Appalachian Faith Healers
Folk magic has been part of the Appalachian culture since the first Scottish and Irish people settled in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1700's. However, the development of folk medicine and faith healing in the Appalachian Mountains is a uniquely American experience. Appalachian folk medicine evolved from elements of European and Native American culture. In fact, today there are four different types of folk medicine practitioners in Appalachia: herbalists, cancer doctors, faith healers, and shamans. However, the practitioners of each different variety of folk medicine borrow from the other fields. In fact, there is a special name for the special type of folk medicine and folk magic that is practiced in the Appalachian Mountains. It is called Appalachian Granny Magic.
The Appalachian Granny Magic tradition was passed down in families. Because of the isolated nature of the Appalachian Mountain region, folk magic preserved in the Appalachians long after it…...
Healthcare & Faith
The author of this report has been asked to answer a few questions pertaining to faith and healthcare. The first question will be a compare and contrast of Christianity and Buddhism using the seven worldview questions as a prism. The second question asks the author to do a comparative analysis of the two faith systems and religions. Next, the author will explain the author's personal spiritual perspective on healing. The author will then explain the critically common religions/beliefs when it comes to healing, prayer, meditation and so forth. Next, there will be a description of what would be important to patients of a faith that is delivered by healthcare providers that are of a different religious persuasion. Lastly, the author of this report will explain what was learn as part of this project. While the religions of the world are quite similar in many respects when it comes…...
mlaReferences
Bratcher, S. (2015). Why Do We Suffer? Buddhism vs. Christianity. Reformed Perspective. Retrieved 9 June 2015, from http://www.reformedperspective.ca/resources/55-christian-living/196-why-do-we-suffer-buddhism-vs.-christianity
Christianity.com. (2015). 8 Questions Every Worldview Must Answer. Christianity.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015, from http://www.christianity.com/theology/other-religions-beliefs/8-questions-every-worldview-must-answer.html?p=0
FFE. (2015). What is a worldview?. Retrieved 9 June 2015, from http://www.faithfromevidence.org/what-is-a-worldview.html
Healing Hospital and the Importance of Spirituality
Chapman (2003) defines a Healing Hospital as being about "loving service to others" (p.4). This paper examines the concept of the Healing Hospital and the role that spiritually plays in that model.
Numerous theorists have argued that advances in technology, pressure on budgets, and drives for efficiency over the last few decades have shifted the focus of attention from general care giving to technological and pharmacological interventions, with the need to extend life and fix broken parts (Puchalski, 2001; Treloar, 2000). However, there has also been increased realisation, back by significant research, that better outcomes are achieved when the patient is treated in a holistic manner (Baboni, Puchalski, & Peteet, 2014; Puchalski & Mcskimming, 2006).
The Healing Hospital is based on the premise of treating the whole person, rather than just the illness (Chapman, 2003). This includes all physical needs, as well as emotional, social,…...
mlaReferences
Baboni, M. J., Puchalski, C. M., & Peteet, J. R. (2014). The Relationship between Medicine, Spirituality and Religion: Three Models for Integration. Journal of Religion and Health, 53(5), 1586 -- 1598. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael_Balboni/publication/263055322_The_Relationship_between_Medicine_Spirituality_and_Religion_Three_Models_for_Integration/links/57039a6408aeade57a259720.pdf
Chapman, E. (2003). Radical Loving Care: Building the Healing Hospital in America. Nashville, TN: Baptist Healing Hospital Trust.
Diaz-Gilbert, M. (2014). Spirituality, Suffering, Meaning, Resiliency, and Healing: Research Findings and a Patient's Story of Overcoming a Medical Challenge. International Journal for Human Caring, 18(4), 45 -- 51.
Johnson, B. H., Abraham, M. R., & Parrish, R. N. (2004). Designing the neonatal intensive care unit for optimal family involvement. Clinics in Perinatology, 31(2), 353 -- 382.
Faith influences attitudes toward health, healing, and the role of healing practitioners in the lives of individuals and their communities. Because of this intersection between faith and wellness, it is critical for nurses to be sensitive to diverse patient backgrounds and belief systems. By understanding multiple faith systems and how those systems' worldviews impact patient attitudes, behaviors, and communication styles, nurses can provide more appropriate and effective interventions. Even if the majority of patients are of the same background as the nurse, it is necessary to remain open to alternative worldviews. Moreover, even within one faith category individual differences will warrant scrutiny towards the patient's attitudes toward existential questions.
Christianity is itself a highly diverse faith. Different denominations espouse various attitudes toward illness and health, healing and wellness. Therefore, the nurse should never assume that all Christian patients have the same values. When it comes to working with patients from radically…...
mlaReferences
Koenig, H.G., King, D.E. & Carson, V.B. (2012). Handbook of Religion and Health. New York: Oxford University Press.
Matsuoka, M. (2005). The Buddhist concept of the human being. The Journal of Oriental Studies 15, 2005. Retrieved online: http://www.sgi.org/resources/study-materials/the-buddhist-concept-of-the-human-being-from-the-viewpoint-of-the-philosophy-of-the-soka-gakkai.html
Monier-Williams, M. (1889). Buddhism and Its Connection with Brahmanism and Hinduism and in its Contrast with Christianity. New York: Macmillian.
Shelly, J.A. & Miller, A.B. (2006). Called to Care. InterVarsity Press.
Health Care & Faith Diversity
It is quite obvious how different religions hold different philosophical views on various aspects and even when it comes to healing. Each religion highly upholds their spiritual values hence the need for health practitioners to be cautious while handling varied clientele whether they hold the same religious sentiments or not. In this research we will major on the views held by the Sikh, Buddhist and Judaist religions in comparison to the Christian belief on healing.
Sikh religion
The Sikh hold the belief that when one is sick it is the will of God and that He is merciful to heal; however one has to consider medical treatment in order to get well. During illness: Sikh patients engage in prayers to seek God for help, seek to obtain peace by remembering Gods name, recite sacred hymns (Gurbani) which are words from the holy scriptures (Guru Granth Sahib) and are…...
mlaReferences:
Dharma Haven, (2005).Tools for Healing Relaxing and Awakening. Retrieved March 30,
2012 from http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/healing.htm
Manitoba, (2006). Core Competencies for Spiritual health care Practitioners. Retrieved March 30, 2012 from http://ahpcc.org.uk/pdf/compaudittool.pdf
Marinell & James (2009). Jewish Views of Illness and Healing. Retrieved March 30, 2012
Additionally, the eiki faith is incorporated well into the Buddhist religion, in that many of the main components of the eiki faith share similarities with the goals of enlightenment (O'Mathuna, 11). The simplistic, holistic, inherently "good" principles of eiki have allowed the faith to intertwine with major religions in today's society, allowing even more individuals to enjoy the power of the universal energy.
eiki is a complicated, multi-faceted belief involving many different levels of consciousness. By aiming to view the universe as one energy, where all things are just a simple component of a larger entity, the eiki faith allows healers to channel this energy to assist others in creating balance in their minds, hearts, bodies, souls, and entire beings. This balance allows individuals to live the life they choose, rather than living the life their predestined belief system dictates. By assisting others in creating balance, eiki healers further enhance…...
mlaReferences
Lewis, James. The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Martin, Jeffery. The Complete Guide to Reiki, Volume 1: Student Reference Edition. Newport, KY: Reiki Press, 1998.
Melton, Gordon. "Reiki: The International Spread of a New Age Healing Movement." New Age Religion and Globalization. Ed. M. Rothstein. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, 2001: 79-93.
O'Mathuna, Donal. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly..." The Watchman Expositor 14.1 (1997): 9-12.
Health Care to Varied Faiths
Spirituality in Health Care
roviding
Health Care to All Faiths
roviding health care is a challenging prospect. Compounding the challenge is the need to provide health care to individuals with differing beliefs from that of the caregiver. Nurses must recognize the multifaceted paradigm of health care in that the patient has spiritual as well as physical needs. Addressing these needs becomes even more complex when the spiritual beliefs of the patient are unfamiliar to the nurse. Discovering the details of the patient's specific religious affiliation enables the nurse to provide quality, spiritually-appropriate care. The following discussion addresses several distinct cultural perspectives on healing
erspective on Healing
Native American Indian Spirituality
One religion with distinctive health care beliefs is American Indian Spirituality. The Native American patient considers illness to be the result of spiritual problems (Native American, 2008). Further delving into the religion reveals a belief that diseases strike those individuals who…...
mlaPurifying rituals are performed to prepare the body for healing (Native American, 2008). A shaman may be called in to address the spiritual health of the patient: this aspect is central to wholeness (Native American, 2008). Symbolic rituals, which include praying, chanting, singing, or dancing, are performed to entreat the spirits to intervene on the patient's behalf and provide healing (Native American, 2008). These may involve the patient's entire community (Native American, 2008). In addition, American Indians utilize many natural herbs and plants in their quest for healing (Deubel, 2009).
Confucianism
While followers of Confucius need to be consulted in regard to health care interventions, the nurse must be cognizant of the familial hierarchy and ascertain who the head of the family is in order to include this person in decision-making (Chen & Fan, 2010). Specific edicts are not in place for daily living, including edicts which could pertain to health care interventions; however, prayers and sacrifices of food or incense may be proffered in
Traditional Healing
Often in the healing arts them most simple and obvious cures lie right in front of us, exposed and waiting to be utilized. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the specific ailment of anxiety and review the traditional sources of knowledge that can specifically apply to the treatment of this condition. The use of the individual's own psycho-spiritual faculties will be highlighted as the method in which these sources remedy the effects of anxiety and its sometimes debilitating symptoms.
The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon includes the many esoteric human tools such as mood, idea and spirit as important aspects of health and immunity from disease. This collection is the earliest and most important written work of traditional Chinese healing arts. The narrative of the story reveals the secrets of keeping a clear and sound mind and hence eliminating the anxious behavior that so often rises. Through simple…...
mlaReferences
Culpeper: The Complete Herbal. Viewed at Bibliomania.com, 15 Nov 2013. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=Culpeper%E2%80%99s+Herbal&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-U.S.:official&client=firefox-a&channel=rcs
The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine. Translated by Parago, P, (1995). Retrieved from http://www.five-element.com/graphics/neijing.pdf
The Holy Bible- King James Version. Viewed 16 Nov 2013. Retrieved from http://www.bartleby.com/108/
The Tao Te Ching. Translate Legge, J. (1891). Retrieved from http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/taote.htm
Health Care
Nurse practitioners need to work with all types of people, from many different faith backgrounds. Generally, they are not expected to know the intimate details of any particular religion, but they should have a generalized knowledge of how different spiritual beliefs can influence the healing process. While this can be a fairly easy process to acquire knowledge about major religious groups, there are many minority spirituality groups in the United States, being a very diverse society. Three that come to mind are Wicca, Druid and Native American religious traditions. This paper will analyze these different systems of spirituality in the context of how they affect healing in particular, as this is the area that will most affect the nurse practitioner's role.
Wicca
There are a variety of sources that provide insight into the Wicca view of healing. The Wiccan belief system is considered to be a pagan belief system, but is…...
mlaReferences
American Cancer Society (2008). Native American healing. American Cancer Society. Retrieved April 25, 2014 from http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/mindbodyandspirit/native-american-healing
Dragonsong, E. (2014). What is an energy healer? Wicca Spirituality. Retrieved April 25, 2014 http://www.wicca-spirituality.com/energy-healer.html
No author. (2014) Druidry and healing. Druid Healing Retreats. Retrieved April 25, 2014 from http://www.druidhealingretreats.co.uk/druidry-healing
Wattpad. (2014). Wiccan guide to healing. Wattpad. Retrieved April 25, 2014 fro http://www.wattpad.com/7388209-wiccan-guide-to-healing
Healthcae and Divesity of Faiths
The objective of this study is to eseach thee divese faiths and to compae the philosophy of poviding health cae fom the pespective of these thee faiths with that of the Chistian pespective and the wite's own pesonal pespective. Fo the pupose of the study the thee faiths chosen ae the Native Ameican faith, Buddhism, and Shintoism.
Native Ameican Faith
The Native Ameican faith view on medicine is that healing is moe peson than disease-centeed. It is epoted that taditional heales have the objective of "making whole estoing well-being and hamonious elationships with the community and the spiit of natue, which is sometimes called God o the Geat Mystey. Native Ameican healing is based on the belief that eveyone and eveything on eath is inteconnected, and evey peson, animal, and plant has a spiit o essence. Even an object, such as a ive o ock, and even the…...
mlareferences does have a parallel in Christianity. The key distinction, of course, is that there is only one spirit -- that of God, which may be expressed via the
Jewish Faith in Life and Death
Of the main components of the human life cycle, dying is probably the one most people prefer to avoid or at least ignore until the last possible moment. Nevertheless, even though many of us prefer not to think about it, death is as much part of humanity as birth and life. Hence, every religion has its particular views on death and rituals to help those who have passed on their way to whatever concept of the afterlife exists in that religion. In this, the Jewish religion is not unique. Centuries of tradition still survive today as modern Jews practice the ancient art of their religion, both in life and when death occurs. When considered in terms of Foucault's "Technologies of the Self," one might say the elaborate Jewish rituals surrounding dying and death can be seen from the viewpoint of both self-care and self-renunciation.
One of…...
mlaReferences
Diamant, A. (1998). Saying Kaddish: How to comfort the dying, bury the dead, and mourn as a Jew. New York: Shocken Books.
Foucault, M. (1988). Technologies of the Self. Retrieved from: http://heavysideindustries.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Michel-Foucault-Technologies-of-the-Self.pdf
Lamm, M. (2000). The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning. New York: Jonathan David Publishers, Inc.
Nursing Process to Deliver
Application of the Nursing Process to Deliver Culturally Competent Care: Malay culture
Each society has devised its own methodology of dealing with diseases. As per the old Manuscript MSS1292 KitabTib (Book of Healing) (a 19th century Malay manuscript), people of Malay have successful and strong healing practices which work wonderfully well in case of integrative and complementary medicines (Baharuddin & Sidik, 2010). An analytical approach is required to study the contents of the Malay manuscript for understanding it deeply. As per the research, there are three kinds of methods in case of healing diseases (Baharuddin & Sidik, 2010). These are as follows:
Natural resources
Wafak (written symbols)
Quranic verses for healing purposes and offering respect to prophet (P.B.U.H)
It is quite evident that these traditional practices were ecological and holistic in origin, which is stressed upon even today (Baharuddin & Sidik, 2010).
Background
The roots of Malay conventional medicine lie in traditional Unani medicine…...
mlaReferences
Baharuddin, A., & Sidik, R. (2010). The Case of Malay Manuscript of the 19th Century. Traditional Healing In Malay Culture:, 1-7.
Farooqui, M. (2013).The Current Situation and Future Direction of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) in Malaysian Health Care System. Alternative and Integrative Medicine, 1(1), 1.
Ghani, R., & Hamid, M. (2011).Traditional and Complementary Medicine Programme in Malaysia. Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 1-6.
Jamal, A. (2006). An overview of scientific and technological progress. Malay Traditional Medicine, 37-46.
How long this process takes and whether it will prevent the loss of seeded cells probably depends to a significant extent on the surrounding tissue and therefore represents another unknown.
HIF-1? And VEGF are also involved in osteogenesis, so the influence of these growth factors on the differentiation choices being made by the seeded stem cells is unknown (Polzer 7). The impact of prolonged hypoxic conditions on the seeded cells is another. Although Polzer and colleagues examined the timing of cell seeding relative to prevascularization, they discovered that the artificial scaffold rapidly filled with connective tissue. This process effectively clogged the matrix and prevented efficient seeding.
By comparison, researchers conducting spinal cord injury research into the efficacy of regenerative medicine techniques have been producing promising results (Sykova et al. 1113-1114). Hydrogels seeded with mesenchymal stem cells or bone marrow stem cells have produced positive results in both animal models and in…...
mlaWorks Cited
Park, Alice. "Cancer Patient Received a Man-Made Windpipe." Time.com, 12 Jan. 2012, Online. Internet. 1 Jul. 2013. Available http://healthland.time.com/2012/01/13/cancer-patient-receives-a-man-made-windpipe/ .
Polzer, Hans et al. "Comparison of Different Strategies for in Vivo Seeding of Prevascularized Scaffolds." Tissue Engineering: Part C, published online May 21 ahead of print. Online.
Sifferlin, Alexandra. "Toddler gets New Windpipe from Her Own Stem Cells." Time.com, 1 May 2013, Online. CNN.com. Internet. 1 Jul. 2013. Available http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/01/health/toddler-stem-cells-windpipe .
Sykova, Eva et al. "Bone Marrow Stem Cells and Polymer Hydrogels -- Two Strategies for Spinal Cord Injury Repair." Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology 26.7-8 (2006): 1113-1129.
Furthermore, the policy seems to put a burden on the hospital to help provide those services, which seems to put an undue burden on the hospital. Writing policies that guaranteed access would be permitted, but did not in any way guarantee facilitation of that access would seem to be a better policy.
One of the least understood religious groups in the United States is the Church of Scientology. There is a strong belief that members of this religious group are adverse to modern medical care, a belief that I shared before researching their organization. However, from the information that I could find, Scientologists are not opposed to modern medicine. On the contrary, the Church of Scientology has an official policy of not being involved in either medical diagnosis or treatment of medical illnesses. They believe that underlying illness inhibits a person's spiritual journey, so that they encourage members to seek…...
mlaReferences
Church of Scientology. (2012). Do Scientologists use medical doctors? Retrieved March 6,
2012 from Scientology Newsroom website: http://www.scientologynews.org/faq/do-scientologists-use-medical-doctors.html
Hmong shamans help at Valley hospitals. (2009, November 10). Retrieved March 5, 2012 from Fresno Bee website: http://www.fresnobee.com/2009/10/10/1669868/hmong-shamans-help-at-valley-hospitals.html
There are exceptions, where legal ramifications are employed and individuals are held to account for their inaction. For most people, including myself the idea that faith is the only solution to medical concerns, and especially emergent ones is unfathomable. Medical care is congruent with faith, as even for the most ardent believer in God if God had not meant for children to be cured of preventable a treatable disease he would not have developed treatments to do so. For the broader population this is a reasonable tenet and most people report taking themselves and their children to a doctor or hospital when they feel it is necessary. It is also clear that modern people are even more involved in their own wellness and may even be able to treat some injuries and illnesses at home, without medical intervention. Furthermore most know when they need to seek care for themselves…...
mlaReferences
Barnes L.L. & Sered, S.S. (2005). Religion and Healing in America. New York: Oxford University Press
Hamer, D. (2004).The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired Into our Genes.
Koenig, H.G. (2005). Medicine, Religion, and Health: Where Science and Spirituality Meet. West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Foundation Press.
Nord, W.A. (1999). Science, Religion and Education. Phi Delta Kappan, 81(1), 28.
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