Art? Science? .... Alchemy: The materiality of spiritual expression in artistic creation revealed through the analytical techniques of a heritage conservator

To the uninitiated, it is quite probable that the results that art conservators derive from analytical techniques, may resemble alchemy, but they do not create gold from lead. Instead, they represent the composition of an object as its chemical components. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) has long been used for the compositional determination of minerals and metals in the mining and manufacturing industries, and over the past few years the applications in art and conservation increased rapidly. In addition, technical photography (in which filtering determines which wavelengths of light reach the camera) has the ability to create a new art form – one that, apart from being visually appealing, can provide information on the materials which had been used by the artist. In this manner, a whole new layer of information may be revealed, adding to the aesthetic and spiritual impact of the work. In this article, two objects of African art, namely a century-old prayer scroll from Ethiopia and a twodecades old sculpture by South African artist Lucky Sibiya, are investigated to see if this ‘alchemy’ can reveal that which even the artists were unaware of.

Peranan Bank Wakaf Mikro dalam Pemberdayaan Ekonomi Masyarakat di Purwokerto

This article aims to determine the role of the Micro Waqf Bank in the economic empowerment of the community in Purwokerto by optimizing the management of productive waqf. This type of research is qualitative descriptive with data collection techniques of interviews, observation, and documentation. Data analysis was carried out through synchronization between the research data and the theory that would support the conclusions of this study. The results of this study indicate that the role of community economic empowerment carried out by BWM Amanah Berkah Nusantara is through the provision of micro-business financing to poor people who have businesses or people who intend to have a business. The financing is given at a predetermined nominal according to the business priority scale and without the use of collateral. Communities who receive financial assistance are provided assistance in developing religious businesses and guidance, so that empowerment activities can have an economic and spiritual impact.

Understanding the impact of COVID-19 in the spiritual life of the Church community

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world in extra-ordinarily negative ways. Its impact has been felt in government circles, families, communities and churches globally. Spiritual leadership together with church members or congregants has also suffered a great deal. The pandemic has successfully disorganized societies and religious communities. Its spiritual impact has been felt by church leaders and congregants alike. This study investigated the spiritual impact COVID-19 has imposed on church leadership and congregants. It also explores how some church leaders performed their pastoral ministry under COVID-19 conditions. To achieve the set objective, a qualitative methodology and interpretive paradigm were adopted. In-depth individual interviews with church leaders and church members from Christian churches were used to inform the study. Ten churches that operate within the Esikhaleni raternity, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, under uMhlathuze municipality participated in the data generation process. The study comprised a sample size of four church leaders and eight church members from ten churches. A total number of 12 twelve heterogeneous individual participants were purposively selected. Findings revealed that the prevalence of COVID-19 led to lockdown restrictions and as such, church house closure impacted the church family positively as well as negatively. The study recommends that church leaders be proactive in accommodating change and equip their congregants accordingly. Secondly, churches should adapt to multi-staff ministry where lay people are actively involved in educating congregants about pandemics in general and how to cope spiritually. Third, it is argued church leadership should embrace virtual and internet ministry so as to continue to offer spiritual support to congregants.

Muhammad Iqbal’s Islamic Philosophy Concept of Education Contextualised in Facing the Disruptive Era

This article describes the Muhammad Iqbal’s Islamic philosophy concept of education contextualised in facing the disruptive era. Contextualise thought of Muhammad Iqbal’s Islamic philosophy of education is very necessary because the industrial revolution always bring impact to human life, no exception in the field of education. The important points of Iqbal’s decription of individuality, individual development, alignment between the material and the spiritual, and creativity in education are particularly relevant to our educational conditions today. For Iqbal, the main educational purpose is to stengthen individuality so that everyone is able to understand the own potensiality. The development of individuality is a process in which humans must play an active role by conducting various experiments tha are relevant to the spirit of the times. The spirit of the disruptive era is the spirit of experimentation. But educational experiments, according to Iqbal will always have a moral and spiritual impact. So academics should not ignore the spiritual side of education.

Effect of a One-Week Spiritual Retreat on Brain Functional Connectivity: A Preliminary Study

Background: Many individuals participate in spiritual retreats to enhance their sense of spirituality or to improve their overall mental and spiritual well-being. We are not aware of any studies specifically evaluating changes in functional connectivity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in individuals undergoing an intense spiritual retreat program. The goal of this study was to determine whether such changes occur as a result of participating in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Methods: We conducted psychological and spiritual measures in conjunction with functional connectivity analysis of fMRI in 14 individuals prior to and following shortly after their participation in a one-week spiritual retreat. Results: Significant changes in functional connectivity were observed after the retreat program, compared to baseline evaluation, particularly in the posterior cingulate cortex, pallidum, superior frontal lobe, superior parietal lobe, superior and inferior temporal lobe, and the cerebellum. Significant changes in a variety of psychological and spiritual measures were identified as result of participation in the retreat. Conclusion: Overall, these preliminary findings suggest that this intensive spiritual retreat resulted in significant changes in brain functional connectivity, and warrants further investigation to evaluate the physiological, psychological, and spiritual impact of these changes.

Philosophical representations on the phenomenon of evil in antique culture

The subject of this research is the existence of philosophical representations on the phenomenon of evil in antique culture and its perennial dialectical correlation with the good. This goal is achieved by interrelated solution of the following tasks: 1) determine the sources of antique philosophical perceptions of good and evil; 2) extract the essence of views of pre-Socratians, thinkers of the high classical period and certain representatives of Hellenistic philosophy upon the problems of good and evil; 3) assess the impact of antique ideas on good and evil upon the medieval philosophical views and modern philosophy. The scientific novelty consists in the first within the national historical-philosophical literature comprehensive assessment of the representations of antique philosophy upon the nature of evil. The author explores the genesis of these representations and their spiritual impact upon further development of world philosophy. Ancient Greece along with Ancient Rome, which absorbed its intellectual heritage, did not form the conceptually clear definition of evil; but the reviewed in this article philosophers, in diverse aphoristic forms of pre-philosophical knowledge and extant writings, left a number of paramount observations and reasoning that allow determining the establishment and advancement of the theory of evil in Middle Ages and Modern Age.

Use of patients’ unsolicited correspondence to a family doctor to describe and understand valued components of a doctor-patient relationship: A Hermeneutics approach

Background Communication and behavior within doctor - patient encounters have been examined using varied techniques; however the nature of unsolicited writings from patients to their family doctors has rarely been reported. This paper therefore aimed to explore the content of, and motivation for, such correspondence. Methods One hundred and seven writings to one family physician about care provided during a four decade period were considered. Univariate analyses were used to identify features of patients or family members who wrote personalized notes to the doctor, when, and in what fashion. A hermeneutic approach helped look at the content of the notes, the specific words or sentiments used to describe encounters or care received, and possible motivations for writing. Iterative review of words or phrases generated themes which summarized appreciated physician or relational attributes, as well as motivations for writing. Results Notes were mostly handwritten, predominantly by women, and frequently coinciding with holidays and life span events. Appreciated doctor characteristics and behaviors were (1) quality care; and physician (2) competence; (3) physical presence; (4) positive personal traits; (5) provision of emotional support; and (6) spiritual impact. Motivations for writing were grouped as desire to (1) express appreciation for an established relationship; (2) acknowledge value / benefit experienced from continuity of care; (3) seek catharsis, emotional relief or closure; (4) reflect on termination of care; (5) validate care that incorporates both Hippocratic tradition and Asklepian healing; and (6) share personal reflection, experience, or impact. Conclusions Unsolicited writings provide personalized links from patients to physicians, expressing thoughts perhaps difficult to share face to face. They offer potential as teaching tools about the content of doctor-patient relationships; for example, the writers studied expressed appreciation for quality continuity care that was competent, considerate, and supportive of emotional and spiritual needs.

Pharmacopalliation of Pain

Pain is one of the most common symptoms that a surgeon may encounter in their patients with palliative care needs. Pain no longer serves an adaptive, protective mechanism but one that is maladaptive and has no redeeming purpose except to add to the patient’s suffering. Effective management requires the surgeon to consider the bio-psychosocial-spiritual impact of the underlying disease when assessing the patient’s self-report of pain. This chapter is a primer and provides an overview of the most common factors that a surgeon may want to consider in providing primary pharmacopalliation of pain, including analgesic selection and adverse effect management.