There are multiple benefits to engaging in activities and life that nourish us and our health partners spiritually.

These include:

We become the best version of ourselves 

We feel good and this has a rippling effect and others around us experience this feeling and as such connect with their infinite self. 

We are able to work through difficulties better

We become more kind, patient, generous, understanding and compassionate towards ourselves and others

 Spirituality is multifaceted and has many dimensions. A person may not be religious and is still spiritual. People experience spirituality in its vastness and multiple forms that awaken and stir our innate spirit. Take the time to know your infinite self.

Honouring and Serving,
Simran K. Rattan MD
Content support Maria Peach

In a clinical setting we are able to, with healthcare partners, explore their spiritual history using the FICA assessment tool developed by Dr Christina Pulchalski and colleagues in 1996. It identifies key elements to assist clinicians in understanding the spiritual needs of their health partners. The assessment tool covers four domains:

Faith, Belief meaning 

Exploring personal beliefs and what gives health partners meaning in their lives 

Importance and influence 

Understanding the importance of faith and the influence of health partners beliefs on coping with stress and making decisions regarding their health. 

Community 

Exploring if health partners belong to a spiritual community

Address 

Collating the information from the history and asking health partners how this can be best used to address their health and spiritual needs. 

We may find in this exploration, health partners may not belong to a spiritual group or religion, but do have values...

Dr Christina Pulchalski who leads the Institute for Spirituality and Health in Washington has described spirituality as:

"Spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred." 

With this in mind, a spiritual experience takes shape in many ways. One could experience spirituality in a community action group, or feel moved and inspired  by creativity. One may feel alive in the ocean or amongst bush or mountain treks. A person could be rejuvenated and refreshed by playing or listening to music. A person may experience spirituality from an innate knowing or sense of how others are feeling. 

Honouring and Serving,
Simran K. Rattan MD
Content support Maria Peach

Spirituality is what brings forth who we are and how we express and experience our infinite self. 

We can ask ourselves and our health partners (patients) these questions, to find out, what makes our souls move: 

 What excites you? 

What refreshes you? 

 What makes you feel good about who you are? 

 What utilizes your skills and talents? 

 What connects you with others in a shared goal? 

 Who do you feel uplifted around and have a shared interest with? 

We are spiritual beings first and foremost before anything and the lives we are living are embodied in a human experience.

Our experiences differ however at the core it is our spirit that connects us and the more we connect with our infinite self, the more we will heal and grow spiritually.

Honouring and Serving,
Simran K. Rattan MD

Life experiences can sow seeds of doubt into our minds. Many people grew up in families where self-worth and value is associated with achievement.

There is often confusion between praise and criticism, thus criticism sets the standard of which imposters measure themselves by.

Imposters then enter society and more pressures and negative comments, seemingly failures, external events or relationships become internalized.

These internalized negative experiences replay in our minds and become a part of our subconscious thoughts and beliefs. As the events, experiences and emotions are charged with energy, the replaying of such experiences gives self-doubt power and life.

We struggle to break the cycle of self-doubt and continue to feed our negative thoughts and become a servant to our unruly mind.

Honouring and Serving,
Simran K. Rattan MD
Content support Maria Peach

Dr. Valerie Young has over 40 years of experience in extensive research and interviewing people from all walks of life. She has identified five different types of Imposters which are:

1. The Perfectionist

— the person who focuses on how something is done and the outcome.

2. The Expert

— the person who worries on how much one knows and what they can do. Minor lack of knowledge can bring about shame.

3. The Soloist

— feels they have to do everything on their own otherwise will be considered weak asking for help.

4. The Natural Genius

— focused on the length of time to complete something as the high expectation is one's competency should be able to get it done as soon as possible.

5. The Superwoman / Superman / Superstudent 

— feels any lack of being able to manage many roles is a complete failure whether it be, a combination of work, family, being a parent, social groups and activities, community commitments and the like. 

Some people...

Have you ever felt like you are undeserving of your achievements? Do you constantly strive to make yourself better at what you do, to the point of perfectionism, without stopping to appreciate how far you have come?  Do you fear judgment and rejection because of your achievements? Does self-doubt elude and consume you? 

Everyone goes through periods of self-doubt. However, with imposter syndrome, people have chronic self-doubt and high expectations of themselves. The difference between imposters and non-imposters are the thoughts and thought process, about different situations, scenarios and experiences. Imposters are harsh and critical of themselves and have unrealistic standards they require of themselves to meet. It can be harmful to our spiritual growth to place such high expectations on oneself, as it becomes difficult then to love oneself for our imperfections. 

Some feelings a person suffering from imposter syndrome may have experienced, include: 

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