Seeking and Finding Wholeness

What is Spiritual Wellness? This article aims at defining what Spiritual Wellness is, it is based on literature and multiple sources and aims to be clear and precise.

Spiritual wellness refers to seeking a meaning to one’s life and integrating one’s spiritual beliefs and values with their actions . Being spiritually well means being engaged in transcending oneself in order to question the meaning and purpose of life and the lives of others.

The spiritual wellness dimension was recognized by both Hettler’s and Covey’s dimensions of wellness. Spiritual wellness means different things to different people, the definition below presents the universally agreed upon aspects of spiritual wellness.

Spiritual Wellness is:

• Seeking a universal value system
  • Being able to engage in the formulation of a systematic world view, and system of values that give unity, purpose and goals to one’s hopes, striving, thoughts and action.
• Seeking meaning and purpose to one’s life and human existence
• Seeking one’s values, rights, and responsibilities, ethics, and code of living (may or may not be part of formal religion) through discussion and thought
• Being engaged in transcending oneself in order to question the meaning and purpose of life and the lives of others
• Being involved in the process of questioning all that is around them
• Act in a manner congruent with one’s values and the values of the community/society
• The appreciation for that which cannot be completely understood
• Seeking harmony between that which lies within (oneself) and what lies outside such as social and physical forces from the environment and other individuals
• Being tolerant of the opposites and contradictions that exist within one’s world and beliefs and influences of others
• Having a sense of purpose, direction, and awareness
• Developing values by first examining one’s own values
• Being comfortable talking about your spirituality
• Spiritual Wellness is one of the interconnected eight dimensions of wellness
• Values include:
  • respect
  • honesty
  • human life
  • family
  • education
  • religion
  • health
  • wealth
  • community service
  • diversity.
• Feelings that accompany this quest include:
  • doubt
  • despair
  • fear
  • disappointment
  • dislocation
  • feelings of pleasure
  • joy
  • eagerness
  • discovery

In a nutshell, spiritually well people seek a universal value system and take time out of their day for spiritual growth and learning. They have a sense of right and wrong, and they act accordingly.

The spiritual dimension recognizes our search for meaning and purpose, while appreciating that which cannot be completely known.

Being spiritually well does not mean being religious; it refers to pondering the meaning of life and being tolerant of the beliefs of others and not being close minded or intolerant.

Further reading:

• http://www.hettler.com/History/spirit.htm
• http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hrb/hw/spiritual/