wisewords
on Why Science Finds Faith a Healthy Choice by April Thompson
HAROLD KOENIG P
hysician Harold G. Koenig, an international authority on religion, health and ethical issues in medicine, has dedicated his career to understanding the relationship between faith and health. Koenig, who has surveyed the scientifi c literature, shares the mounting evidence linking the power of faith to
better health and well-being. Koenig struggled for three decades to determine his life’s purpose before a spiritual transformation in 1984 set him on a Christian path. “As I’m able to surrender my will and follow God’s lead, I’ve found an increasing fl ow of blessings. Even in those times when I’m self-centered, the blessings continue. I can only attribute it to the incredible undeserved grace and mercy of one who understands and forgives,” he says. He’s the director of Duke University’s Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, an associate professor of medicine at the Duke University Medical
Center, in Durham, North Carolina, and author of nearly 50 books. Titles include The Healing Power of Faith, The Handbook of Religion and Health, and the recent You Are My Beloved. Really?, musings on the nature of divine love.
What maintains people’s faith
in the face of worldly adversity? Adversity can increase people’s faith; when things are going well, people don’t feel the same urgent need for religion. Why do hurricanes happen? Why do people experience chronic pain? When
AUTHENTIC TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE I SPECIALIZE IN:
YU’S ACUPUNCTURE
• Pain Management • Mental Health • Infertility • Chronic Complex Disorder • Insomnia • Stress • Bell’s Palsy & More
You are welcome to call for a free consultation!
Yong Yu, DOM, AP (by appt. only) 239-298-3353 •
tcmyongyu@gmail.com 7209 Curry Ford Road • Suite A • Orlando 32822
26 Central Florida natural awakenings
someone is in the midst of challenges, there is no easy explanation, even though there can be many answers. Sometimes all you can do is to have faith that a good God reigns, despite appearances. That can lead to a sense of well-being and spiritual purpose, even in the midst of bad material experiences. How you’ve dealt with life prior
to a challenge matters. If you follow a spiritual path and practice, when bad things happen, you can lean on your foundation of faith; you’re better prepared. Once you’re in the middle of it, all you may feel is the pain and a desperate desire to get rid of it. One of the most precious gifts we
have as humans is the freedom to choose. We can be selfi sh and strictly pleasure-seeking, or we can be kind and altruistic. We can turn toward or away from our divine source.
What have you concluded from decades of studying the relationship between faith,
prayer and health? Our research and that of many other major academic institutions, including Harvard and Columbia universities, shows that people of strong faith enjoy better social, physical and mental health, all else being equal. It drives healthy behaviors and attitudes, which leads to better health. A person’s religious beliefs and spiritual practices affect them across their lifespan. It begins in utero, based on parental behavior and care, and shows in the sense of trust we have
ROLFING®
• Reduction of physical pain (Carpal- Tunnel, Neck, Back and Hip Pain, etc.)
• More effi cient use of muscles • Increased energy • Change in body contours • Comfortable, safe and long-lasting
ROBYN MARTIN Certifi ed Advanced Rolfer®
Rolf Movement Practitioner (407) 645-2309
1950 Lee Rd, Suite 204 • Winter Park 32789
www.rolfi
ngorlando.com
Free consultations and literature
available on request. MA 0025820
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
