Growth Of Hospitality Industry In India Tourism Essay

Growth Of Hospitality Industry In India Tourism Essay CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction to Travel and Tourism Tourism is travel for leisure, recreational and business purpose. Tourists can be defined as people who travel to and stay in places outside their usual surroundings for more than twenty-four hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes by the World Tourism Organization. Tourism is a known affair in human life. It has been an industry of vast dimensions and eventually supports economic and social growth. Tourism worldwide has experienced phenomenal growth. With more than 600 million people travelling annually, tourism is the worlds largest industry, with revenues of about half a trillion dollars a year, and averaging five percent annual growth. India, being a vast and diverse country has always something to offer, and its glorious traditions and rich cultural heritage are linked with the development of tourism. Its magnificent monuments attract large numbers of visitors from all over the world. Tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 5.68% of the national GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India. India witnesses more than 13.72 million annual foreign tourist arrivals and 650 million domestic tourist visits. The tourism industry in India generated about US$ 100 billion in 2008 and is expected to increase to US$ 275.5 billion 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate. Booming IT industry and outsourcing industry has led to growing number of business trips made by foreigners to India, who often add a weekend break or longer holiday to their trip. Foreign tourist spends more in India than almost any other country worldwide. Tourist arrivals are projected to increase by over 22% per year through till 2010. Tourism minister has also played an important role in the development of the industry, initiating advertising campaigns such as the Incredible India campaign, which promoted Indias culture and tourist attractions in a fresh and memorable way. This campaign helped create a colourful image of India in the minds of tourists all over the world and directly led to an increase in the interest among tourists. The tourism industry has helped growth in other sectors as diverse as horticulture, handicraft, agriculture, construction and even poultry. Both directly and indirectly, increased tourism in India has created jobs in a variety of related sectors. Almost 20 million people are now working in the Indias tourism industry. Growth Of Hospitality Industry In India The hotel industry in India is going through an interesting phase. One of the major reasons for the increase in demand for hotel rooms in the country is the boom in the overall economy and high growth in sectors like information technology, telecom, retail and real estate. Rising stock market and new business opportunities are also attracting hordes of foreign investors and international corporate travellers to look for business opportunities in the country. The hotel industry in India is going through an interesting phase. The industry has a capacity of 110,000 rooms. According to the tourism ministry, 4.4 million tourists visited India last year and at the current rate, the demand will soar to 10 million by 2010 to accommodate 350 million domestic travellers. The hotels of India have a shortage of 150,000 rooms fuelling hotel room rates across India. With tremendous pull of opportunity, India has become a destination for hotel chains looking for growth. Due to such a huge potential available in this segment, several global hotel chains like the Hilton, Accor, Marriott International, Berggruen Hotels, Cabana Hotels, Premier Travel Inn (PTI), InterContinental Hotels group and Hampshire among others have all announced major investment plans for the country. The Governments move to declare hotel and tourism industry as a high priority sector with a provision for 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) has also provided a further impetus in attracting investments in to this industry. It is estimated that the hospitality sector is likely to see US$ 11.41 billion rise in the next two years, with around 40 international hotel brands making their presence known in the country by 2011. Simultaneously, international hotel asset management companies are also likely to enter India. Already, US-based HVS International has firmed up plans to enter India, and industry players believe others like Ashford Hospitality Trust and IFA Hotels Resorts among others are likely to follow suit. Niche Tourism The concept of niche tourism has emerged in recent years in counter-point to what is commonly referred as mass tourism. In a globalising world of increasing sameness, niche tourism represents diversity and ways of making difference. It plays on the pejorative connections that have accompanied the evolution of mass and package tourism and their, often cited, negative impacts in relation to environmental degradation and socio-cultural disturbance. For destination managers and planners seeking to utilise tourism as a mechanism for economic development, the niche tourism approach appears to often greater opportunities and a tourism that is more sustainable, less damaging and more capable of delivering high spending tourists. The term niche tourism is largely borrowed from the term niche marketing, which in turn has appropriated the niche concept from the language of the relatively recent discipline of ecology. Tourists, as consumers have developed increasing levels of expertise and experience of being tourists. Whilst this developmental pattern of tourists may not always be linear or simplistic. Figure 2: Niche Tourism Components Types of Niche Tourisms Niche tourism has broadly been divided into following components: Cultural Tourism: Cultural tourism is the subset of tourism concerned with a country or regions culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those geographical areas, the history of those peoples, their art, architecture, religions, and other elements that helped shape their way of life. Cultural tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres. It can also include tourism in rural areas showcasing the traditions of indigenous cultural communities (i.e. festivals, rituals), and their values and lifestyle. Environmental Tourism: Environmental tourism, ecotourism, or nature tourism provides an opportunity to visit undisturbed natural areas, scenic vistas, and observe plants and wildlife. Ecotourism is responsible travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strive to be low impact and often small scale as an alternative to mass tourism. Its purpose is to educate the traveller and provide funds for ecological conservation, directly benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities and foster respect for different cultures and for human rights. Generally, ecotourism focuses on volunteering, personal growth and environmental responsibility. Ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. One of the goals of ecotourism is to offer tourists insight into the impact of human beings on the environment, and to foster a greater appreciation of our natural habitats. Responsibl e ecotourism includes programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Rural Tourism: Any form of tourism that showcases the rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, thereby benefiting the local community economically and socially as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the locals for a more enriching tourism experience can be termed as rural tourism. Rural tourism is essentially an activity which takes place in the rural areas. The term rural tourism was adopted by the European Community to refer to all tourism activities in rural areas or as an economic activity, which depends on and exploits the countryside. Figure 1: Rural Tourism Approach Forms of Rural Tourism Agritourism: Agritourism or farm tourism refers to an organization working on farm or agricultural plant made for entertainment of tourists or visitors, thereby generating income for farm owners. This may help the farmers to interact with the visitors, thereby benefiting the visitors to enrich their knowledge regarding agritourism. Sports Tourism: It involves tourists to participate or observe rural sports. It teaches the local rural people how to get scope/chance in international game and to compete with opponents. It enables the people of different cultural background to mix with other people and exchange cultural activities between the parties and thereby they are culturally rich. Pro-Poor Tourism: Pro Poor tourism is set up in developing countries as a means to improve the local economy for local people. It enhances the linkages between tourism businesses and poor people; so that poverty is reduced and poor people are able to participate more effectively in tourism development. The aims of pro-poor ranges from increasing local employment to involving local people in the decision making process. Introduction to Rural Tourism in India Majority of India is among the rural category with the sanctity and subtleness intact in the very essence of the village soil. This pious environment of the rural India attracts lot of interest among the tourists in India and thus rural tourism is a fast emerging category. A national tourism policy was introduced in 2002, with rural tourism identified as a focus area to generate employment and promote sustainable livelihoods. The government in its 10th five year plan has focused on the subject of rural tourism. With a rich diversity in culture, heritage, food, crafts, and tradition, India has immense potential and opportunity. It has identified certain areas across the country, which can immediately be developed as the rural destinations. The government partnered with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for an Endogenous Tourism Project. Some 30 rural sites were selected in 20 states to develop as destinations for rural tourists. The UNDP pumped in an initial US$2.5 million. Those proposals that were selected by the government were entitled to assistance up to US$100,000. Divining Forces in Rural Tourism Industry stakeholders define the rural tourism experience by what they offer as product. But they are simply responding to what they perceive as an increasing demand for experience of rural communities, and interpreting it via their own world views. This demand is driven by a range of forces that combine to create tourist interest in rural experiences. These forces have been identified by many authors and can be summarised as: Tourist generating regions for rural tourism are highly developed and urbanised. The stresses of urban living and the remoteness from the natural environment has created a desire for escape from the monoculture of city living. Baby boomers are driven to tourism experiences that yield increased self-awareness in their drive for longed for perfection that compensates for lives destabilised by uncertainty and insecurity (Mackay, 1997) Demand fuelled by media, over-familiarity and congestion with traditional tourist resorts and increased interest in alternative attractions with its voracious appetite for content and the resultant over exposure of many traditional tourist destinations. Increasing environmental awareness and interest in the relationship between humans and the environment. Green issues have raised the attractiveness of rural experiences as ecologically sustainable tourism. Transport, communication, and the removal of political and economic barriers to travel have facilitated accessibility of rural areas. Increase in number of free independent travellers due to the increased capacity, especially in long-haul transport modes. When combined with increasing discretionary incomes, greater awareness of the range experiences on offer, the accessibility and attractiveness of rural destinations has been dramatically improved. Changing work patterns have increased the popularity of shorter breaks that minimise the absence from work and the effect of absences on work flow and involvement. An increased interest in heritage can be satisfied through rural tourism as rural areas are often the repositories of remnant heritage. Rural areas are perceived as healthier, offering fresher air, cleaner water and the opportunity for outdoor recreation. Rural areas offer fresh and speciality food. (Bartmann and Baum, 1998) Issues with Rural Tourism The lack of statistical base: It is difficult to establish volume and value of rural tourism as a specific market sector in nations, even harder on an international scale. Many countries have different definitions of rural and will therefore collect different data. Data on rural tourism are not easily obtainable. Rural communities: These tend to be non-uniform for example remove versus accessible rural areas contain very different types of settlement, employment opportunities, socio-demographic characteristics. Different community structures with diverse responses to tourism exist. Tourism development strategies may not benefit all rural areas: Where there is an inadequate supply of attractions or accommodation, tourism may not flourish. However marketing strategies must be good to attract tourists. Likewise, development of tourism provision by local people may not be feasible in a depressed rural economy. Impact of Rural Tourism The aim of tourism development in rural areas is, in general terms, to provide opportunities for economic and social development. In some areas, tourism provides the main source of income and employment, as well as providing social and economic benefits. Inevitably, negative aspects of rural tourism are evident as well. (Gannon 1994) IMPACT POSITIVE IMPACT NEGATIVE IMPACT Economic Assists viability of existing tourism and non-tourism business. Encourages dependence on industry prone to uncontrollable change Creates new employment Creates part time, seasonal employment Attracts inward investment Incurs development costs and public service cost Socio-cultural Assists in viability of local service Creates feeling of invasion by tourists Creates sense of pride Increases crime Revitalises local culture, traditions, events and crafts Reduction in local services Environmental Leads in environmental improvements in settlements Increases wear and tear on landscape features Provides income for conservation of buildings and natural environment Creates need for new developments which may not be in keeping with local area. Fosters awareness of conservation as worthwhile activity Increases pollution and affects local biodiversity Table 1: Positive and negative impacts of rural tourism Niche Market: A Place in Rural Tourism If the importance of the products one buys lies largely in their potential as social markers, tourism marketers must focus both on tourisms social signification and on meanings attached to spaces in which these occur. Explanations of tourism consumption cannot be derived in isolation from the social relations in which they are embedded. New users of the countryside are redefining what constitutes rurality, and there is a need to take postmodernism and the construction of the rural much more seriously. Contemporary social construction often transcends the countrysides tangible characteristics and qualities of open space or fresh air by representing it as the setting for the achievement of a range of personal goals. The need for a wider sociological approach to tourism studies has been emphasised by Sharpley, who argues for the recognition of broader social and cultural influences that shape consumer behaviour as a whole and influence consumption patterns. In the interests of the rural environment, therefore, and of the small businesses trying to meet the needs of emerging markets, it is necessary to look beyond classical marketing theory to gain a useful understanding of rural tourism consumption and to evaluate the existence of niches for marketing purposes. The increasing need for analysts to focus on consumption as an improved means of understanding contemporary forms of rural tourism demand requires a dynamic framework within which the analysis can be conducted. A continuum to measure the relative importance of the countryside to the consumption of tourism in rural areas is proposed to indicate the importance of the countryside to the purpose of the trip and to tourist satisfaction. The significance of the model lies in its recognition of the primacy of neither tourism nor tourist types but the ways in which the countryside is consumed as a recreational resource. Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Tourism The major problem in rural areas is that there is not much scope for working. Most of the People are engaged in agricultural activities, some of them in forestry and others are artisans. Villages are struggling with large families with one or two earning members in the family and high consumption expenditure. Due to less scope in villages most of them started migrating to cities. There are 638,691 villages in India as per the Census Report 2001 and the rural population is 741,660,293 with average population of 1,161 per village. Many of these rural communities have the potential have the potential resources, ability to attract the growing tourism industry. The scenic beauty, historical importance may appeal the urbanites, caught up in todays fast pace of lifestyle. Challenges in Rural Tourism The major challenges are the need to preserve the environment and natural resources and the need for proper education. Legislation Problems Respondents have pointed out that there can be legal problems. Tourism is a part of entertainment industry. All hotels, motels and cottages having license pay taxes to government. Rural tourism should have a tax holiday or it should be tax free. The government should encourage rural tourism to grow. Lack Of Trained Man Power The ruler people require to be trained for discharging their duties, decorating the cottages and maintaining them, serving food to the visitors and to understand the taste of the costumers, either the local cuisine or different type of Indian cuisine. The success of rural tourism totally depends on the quality of service provided to the tourists. To develop the manpower government has to take initiative to open various short training courses for imparting knowledge and skills. Insufficient Financial Support To start rural tourism, sufficient fund is required to promote it in introductory phase. Rural tourism is still uncommon to many tourists. This is because the government has just started promoting rural tourism. Central and state government should encourage rural tourism by providing financial support to start the project. As it will create employment in rural areas and will help the inflow of funds from rural areas to urban areas. Lack of Local Involvement Since rural people do not have knowledge and skills to involve hem in different activities. They may get the job of unskilled workers. The rural people need to develop the knowledge and skills to have a higher involvement in rural tourism. The basic concept behind the rural tourism is the participation of rural people. But in practice local people are seldom involved in decision making, planning and implementing policies. Most of rural people do not have much knowledge of tourism, and are misled by outside investors who hope to take most of the economic benefits from rural area. Language Problem There are 16 recognized languages and 850 dialects in India. Although Hindi is an official language, in many parts of India people do not understand it. The rural people have to upgrade themselves to communicate with the urbanites. The villagers not only have to educate themselves but they have to understand hindi to interact with the Indian costumers and English to communicate with the foreign costumers. Opportunities in Rural Tourism The tourists look for quality environment and meaningful experience. Marketing of rural is a specialist job. For rural tourism, rural people have to surrender themselves to professional marketers who understand the complexity of their task. The business depends on the development of networks, creation of trust and loyalty and information system, all of which takes money and time to develop, which is beyond the resources of most individual. Tourists have become more educated, more aware of facilities available and more experienced, their expectation has also increased. People are interested in exploring new places. Rural tourism in India has great future, since it not only provides natural elements of beauty but also the indigenous local traditions, customs and foods. Direct experience with local people can be a unique selling proposition to attract tourists. Every state in India has unique handicraft, traditions and foods. The rural tourism not go for mass marketing, rather different strategies should be under taken for different segment to make it successful. Introduction To Laksh Farms, Mangar Village Situated in Village Mangar, off the Gurgaon-Faridabad Highway, Laksh Farms is just a 30 minutes drive from Chattarpur Mandir, Surajkund, Gurgaon and Faridabad. Spread over 15 acres, Laksh is located in a picturesque valley nestled in the Aravalli Hills, on the once-famous Dhauj Jheel. A unique example of the restoration of a degraded ecosystem, it offers a fulfilling experience in rural eco-tourism. With more than a few thousand indigenous and ornamental fruit trees and shrubs, Laksh is a naturalists delight, propagating organic farming using vermi-compost and bio waste. For animal lovers there are dogs, dairy cattle, goats, ducks, and geese, as well as an abundance of peacocks and deer throughout the area and also in the sacred forest around the Gudariya Baba Shrine. All in all, Laksh offers a magnificent rural experience with activities such as rock climbing, camping, organic farming, trekking, and nature walks, bird watching and cycling in the ancient and awe-inspiring Aravallis Khandavprastha of the Mahabharata.

Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling Essay

Introduction Traditionally, psychology and theology have stood in opposition to each other. Christian counselors felt that the relationship between the two disciplines is essentially adversarial. Those who tried to integrate psychology and theology were criticized for doing so. As time goes by, important insights about human behavior and the importance of spirituality have been highlighted. As such, the principles of psychotherapy and psychology could do well to heed the lessons offered by theology, specifically the principles of prayer, worship, the Christian centrality of redemption and forgiveness. McMinn’s book highlighted new theories, techniques, and other important information in psychotherapy and psychology. The book essentially integrates spiritual principles into the practice of psychology and psychotherapy instead of the other way around. Hence, even non-Christian counselors can make use of Christian principles in dealing with their counselees. In the course of this integration, McMinn discusses psychology, theology and spirituality and the different areas where they overlap and where meaningful integration can be achieved in helping people deal with different issues in their emotional, mental and overall well-being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In traditional psychotherapy, religion tends to be relegated to the sidelines and not brought out into the open in discussions. Psychology instead relies on human experience, the meanings generated from these experiences and how such meanings impact the life of a person. God’s involvement, more or less is relegated to the sideways. On the other hand, theology has placed God at the center of understanding human behavior and the social processes in the world. Hence, God’s word and the way it is interpreted are used in evaluating human experiences and behaviors. Because of the mutual exclusivity of the two disciplines, practitioners of either discipline tended to ignore what the other has to offer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   McMinn, through his book however, poses that the Christian view of humans and of God’s involvement in the lives of people has an important impact in the mental and emotional help of people. Christian practices such as prayer and the reading of scripture can help a lot in determining the condition of individuals and help them initiate in the process of looking into themselves and evaluating themselves in light of God’s word.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If this were done, the counselee will be directed to areas of sin in his life. In a sense, he will not be able to understand the areas of sin unless he has a standard to use. In this case, it is the Scripture with the help of the Holy Spirit that directs the person’s attention to the areas of sin in his life. When these areas shall have been recognized, then confession can be done. Confession helps the person put a name to the nameless feelings of guilt and shame. When they have been named, then their power over the person tends to loosen. Confession, a distinct Christian practice, helps the person unload and pour out his heart. This in turn paves the way for forgiveness to come—forgiveness from oneself, from the people involved and from God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Forgiveness then makes redemption possible. Even if the scars of the sins are still there, redemption enables a person to walk away from sin and its painful consequences and start anew. More than simply starting anew, however, redemption entails being re-integrated into the community and into the world. Response to the Book   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a Christian, I was raised in a setting where the Bible is the authority over major issues in life. As such, I could identify with those who tend to look at Psychology with suspicious eyes. As such, with McMinn’s book came as an important eye-opener in regards to the benefits that the integration of psychology, theology and spirituality could do in the overall well-being of a person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Confession though is a little difficult to do. Oftentimes, the church fosters a place where people do not feel safe to confess. Fellowship also tends to get broken down because of hypocrisy. People are afraid of opening up, afraid of being looked down as not being enough of a Christian. A friend of mine was struggling with depression even in the midst of doing ministry for the Sunday School of the church. He did not actively seek help for fear of being discredited in his ministry. By the time he sought help he was under the throes of his depression and needed to have professional help. As a friend, I did not have much to help him because I did not understand enough psychology in helping him. I was loaded with bible verses, which he also knew. I found out that even if I had tons of bible verses, it was not enough without a good understanding of how a person’s experiences affect his emotions and his well-being. If I simply heeded the need to consult psychology, I would have been in a better position to help my friend even if I were not a professional. During the course of my friend’s therapy, he related to me the counseling process and it was based almost solely on psychology. Even if God was being brought into discussion because of my friend’s faith, He was not central in the process. There were also techniques used by the psychotherapist that resembled some of the Christian practices that we were exposed to but were not being practiced in church. At first, I was skeptical of the process because the role of God and of faith has been minimized. As I continued my discussions with my friend, however, there was a noticeable change in my friend and he was indeed becoming better. In one of our conversations, he even talked about his realization that psychology has much to offer to Christians who want to make a difference in the lives of others in terms of counseling and helping cope with the challenges of life. Integration of Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The greatest learning for me in this book is the idea that three separate disciplines could be integrated for the promotion of the total well-being of a person. Indeed, psychology can help look at the mental aspect of person and help provide additional understanding of the significance of the experiences that people go through. More than that, there are techniques and tools that psychology offers. These can then be used by a Christian counselor in helping a person who is going through a difficult time in his life. Psychology can also help blunt the tendency of theology to focus too much on sin, guilt, and shame. These concepts however, should not be set aside totally as they are also important in helping a person come to terms with his true situation in life. The role of theology is to bring God’s standards to the settings in which humans find themselves. God’s word stands as the standards in which human behavior may be subjected to. Being Christians, the primary purpose of counseling is to align a person’s life in the standards of God. This is what I am alarmed about in the book—that in the process of integrating theology and psychology, theology might be relegated to the side and psychology takes center stage. There is indeed a place for scientific inquiry and the use of tools and techniques developed by man for the betterment and empowerment of a person. Yet, as Christians, God’s word should be the first basis of truth and standards of behavior. Psychology deals with emotions, thoughts, responses, and other insights from the lives and experiences of humans. Psychology, in itself, might even draw a person away from God and institute a new version of spirituality that may not be in conjunction with the Christian faith. Another question that I had in the course of reading the book concerns the Christian practices and principles. If for example, non-Christian psychologists do recommend the practice of these principles, such practices may simply be practiced for the sole purpose of improving the person and not for the original purpose of these principles and practices. Prayer, scripture, confession, forgiveness and redemption are concepts that are heavily Christian in essence. Can they be practiced effectively outside of the Christian context? Moreover, if a Christian counselor would use these practices, would not that be constituted as a means of proselytism? There have been challenges in the integration of psychology into theology. On the other hand, while integrating spiritual principles and practices into psychology has its benefits, there may also be drawbacks. The spirituality of the person may be seen as simply a means of improving one’s well-being and not as means of following Christ. Spirituality then might become as simply another tool for man to use instead of being used for the glory of God. Furthermore, the issue of openly promoting Christian practices in the practice of psychology might not be welcome to certain kinds of people. Although it is good to promote Christian practices, there may be issues in terms of their general acceptability, especially because religion is being seen as a highly personal matter. Nonetheless, what I like about the book was the way that McMinn used the term spirituality instead of religion. Spirituality seems to indicate a higher level of significance in the life of people. Christianity as a means to ensuring spiritual and mental health was clearly elucidated by McMinn. He showed in his discussions that Christianity is not only about church attendance every Sunday. Rather, it is a dynamic faith that can help a person deal with issues on a daily basis. McMinn also was riled against the kind of spirituality that seeks only to serve the interest of an individual, especially the type that integrates this and that from different disciplines. His presentation about the integration of psychology, theology, and spirituality was not only theoretical; he presented case studies, which illustrated that Christianity as a faith is relevant to twenty-first century life. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The divide between theology and psychology has been going on for a long time in their applicability in counseling. There are those who look at psychology as a purely human-made discipline and that it is totally incompatible with theology and the way that God’s word deals with human experiences, emotions, and mental health problems. Yet, in this age, the techniques, tools and strategies offered by psychology can no longer be denied. They also offer something which Christian counselors—professional or not—can use. Such techniques however should not be used in themselves. Rather, they should be integrated with God’s word and with theology so that true spirituality may be attained by a person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Spirituality is more than just religion. It takes into account the overall well-being of the person, which is the intent of psychology. It also helps a person align his life with God’s word, which is the aim of theology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When there is a balance and skillful use of psychology, theology and spirituality, counselors everywhere will be able to look at the benefit of God’s ways for humans. It will also help humans avoid pitfalls and if they fell into such, they can easily consult God’s word and get back on track.

Relationship Between Infatuation And Infatuation - 2213 Words

There’s certain people that when you see them smile or laugh, their eyes glitter in the most admirable fashion and their mouths show their teeth and they look so full of love and happiness that you can’t help but smile fondly to yourself. Love. What an odd word. L-O-V-E. How do you know when you love someone? Is it when you always think about them and can t get them out of your head? Is it when you smile at the mere sound of their voice? Is it when you elope with them to another country? Or maybe you rob a bank together. Or perhaps you two become the next Bonnie and Clyde. Whatever. Friendship love is so pure, I think. Romantic love can be deceiving and saucy and unstable and everything in between. Infatuation is supposedly different than love. Infatuation is like when you go to the store and see a toy you love. Then you buy it for like $50 and the next month, you dump it with the rest of your toys because it doesn t really have the same spark that it once had. That s h ow people are. They get married in their twenties, apparently â€Å"love† each other and then get a divorce a few years later. Love is rare. Love is like that gorgeous necklace your grandma has had for decades and wears everyday proudly because she loves it. Love is stupid and unnecessary and belongs to the devil and it can kiss my ass. And that what a person desperately in love says. I m properly in love. I am. I m sure that I love her. I went to the Taste of Chicago and I stopped a foodShow MoreRelatedHow Is Love And Infatuation?904 Words   |  4 PagesIn this paper I will discuss what is love and infatuation. I will discuss how can love affect a person, how is the feeling of being loved and what are the effects of it. I will discuss how it can be an inspiration and how it can be a distraction sometimes. I will also discuss what is infatuation, what causes infatuation and I will give some examples of infatuation. Finally, how does love songs effect people in general. 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John Locke s First Treatise Of Government - 2169 Words

In John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, he brings up the idea of property, which he defines as one of the Natural Rights that a person has. To Locke, he explains how property is something given from God. He also explains how the people should have a right to property in the State of Nature as well as in Political Society. Locke also recognizes that there are limitations to the amount of property available and takes note of this in his text. Lastly, he finds a kind of solution to the limitations in the forms of a money economy and Political Society. This thesis will argue that property is the main concept in the creation of all of Locke’s political thought, since he bases a large amount of emphasis on how important it is, while also focusing on the common good and how the people are the ones that should make changes. To fully understand what Locke is claiming, the idea of Natural Rights must first be defined. In the Second Treatise, these rights are those that eve ryone is born with, in the State of Nature. The State of Nature, which is a place of perfect freedom, a man is naturally equal, reasonable, and free. This state is also protected by the Law of Nature which enforces that â€Å"all [are] equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his Life, Health, Liberty, or Possessions† (6.9). The rights of men are protected under the Law of Nature. Locke repeats these rights many times throughout his text, and elaborates more on each time. 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The Effects Of Sexual Content On Children s Programming

Sexual Content in Children’s Programming Children’s programming is beginning to raise a concern among many parents due to sexual content being included along with other inappropriate scenes like violence, offensive language or verbal abuse. In a news article by Cheryl Wetzstein, she reports that â€Å"one in ten parents agreed that there were â€Å"a lot† of good programs on for kids† because all the programs are portraying sexual content or violence instead of being educational to children (pg. 40). Due to the recent technological advancements, children’s media exposure has increased, causing more children to be bombarded with shows featuring sexual innuendos, sexual activity or adult subtext. Not only is the sexual content being included frequently in programming, children are facing the content in advertisements as well. An example of this is the advertisement poster for The Lion King. The film poster features the face of Simba in which many anal yzers and parents are pointing out that between the eyes and above the nose features an image that looks like the â€Å"butt of a naked woman† creating a sexualized image some children could pick up on (Fyfe, 2006, pg. 8). Sexual content throughout children’s programming can have both positive and negative effects on the children watching. Many children will become able to understand what is going on in the show or film causing questioning and new thoughts or ideas about sexual activity While parents have a concern about sexual content beingShow MoreRelatedTelevision And Its Effects On Children1673 Words   |  7 Pageslives of most people. People spend hours every day watching television programming, so of course this will affect their behavior. Television is like a window to the modern world. Many people view the programs that are aired on television; they can gain a lot of information and knowledge. 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Hinduism and Festival Free Essays

Many festivals are celebrated in India. Diwali Is the most Important festival of India. It is a festival of Hindus but everyone participates in it. We will write a custom essay sample on Hinduism and Festival or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is called Deepawali also. This festival falls in October or in the first week of November. When Lord Rama killed the Ravana-symbol of sin-and returned to Ayodhya, people expressed their Joy and welcomed Lord Rama’s return by lightening their houses. On this day everyone looks happy and they greet one another. Children buy toys and crackers. Shops and houses are white washed. At night people worship Lakshmi- Goodess of wealth. Tasty dishes are cooked. Some people gamble and drink too much on this festival which Is a social evil. Diwali is a nice festival and such bad things- should not be attached with it. It should bring happiness, prosperity and progress to all of us. We should send our good wishes to our friends on this day. Many festivals are celebrated In India. Diwali Is the most Important festival of India. It he Ravana-symbol of sin-and returned to Ayodhya, people expressed their joy and Many festivals are celebrated in India. Diwali is the most important festival of India. It Is a festival of Hindus but everyone participates In It. It Is called Deepawall also. This festival falls In October or In the first week of November. When Lord Rama killed 1 OF2 crackers. snops ana nouses are wnlte wasnea At nlgnt people worsnlp La Some people gamble and drink too much on this festival which is a social evil. Diwali How to cite Hinduism and Festival, Papers

Dynamic Loss and Grief

Question: Discuss about theDynamic Loss and Grief. Answer: Introduction Bereavement has been identified to cause devastating effects on the immune systems of elderly individuals and even lead to depression a psychological illness. Scientist claim that these effects may explain why a majority of elderly spouses die after the death of their loved ones. A majority of individuals can conquer their grief without any form of intervention. However, some do not. This is the reason why support needs to be given to the elderly to avoid the effects stated above. When a husband, wife or partner dies, one loses their counterpart and companion and they feel loneliness that may be overwhelming. Furthermore, couple friends may drift away, and the survivor is left with the burden of having no one to discuss and commiserate about everyday events. They also lack a person to share the responsibilities of the home (Stroh Becvar, 2003). To be able to offer effective support for the elderly who suffer grief and bereavement as a result of partner loss one needs to comprehend th e complex nature of grief better. Grief is complex in nature and is not only shaped by a persons culture or the social context but also the sort of bond that the survivor shared with the deceased. This paper will define and discuss grief and its categories, the mourning or bereavement process with the aim of providing insight into how the elderly individuals can be assisted to cope with the death of their partners. Bereavement is that state of an individual who has suffered a loss while grief is the individuals response to the loss. This means that bereavement is defined as the loss itself excluding the survivors reaction to the loss. Grief, on the other hand, is that reaction of the survivor to the loss (DeSpelder Strickland, 2011). This reaction can be expressed spiritually, physically or emotionally and may be influenced by ones culture and ethnicity. The symptoms of grief differ from one person to another without following any particular pattern. Some suffer from depression or anxiety while others experience euphoria. Emotions associated with grief are specific to the relationship with the deceased, time of death and also the way by which the person died. The feelings may include guilt, relief, anger, loneliness, helplessness, fatigue, anxiety, and sadness among others. Cognitions may include confusion, disbelief, sense of presence, hallucinations and preoccupation among others. Physical r eactions, on the other hand, may include insomnia, appetite disturbances, absentminded behaviour, crying, wondering aimlessly and social withdrawal among others (Byrne Raphael, 1997). So as to give efficient support to the elderly, consideration must be given to the broad categories or manifestations of grief. The bereavement period is stressful for everyone. However, a majority of individuals are able to come to terms with their grief while in others the grief becomes complicated or prolonged. A study indicated that compared to the young, elderly individuals aged around 75 and 84 years are more prone to develop grief (Newson, Boelen, Hek, Hofman, Tiemeier, 2011). Morbidity associated with complicated grief include depressive illness, poor quality of life, anxiety disorder and also the risk of suicide. A study also indicated that bereavement may have an impact on the cognitive function of the elderly and that they were most likely to function poorly in relation to verbal fluency, processing of information and attention (Shear, Ghesqueire, Katzke, 2013). To better understand grief in detail, here are the categories or types of grief. Majority of individuals fall under the normal or acute type of grief (Morris Block, 2012). This type includes healthy reactions and those identified include individuals exhibiting numbness or withdrawal from others, shock and denial proximately after the death of their partner (Goldman, 2000). Additionally, normal grief is seen to be characterized by a type of somatic or bodily distress, a preoccupation with an image of the deceased, hostile acts, guilt associated with the circumstances of death and not being able to operate as one did before the loss occurred. This becomes a hard time due to the fact that one has to fight the need to react so as to make arrangements for the funeral. The other type or category of grief is the middle stage characterized by longing for the deceased and anxiety (Morris Block, 2012). During this stage, some individuals replay the final moments wondering what they would have said or done differently. Support is hard to find during the first few months or weeks after the death of the partner. It is evident that individuals will come for the funeral briefly and return to their lives swiftly. Though the symptoms of grief differ from one person to another without following any particular pattern, a common pattern can be derived that a majority of individuals follow. A short time after the death of a partner, an individual experiences severe sways of emotions usually at high frequencies. Time passes and these swings of emotions are experienced less severely and less frequently. The sways of feelings occur as a result of triggers of anything connected to the deceased like a birthday or anniversary. Getting to understand these waves of emot ions assists families sympathize with the survivor. Furthermore, they can assist the griever to identify triggers and thus be able to control their responses to loss and emotions. It proves difficult to define the duration of grief because the reaction to grief is different and dependent upon various aspects such as ones emotional health and relationship to the deceased among others. If grief persists beyond the normal time that is a socially accepted time, it should be classified under abnormal grief. When acute grief exhibits severe symptoms, the person suffers complicated grief. Generally, complicated grief portrays similarities to acute grief, but the symptoms are endured longer than expected. Complicated grief is associated with symptoms such as unbearable and strong yearning, inability to accept the loss, crying, searching, and confusion of an individuals role in life (Spall Callis, 1997). In addition, symptoms like disbelief and preoccupation with images and thoughts of the deceased are also manifested (Morris Block, 2012). At times these symptoms can be delayed coming at a later time, and mostly hopelessness may develop. Other features of complicated grief may include somatic symptoms like chest pain, palpitations, and headache. It is critical to look out for depression when an elderly person presents multiple somatic complaints after the loss of a partner. For those dealing with complicated grief, handling triggers becomes difficult, and they end up grieving continuously during yearly anniversaries and birthdays. To be able to offer efficient support for the elderly after the loss of their partner, one must fully understand first who the person that died was. It is worth having some information about the deceased especially the dead individuals relationship to the one who was left behind (Spall Callis, 1997). In this case, such a relationship is that of a partner or spouse. The loss of a partner will definitely be grieved differently from the loss of, for example, a distant cousin. Secondly, be familiar with the nature of their fondness and connection. Knowing something about the strength of the bond is important, for it is practically obvious that the intensity of grief suffered is influenced by the intensity of the love shared by the couple. Grief increases severely proportionally to the greatness of the love shared. It is crucial to comprehend the reassurance of the attachment, for example, how necessary was the deceased to the sense of well-being of the survivor? Furthermore, did the survivor need the deceased for his or her own sense of self-confidence? Asking these questions indicate a more grief response. For a majority of people, esteem and security needs are met by their spouse. After the death of the partner or spouse, the requirements remain the same, but the resources are not available (Worden, 2009). Also be aware of disputes with the deceased. This does not mean the conflicts that occurred around the time of death. Include also the history of thei r differences. Conflicted relationships carry with them unfinished business that has not been resolved by the time the partner dies. This is mostly common where sudden death occurs. Lastly, one should also try to understand the dependent relationships. These connections usually affect the individuals adaptation and reaction to the death. Adjusting will be difficult for a person who depended on the deceased for the fulfillment of several day to day activities like meal preparation, driving and bill paying among others than for the individual who depended on the deceased less. Thirdly, it is also vital to know the means by which the partner died for it carries some weight on how the survivor will handle mourning. Usually, deaths are categorized under accidental, homicidal, suicidal and natural. For example, an accidental death of a spouse might be grieved quite differently than if it was a natural death, where death would be seen as occurring at a more appropriate time. Other elements associated with the death that can affect bereavement are proximity that is whether it happened near the survivor or far away from them. Deaths occurring far away might leave the loved one with an unreality feeling concerning the death. They can assume that the person is still there, which would affect the mourning process (Worden, 2009). Also unexpectedness or abruptness of the death, traumatic deaths whereby the trauma can be long lasting and often leads to complicated mourning. Additionally, when the death is seen as preventable, issues of fault, guilt, and liability arise . Stigmatized deaths too such as suicide and death by aids affect bereavement. Where such stigma is evident, social support for the griever might be less than enough. Stigmatized deaths are related to socially unspeakable and negated losses. Fourthly, so as to understand how an individual is grieving, one should identify whether they had suffered prior losses and how they grieved those losses. That is whether they grieved satisfactorily, or the individual brings to the recent loss a lack of resolution from a prior loss (The Joanna Briggs Institute, 2006). Also, the persons mental health history may be important at this point. The ones who bring a history of major depression existing before the death of their partner are exposed to chances of great depression that follows spousal bereavement (Worden, 2009). Lastly, it is key to understand the personality and social variables of the survivor. Some of the personality variables are gender. The reason as to why women and men mourn differently can be associated with the fact that girls and boys are socialized differently. It is argued that since women received more social support than the men and that is why they might grieve differently and have varying bereavement outcomes. Coping style is another personality attribute to consider. Grief is facilitated by an individuals coping choices. That is, how well they handle anxiety, how inhibited they are with their feelings and how they cope with or handle stressful circumstances. Coping styles differ from one person to the other. The reasoning style is also a key attribute to watch. Every person has a unique cognitive style. One can be more optimistic than the other and likely to see the glass half empty rather than half full. The ability to find something redemptive or positive in a bad circumst ance is associated with such optimism (Worden, 2009). On the other hand, depressed individuals have negative views of life, themselves, the world, and the future. Some interventions can be useful to help them, for example, increasing their social contacts and, helping them stay connected without making the pain their point of connection, and go on with their lives without the deceased. When considering social variables, undertaking to grieve as a social experience, and that there is a need to grieve with others is crucial. Considering the degree of recognized social and emotional support given by other individuals both from the family and also from outside the family is also critical in the bereavement process. Research portrayed that individuals who do not do well with bereavement have not had adequate support or have experienced conflicted support (Worden, 2009). Social support can play a difficult role as it can also be destructive. A few months down the line after the death of a partner, the survivor may lack encouraging persons and have individuals merely telling them to move on and get over it. It is important to have supporters who include religious resources and bereavement groups while also undertake in social role involvements. Attempting to rush an individual through grief can worsen their feelings of distress and further result to more isolation. Continued support of the elderly throughout the process of grieving assists them in coping with their grief. Evaluating the characteristics of the persons life is critical in understanding, diagnosing and treating complicated grief for the elderly. Mental health, pre-loss emotional health, education status, financial status and cultural considerations are among the crucial factors that have to be considered when trying to support or treat complicated grief. In the case of pre-existing depression, one can be able to differentiate between bereavement-related depression and complicated grief after the loss of a partner. An individual may have suffered some emotional turmoil or loss during their childhood that must be identified so as to offer the best treatment. For the elderly, having suffered a loss as a child may cause them to become vulnerable and insecure and t hus have difficulty in setting up emotional and physical boundaries during their adulthood (Collins Logan, 2009). Losing a partner at their elderly age may further lead to severe grief. Failure to identify the past experiences of the elderly may hinder the practitioner from fully supporting or treating the grief suffered by the individual. Different cultures have different ways in which they respond to death and grief. Furthermore, individuals in the same culture may perceive death and react to grief differently (Jalland, 2006). It is evident that some cultures respond well to grief at a societal level. A good example is the Jewish culture that enacts customs after deaths like the sitting Shiva and Kaddish prayer (Dekel Tuval-Mashiach, 2012). They offer the mourners with expected and routine support. Failure to look into the society of the individual may leave out a potential source of treatment. A study conducted illustrated that the elderly with complicated grief have more success when they attend therapy support groups (Ghesquiere, 2012). Practitioners can also assist by identifying the need for and intensifying referrals to the particular mode of support that suits the griever best. During therapy it is crucial to concentrate on the loss, talking through it and relieving it helps the person with complicated grief a great deal. A majority of family and friends may avoid talking about the death of the loved one fearing that they may trigger an emotional response or dampen the mood of a particular ongoing event. It is, therefore, fundamental to educate family members and friends to talk about the loss. For the elderly, psychotherapy is greatly recommended. Religion has also been identified to help the elderly when it comes to loss. That belief in a higher power, developing a social network through the attendance of services and having hope all assist the elderly grieve witho ut enduring crippling and persistent symptoms. It is also advisable to continue the leisure activities the survivor was doing as reducing the activities increases the chances of depression. Positivity and confidence should not also be forgotten (Graneheim Lundman, 2010). The survivor should be helped to focus on the positive emotions and also stay healthy. It is evident that research has been carried out on grief and bereavement and the complications they bring about after the loss of a partner. It shows that lack of awareness is eminent in the care of the individuals in bereavement especially the elderly. By understanding the complex nature of grief its categories and the mourning or bereavement process, insights are manifested as to how the elderly individuals can be assisted to cope with the death of their partners. As indicated above, the best methods of treating or coping with complicated grief in the elderly should be identified, for example, where a study suggested therapy support groups. Their symptoms are unique and so are their responses to therapy. In addition, various factors should not be ignored when determining the treatment plan, like culture and their past experiences. It is vital to understand these when identifying a treatment plan or coping mechanism. Though it might be difficult to identify whether the elderly are more likely to suffer complicated grief when compared to the younger population, based on the factors like they are more susceptible to higher risk factors like accumulation of multiple losses as they age, it can be concluded that they are more likely to suffer complicated grief. Their mental and emotional health may be affected over time. Furthermore, the outcomes of unsettled complicated grief may become severe for the elderly, becoming detrimental to their health and lead to their death as well. It is evident that there is a need to know something about the deceased and the dead persons relationship to the survivor as information about the strength of the bond between the deceased and the survivor is important in identifying the intensity of grief. Additionally, knowing how the person died has an impact on how the survivor deals with mourning. For example, an accidental death of a spouse might be grieved quite differently than if it was a natural death. Understanding the personality and social variables of the survivor such as gender is also critical. The reason as to why women and men mourn differently can be associated with the fact that girls and boys are socialized differently. It is argued that since women received more social support than the men and that is why they might grieve differently and have varying bereavement outcomes. 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