Paths to Spiritual Well-being in Times of Crisis

Richard Csarny, Ph.D., LCSW
Duke Employee Assistance Program

At times of crisis many of us are led to rediscover the fact that our life consists of dealing with mystery, of dealing both with the wreckage in our lives--and with the power of hope and love. Each of us in our personal striving knows of our own human limitations. We each have some knowledge of our selfish acts, our deliberate turnings away from what we perceive as the good, and how harm results because of our own or other's imperfections. Who of us has not in this way harmed the ones we most love?

But at certain times, we are deeply troubled by the occurrence of the tragic, hostile, or violent, and the intense personal pain left in their wake. These types of actions test our understanding of any gracious schema for the universe and personalize for us the constant reality of loss, disintegration, unwarranted and unpredicted pain and suffering inequitably given in the life of each person. There is something terribly unfair in the way that we each have to suffer, especially when this suffering seems not to be the result of our own failures or broken intentions, but instead a result of what may seem to us like the personification of evil, a perverse creation, or perhaps, an uncaring or powerless God.

In our human way, we may seek to understand and grapple with our inner pain, and find meaning through our spirituality. In fact, this process is often integral to our mental health. Research shows that two of the most effective ways we can better cope and resolve the after-effects of trauma or the tragic are through the re-working of our thoughts and assumptions about the situation and its personal effects on us, and through finding a deeper meaning in what has happened. (1)

Perhaps it is no coincidence that many definitions of spirituality center on this fundamental human challenge and the fragility of our own life. Three aspects seem to be common if not pervasive in definitions of spirituality:
  1. a movement to be in union with transcendent love, truth, or goodness;
  2. an increased ability to cope with death, tragedy, evil, and the harshness of life;
  3. a personal response of love, compassion, and care for others. (2)
Indeed, one definition regards spirituality as "whatever we as individuals do to come to grips personally with the questions that confront us because we are aware that we and others like us are alive and that we will die."(3) It is our spirituality that helps us to cope with the tragic, and our spirituality which is formed by our response to the tragic.

While there are many paths to spiritual enlightenment and spiritual well-being, a number of paths seem particularly salient around our desire to heal ourselves in the presence of trauma and the tragic. Let us consider one, the path of meditation, or mindful presence.

According to Judeo-Christian and Buddhist spiritual healing traditions, the presence of suffering and evil outside oneself must lead us to knowing the presence of evil, suffering, and imperfection within ourselves. We all know that in the presence of evil and threat, the primitive automatic response is to fight or flee, to strike back or totally withdraw. However, this is an immediate primitive response geared toward survival, and is not necessarily a longer term spiritual response which is geared toward identification with the Transcendent. While primitive societies often killed in the name of God, most mainline spiritual traditions today accept that such is our human misappropriation of God, "who lets His sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and his rain to fall on the honest and dishonest alike." (4)

So along with feeling deep anger, frustration, or sadness, we should not be distracted from the work of looking within ourselves if we seek spiritual well-being. That is why in the Judeo-Christian tradition many worship services begin with a moment to reflect upon one's own sinfulness. In the face of evil, pain, and suffering, one can become more self-reflective and less reactive: one can ponder more deeply and act more thoughtfully. The person becomes aware of his or her own capacity for violence, hate, and vengeance, and one seeks to rid one's heart of those qualities in oneself that one abhors in others. That is why Gandhi could say, "we must be the change that we desire in the world."

For many religious persons, this path brings peace and healing. As Terry Anderson said about his time as a hostage, "We come closest to God at our lowest moments. It's easiest to hear God when you are stripped of pride and arrogance, when you have nothing to rely on except God. It's pretty painful to get to that point, but when you do, God's there."

Whether through the path of identifying and letting go of one's own attachments or cravings as did Buddha, or through reflection on the life and teachings of one's spiritual guides such as Abraham, Moses, or Jesus, the focus is on self awareness and a more compassionate response. This awareness can be found through meditation and mindful presence. Consider a number of ways that contribute to healing and well being.

The environment for meditation.
One approach to meditation is to remove the busyness around us, turn off the radio and television, make ourselves physically comfortable, and quiet our inner selves so that we can turn our attention to the Holy. It helps to have prayerful surroundings, or at least a place of no distraction. This method may be carried out in a more active or a more receptive way.

An active approach.
In the more active way, some find it helpful to quiet their minds by repeating a blessing, mantra, prayer, or short phrase from their sacred writings, slowly over and over again, letting these words bring them into a deeper place where they can experience themselves and the Holy. By first focusing on the words, they then find that the words can continue while they attain a deeper presence or centering.

For example, a Muslim approach could be to repeat "Astaghfir-Allaah" (I seek the forgiveness of Allaah), or "Sall-Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam" (May Allaah bless him and grant him peace), or use another such saying or blessing. (5)

A Buddhist approach is to let the following wishes repeat over and over again:
May I be free from enmity,
may I be free from mental suffering,
may I be free from physical suffering,
may I take care of myself happily,
and then move toward wishing these four things for an another specific individual. (6)

Christians have used the ancient "Jesus Prayer" (Lord Jesus have mercy on me) or a verse of scripture such as "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God."

A Jewish saying could be something such as "Blessed are you Lord of all creation," or "I set before you life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life then so that you and your descendants may live." (7)

One should pick a word or phrase that has the ability the lead to a deeper presence or meaning, or that personalizes the tension that needs healing.

A more receptive approach.
In the more receptive way, one simply focuses on one's breathing, heartbeat, or simple nothingness, while allowing oneself slowly to move to a deeper level of presence. In these ways the distracting thoughts and outside noises and sensations are allowed to pass largely unnoticed while our spirit-self focuses on receptivity to the manifestation of our Higher Power. This approach enacts the scriptural saying "Be still and know that I am God."

When this is difficult.
If one finds it particularly difficult to enter into one's center, an intermediate practice is often helpful to quiet the noise. A short inspirational passage from the holy writings or scriptures of one's spiritual tradition is read slowly, over and over, until the full meaning comes forth. One starts with a sentence, or perhaps a word, and focuses on realizing the full meaning of that one element before moving on to the next word or phrase. The focus here is not so much on an active attempt to apply a sentence or teaching to one's life (although that is also helpful), but on an openness that allows the word or phrase to teach and open one to a presence beyond the self. Some also find that listening to a religious song or repeating a simple chant over and over can quiet the mind and open it to the Holy in much the same way.

For any of these approaches, a shorter time period of 10 to 15 minutes twice a day is helpful for beginners, while those who enter into this way often relish meditating 30 to 60 minutes or so once or twice a day as they gain more experience. The result is often a sense of deeper peace, a wisdom about the fragility of being human, a heightened compassion for self and others, and a sense of union with the Holy. Many report that they are less reactive to others, more attuned to the mystery of their life, more physically and mentally healthy, more productive, more appreciative and grateful, and more able to bring about the presence of good in their own part of the universe.

This path of meditation and mindfulness is only one spiritual path among many, but it opens our spirit-self to a reworking of our thinking, increases our ability to enter into the meaning of painful life events and of our own fragility, and provides a sense of spiritual well-being, peace, and healing.

References:
  1. National Center for PTSD. 2000. Self-Care and Self-Help Following Disasters. www.ncptsd.org
  2. Csarny. 1997. The Incremental Validity of Religious Constructs in Predicting Quality of Life, Racism, and Sexual Attitudes. Ann Arbor, UMI.
  3. Batson, Schoenrade, and Ventis. 1993. Religion and the Individual: A Social- psychological Perspective. New York, Oxford University Press.
  4. Matthew 6:45
  5. Islam Questions and Answers, question 4156.
  6. Sujiva, 1998. Meditation on Loving-kindness. www.buddhanet.net/
  7. Deuteronomy 30:19
Resources:

Fahy. 1989. The Tree That Survived the Winter. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press.

Text copyright 2001 Duke EAP/Richard J. Csarny


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Duke Occupational Mental Health Programs
Duke Employee Assistance Program, a component of Duke OMHP
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Department of Community and Family Medicine