The Experience of Prayer With a Sacred Object Within the Context of Significant Life Stress
Linda Mayorga Miller, Terry Lynn Gall, Lise Corbeil
Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health October 1, 2011 DOI: 10.1080/19349637.2011.616101 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Catholic men and women who had experienced a significant life stressor |
| Citations | 13 |
| Key findings | Participants described prayer with a sacred object as a rich and integral part of their spiritual lives that supported a sense of life meaning during a significant life stressor. Three themes were identified: contextual information about the stressful event, the spiritual architecture of prayer with a sacred object, and a spiritual relationship with the sacred. |
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of the subjective experience of prayer with a sacred object within the context of a significant life stressor. Ten individuals, men and women, from the Catholic faith participated in semistructured interviews. Interview transcripts were read thoroughly and descriptive meaning units were extracted and analyzed for common themes. In their narratives participants revealed three overarching themes: (a) contextual information on the nature of the significant life event, (b) the spiritual architecture of prayer with a sacred object, and (c) a spiritual relationship with the sacred. The experience of prayer with a sacred object is a rich and integral aspect of these participants' spiritual lives that ultimately supports a sense of life meaning within the context of a significant life stressor.