Description
Book SynopsisWinner, 2009 Richard Kalish Innovative Publication Award. Gerontological Society of America
A spiritual life, one focused on personal growth and deep human experience, is a major focus and motivator for people over the age of forty. Yet there is a marked lack of rigorous academic study of spirituality''s importance in the lives of aging people. Noted gerontologist Robert C. Atchley remedies this problem by developing complex concepts and language about spirituality.
Spirituality and Aging incorporates material from two decades of interviews, observations, study, and reflection to illustrate ways of thinking about and discussing spiritualitywhat it is, why it is important, and how it influences the experience of aging. This book provides a nuanced view of spirituality and the richness it brings to the lives of older people.
The book is divided into three sections, with the first providing basic frames of reference for examining spirituality and aging, such as the nature of spirituality, spiritual development, and the spiritual self. Atchley next focuses on two dimensions of spirituality that are likely to manifest later in life: becoming a sage (developing the capacity to bring spiritual light to everyday issues) and serving from spirit (creating opportunities for service that are rooted in spirituality). The last section illustrates how spirituality informs other aspects of late life, such as psychological coping and the experience of dying and death.
Separating spirituality from religionsomething few books on this topic doSpirituality and Aging offers a plan for incorporating spirituality into gerontological scholarship, research, education, and practice.
Trade ReviewConsiders fundamental questions about the meaning of being and how it is shaped by the experience of aging. Atchley's major goal is to provide a conceptual and theoretical picture of spirituality as a subject in its own right, separate from, though sometimes overlapping with religion. He acknowledges that many find that their religious beliefs provide an important and maybe even exclusive context for spirituality, but discovered that as age increases so does the proportion of people who see spirituality in a broader context than formal or organised religion. He sets out to use language that will enable conversation around spiritual experiences we can share rather than religious concepts that separate us. Counselling Today [New Zealand] 2009 This innovative essay will stimulate theory development and research. -- David O. Moberg Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith 2009 Indeed, because of Atchley's extensive knowledge and experiences in spirituality and aging, this volume should serve as an excellent supplement for anyone interested in research, practice, or teaching of spirituality and aging. -- Holly Nelson-Becker Canadian Journal on Aging 2009 Atchley is... to be greatly commended for opening our eyes to a fuller and richer view of the place of spirituality in the ageing process. That he is able to explore all of these themes with such insight and depth in this slim and accessible monograph is to his credit. Spirituality and Aging is a seminal work for the religious gerontology field and should be added to the must-read list for anyone seeking to be an informed scholar or practitioner in this field. -- Jeff Levin Journal of Ageing and Society 2010
Table of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Setting the Stage
Part I: Basic Frames of Reference
1. The Nature of Spiritual Experience
2. Spiritual Development
3. Spirituality, Spiritual Self, and Spiritual Identity
Part II: Spirtual Journeying
4. Becoming a Sage and a Spiritual Elder: Transpersonal Psychology
5. Transpersonal Sociology and Serving from Spirit
Part III: Examples Using an Expanded View
6. Continuity, Spiritual Growth, and Coping in Later Adulthood
7. Spiritual Beliefs and Practices and the Experience of Time and Aging
8. Spirituality and the Experience of Dying and Death
Conclusion: Summary, Reflections, and Implications
Appendix A: Spirituality Inventory
Appendix B: Questions for Reflection and Spiritual Self-Assessment
Notes
References
Index
