Spirituality, Religion, and Psychology

Abstract

Spirituality, religion and psychology have three distinct areas of applications, each one with its peculiar characteristics. Spirituality in general includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and it typically involves a search for meaning in life. Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, dogmas and practices that define the relations between the human being and the sacred or divine. Psychology is the study, with the methods of empirical sciences, of the functions that can be referred to the mind or the soul, i.e. cognition, emotions, motivations, personality. The chapter analyses the relation between the realms of spirituality, religion and psychology, their similarities and their differences, their methodological approaches and objects. Their relationship with health, illness and process of dying is also taken into consideration, where concepts like body, soul, beliefs, values, traditions and practices are involved. Spiritual distress may result from some serious illness situations, with its burden of suffering and pain, up to the extreme experience of death. It is very important that an approach is taken from a multidisciplinary perspective. Consequently, the actors involved will also be different, each with their own specific characteristics and objectives: patients, healthcare professionals, family and Institutions.