Humanitarian workers have many reasons for desiring and deciding to work in challenging and often stressful conditions overseas. For some, a desire for professional and personal development, and perhaps for adventure, can feed into this decision. Others choose this field in search of spiritual growth, or out of a desire to be of service that often has roots in their spiritual beliefs, traditions, and practices.
Given the extreme demands, the high stress levels, and the significant risks to personal safety and well-being involved in humanitarian field work, many humanitarian workers rely on their belief systems and the guidance of their religious or spiritual practice to aid and support them through the challenges of their work.
As part of pre-deployment preparations, it can be important to organize spiritual resources that will remain available throughout the course of an international assignment. This can include finding books and websites that provide spiritual materials, establishing relationships with people of the same faith and others who can provide spiritual guidance on an ongoing basis, or packing journals and objects that symbolize one's religious beliefs. Such spiritual connections can provide much needed support through challenging transitions, whether before, during, or after deployment.
If you are a humanitarian field worker interested in cultivating spiritual support, this section can provide you with resources from various spiritual practices that can be useful at any stage of your overseas assignment.
This online learning center provides valuable resources on psychological and spiritual support for humanitarian aid and disaster relief personnel worldwide. You'll find articles that are geared specifically toward psychological and spiritual support for humanitarian aid and disaster relief personnel, as well as links to additional resources that are useful for field workers, office workers, and family members. Also, be sure to browse the concise and helpful tip sheets for self-care.
Aid Workers Network is a comprehensive website that's also host to a number of online forums and guides. This link brings you to a section of the site that serves as a guide to recognizing and meeting common physical and emotional problems encountered during disaster relief activities. By discussing common issues such as culture shock and critical incident stress, you'll find that this guide will not only help you to recognize symptoms in yourself, but also helps you to be aware of the well-being of your colleagues.
Print resources
Classic and contemporary spiritual texts
Note that many of these texts can be obtained in part or in full with a bit of internet searching.
The Biblebook New International Version or other translations
Collection of the many different sacred writings of the Christian faith.
The Qur'anbook Khatib (1986) and other translations
The sacred writings of Islam.
Tao te Chingbook Lao-tzu
There are many good translations of this Taoist classic. Discusses the role of the enlightened sage.
The Bhagavad Gitabook Eknath Easwaran, translation
This Hindu classic, and the editor's introduction, explores the notion of karma.
The way of man according to the teaching of Hasidismbook Martin Buber (1963)
A brief introduction to the Jewish notion of "turning," where a wandering or misdirected life is set back on its path.
Soul food: Stories to nourish the spirit and the heartbook Christina Feldman and Jack Kornfield (1991)
A collection of spiritual tales from diverse traditions, organized by topic.
Spiritual literacy: Reading the sacred in everyday lifebook Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat (1996)
A rich collection of excerpts from contemporary spiritual writers organized around topics such as nature, leisure, and relationships.
God makes the rivers to flowbook Eknath Easwaran (ed) (1982)
A beautiful collection of passages drawn from a variety of spiritual traditions.
Prayer, meditation, mindfulness, and mentality
Peace is every step: The path of mindfulness in everyday lifebook Thich Naht Hanh (1991)
This Vietnamese Buddhist monk gives a series of simple practices for how to use driving, washing dishes and other everyday acts to summon us back to the present.
Dimensions of prayerbook Douglas Steere (1962)
Explores prayer, its meaning and techniques, and its relationship to action.
The practice of the presence of Godbook Brother Lawrence (1982)
In this simple classic, a 17th century monk describes methods and benefits of conversing with God.
Meditationbook Eknath Easwaran (1978)
Presents an eight-point program on living a spiritual life with a key focus on the use of a mantrum.
When the heart waits: Spiritual direction for life's sacred questionsbook Sue Monk Kidd (1990)
Explores the role of stillness and waiting as part of the spiritual quest.
Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday lifebook Jon Kabat-Zin
An accessible guide to cultivating awareness of the moment and our mental processes.
A spirituality named compassion and the healing of the global village, Humpty Dumpty and usbook Matthew Fox (1979)
A meditation, by an unorthodox priest, on the personal and global significance of compassion—that ability to enter into another's experience.
Make your life worthwhilebook Emmet Fox (1946)
Discusses how positive thinking can improve our inner and outer lives and help us spiritually advance.
Gratefulness: The heart of prayerbook Brother David Steindl-Rast (1984)
This Benedictine monk explores the notion that all prayer is essentially an act of gratitude.
Lovingkindness: The revolutionary art of happinessbook Sharon Salzberg (1995)
A rich discussion of Buddhist loving-kindness meditation, and ways to integrate it into daily life.
Artistic spiritual disciplines
Managing stress: A creative journalbook Brian Luke Seaward (1996)
Provides brief but thought-provoking commentaries on over 75 journal themes that can be selected to reflect immediate need, concern, or sense of belonging emotional state.
The artful journal: A spiritual questbook Maureen Carey, Raymond Fox, and Jacqueline Penney (2002)
Beautifully illustrated book explores for processing the spiritual dimensions by incorporating creative processes of drawing, painting and journaling into the practice of meditation.
Seeds from a birch tree: Writing haiku and the spiritual journeybook Clark Strand (1997)
How to write haiku as a spiritual method for opening to self, nature, and God.
The artist's way: A spiritual path to higher creativitybook Julia Cameron (1992)
A 12-week workbook of exercises and activities designed to unlock your creativity.
Thorson's principles of art therapiesbook Daniel Brown (1997)
Introductory guide provides suggestions for how to use creative art forms of music, drama, poetry, stories, and painting to develop and progress towards greater happiness.
Miscellaneous
How can I help? Stories and reflection on servicebook Ram Das and Paul Gorman (1985)
Discusses the personal and spiritual joys of service and the many hazards (self-righteousness, detachment, fear, burnout) that can undermine our giving.
Home sweeter home: Creating a haven of simplicity and spiritbook Jann Mitchell (1996)
Suggestions for how to turn your home and home life into a nurturing sanctuary.
Games for the soul: 40 playful ways to find fun and fulfillment in a stressful worldbook Drew Leder (1998)
Presents a playful twist on spirituality in it's offering of 40 simple, thought-provoking games embodying spiritual principles such as forgiveness and gratitude.
Guilt is the teacher: Love is the lessonbook Joan Borysenko (1990)
Discusses healing from self-defeating voices of guilt and shame.
Care of the soulbook Thomas Moore (1992)
Focuses on the need to accept our wounds, weaknesses, and shadow side if we are to cultivate the richness of the soul.
Care of the soulbook Thomas Moore (1992)
Focuses on the need to accept our wounds, weaknesses, and shadow side if we are to cultivate the richness of the soul.
There is a brief discussion in this book on the impact humanitarian work can have on spirituality and worldview. The link above leads to an outline of the book and purchase options.
Ritual, Power, Healing, and Communitybook Malidoma Some (1997)
Malidoma Some, a medicine man presents in this book traditional beliefs about spirit possession and the need for ritual. He concentrates on the need for grief ritual and ways of working with emotion in Western culture.
With insight and humor, Pema Chödrön presents down-to-earth teachings on how we can overcome our own suffering as well as the suffering of others. This is only possible, the author says, if we start where we are, embracing rather than pushing away the painful aspects of our lives. The link above leads to purchase options.
Spiritual author Pema Chödrön discusses using painful emotions to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage; communicating so as to encourage others to open up rather than shut down; practices for reversing habitual patterns; methods for working with chaotic situations; and ways for creating effective social action. The link above leads to purchase options.
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