Spirituality in Science
The spirituality of animals, nature, and their connection to human health are no longer merely abstract themes, they are fields that have been widely studied in scientific research.
It is important to remember that spirituality is not the same as religion; it is essentially the search for meaning, connection, and purpose in life.
By integrating this perspective into the care of animals and the environment, we open new paths toward a deeper understanding of healing and health in its broadest sense.
References on Animal and Nature Spirituality
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BAKER, S.; MORRISON, R. Environmental Spirituality: Grounding our Response to Climate Change. European Journal of Science and Theology, v. 4, n. 2, p. 35-50, June 2008. Available in: <http://www.ejst.tuiasi.ro/Files/14/035-50Baker&Morrison.pdf>.
BRIEFER, E. F. Vocal expression of emotions in mammals: mechanisms of production and evidence. Journal of Zoology, v. 288, n. 1, p. 1-20. Sep. 2012. Available in: <https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2012.00920.x>.
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CARVALHO, I. C. M.; STEIL, C. A. A sacralização da natureza e a ‘naturalização’ do sagrado: aportes teóricos para a compreensão dos entrecruzamentos entre saúde, ecologia e espiritualidade. Ambiente & Sociedade, v. 11, n. 2, 2008. Available in: <https://www.scielo.br/j/asoc/a/pTPF5DVZQ8qWnGPf4pWBYGg/abstract/?lang=pt>.
CHUKWUKA, E. The evolution of ancient healing practices: From shamanism to Hippocratic medicine: A review. Medicine, v. 103, n. 28, July 2024. Available in: <https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2024/07120/the_evolution_of_ancient_healing_practices__from.15.aspx>.
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GIACONNE, T.; MANNINO, A. M.; RAGAZZOLA, F. Integral Health in Messina Strait: marine ecosystems, historical collections and human well-being. Mundo Saúde, v. 50, 2026. Available in: <https://revistamundodasaude.emnuvens.com.br/mundodasaude/article/view/1910/1853>.
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HIRATA, E. Spirituality, Religion, and One Health: Exploring the Connections Between Spiritual and Religious Belief Systems and their Contribution to Human, Animal, and Environmental Wellbeing. 2021. Master's Dissertation, University of Edinburgh. Available in: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-gifford-hirata/overlay/1635467188184/single-media-viewer/?profileId=ACoAABaPW_EB5ax2rQ7P7oRYUhmF3owCVkHTQnA>.
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MICHAELSON, V. et al. Connections associated with a healthy spirituality: are these unrecognized intermediary determinants that shape health inequities in Canadian young people?. BMC Public Health, v. 23, p. 1-10. 2023. Available in: <https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-16060-5>.
MOREIRA-ALMEIDA, A.; LUCCHETTI, G. Panorama das pesquisas em ciência, saúde e espiritualidade. Ciência e Cultura, v. 68, n. 1, p. 54-57, 2016. Available in: <http://cienciaecultura.bvs.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0009-67252016000100016>.
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NETO, E. M. C. Ecologia Espiritual e Patrimônio Biocultural. Travessias, v. 14, n. 1, p. 14-23. 2020. Available in: <ttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/347290212_Ecologia_espiritual_e_patrimonio_biocultural>.
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PIRNAZAROV, N.R. Structural Model of Spirituality as a Philosophical Phenomenon. Adam Alemi, v. 2, n. 88, p. 10-16. 2021. Available in: <https://adamalemijournal.com/index.php/aa/article/view/39/14>.
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SENA, M. A. B. et al. Defining Spirituality in Healthcare: A Systematic Review and Conceptual Framework. Frontiers in Psychology, v. 12, p. 1-11. Nov. 2021. Available in: <https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.756080/full>.
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TU’ITAHI, S. et al. Waiora: the importance of Indigenous worldviews and spirituality to inspire and inform Planetary Health Promotion in the Anthropocene. SAGE Journals, v. 28, n. 4, p. 73-82. Dec 2021. Available in: <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17579759211062261>.
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WANG, S. et al. Tourists and ‘philosophers’: Nature as a medium to consciousness and transcendence in spiritual tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, v. 99, 2023. Available in: <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738323000166>.
WATERS, W. F. et al. Antibiotic use by backyard food animal producers in Ecuador: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health, v. 22, n. 685, p. 1-11. Apr. 2022. Available in: <https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-022-13073-4>.
WIJNGAARDEN, V. Interviewing animals through animal communicators: potentials of intuitive interspecies communication for multispecies methods. Society and Animals, 32, n. 2, p. 1-12, 2023. Available in: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368463971_Interviewing_animals_through_animal_communicators_Potentials_of_intuitive_interspecies_communication_for_multispecies_methods>.
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There are articles, dissertations, theses and reviews available in open access that investigate how spirituality influences the physical, emotional and energetic well-being of people and animals.
The list below is ordered according to the first letter of the author's surname.
Keywords used in the search: "spirituality", "animals", "nature".
Enjoy your reading!