The Thought Model of Spirituality - Study of the evolutionary journey of human thought processes to understand spirituality and religiosity in defining spirituality and solving its complexities, ambiguities, and communal ramifications for public health practice, education, and research.
1
Public Health, MMBSHS Trust, Dehradun, India
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT:
Background - The WHO resolution WHA37.13 in 1984 and numerous scientific studies recognized spirituality as crucial for health. Multiple definitions, misinterpretations, and faulty synonymity or similarity with religiosity make it communal, complex, ambiguous, and exploitative. Objectives - To understand spirituality and religiosity for defining spirituality to solve its complexities and ambiguities for better implications in public health. Methods - Conceptual analysis of the Eastern concept of ‘Aadhyatm’ and the Western concept of ‘spirituality’ with evolutionary trajectories of human thought processes from basic animal needs to abstract and cognitive thinking. Results – Human thought processes act as a networking tool for the human brain. Evolved thought-responsive physiology makes them a powerful force behind humanity. Evolutionarily, from simple to complex, four broad groups of thought processes: 1)social, 2)scientific, 3)philosophical, and 4)spiritual, create a complex ecosystem of human thought processes at the individual and collective levels. Social thought processes create group thoughts (religions, countries, associations, etc.), an evolved form of the primitive animal thoughts of living in herds for food, reproduction, and safety, survival necessities. Scientific and philosophical thought processes, the results of Cognitive Evolution, developed abstract ideas and perspectives. The spiritual thought processes evolved as balancing, communicating, and correcting thoughts to control negativities and to understand the human ‘Self,’ addressing conflicts at the individual and collective levels. It makes spirituality conducive to all thoughts, creating strong traction and helping create balance in the ecosystem of human thought processes at all levels of humanity, promoting positive health. Conclusion - Spirituality is an evolved thought process, while religiosity is an evolved, primitive herd mentality of the mammalian world. All positive thoughts about humanity and human values that emphasize connection, communication, and balance are spiritual. Complexities, ambiguities, and communalities are due to misinterpretation and misunderstanding of spirituality, fueled by vested interests.
Background - The WHO resolution WHA37.13 in 1984 and numerous scientific studies recognized spirituality as crucial for health. Multiple definitions, misinterpretations, and faulty synonymity or similarity with religiosity make it communal, complex, ambiguous, and exploitative. Objectives - To understand spirituality and religiosity for defining spirituality to solve its complexities and ambiguities for better implications in public health. Methods - Conceptual analysis of the Eastern concept of ‘Aadhyatm’ and the Western concept of ‘spirituality’ with evolutionary trajectories of human thought processes from basic animal needs to abstract and cognitive thinking. Results – Human thought processes act as a networking tool for the human brain. Evolved thought-responsive physiology makes them a powerful force behind humanity. Evolutionarily, from simple to complex, four broad groups of thought processes: 1)social, 2)scientific, 3)philosophical, and 4)spiritual, create a complex ecosystem of human thought processes at the individual and collective levels. Social thought processes create group thoughts (religions, countries, associations, etc.), an evolved form of the primitive animal thoughts of living in herds for food, reproduction, and safety, survival necessities. Scientific and philosophical thought processes, the results of Cognitive Evolution, developed abstract ideas and perspectives. The spiritual thought processes evolved as balancing, communicating, and correcting thoughts to control negativities and to understand the human ‘Self,’ addressing conflicts at the individual and collective levels. It makes spirituality conducive to all thoughts, creating strong traction and helping create balance in the ecosystem of human thought processes at all levels of humanity, promoting positive health. Conclusion - Spirituality is an evolved thought process, while religiosity is an evolved, primitive herd mentality of the mammalian world. All positive thoughts about humanity and human values that emphasize connection, communication, and balance are spiritual. Complexities, ambiguities, and communalities are due to misinterpretation and misunderstanding of spirituality, fueled by vested interests.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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