Metaphors can give life meaning

Conceptual metaphor theory offers a perspective on how and when people find meaning in life. Whereas life’s meaning can be difficult to grasp, metaphor compares life to a relatively more concrete and structured concept. Supporting this account, American adults (Study 1) and German undergraduates (Study 2) who framed life as a journey reported more meaning in life. The journey metaphor was particularly beneficial for individuals with low levels of perceived coherence in life (Study 2). Study 3 further explored this pattern of moderation: An accessible metaphor, compared to other life framings, benefited participants who lack a strong meaning framework. Study 4 focused on the mechanism behind metaphor’s influence. Participants who imagined events from their life journey perceived stronger interrelatedness among those events as measured with an analog spatial organization task. Perceived interrelatedness in turn predicted meaning in life, particularly for individuals with a strong preference for well-structured knowledge. Finally, participants who applied their own metaphor to life expressed greater meaning (Study 5), especially those high in personal need for structure (Study 6). An internal meta-analysis of these findings provides cumulative evidence for metaphor’s influence on perceived meaning in life and reveals moderating features of the individual.     

The analysis of young people’s experiences of domestic violence: spiritual and emotional journeys through suffering

The hermeneutical analysis of the stories of young people who have experienced domestic violence is described as multi‐layered having been developed from a voice centred relational methodology. The purpose was to uncover the complexity of lived experience. As the analysis proceeded, the young people’s voices emerged as ‘feeling’ voices, encompassing emotionality. Each young person’s journey through suffering was characterised by individuality, but the analysis has offered a glimpse of commonality which is present within each of the young people’s stories. Their resilience, their journey from disempowering to humanising emotions and their indomitable spiritual powers have been revealed through the analytical process.     

Lost in Eden: Dementia From Paradise

I look at dementia from an eschatological perspective through personal experience as I supported my husband through his journey into Alzheimer’s disease. Building on the notion of a monastic garden, I draw from the contemplatives to understand my own “kairos” moment that changed my perspective on the way church and other providers offer care. Comparing the church to a garden, I argue that people with dementia are priest-bearing sacraments in whose faces God is seen. Looking into the faces of those with dementia, these priests shepherd us to recognize our illusions about life calling us to greater humility.     

The Meaning of Pilgrimage (Hajj): Re-shaping the Pious Identity of Belgian Turkish Muslims

This article examines how Belgian Muslims of Turkish origin interact with the hajj (pilgrimage) and the meaning of the pilgrimage for Muslims living in Belgium. It focuses upon the space of pilgrimage rituals, identifies the motivations for the practice of the pilgrimage and attempts to explain how the ‘canonical meaning’ of the hajj, which is considered unchanging, is adopted in the new Belgian situation and how pilgrims regard it. The physical practice of pilgrimage constitutes an interesting area through which to depict how Belgian Muslims of Turkish origin experience the sacred journey that shapes their religious understanding and their identity. The article’s findings are based on interviews and observations in 2012 and 2014. The author visited mosques during hajj information sessions and spoke with imams, but the fieldwork was carried out among pilgrims who had visited Mecca for their hajj and ?umra..     

The Meaning of Discipleship

This article is an attempt to use academic tools to bring out the meaning of discipleship from the practitioners' perspective. The mandate of the Great Commission, making people disciples, is the process of making someone become like Christ. This contribution shows that as individuals learn from him and follow the pattern of Jesus' life, there will be marks of discipleship, such as commitment and being like him in deeds. The primary purpose of Jesus' coming to the world was to establish the kingdom of God through his death. The study demonstrates that the kingdom becomes evident in form and practice as people surrender to God's progressive rule. The strength and influence of the church is shown to be wholly dependent upon its commitment to authentic discipleship; that is, producing transformed lives and seeing those lives reproduced in others. The paper concludes that the transformed disciples must together take a journey of transforming communities into the kingdom of God.     

A journey through languages: A systematic literature review on the multilingual experience in counselling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents

The purpose of this research was to address the gap in the existing literature on the multilingual aspect of language in psychotherapy with children and adolescents. This research aimed at interpreting possible meanings for clients of being multilingual in the therapeutic process as well as reflect on the influence of clients’ multilingualism in the therapeutic relationship. The researcher used a systematic literature review (PRISMA guidelines, 2009) to select articles based on empirical qualitative/mixed studies with participants up to 25 years old or adults referring to childhood/adolescence. The researcher used thematic synthesis (Thomas & Harden, 2008) to extract, analyse and interpret data. The rigour of this study was enhanced by the use of auto-ethnography as a source of evidence (McLeod, 2015). The auto-etnography documents self-reflections on personal experience of being multilingual contributing to deeper contextualised knowledge. The findings confirm previous research on the existence of a link between multilingualism and “identity” (Costa, 2020, p. 5). This research suggests that the meaning a client gives to bilingualism can be co-constructed within an attuned therapeutic relationship. In this co-construction journey, there is a significant opportunity for children and young people in finding their way through languages, hence reaching emancipation and affirmation in the world. The main limitation of this research relates to the fact that there are not many studies with children/young people. This led the researcher to also include studies based on a mixed sample and with adults referring to childhood/adolescence, which might have influenced the interpretation of findings.     

Visiting the labyrinth of religious transformation

Understanding the complexity of religious transformation requires empirical contextualized research on the continuous dynamic relationship between formation and transformation. Narrative study in context unveils the implicit meaning of phenomena made explicit in stories. This article, through a biographical case study of a Mennonite woman’s religious journey, explores the complex nature of religious transformation with particular attention to intricate interplay of factors. Critical insights regarding the inseparable relationship between formation and transformation are made clear through an in‐depth examination of lived experience, yielding implications for religious education.     

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND MYSTICAL UNKNOWING: CONTEMPORARY INSIGHTS FROM MEDIEVAL SOURCES

Intellectual disabilities make people vulnerable to marginalization in churches and social spaces, but theology has not sufficiently attended to the topic and promoted the flourishing of people who have cognitive impairments. This article responds to theology's inadequate attention to intellectual disability and historical resources for reflection on the topic by reading medieval sources with intellectual disability in mind. I argue that Bonaventure's Itinerarium Mentis in Deum provides a model for imagining intellectually disabled and nondisabled people sharing the journey into God and that Eckhart's view of intellect as the uncreated element in the soul includes people who are intellectually disabled among those who may be united with God.     

Reflective team in caring for people living with dementia: a base for care improvement

A reflective team (RT) is a team of professional carers who reflect on a specific caring issue under the direction of an RT leader. The goal for the reflective process is to accomplish care improvement based on research and proven experience, and the first step is to reflect upon the competence that already exists in the context in which RT takes place. This study aims to bring previous unarticulated competence in caring for people living with dementia to the surface after it has been reflected during RT sessions. Ten assistant nurses who work closely with patients who have dementia and attend RT sessions on a regular basis were interviewed about their competence for caring for people living with dementia. Using a phenomenographic analysis, two qualitatively separate categories emerged: general caring skills and dementia-specific caring skills. It was concluded that specific skills in caring for people living with dementia build in caring skills and that tacit knowledge can be explicit and be expressed when it has been reflected in RT.     

Reflective team in caring for people living with dementia: a base for care improvement

A reflective team (RT) is a team of professional carers who reflect on a specific caring issue under the direction of an RT leader. The goal for the reflective process is to accomplish care improvement based on research and proven experience, and the first step is to reflect upon the competence that already exists in the context in which RT takes place. This study aims to bring previous unarticulated competence in caring for people living with dementia to the surface after it has been reflected during RT sessions. Ten assistant nurses who work closely with patients who have dementia and attend RT sessions on a regular basis were interviewed about their competence for caring for people living with dementia. Using a phenomenographic analysis, two qualitatively separate categories emerged: general caring skills and dementia-specific caring skills. It was concluded that specific skills in caring for people living with dementia build in caring skills and that tacit knowledge can be explicit and be expressed when it has been reflected in RT.     

The Gentleman Vanishes: Dementia,Caretaking and the Life of the Mind

This essay recounts the author’s journey with her father during his prolonged decline due to dementia. The experience pushed her to break out of the confines of conventional scholarly research in her academic field of architectural history to a multi-disciplinary consideration of nineteenth-century environmental, sensory and horticultural therapies for the mentally ill. During her father’s illness, she discovered the tangible therapeutic benefits of momentary engagements with his environment through his five senses and through the emotional filter of poetry. This reorientation to sensory and poetic experience had a beneficial impact on the caretaker as well.     

Exploring adversity and the potential for growth among elite female athletes

ObjectivesThe purposes of this study were to (a) explore experiences of adversity and (b) to examine perceptions of growth following adversity among elite female athletes.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with five elite female athletes (ages 18–23 years) who competed internationally in track and field, swimming, long-distance running, and basketball. Interviews were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological approach (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009).ResultsIncidents of performance slumps, coach conflicts, bullying, eating disorders, sexual abuse, and injuries were reported. The shared ‘essential’ features of participants’ experiences of adversity were isolation/withdrawal, emotional disruption, questioning identity as an athlete, and understanding experiences within a context of perceived expectations. It appeared that as participants sought and found meaning in their experiences, they identified opportunities for growth associated with social support and also as they realized the role of sport in their lives. Aspects of growth include realizing strength, gaining perspective of their problems, and gaining a desire to help others. Athletes’ experiences with adversity were seen as part of an ongoing journey through elite sport.ConclusionsAthletes’ experiences of adversity may have initiated a process of questioning their identities and searching for meaning in their experiences. Findings highlighted the complexity associated with social support and athletes’ growth following adversity. Growth following adversity appears to be a valuable area of research among elite athletes.     

“I Am Just an Ordinary Person …”: Spiritual Reminiscence in Older People with Memory Loss

SUMMARY

One of the greatest challenges to people diagnosed with dementia is their search for meaning leading to the development of effective coping strategies as their memory loss and confusion progresses. The challenge for carers is to learn ways of entering the world of people who have difficulties communicating and have behaviour problems, assisting them to communicate more effectively by responding to their interests and needs, and listening to their emotions expressed in various ways. Strategies are being developed for supporting and affirming personhood in those people who are often isolated and withdrawn from even their closest friends and relatives. Spiritual reminiscence work is one way of helping older people with memory loss find meaning in their lives as they cope with the day to day difficulties of memory loss and prepare for death.

This paper will present the results from indepth interviews from 16 participants in a larger study exploring memory loss and spiritual reminiscence. Themes arising from the data analysis revolve around notions of relationships, loneliness, family and attendance at worship.     

Prosocial behavior increases perceptions of meaning in life

Finding meaning in life is a fundamental personal need, and motivating prosocial behavior is a fundamental societal need. The present research tests whether the two are connected – whether helping other people can increase helpers’ perceptions of meaning in life. Evidence from a nationally representative data-set and two experiments support this hypothesis. Participants who engaged in prosocial behaviors – volunteering and spending money to benefit others – reported experiencing greater meaning in their lives (Studies 1–3). Study 3 also identifies increased self-worth as the mechanism – participants who spent money to benefit other people felt higher personal worth and self-esteem, and this mediated the effect of prosocial behavior on meaningfulness. The present results join other findings in suggesting that the incentives for helping others do not necessarily depend on the prospect of others’ reciprocity. Prosocial behavior can be incentivized through the psychological benefits it creates for prosocial actors.     

A Spiritual Journey Into the I-Thou Relationship: A Personal Reflection on Living With Dementia

This article is a personal reflection of the author’s spiritual journey after diagnosis with dementia. It draws on biblical texts to illustrate moments of trauma, then adjustment, and finally joy. The article concludes with a reflection on the experience of dementia as being “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom.12:8). It suggests an approach in which the increasing disability caused by dementia may be regarded as “walking in the cool of the day” with God in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:8).     

Assessing the well-being of patients with dementia: validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) tool / La evaluación del bienestar en pacientes con demencia: validez y fiabilidad de la versión española del Dementia Care Mapping (DCM)

Abstract

Based on person-centred care (PCC), new instruments to assess the quality of life of elderly people with dementia, such as the Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) tool, have been developed. The aim of the study was to determine the psychometric properties of the DCM tool for its use in research into nursing homes. Sixty-eight elderly people who had dementia living in four different nursing homes participated in the study. DCM was applied twice (with six months difference between each administration) and its results were compared with the GENCAT scale of quality of life. Results showed that DCM has a limited concurrent validity, test-retest reliability and inner consistency, which questions its use as a research tool. The authors discuss the difficulty of evaluating the quality of life in people who have dementia and what the DCM tool really evaluates.     

Students' Journey Through a Trauma Studies Educational Program: A Northern Irish Perspective

This article presents the findings of a qualitative research study that explored the experiences of part-time students who completed a BSc(Hons) trauma studies program in Northern Ireland. Data collection involved semistructured interviews with seven students. Findings indicated a journey through the program during which students experienced both challenges and opportunities for development. Such challenges included responses to emotive content and barriers to sharing in classroom-based dialogues. Moreover, participants felt the program enhanced their knowledge as well as the supportive services they provided to those who had experienced a trauma. Findings suggest that participants who had experienced a personal trauma appeared to be drawn to this program.     

Meaning in life and adjustment to daily stressors

People perceive their life as meaningful when they find coherence in the environment. Given that meaning of life is tied to making sense of life events, people who lack meaning would be more threatened by stressful life events than those with a strong sense of meaning in life. Four studies demonstrated links between perceptions of life’s meaningfulness and perceived levels of stress. In Study 1, participants with lower levels of meaning in life reported greater stress than those who reported higher meaning in life. In Study 2 and Study 3, participants whose meaning in life had been threatened experienced greater stress than those whose meaning in life had been left intact. In Study 4, anticipation of future stress caused participants to rate themselves higher on the quest for meaning in life. These findings suggest that perceiving life as meaningful functions as a buffer against stressors.     

PLACING OURSELVES

Abstract This essay set the stage for the 2003 Star Island conversation on “Ecomorality” by remembering the cosmic, geological, and ecological context in which we live. It reflects on the immense journey that matter and life have traveled from the beginning and reminds us that, throughout that journey, all that was and is emerged from a fertile mix of individual well‐being and reciprocity. But to sense the meaning of the story and to know our place in it takes more than hearing its broad outline. We need to remember the individual actors who have gone before us; to read their stories in particular places, like the rocks and ecosystems of Star Island; and to listen carefully for the meaning to be found in those actors and those places. Those stories, actors, and places invite us to sense the sacredness of our time and place and to reconsecrate our selves and our energies to developing an ethic that honors our common ancestry.     

Longing for the Feminine: Reflections on Love,Sexual Orientation,Individuation, and the Soul

This article is a collaboration that represents several years of dialogue about our topic, alongside the individual depth work done by each of us to overcome the negativities that often poison collaborations and feeling connections: envy, enmeshment, and passivity. It is the unique expression of two women working together in a co-creative process pulsed by feminine principles. Diane is a Jungian analyst and has spent her life close to the unconscious. Fran is a writer, educator, and lifelong student of mystical paths. The article gives an account of Diane's longing for the divine feminine and the particular meaning it has for her as a lesbian in this time of global upheaval. In particular, her story highlights the psychic suffering that individuals go through when their same-sex attractions and love orientation are judged as psychologically “immature” or religiously “sinful.” Neither Christian-based “conversion therapy” nor Jungian analysis turned Diane into a heterosexual woman. Her story reveals the benefit of Jung's depth psychology even as it underscores the singularity of every person's individuation process. The article's unusual format is a tandem of Diane's first-person sharing of her soul's journey and Fran's witnessing of the journey's profound significance. We found that both voices were needed. Truth requires not only the one who lives a journey with courage but also the one who witnesses it with a loving heart. Ultimately, we see the personal journeys of gays and lesbians as significant to the larger context of the evolution of human consciousness.