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Fusing the disciplines of health care, spiritual care, and social services, this book examines the relationship between chronic illness and spirituality. Contributors include professionals working in traditional, holistic and integrative clinical settings, as well as religious studies scholars and spiritual practitioners.

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PART I: CHRONIC ILLNESS AND HEALING: AUGMENTING BIOMEDICAL CARE WITH SPIRITUAL PRACTICE 1. Spirituality, Chronic Illness, and Healing: Unique Challenges and Opportunities; Michael Stoltzfus Rebecca Green 2. Pathophysiologic Basis and Application of Spiritual Healing Practices in Chronic Illness; Ruth Stanley 3. Yoga and Chronic Illness; Amy Holte and Paul Mills 4. Beyond Coping: Spirituality and Filipina Transnationals with Experience of Breast Cancer; Ofelia O. Villero and Nancy J. Burke 5. Spiritual Direction as Psychospiritual Care for Women with Autoimmune Diseases; Kelly Arora 6. Origins and Applications of Music in Chronic Illness: Role of the Voice, Ancient Chant Scales, and Autonomic Nervous System; Ruth Stanley PART II: CHRONIC ILLNESS: INTER-RELIGIOUS, CROSS-CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, AND NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVES 7. The Zen of Healing: Making Friends with Chronic Illness; Paula Arai 8. Heartbreak Hotei: Spirituality and Metabolic Syndrome; Christine James 9. The Role of Religious Beliefs, Practices, Symbols, and Metaphors on the Coping Strategies of Rare Disease Patients in Romania; Salomea Popoviciu, Ioan Popoviciu, Delia Birle, Serban Olah and Paul Negrut 10. Native American Issues with Diabetes; Lavonna Lea Lovern 11. Ifá Divination as a Method of Diagnosing and Treating Chronic Illnesses/·módi Among the Yoruba People; Akinmayowa Akin-Otiko 12. Curing the Sin-Sick Soul: Protestants and Mental Illness; Heather H. Vacek 13. In Spite Of: Reflecting on my Son´s Pain and Suffering; Noel Boyle 14. Inanna´s Way: A Personal Journey into the Underworld; Ruth Krall

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"Chronic illness has received little attention within the literature of religious studies, and even then it has rarely been explored through interreligious and interdisciplinary lenses. This thoughtful collection of essays makes a significant contribution toward holistic understandings of chronic illness and extends our sense of how this topic might fruitfully intersect with other areas of study." - Debbie Creamer, Interim Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Iliff School of Theology, US

"The strong link between healing and spirituality has long been known in western medicine and eastern philosophy. Yet here the authors bring a fresh perspective with scholarship and compassion to the situations described. Their approach provides practitioners who serve the chronically ill with new ideas and alternatives." - Mary de Chesnay, Professor, Kennesaw State University, US

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