Yesterday, Reverend David Shire and I were guest speakers at the Palliative care Pharmacy class at the University of Rhode Island, URI. The 3-hour class engaged in thoughtful discussion around the meaning of spirituality and the importance of looking within.
I began the class by asking students to define inspired thought, exploring the emotions around inspired thought and understanding where it begins. We then transitioned to what the students would put into their REVEALED box after they had a few minutes to share their ideas with one another about what they'd put into their box.
Starting with my own example of an inspired thought (REVEALED), I encouraged the students to quickly go within and see what came from putting yourself on the spot to think about what represents your beliefs. Sometimes our best ideas come to us in an instant when we were thinking about something completely different.
We then viewed the REVEALED film and expanded our conversation, now that everyone had some time to truly contemplate what they would put in their box. One student felt their life experience wasn't long enough to find something of deep meaning to put into the box. I found this to be a very interesting comment ... one I had not heard before. I shared that REVEALED includes children from the fourth grade ... and those children have insightful revelations, even after only being alive for a decade.
Reverend David Shire then spoke about Spiritual issues in Palliative Care. By examining the Body/Mind/Spirit Triangle we can understand how mental illness may disconnect us from our deeper self, and how spirituality and religion can be used in the healing process. The questions and discussions around our topic were energizing and really brought inspiration and joy to me...I always enjoy the thoughts and discussions that stem from people going within.
Since this experience, I find myself searching to define my spirituality and evaluate my life experiences that are defining who I am and what I believe in.
