spiritual

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of sacred things, the Church, religion, etc.

2. standing in a relationship based on communication between the souls or minds of the persons involved

3. See Negro spiritual

4. the sphere of religious, spiritual, or ecclesiastical matters, or such matters in themselves

5. the. the realm of spirits

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Spiritual

a spiritual song of the American Negro; the most important genre of Negro musical folklore.

Spirituals arose in the southern states of the USA during the period of slavery, and they drew from African and Anglo-Celtic artistic traditions. For the most part, spirituals are associated with biblical images; however, biblical themes are expressed in the vernacular and combined with the narration of daily life. The melodies are distinguished by originality of harmony (pentatonic and six-tone harmony and alternations between major and minor thirds) and rhythm (syncopation). Spirituals convey the moods of tragic loneliness and spiritual suffering and are characterized by their profundity, sincerity, and poetic quality. Initially, they were performed a cappella by a choir as a collective improvisation, in which the melody was varied with each performance. In the last third of the 19th century, reworkings of spirituals appeared for solo singing with instrumental accompaniment (banjo or piano).

V. DZH. KONEN

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References in periodicals archive

The modern people will either transform their energy by raising it and spiritually evolving, or they will commit suicide.

World Change Academy to Release Revolutionary New Book "Spiritual Evolution" Today - a Spectacular Blend of Psychological Truths and Spiritual Wisdom

Critique: An original and seminal study that is impressively researched, written, organized and presented, "When One Religion Isn't Enough: The Lives of Spiritually Fluid People" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a five page 'Note on Methods', a six page listing of Acknowledgments, seventeen pages of Notes, and a three page Index.

When One Religion Isn't Enough

Recommendations for Advancing Research on Spiritually Oriented Disaster Psychology in what follows, we offer several recommendations for researchers who decide to join in this meaningful endeavor of studying spiritually oriented disaster psychology.

Advancing Scientific Research on Disasters, Religion, and Spirituality

You're spiritually healthy when you have elaborate thoughts about the afterlife but know that you know nothing directly about it.

Reclaim your spiritual health

Although spiritually modified CBT has not been used to address alcoholism, it has been used with diverse groups to treat a variety of problems (Stoltzfus, 2008).

Alcohol treatment and cognitive-behavioral therapy: enhancing effectiveness by incorporating spirituality and religion

So, if Hollywood executives really want to capitalize on the 142 million people who go to church every week, they must bring them movies that are well made, entertaining, morally sound, and spiritually uplifting.

Faith-based films: on the heels of huge box office takes for Christian-themed movies, an abundance of films are appearing containing Christian content, but will they be any good?

We aren't meant to bc spiritually isolated; we need the church, and we need other believers.

Strengthen faith with study and prayer

Am I responsible for everything that happens to my neighbors?" I answered, "Yes!" not legally, but morally and spiritually, "Yes!" I believe that we are responsible to make our little corner of God's kingdom as good as it can be.

Chaplains corner

There is another group of students who have begun yoga "in order to grow spiritually." The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in Atlanta reports that many of their new students are "searching for deeper meaning in their life.

Yoga and movement for your life: Teresa Soule explores the state of movement therapies across the region

This duet for guest dancers Abby Crowther and Desiree Westerlund, described as "exploring the concept of being physically close but mentally, spiritually, and emotionally distant," is brutally physical.

Black Grace

Priests, acting in the person of Christ, are also spiritually wedded to the church.

Women priests

By doing so, my body (the battery) is spared unnecessary loss of power, and is recharged morally and spiritually.

New Year new wavelength