Why Life Purpose and Spirituality Are Important There is a
growing body of evidence indicating that spiritual practices,
such as prayer or meditation, are associated with better health.
Harvard professor Anne Harrington also argues that spirituality
is important to health because: - It promotes a healthy
lifestyle and provides good community - Contemplative practices
reduce stress - Belief is a healing power Because the search for
life purpose often involves connection with others and
contemplative practices, much of this research also applies
there. Support and Community With respect to physical health,
relationships offer support that buffers the effects of stress
and isolation. The health benefits of social support have been
established in literally thousands of studies throughout the
past 25 years. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University researched
the relationship between religious participation and health in
an epidemiological study of 90,000 persons. They found that
people who attended church less than