Spirituality and Aging

As part of their experiences with aging and spirituality, seniors may adopt new habits or ways of living. For example, many spiritually inclined seniors:. Based on a nationwide survey from by the Pew Research Center, religion is very popular among older adults. In fact, 85 percent of Americans above the age of 65 rated religion as either very or somewhat important—the highest percentage of all age groups.

In addition, among people who were 65 or older: So, what are the most popular religions? When it comes to American adults above the age of 65, Christian religions are the most widely practiced.

About 83 percent of people in this age group described themselves as Christians. People in other Christian religions, such as historically black Protestants and Mormons, represented much smaller percentages six percent and one percent, respectively. About five percent of seniors over age 65 identified with non-Christian faiths such as: The remaining 12 percent of older adults in this age group had no religious affiliations. In fact, two percent of them described themselves as atheists, and another two percent of them said they were agnostic.

That depends on your individual perspective. Many people of faith think that a spiritual life requires belief in God or a supreme being. But atheists, by definition, do not believe in the existence of a literal God. However, many atheists do consider themselves to be spiritual, just not in a way that conforms to how some religious people tend to think of spirituality. For "spiritual atheists," meaning, connection, purpose, and morality are not derived from religious doctrines or ideas about the supernatural. Instead, they are derived from everyday experiences, observations, philosophical reflection, logical reasoning, and from what we continue to learn about the physical universe through science.

All of those things are compatible with a definition of spirituality that's based on profound emotion and a search for answers about the biggest mysteries of life. Simply put, many atheists feel a deep sense of connection to the world and have a desire and willingness to improve themselves and help their fellow human beings.

Bereavement

It's all part of their own search for meaning in a constantly changing universe. A person's well-being is defined by much more than just his or her physical health.

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People also have mental and spiritual needs. That's why many seniors with mental or physical conditions benefit from holistic care and counseling that addresses their spirituality. In fact, some older adults experience faster or more complete healing from injuries, emotional grief, or other afflictions when they have the support of a chaplain or spiritual counselor.

And, of course, spiritual guidance can provide a sense of peace, comfort, and courage when a person is battling a terminal illness or nearing death. For seniors who devoutly practice certain religions, faith-specific spiritual care is frequently very important.

After all, they may want to observe specific rituals or follow other practices related to aspects like their diet. Faith-specific care is often especially vital when a devoutly religious person is close to passing away. As an older American, you can do all kinds of things to get more in tune with your spiritual core. And by doing activities that promote a deeper sense of connection, wholeness, meaning, and purpose, you can awaken new perceptions that renew your outlook and give you inner strength for the rest of your human journey.

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Every religion offers spiritual practices that are designed to bring you closer to a sense of the divine. They include activities like praying, chanting, fasting, taking part in rituals, celebrating special milestones, and many other practices. But you don't necessarily need to follow any particular religious practices in order to enliven your spirituality.

Spirituality and Aging | A Guide on Faith, Meaning, & Connection

Anything that you love doing, that makes you feel whole or truly alive, or that gives you a feeling of deeper connection to the world can be considered a spiritual activity. For example, consider pursuits such as:. When I ask audiences what they like about being older, people often answer "Gratitude," and then say what they are grateful for: One person included the ham sandwich she had just had for lunch. I have an exercise I call the "thank you" prayer. People repeat the words "thank you" silently to themselves and watch what comes up.

It's amazing how many and how readily images of gratitude come to mind. One happiness study reported that if giving weren't free, drug companies could market a great new drug called "give back" instead of Prozac. Giving is a universal spiritual value taught by every religion, and the desire to give back naturally increases as we age. It is part of our emerging role as community elders -- something we can do into our sixties, seventies, eighties and beyond. Giving is truly a spiritual practice, and it naturally lifts our spirits.



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Among these is a contemplative exercise from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition that allows us inwardly picture recipients of our generosity and direct compassionate feeling toward them. Aging includes its share of reverses, losses and sorrows. What makes the difference is our attitude about them.



If a bad knee means we can't jog anymore, we needn't despair; we can take up swimming. If we lost money in the recession, we can cherish what we still have. If we become ill, we rejoice when we recover. I have developed a meditation called "Vertical Time" that focuses on the positive aspects of the present, rather than regrets of the past and worries about the future.

Redefining Our Sense of Purpose

We tend to think of time as linear and horizontal, but it is also vertical -- one breath at a time. Vertical Time is really breath-based reframing. Curiosity is an important attitude to cultivate as we age. There's a tendency to hunker down in our old familiar routines. It's good to resist that temptation. Physical exercise grows new muscle, mental activity grows new brain cells, emotional engagement lifts the spirit.