in common and gain a better understanding. Understanding more might help you to rid yourself of some pre-existing assumptions and inherited prejudices.
It is important to accept that we’re all entitled to our own spiritual beliefs and not everyone has religious or spiritual beliefs, it is not our place to convince them otherwise.
Aging and Spirituality:
Older adults and the aging population must face the prospect of death.
Religion and spirituality were found to play a number of roles in the everyday lives of older adults, including being a source of strength, comfort, and hope in difficult times, easing death anxiety, and bringing about a sense of community and belonging.
Religion and spirituality should be included within elder and end-of-life care and be viewed as a type of support that helps older adults to live positive lives despite the many challenges of aging.
As professionals, what can we do to support our client’s religious and spiritual beliefs?
The first way you can begin to respect different forms of religion and spirituality is to learn about them.
read books about spirituality and religions other than your own
go to talks and presentations on different forms of spirituality and religions
talk to people who identify as spiritual or from other religions and ask them about their experiences.
One of the easiest ways to provide spiritual care is to simply ask clients how you can support them spiritually, don’t try to bring up topics such as church or religion, but allow them to open up and tell you about what they believe.
Ask respectful questions to find out more about the clients’ practices and beliefs, and any religious or spiritual accommodations they may want.
Include major religious and cultural holidays on a calendar. Be mindful of these dates when planning to set activities and events.
Welcome attire and grooming tied to religious beliefs, such as wearing a beard, hijab, or turban. Accommodate religious attire and other symbols when there are no health and safety risks involved for the clients or workers.
Even if you don’t agree with someone’s beliefs or practices, learning more about what they believe, and why, could help you respect their decision to make these beliefs an important part of their life.
This is an area that can create internal conflict for caregivers who want to remain true to their own beliefs, try your best to help clients within their own faith tradition but always remain true to your conscience.
Spiritual Tools and Practices People May Use:
Affirmations
Altars
Aromatherapy
Bells
Candles
Chanting/Mantras
Crystals
Dietary standards/fasting
Divination tools (Tarot cards, Oracle Cards, runes)
Drums
Feathers/animal bones
Figures/statues
Gongs
Herbs
Journaling
Mala beads
Meditations
Plant medicine
Prayer times
Psychic mediums
Rattles
Reiki
Rosary beads
Shamanic journeys
Singing bowls
Yoga
Sources:
https://wakemag.org/identitycrisis/2021/5/3/alternative-religions-and-spiritualities-are-for-everyone Alternative Religions and Spiritualities Are for Everyone
https://www.learnreligions.com/ Explore the worlds major religions
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/state/new-jersey/
https://wrldrels.org/wrsp-index/ WORLD RELIGIONS AND SPIRITUALITY PROJECT
https://www.unity.org/collection/spiritual-tools-and-practices Spiritual Tools and Practices
https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-020-01646-0 Spirituality and quality of life in older adults
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341552863_Religion_spirituality_and_old_age_A_review_of_the_literature Religion, spirituality, and old age: A review of the literature
https://tanenbaum.org/about-us/what-we-do/workplace/workplace-resources/ Provides workplace training addressing religion and beliefs as a facet of global diversity, equity, and inclusion https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/practices/alphabet/ Spiritual practices from all traditions
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.726150/full Meaning Reflectivity in Later Life: The Relationship Between Reflecting on Meaning in Life, Presence and Search for Meaning, and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults Over the Age of 75
https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-019-1316-7 Relationship between meaning in life and death anxiety in the elderly: self-esteem as a mediator
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6319229/ The Role of Religion, Spirituality and/or Belief in Positive Ageing for Older Adults
Contact info:
Phone : 609-283-2226
Website : www.endoflifeclarity.com
Email : jill@endoflifeclarity.com
Name: Jill McClennen
You can find me @endoflifeclarity on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Listen to my podcast Seeing Death Clearly on my website or all major podcast platforms.
