Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo

afterlife
what a person believes will happen after death; a place where the spirit goes after the death of the physical body
agnostic
someone who believes that ultimate reality is unknowable
atheist
someone who does not believe in any divine being or entity
baptize
to initiate or adopt into the faith (particularly Christianity)
breathwork
a technique involving intentional, controlled breathing to interrupt the stress cycle and promote relaxation
congregation
a group of people who worship together
ethnicity
the cultural, social, and ancestral characteristics that define a group of people sharing common historical roots, language, traditions, and often geographical origins
faith
a belief in something without proof
healer
an individual using faith and prayer to facilitate healing
holistic care model
a framework that recognizes the interconnectedness of physiological, psychosocial, and spiritual well-being in patient care
hope
the desire for a certain outcome and the belief that it will happen
journaling
the act of writing one’s thoughts and documenting one’s feelings in a journal or diary
karma
the notion that one’s future happiness is caused by present actions; actions performed with good intent lead to future happiness, whereas actions performed with bad intent lead to future unhappiness
kosher diet
a diet that adheres to Jewish dietary laws (kashrut), governing which foods are permissible based on specific religious guidelines such as the separation of meat and dairy products and prohibitions on certain animals and their products
love
a strong feeling of affection
meditation
a focused way of deeply thinking and reflecting that promotes awareness and acceptance
mindfulness
the practice of being present in the moment and aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and environment
pastoral care services (also, spiritual counselors)
individuals who offer support to patients in exploring and expressing their spiritual needs
prayer
the practice of communicating with a higher power or divine entity
qigong
a traditional Chinese practice that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques, and focused intention
reincarnation
the idea that a person’s soul or spirit is reborn into a new body
religion
a unified system of beliefs, values, and practices that a person holds sacred or considers to be spiritually significant
remembrance and renewal (R & R)
a practice that involves reflecting on the past while simultaneously revitalizing or rejuvenating oneself for the future
ritual
a defined practice that individuals or groups use to commemorate or cope with something
spiritual distress
a disruption to a person’s belief or value system
spiritual healing
a complementary form of medicine that embraces practices such as prayer to help a person focus on healing
spiritual well-being
a person’s sense of purpose or meaning in life
spirituality
a profound feeling of connection to a greater power than oneself, as well as the practices used to explore this feeling
transcendence
the experience of a reality beyond the physical or literal world
yoga
a practice that combines physical postures, controlled breathing, and mindfulness techniques to harmonize the mind, body, and spirit
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/fundamentals-nursing/pages/1-introduction
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/fundamentals-nursing/pages/1-introduction
Citation information

© Aug 20, 2024 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.