Impermanence and Sense of Coherence: Lessons Learned From the Adaptive Behaviors of Sri Lankan Buddhist Nuns With a Chronic Illness

• Published in: Journal of transcultural nursing Vol. 27; no. 2; p. 157
• Main Authors: Wijesinghe, Sunny, Parshall, Mark B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2016
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Buddhism; Chronic Disease - ethnology; Chronic Disease - nursing; Chronic Disease - psychology; Female; Health Behavior; Humans; Meditation; Middle Aged; Mindfulness; Religion and Medicine; Social Responsibility; Spirituality; Sri Lanka; Transcultural Nursing; Buddhist spiritual practice; chronic illness; transcultural health; coping
• ISSN: 1552-7832
• DOI: 10.1177/1043659614545402

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of traditional Buddhist spiritual beliefs and practices on coping with chronic illness. The study was a descriptive ethnography. Participant observation and semistructured interviews were used with 45 Sri Lankan Buddhist nuns with a chronic illness and 20 secondary informants. Cultural domains and taxonomies were explored to uncover themes pertaining to traditional Buddhist spirituality and experiences of chronic illness. A repeating cultural theme, responsibility, was identified. Responsibility took four forms: to the Buddha, to the social circle, to self-liberation through meditation, and to finding security in old age. Nuns shaped spiritual practices (some with folk origins) to fulfill these responsibilities. Coping ranged from health-seeking to resigned acceptance. Responsibilities and coping were situated in a context of Buddhist spiritual beliefs about impermanence. Findings were congruent with Antonovsky's model of salutogenesis, in particular, the construct of sense of coherence.