The Search for Spiritual Identity in Adolescents Essay Example for Free

The Search for Spiritual Identity in Adolescents Essay It’s a puzzle with us trying to find the right fit, size and shape where the pieces will fit to make us whole. So we begin by growing, and developing, and learning and moving, and thinking and tasting, and touching and testing, and hugging and loving! We go through different stages of growth and growing, and learning and maturing and changing and aging and ultimately death. This writer believes we are searching for our spiritual identity. The NIV Bible says that the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. Man’s spiritual identity comes from God! Jesus was about twelve years old according to the NIV Bible when he began his quest for spiritual identity. Luke 2:49 reads: Why were you searching for me? he asked. Didnt you know I had to be in my Fathers house? After a female egg becomes fertilized by a male sperm it becomes a zygote. This living organism is a product of each parent’s chromosomes. This zygote begins a two week period of rapid cell division which eventually becomes an embryo. Eventually, this embryo will become a living being which was produced and created by its two parents. This child’s physical identity comes from his parents! I use the term parent’s very loosely because I am aware that his identity comes from his bloodline or his genes. I am making a point. By far the most provocative theory of identity development is Erik Erikson’s. It was Erikson who first understood how central questions about identity are to understanding adolescent development. Erikson’s fifth developmental stage (identity versus identity confusion) says during this time adolescents (between the ages of eleven to young adult hood) are faced with who they are, what they are all about and where they are going. Erikson framed the best of maturity in the ego identity of what he called the moral-ethical, spiritual human. This human is one with a horizontal, earthly identity and a vertical, transcendent identity, meaning an identity both religious and spiritual that embraces non-physical manifestation. As adolescents search for their spiritual identity researchers have found that various aspects of religion are linked to positive outcomes in adolescents. Religion has been proven to play a role in adolescent’s health and whether or not they engage in problem behaviors (Cotton amp; others, 2006). For example, in a recent national random sample of 2000 11-18 year olds, those who were higher in religiosity were less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, use marijuana, not be truant in school, not engage in delinquent behavior and not be depressed as compared to their counterparts with lower religiosity (Sinha, Cnaan, amp; Gelles, 2006). The initiator of the Baha†i movement, Baha†Ã¢â‚¬ u â€Å"llah in 1863 believed that there were seven mystical stages to human development and he believed as does most Muslims today that human development is closely linked to religious development. He referred to those stages as â€Å"The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys†. They are: * The Valley of Search * The Valley of Love * The Valley of Knowledge * The Valley of Unity * The Valley of Contentment * The Valley of Wonderment * The Valley of the True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness He believed that one has not truly developed unless he has entered in or experienced each of hese stages. During my years of adolescence I was considered somewhat of a spoiled child. My mother sent me to a modeling school to become a trained runway model. By the time I was 13 I have performed in more than 100 different fashion shows in and around Michigan, Illinois and New York. Needless to say my environment consisted of my peers b eing much older than myself. I was constantly traveling and partying and dating older men. When I would return home I would become angry with my mother because she forced me to attend church. Church was always the center of our home. My mother was the secretary at our church for over forty years so we were always there. It seemed as if we were preparing our clothes for church 7 days in advance. So I ravished the opportunity to be out of town or on a modeling assignment on Sundays. When were taught to pray daily, morning, noon and night. My mother always told us the story of Daniel in the bible who prayed three times a day every day. And that is what she expected of us. I was a typical teenager who thought it was a waste of time. By the time I was 16 years old I became pregnant. My worst nightmare had come true. I remember my mother telling us that we should always pray. I began to pray daily asking God to show me how to tell my mother that I had ruined my life. I can almost remember the calm that would come over me whenever I was in prayer. Soon I realized that if God could listen to me and love me and allow that peace to come over me that there really was a God, an everlasting father and a true friend. I got the courage to talk to my mother and tell her how sorry I was and confess to God about the things that I had done knowing that they were not His will. This was the beginning of my transformation. My search had just begun. This began to give me answers to all of my seeking and questioning of myself, my world, my purpose. This bought purpose and stability into my life. Today I can say that I am a Minister of the Gospel and I do not believe I would be where I am not had not I gone through the experience of searching, seeking and finding during my adolescent and young adult years. This is just my story, no theory, just the facts. As man seeks and searches for his spiritual identity his mortality also surfaces. The NIV Bible allows us a peek into ourselves in I Corinthians 13:12, for now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully. As we are seeking to understand adolescent behavior we must remember that they are seeking and searching for who they are and whose they are. During this search they shall encounter experiences that they may not understand, they may even become people that you don’t understand, but with patience, love, guidance, education and prayer you can help them become the person they are looking for and want to become. Sometimes we as parents forget that our children not only need to be educated in the ways of the world and how to become successful healthy, productive adults but they also need to be taught about their spirit man. That part of them they cannot see but they can project in their life style. The part of them that no one else can even know or understand. The loving giving life that was breathed into them by the lover of their soul. The concept of a higher being. The ability to know and to understand that they have to answer to someone greater than themselves. The knowledge of understanding that life does not just revolve around them. This seeking and searching has a beginning but should never have an end. James Fowler believed that one had to go through 6 stages of Faith in order to find their own spiritual identity. | Stage| Description| Simplified version by M. Scott Peck| Stage 1| Intuitive-Projective| This is the stage of preschool children in which fantasy and reality often get mixed together. However, during this stage, our most basic ideas about God are usually picked up from our parents and/or society. | I. Chaotic-Antisocial| People stuck at this stage are usually self-centered and often find themselves in trouble due to their unprincipled living. If they do end up converting to the next stage, it often occurs in a very dramatic way. | Stage 2| Mythic-Literal| When children become school-age, they start understanding the world in more logical ways. They generally accept the stories told to them by their faith community but tend to understand them in very literal ways. [A few people remain in this stage through adulthood. ]| | | Stage 3| Synthetic-Conventional| Most people move on to this stage as teenagers. At this point, their life has grown to include several different social circles and there is a need to pull it all together. When this happens, a person usually adopts some sort of all-encompassing belief system. However, at this stage, people tend to have a hard time seeing outside their box and dont recognize that they are inside a belief system. At this stage, authority is usually placed in individuals or groups that represent ones beliefs. [This is the stage in which many people remain. ]| II. Formal-Institutional| At this stage people rely on some sort of institution (such as a church) to give them stability. They become attached to the forms of their religion and get extremely upset when these are called into question. Stage 4| Individuative-Reflective| This is the tough stage, often begun in young adulthood, when people start seeing outside the box and realizing that there are other boxes. They begin to critically examine their beliefs on their own and often become disillusioned with their former faith. Ironically, the Stage 3 people usually think that Stage 4 people have become backsliders when in reality they have actually moved forward. | III. Skeptic-Individual| Those who break out of the previous stage usually do so when they start seriously questioning things on their own. A lot of the time, this stage ends up being very non-religious and some people stay in it permanently| Stage 5| Conjunctive Faith| It is rare for people to reach this stage before mid-life. This is the point when people begin to realize the limits of logic and start to accept the paradoxes in life. They begin to see life as a mystery and often return to sacred stories and symbols but this time without being stuck in a theological box. | IV. Mystical-Communal| People who reach this stage start to realize that there is truth to be found in both the previous two stages and that life can be paradoxical and full of mystery.

History and Tragedy in Shakespeares Richard II Essay examples -- Rich

History and Tragedy in Richard II      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An attempt to sort Shakespeare's plays into neat categories may appear to have its benefits when striving to understand his work, but even a superficial reading of Richard II indicates that this approach is largely futile and sometimes misleading. While it cannot be doubted that the play is of a historical nature, based on events recorded in Holinshed's Chronicles of 1577 and named after an actual king, a sense of true Shakespearean tragedy is also present throughout. Instead of trying to analyse or appreciate the differences between these two forms, it is more interesting to understand how they complement each other. Shakespeare vividly brings the past to life in Richard II, and it is surely the careful mingling of historical fact and tragic elements that is responsible for the great dramatic value of the play.    Knowledge of the period of history from which the play is drawn means that the audience is prepared for Richard's fate, for example, and this only serves to illuminate the tragic inevitability of his downfall. The audience is aware that Richard II is only the first in a series of history plays, and will be followed by Henry IV (parts one and two) and Henry V. In this sense Richard could be viewed in a potentially unemotional light, as a component of English history whose reign simply linked the reigns of two others. The fact that he was usurped from the throne and murdered is not overwhelmingly tragic when seen in the context of world history, especially if his reign is being viewed with cold hindsight. However, Shakespeare's colourful portrayal of Richard and his fate means that the audience can in many ways appreciate the king in terms of a ... ...te history in a new, more colourful light.    Works Cited and Consulted: Eccles, Mark.   "Richard III on Stage and Screen." Richard III.   New York: Signet Classic, 1988.   265-78. Fields, Bertram. Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes. New York: ReganBooks, 1998. Hallett, Charles A. and Elaine S. Hallett.   The Revenger's Madness.   Lincoln: U of Nebraska P, 1980.   (Epigraph) Kendall, Paul Murray. Richard the Third. New York: Norton, 1983. - - - . Richard III: The Great Debate. New York: Norton, 1992. Ornstein, Richard.   "Richard III."   Richard III.   New York: Signet Classic, 1988.   239-264. Shakespeare, William. Richard III. The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1997 Spivack, Charlotte.   The Comedy of Evil on Shakespeare's Stage.   London: Associated UPs, 1978.

Knowledge for Nursing Essay

This essay will explore Peplau’s concept of a nurse-patient relationship and how it narrates to the experience I had whilst on placement practice. My aim is to demonstrate my gained understanding of the nursing process, the domains of nursing, the nature of nursing models and their relationship to practice and Peplau’s model of nursing. The reason why the student has chosen this concept is because nursing is an interpersonal process which involves interaction between two or more people with a mutual goal, (George 2003). The essay will start by defining the word concept then describe the incident that I observed in placement practice. The essay will analyze how theories can be used to justify nursing interventions in practice. The conclusion summarises the main points of the essay and reflect on my learning experience. (Meleis 1991) defined concept as â€Å"a label used to describe a phenomenon or a group of phenomena† (McKenna 1997). (McKenna 1997) concludes that concepts are identified when a name is put to a phenomenon. â€Å"Therefore, a concept is a tool and not a real entity – it merely facilitates observation of a real phenomenon,† (McKenna 1997 p8). Chinn and Kramer (2008); Hage (1972); Reynolds (1971) were cited that concepts can be theoretical or tangible. Theoretical concepts are created mentally independent of a particular or interval location, whereas tangible concepts are experienced directly and relate to a specific interval or location (Alligood and Tomey, 2010). â€Å"Nursing is a significant, therapeutic, interpersonal process. It functions co-operatively with other human processes that make health possible for individuals in communities. In specific situations in which a professional health team offers health services, nurses participate in the organisation of conditions that facilitate natural on going tendencies in human organisations. Nursing is an educative instrument, a maturing force that aims to promote forward movement of personality in the direction of creative, constructive, productive, personal, and community living. † (Peplau 1988, p16) Peplau (1952) defined phases in the nurse-patient relationships that overlap and transpire during the relationship interval. George (2002) cited the three phases defined by Peplau are as follows; orientation, identification, working, and termination. Whilst on Placement I had the prospect to put theory into practice with the supervision of my mentor when Mrs. Ahmed aged 85 was admitted into the ward after having had a fall (false name and age due to confidentiality, Nursing and Midwifery Council 2003). During handover it was reported that Mrs. Ahmed was at times unresponsive and seemed uninterested when addressed to by the nurse on duty upon admission, leaving the nurse to rely on the information obtained from the ambulance crew as she was unaccompanied. Upon arrival Mrs. Ahmed had not been able to get up from the stretcher as she was not weight bearing after the fall and appeared to be confused with the new environment. It was hoped that more information would be obtained in the morning when she awoke. Orientation stage My mentor gave me an opportunity to work with Mrs. Ahmed whilst under her supervision and it was obvious that the information we had was not complete. To get further information we went to her bedside which was in a mixed ward were we were introduced to the new patient. The orientation phase is initiated when a health problem occurs thus resulting in a felt â€Å"felt need, and professional assistance is sought. † Peplau (1952, p. 8) Peplau (1952) further states that the nurse and patient meet as two strangers, by clarifying and defining the problem in the orienting stage the patient can direct the accumulated energy from her anxiety about unmet needs and begin working with the presenting problem. The nurse patient rapport is established and continues to be strengthened while concerns are being identified. The nurse assumes a roles as described by Peplau in the overlapping phases of the nurse client relationship. Lebby and Pepper (1998) sees the nurse in the role of a stranger therefore acceptance of the patient as an emotionally able person is required. It is at this early stage I noticed that Mrs. Ahmed was unresponsive and seemed distant when my mentor asked for her consent to be assisted by a trainee nurse under her supervision (Nursing and Midwifery Council Code 2008). After asking her more than once she eventually responded and accepted the request. xxxxx When my mentor spoke to Mrs. Ahmed was clear and slow, and asked closed questions. Ashworth et al (1981) suggest that the quality and quantity of nurse-patient communication in geriatrics is affected by the nurse as well s the patient although some of the traditional attitudes by nurses toward elderly patients posed barriers to communication. Orem (1991) viewed the relationship between a nurse and patient as being complementary and therefore a nurse has to understand the basis of her own behavior. I noticed that the patient had some hearing aids on her bedside and I then considered that she might be having hearing impairment and was either not keen on using her hearing aids or needed assistance putting them on. I asked her if she was happy putting the hearing aids on her own. She attempted to put them on but seemed unsteady with her hands. I gestured that I could help and she extended them to me. I then helped her to put them on. George (2002) sees the working phase as a time when the patient starts to respond selectively to individuals who can meet their needs. Peplau (1952/1988) identified three types of responses from patients; the patient may participate and be interdependent, or be autonomous and independent from the nurse or be passive and dependent on the nurse (George 2002). Peplau (1952/1988) states the patient utilises the relationship fully by making full use of the nurse (Leddy and Pepper 1998). Peplau (1952) describes six nursing roles within the phases of the nurse patient relationship which are; stranger, resource person, teacher, leader, surrogate and counseling. She further described four psychobiological experiences, in her book which are; needs, frustration, conflict and anxiety. Peplau (1952) saw these experiences as energy providers transforming into action and provides a basis for goal formation and nursing interventions. Mrs. Ahmed showed she was becoming more relaxed and became more trusting and cooperative. Arnold and Underman Boggs (1999) suggested that the dynamic nursing approach Peplau advocated is not that of passive observer but participant observers, nurses actively engaging with their clients. I initiated further verbal dialogue and realised that although she could hear me she was struggling to understand what I was saying to her. Her replies where brief and at times not relevant to the questions posed. It became obvious that since English was not her first language she was struggling to understand me and her conversational English skills were basic. I then slowed my rate of speech and emphasised with gestures where appropriate. That way she seemed to comprehend what I was saying better. Forchuk (1993) mentions two types of communication, verbal and non-verbal communication, verbal communication conveyed by words and non-verbal communication conveyed through empathic links, postures, gestures, and patterns (Forchuck 1993). Peplau (1952/1988) considers the use of verbal communication to be an essential component of the nurse-client relationship (Forchuk 1993). The general principle is that anything clients act out with nurses will most probably not be talked about, and that which is not discussed cannot be understood. † Peplau (1989a p. 197). Forchuk (1993) suggest that discussing issues and concerns presents the patient an option to work them out. Thus nursing knowledge enables nurses to justify actions or stop unsafe or poor practices (Nursing and Midwifery 2003, The Code). Mrs. Ahmed was reluctant to have me assist her with personal hygiene although it was obvious that she needed it and it was also documented in her notes that she was not independent in this respect. She said something about being used to doing things for herself and how it was expected in her culture to clean one’s own body, she then suggested to wash herself and would ask for help when in difficulty. After washing herself, I took the opportunity of getting more information about Mrs. Ahmed, her family and health Data collection is constant throughout Peplau’s phases. George (2002) state that in the nursing process, primary collection of data is the nursing assessment, and further collection of data becomes an integral part of reassessment. The need for Mrs. Ahmed ‘s relations to be present compliments George (2002) statement that the nurse, patient and relatives need to work together in order to simplify and explain the problem at hand. Peplau (1995) discusses the need for the nurse to not only support but health educate the patient’s relations thus decreasing the tension and anxiety connected with the felt need and fear of the unknown thus the avoidance of future problems arising from unresolved significant events(George 2002). Peplau (1952/1988) states the importance of clarity on both parties in the relationship as their past experiences will influence their expectations in this progression. I also made her aware of her condition and situation whilst being conscious not to give advice, but rather asking her questions which we needed answers for, to help resolve her care needs. Peplau (1988) stated that the exploitation phase is where the nurse assists the patient to seek out other health care services and personal strengths in resolving the issues for which the client initially sought treatment. She thanked me for having explained everything she needed to know and for my patience during my interaction with her on that day. Peplau (1952/1988) saw the termination phase as a liberating process wherein the client’s wishes for psychological dependency and maintaining relationships have been worked through to support the ability to mutually end the relationship with the nurse (Leddy and Pepper 1998). Peplau views this phase as problematic for nurses as the progression of letting go is focused upon (Simpson1991).

The Allegory Of The Cave - 982 Words

In Book 7 of Plato’s Republic, The Allegory of the Cave† is a symbolic story of which there are prisoners in a cave with a fire that is located behind them. They have always faced the wall of the cave and have only seen what was outside of the cave from the shadows. They believe that the shadows of the objects carried are real, but in reality, it s just a shadow of the truth. The prisoners play a game where they guess what the shadows are and end up believing that it is the truth. However, when one prisoner escapes and faces reality, where the sun is a source of life, he realizes that the game was pointless. He seeks for meaning and truth from his journey outside of the cave. Socrates then insists that he must return to the cave and share what he has found with the prisoners because it will benefit everyone as a whole. However, when he returns and informs the prisoners, they react by not believing him and threatening to kill him if he set them free, because they are scar ed of the change that would occur after knowing the truth. Socrates believes that knowledge gained through senses is no more than an opinion. True knowledge is gained through reasoning and understanding. The allegory could symbolize positivity in modern American society. I Believe is a song about having faith where the narrator believes that we can control the future, but more specifically, our own future. The title extensionally defines this song by indicating all the things that he believes in and whyShow MoreRelatedThe Allegory Of The Cave1086 Words   |  5 PagesExplain the allegorical significance(s) of the cave in Plato’s Republic. How is the cave an allegory of Plato’s philosophy? How is the allegory of the cave an allegory for enlightenment or philosophical education? How and why are most human beings like prisoners in a cave? Who are the puppeteers? What does the world outside the cave represent? What does the sun represent? Etc. What is Plato’s Theory of the Forms? What is a Form? How does the allegory of the cave express Plato’s Theory of the Forms? HowRead MoreThe Allegory of the Cave907 Words   |  4 Pagesman follow the law, and how do implications of society affect our behavior. The most interesting topi c from the Republic is from Book VII, the allegory of the cave. With the allegory of the cave Plato gives us the power to break the chains that bind us down and leads us to see the light. In the allegory of the cave Plato sets the scene with humans in a cave that have been chained since childhood so they are restricted from moving and looking around the room. These people only see the shadows castedRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave1382 Words   |  6 Pageshis most intricate, yet his most important figure: the Allegory of the Cave. Socrates calls on the interlocutors to imagine a dimly lit cave in which a group of prisoners are chained behind a wall in such a way that they cannot move and are forced to stare at a wall all day. Thanks to a small fire, the prisoners are able to see the shadows of their imprisoners and images their imprisoners projected on the wall. Having always been in the cave, the prisoners believe the shadows are true; similarlyRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave1307 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Allegory of the Cave there are prisoners are chained up together in which they are all facing the back wall. There is a firing behind the prisoners and the onl y thing that they can see are the shadows of the people behind them. The fire casts shadows on the wall so this is the only thing that they see. Their entire lives have been based on these shadows on the wall. These prisoners have been chained up since birth, so what they see on the walls is all they know. In the Allegory of the Cave, theyRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave Essay975 Words   |  4 Pagesof philosophy in Brooklyn College, once said â€Å"The only thing we know for certain is that nothing is certain.† This is the main philosophy behind both Plato’s â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave†, and the renowned sci-fi movie â€Å"The Matrix.† Both works deal with escaping a false reality while unveiling a real one. In Plato’s â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave†, the escaped prisoner synonymous to the character Neo in â€Å"The Matrix†, exhibiting a shared theme behind both plots. Socrates suggest that with effort, all that isRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave905 Words   |  4 PagesIn the allegory of the cave Plato tries to show us two scenarios where the prisoners experience emotional and intellectual revelations throughout their lives. Plato’s theory was that the ones who truly understand knowledge should guide the ignorant people out of their unenlightened states of being and into true knowledge. The cave symbolizes the people who think that knowledge come from what they see and hear in the world. It also indicates people that make assumptions about life based on the substantialRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave Essay2021 Words   |  9 Pagesrecognizable image of Plato’s Republic, the message of the allegory of the cave is present not only in Book VII, but throughout the entire dialogue. Plato-as-Socrates uses the allegory to express his views on philosophy’s role in his city of speech which is later shown more deeply with the five regimes in Book VIII. The cities in the five regimes underg o a degradation as philosophy moves further and further away from the ruler; which also mirrors the cave. Plato reveals his belief that the city and philosophyRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave Essay1660 Words   |  7 Pages 3. Explain how the Allegory of the Cave represents Plato’s views about the nature of knowledge and the nature of reality. In the Allegory of the Cave there are chained prisoners in cave who can only stare at the cave wall in front of them. At the back there is a long entrance with a staircase the width of the cave and a fire burning in the distance. They see only shadows projected in front of them from a raised platform and hear an echo that they attribute to what they observe. They talk aboutRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave1619 Words   |  7 PagesIn his allegory of the cave, Plato describes a scenario in which chained-up prisoners in a cave understand the reality of their world by observing the shadows on a cave wall. Unable to turn around, what seems to be reality are but cast shadows of puppets meant to deceive the prisoners. In the allegory, a prisoner is released from his chains and allowed to leave the cave. On his way out, he sees the fire, he sees the puppets, and then he sees the sun. Blinded by the sunlight, he could only stare downRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave Essay718 Words   |  3 PagesThesis Allegory of Cave First what is perception and ignorance? Let us define perception as one’s view of life through rationalization of the external world and ignorance as an assumption without proof and contemplation. In the â€Å"Allegory of The Cave†, Plato uses Socrates to explain different types of people, one who sees the physical realm accepting ideas as they form and one who lives in knowledge realm by questioning those ideas. People of the knowledge realm are obligated to helps those in the