 Everyone is spiritual by nature. The spiritual dimensions of life often become more prominent in the midst of cancer for both cancer patients and their loved ones. Cancer offers an opportunity to open conversations toward new understanding about spirit, spiritual needs, and deeper spiritual embodiment. For some, cancer shatters reality and invites a deep dive into profound aspects of self and existence. For others, this process occurs more gradually as they move through their journey.
Most people understand that we are connected to something larger than ourselves and engage some form of contact with spirit. Healing is about wholeness. We are whole when our spirit is united with our body. Spirituality is therefore an essential component of an integrative cancer care plan addressing the whole person.
Studies indicate that spiritual well-being improves quality of life in people with cancer. Spiritual benefits identified through research include improved coping, finding meaning, reduced stress, strengthened will to live, and deepened understanding about life and death.
What is the difference between spirituality and religion?
Many definitions and distinctions exist between spirituality and religion. The following definitions come from EmbodiWorks's Integrative Cancer Care Advisory Board member Lora Matz, MS, LICSW. You may wish to ponder them and determine your own way to define spirituality and religion.
Spirituality
Spirituality is about our core, our essence, our capacity to perceive ourselves in the context of a larger organized and unifying perspective that transcends our day-to-day experience and provides meaning and purpose to our essential human attitudes towards life's events. Spirituality is what connects us and what we have in common. It is not a doctrine, metaphysical speculation, or deduction journey. Spirituality is a natural process of evolution, a birthright, a state of being, a lived experience, and lived conclusion. It is our expression of an essence that comes from and is the divine.
Religion
Religion is a set of beliefs, practices, and a language that characterizes a community searching for transcendent meaning in a particular way and on the basis of a particular belief in a deity. It is how we choose to feed, practice, and express our spiritual nature.
How do you define your spirituality? What is your relationship with spirit? What are your spiritual practices to fully support your body, mind, and spirit? Empower yourself with information. Engage introspection and self-inquiry. Explore important dimensions of your spirituality. Learn through spiritual perspectives, questions, strategies, and resources. Decide what makes sense for you and find your own truth.
Existential Crisis and Cancer
Cancer can feel like a world turned upside down. The crisis is psychological and spiritual. Learn about strategies to navigate the existential exacerbation of thoughts. Explore cancer as a turning point.
Cancer and the Soul
Illness is a soul-shaking and soul-evoking experience. Cancer opens deeper exploration into life, death, purpose, meaning, and other aspects of the human experience. Read about soulful opportunities through illness.
Spirituality Self-Assessment
Reflect, identify, and define important components of your spirituality. Our assessment shepherds you into self-inquiry toward better self-care, including of your spiritual needs.
Living, Dying and Cancer
When we die and how we die are major factors in how people relate to mortality. We think life should be a certain way. Read about empowering perspectives on life and death with questions, strategies, and resources for exploring these topics in the midst of cancer and life in general.
Intuition and Instinct
Are you seeking guidance and support through your intuition and instinct? Explore ways to find your center and direction inside of yourself. Our information about inner knowing will support your process to find clarity and develop more confidence in your decision-making and journey.
Presence
If you don't know about presence, or do and want to deepen it, read our presence information about a spiritual practice and path to evolve with stillness and find God within.
Prayer and Cancer
Prayer is experienced in many ways. Read perspectives on this sacred and timeless spiritual practice.
Other Spiritual Support
What supports your spirituality? Read about different types of spiritual practices. Our resources provide explanations and tools for further exploration.
Ritual and Cancer
Rituals create a sacred space of purposeful intention and ceremony. Learn about how this practice offers psychological and spiritual support for healing.
Labyrinth and Cancer
The experience of moving through a labyrinth serves as a profound metaphor for life's journey toward the center. Tap into the spiral path.
Our most popular resources
 Diet and Cancer
You are what you eat! Some foods kill cancer cells and others promote cancer cell growth. Learning the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods in the midst of cancer is essential.
 Cancer Resources
Knowledge is power. Reliable resources are empowering. We provide clear information, explanations, and maps to educate and empower. Explore our integrative cancer care resources for navigation tools and support.
 Mind-Body Strategies
The mental and emotional inner life impacts health and healing through the mind-body connection. Learn about empowering mind-body practices supporting mind, body, and spirit for cancer patients and caregivers.
 Spiritual Support
The spiritual dimensions of life often become more prominent in the midst of cancer for cancer patients and their loved ones. Explore our empowering information about spirituality for support and strategies.
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