Spirituality

Spirituality and Ethnic Minorities

Although the terms religion and spirituality are frequently used interchangeably, for many people they [Page 444]hold different meanings. Religion, which is often associated with an organized group, is defined as a specific set of beliefs and practices. Religion stipulates formalized behavioral patterns, practices, and expressions that provide a social identity. Spirituality is commonly defined as the animating forces of life, which are represented by such images as breath, wind, vigor, or courage, or the infusion or drawing out of spirit in one's life. Spirituality is also described as a capacity and tendency that is innate and unique to all persons. Thus, spirituality is more of a personal experience that can be obtained through different paths, both inside and outside formal religion.

Among ethnic minorities (African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans), spirituality is a recognized and celebrated aspect of the cultural experience. It serves as a means of understanding one's self, others, and the complexities of life, as well as a mechanism by which individuals prioritize the demands of their lives. Recently, several research studies have provided a better understanding of how spirituality manifests within different ethnic and linguistic minority groups. The following sections focus exclusively on the research on spirituality in four ethnic minority groups in the United States: African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asians.

Spirituality and African Americans

Although the term African American is often used to refer to the Black population in general, this section focuses specifically on individuals who are descendants of slaves born in America. Among African Americans, spirituality is viewed as the propensity to make meaning through a sense of relation to dimensions that transcend the self in a way that empowers rather than devalues the individual. African American spirituality is a key source of strength and tenacity. It integrates individual and collective lives with all other realms of existence, including nature, humanity, the spirit world, and God's world. It is a key component of personality and culture, and it is correlated with positive mental health outcomes. Specifically, spirituality can help to negate hardships in the lives of African Americans, which are often precursors to poor mental health. Spirituality is also an important component of health locus of control (beliefs about what determines health) for African Americans. For example, African Americans are likely to view control over one's health as the result of a higher power (i.e., God). African Americans feel most spiritual in their places of worship when they are praying, practicing psalms, and preaching. They believe these types of behavior help connect them to their higher power. Overall, African American spirituality is about the mutual preservation of the human life, body, and soul.

Spirituality and Latino Americans

Conversely, Latinos tend to view spirituality as an attitude toward life that is interwoven with cultural, traditional, and personal elements. In the Latino community, spirituality greatly influences attitudes toward life, health, illness, and death. As a result, it is considered the primary method for coping with negative life events, such as the illness of a friend or family member. Spirituality is a communal (rather than an individual) process that develops from faith, devotion, and prayer, which are heavily rooted in Latinos' upbringing and in the Latino community. Spirituality is often learned in the parental home (i.e., from parents, grandparents, and other relatives) and through active participation in activities that are considered spiritual. For example, prayer and meditation are essential elements of Latino spirituality that individuals commonly learn in the parental home and through active participation. By watching and mimicking their parents' style of prayer and meditation, young Latinos develop their own sense of spiritual connectedness.

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