title: Three doors to spiritual reflection: ethnographic research on the role of emotion, images, and sacred texts in spiritual reflection done by non-chaplaincy health care professionals.
abstract: This is an ethnographic study exploring the role of emotion, images, and sacred texts in the spiritual reflection of non-chaplaincy health care professionals who offer spiritual care to their patients. Purposeful sampling of 20 health care professionals was employed. These non-chaplaincy professionals were interviewed and the researchers also kept field notes on the cultures in which they worked. Both interviews and field notes were transcribed and analyzed using the constant comparative method of data analysis. Findings indicate that emotion and images are the main doors that these professionals use to reflect spiritually on their practice of spiritual care. Sacred texts are the third door. Outcomes of the use of feelings and emotions in spiritual reflection are a deeper sense of peace, grounding and letting go, that is, transformation. Recommendations for collaboration with chaplains and further research are offered.
authors.affiliation: Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Ontario, Canada. toconnor@wlu.ca
authors.forename: Thomas St James
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meakes
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Myrta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: MacGregor
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howitt
mesh_terms: D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D001633:Bible; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009864:Ontario; D012106:Research; D029181:Spirituality