This document discusses several studies on the benefits of mental fitness and spirituality. It summarizes 3 studies that showed: 1) Qi gong reduced multiple health symptoms in a patient. 2) A substance abuse program found spirituality helps shift focus from narcissism. 3) A contemplative self-healing program significantly improved quality of life and reduced distress in cancer patients. Overall, it argues that mental focus and spirituality can improve mental health and that further research is needed.

1. Aaron Chapin
HW420: Creating Wellness: Psychological
and Spiritual Aspects of Healing
Assignment Unit 5
Professor Cindy Fouhy
June 21, 2011

2. Benefits of Mental Fitness
 Promotes mental health by the
development of a higher consciousness
 Promotes Wellness
 Prolongs Life*
 A better ability to cope with stress
 Prevent the on-set of relapse of mental
illness **
* (Ball, 2002)
**(Canadian, 2011)

3. Main Points
 Mental Focus and spirituality have
become alternative support for
millions of people worldwide.
 The media has an affect on the
substantiative nature of the
alternative movement that starts
with keeping mental and spiritual
healing in the public eye
 By completing exercises of mental
stimulus we can improve our
mental health

4. Study 1
Qi-Gong – Mental Focus to
Reduce Multiple Symptoms
In this study a 58-year-old male patient practiced qigong 4 or more
hours per day during intensive training, and approximately 1 to 2
hours daily thereafter. A total of 10 sessions of external qi healing
were performed by a qigong master afterwards.
The patient suffered from a series of chronic conditions, including
high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, atrial septal defect,
asthma, allergies, multiple injuries following an automobile accident,
high blood pressure, and edema in the legs.
The results were that the patient discontinued all medications (8 in
total) and lost 35 pounds; his blood pressure dropped from 220/110
with medication to 120/75 without medication (in 2 weeks); pulse
rate dropped from 88 beats per minute resting to 68 beats per
minute in the mornings and 55 bpm in the evening; the edema in his
legs went away; symptoms of asthma or allergies disappeared; the
PSA level dropped from 11 to 4 (normal), all without any
medications.
Chen, 2004

5. Study 2
Spiritual Transcendence as a Predictor of Psychosocial
Outcome From an Outpatient Substance Abuse Program
Using three criteria to understand the development and use of spirituality focus in
regards to healing subjects called the Spiritual Transcendence Scale involved
participants in which 57 were men and 16 women, ages 19 to 66, who were given
a 240-item questionnaire. This questionnaire contained a 56 question self-report
instrument is designed to assess psychological symptom patterns, a 60 question
coping resources strategy identifying resources currently available to individuals
for managing stress including spirituality factors, a Bradburn Affect Balance Scale.
A 20-item true–false scale captures the dimensions of Positive Affect and Negative
Affect. Before beginning the treatment program, all clients met with a spiritual
counselor for a 20-40- minute interview, which was designed to evaluate the level
of impairment and the suitability of each client. Within 1 week of the program’s
conclusion, ratings were obtained from counselors on the outcome questionnaire.
Thirty-five clients received two counselor ratings, and 21 received only a single
rating. Counselor ratings were aggregated to create a composite score. After
being interviewed, clients completed the NEO–PI–R, the CRI, the BSI, a
demographic questionnaire, and the STS. The program itself lasted 8 weeks.
Clients attended it 5 days a week, 6 to 8 hr/day. The outcome was a positive
spirituality helps alcoholics shift from a narcissistic focus to an acknowledgment of
the larger dimensions of spirituality in their lives.
Piedmont, 2004

6. Study 3
Self Healing on Cancer
 The objective of this study was to determine the impact of a 20-week
contemplative self-healing program among breast and gynecologic cancer
survivors. Assessments were performed at the first session and at 20 weeks,
including: Quality of Life, FACIT-G, FACIT subscales, anxiety, and depression
(HADS). Biologic markers of immune function were obtained. A 20-week
program was implemented: the initial 8 weeks addressed open-mindfulness,
social-emotional self-care, visualization, and deep breathing followed by 12
weeks of exposing stress-reactive habits and developing self-healing insights.
 Daily practice involved CD-guided meditation and manual contemplations.
Sixty-eight women were enrolled, and 46 completed the program.
Participants had significant within-patient changes on, improving by a mean
of 6.4 points. The participants reported improvement in emotional and
functional and social, mental health status. Significant improvement in
maximum AM cortisol and a reduction in resting heart rate at 20 weeks. These
findings suggest a contemplative self-healing program can be effective in
significantly improving QOL and reducing distress and disability among
female breast and gynecologic cancer survivors.
Loizzo et al, 2010

7. Improving Mental Fitness
Subtle Mind: Instructions
 Find a Quiet Place to Sit
 Close Your Eyes
 Concentrate on your breathe
 Notice your minds visions but don’t hold on to
them
 Calm your mind until your thoughts cease to
be rampant and intentional thoughts replace
reactive ones
 Use your new found intentional thoughts to
notice the connectivity of all things in life

8. Improving Mental Fitness
Loving Kindness Instructions
 Find a Quiet Place to Sit
 Close Your Eyes
 Concentrate on your breathe
 Think of a love one
 Hold them close in your mind
 Give loving kindness toward yourself and that loved
one
 Feel nothing but peace and love
 Picture someone who is ill and suffering
 Breathe in and absorb their suffering
 Release the suffering from your loved one
 Experience happiness and love

9. Main Points
 Mental Focus is a concept of healing that
has been expressed a great deal and
proven a little.
 Through studies, journals and articles we
may keep the idea of mental and spiritual
healing in the public eye
 By completing exercises of mental stimulus
we can improve our mental health

10. References
 Ball, K; Berch DB, Helmers KF, et al. (2002). "Effects of cognitive training interventions with
older adults: a randomized controlled trial". JAMA 288 (18): 2271–81.
doi:10.1001/jama.288.18.2271. PMC 2916176. PMID 12425704.
 Chen, KW and Turner, FD.The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
February 2004, 10(1): 159-162. doi:10.1089/107555304322849075.
 Canadian Mental health Association (2011) Benefits of Good Mental Health.
http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=2-267-1320&lang=1
 Dacher, ES (2006) Integral health: The path to Human Flourishing. Basic Health Publications
Inc. Laguna beach, CA
 Lebmann JW; Benson, H. Non pharmacologic therapy of blood pressure. General Hospital
Psychiatry. 1982;4:27-32
 Loizzo, J. J., Peterson, J. C., Charlson, M. E., Wolf, E. J., Altemus, M., Briggs, W. M., & ... Caputo,
T. A. (2010). THE EFFECT OF A CONTEMPLATIVE SELF-HEALING PROGRAM ON QUALITY OF LIFE
IN WOMEN WITH BREAST AND GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS. Alternative Therapies in Health &
Medicine, 16(3), 30-37. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
 Piedmont, R. L. (2004). Spiritual Transcendence as a Predictor of Psychosocial Outcome From
an Outpatient Substance Abuse Program. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18(3), 213-222.
doi:10.1037/0893-164X.18.3.213