Spirituality Global Practices, Societal Attitudes, and Effects on Health

Spirituality has only recently been conceptualized as a distinct construct from religion or religiosity. For centuries, the term religiosity referred to both personal and public attempts to relate to the divine essence of the universe. More recently, and first among the layperson, the term spirituality has been recognized as a private phenomenon and the term religion as a public phenomenon. This book discusses global practices of spirituality. It also examines societal attitudes toward spirituality and the effects it has on human health.