Friday, January 31, 2020

Hinduism Paper Essay Example for Free

Hinduism Paper Essay Hinduism is a unique religion. Except for Hinduism, the world’s most popular religions share the quality of having a single founder. Christianity is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, Islam on those of Mohammed, Judaism on those of Abraham, and Buddhism on those of Gautam Buddha. According to Adherents.com (2007), Hinduism is the fifth-ranked most popular organized religion in the world; however, unlike the top four religions, Hinduism lacks a unifying belief system. One may wonder how the religion sustains itself when it is so different from the other major religions. All forms of Hinduism are based on four central themes, and the cultural and societal influences of these themes have made Hinduism vital to the region where it originated. According to Das (2009), â€Å"Hinduism is a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions†. True Hindus live their lives with devotion to ethics and duties, known as Dharma. Dharma is important because along with Karma (the effects actions have on one’s life), these two forces influence the soul’s reincarnation, or Samsara. Hindus believe that after many lives of good Karma, the soul reaches the end of the Samsara process, called Moksha. Upon achieving Moksha, the soul gains â€Å"liberation from the limitations of space, time, and matter through realization of the immortal Absolute† (Fisher, 2005, p. 75). To ensure this upward movement of the soul, Hindus typically strive to observe tenets of non-violence, celibacy, truth, and cleanliness, among other ethical principles (Das, 2009). Hinduism is practiced largely in the impoverished areas of India. What makes these areas impoverished? According to IndianChild.com, â€Å"The poor spend about 80 percent of their income on food while the rest of the population spends more than 60 percent†. One way in which the practice of Hinduism benefits people of this area is the belief that cows are sacred. Rather than using the cow for its meat, Hindus benefit more by using the cows for dairy and working the farmlands (Prakasa, 2008). Maintaining a nonviolent lifestyle has also kept warring to a minimum, and as a side effect few cows have perished as a result of war. Sociologists using the social-conflict approach to their studies would find the Hinduism regions a gold mine of information. Most Hindu societies are organized into what is known as a caste system. In a caste system, individuals are born into a certain tier of social privilege and typically remain there throughout their lives. The highest tier, known as Brahmins, was the priestly caste. Brahmins served to bridge the gap between men and gods, acting as temple priests and invoking gods on behalf of others. Besides the two castes just below Brahmins, they were the only ones permitted to study the Vedas, the ancient Hindu holy texts (V, 2008). Kshatriyas are those who make up the second highest caste in the Hindu caste system. This caste is known as the warrior class and the caste of kings. A king’s social duties included protecting his kingdom and its people, showering the Brahmins with luxurious gifts, and administering justice in a fair manner. Hindu kings were thought to be imbued with the essence of the gods, and as such were never to be despised. Never was a king’s authority to be questioned unless the king was not fulfilling his responsibilities to the Brahmins. The Vaishyas and the Shudras make up the next two classes. Vaishyas were expected to â€Å"tend cattle, offer sacrifices, study the Vedas, trade, lend money and cultivate the land.† While they were allowed to participate in many religious rituals, they could not marry the women of a higher class. The Shudras relate most equally to the middle class of United States society. As the working caste, their only duties were to serve the higher three classes. They could observe some of the religious rituals, but in most cases were not required to do so. Already not allowed to study the Vedic texts, they were also not allowed to hear the sacred chants or eat food in the company of those from a higher caste. Four castes are typically recognized, but many Hindu cultures observe a fifth, lowest class. The Chandalas were known as the â€Å"impure ones.† Chandalas were not allowed to walk in the same streets as men from higher castes, nor were they even allowed to enter the city during daylight hours. The sight of a Chandala was seen as a bad omen, and even their shadows were considered impure. Forced to live on the outskirts of society, Chandalas typically made their livings as graveyard caretakers, hunters, and professionals adept at cleaning human waste. Being a very different religion from the other major religions, Hinduism has had a unique effect on the regions where it developed. Though one common belief system cannot be found, the tenets on which the religion is based have served to promote a very organized civilization. Whether or not that organization has been more beneficial than what a different organization would have been has been probably been hotly debated, but one undeniable fact remains: if the caste system was not a viable form of social construction, it would not have survived for so long.   Perhaps much of the world can learn about the benefits of religious devotion and ethical lifestyle through study of Hinduism.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Literature Review: Open Visitations in ICU Oksana Bjorlie Walden Univer

Literature Review: Open Visitations in ICU Studies have shown that open ICU visitation is an asset rather than a hindrance with respect to a patient’s wellbeing. Since the 1950s, visiting has changed from a strict nurse-controlled regime to a more flexible patient-centered approach (Taylor, 2008, p. 30). Family inclusion in patient care is evolving into a collaborative model between patient, family and healthcare providers. In response to this collaboration of patient and family-centered care (PFCC), this method has been encouraged in order to achieve the most beneficial outcomes for patients and their families. Open visitation in the ICU should be encouraged, not because of the pressure of growing social awareness, but because it can provide comprehensive responses to the needs of patients and their families. Many studies are being conducted on this subject garnering a great deal of support prompting the implementation of PFCC, which encourages open visitation in ICU. The following is a brief summary of research studies concerning the current state of knowledge related to the promotion and benefits of open visitation in the ICU. Literature Sources The main purpose of conducting a literature review is to obtain the most usable and reliable studies that pertain to the topic of the interest. High reliability and quality of evidence-based studies are provided by filtered sources. For my review I was able to find systematic reviews and individual articles. All of these reviews pertain to the dilemma of open visitation vs. restricted visitation in Intensive Care Units. With multiple views from different perspectives I was able to utilize the comparison and trials approaches. Also, to prepare for this project I was able to utilize unf... ...ithin the context of patient- and family- centered care. International Journal of Evidence Based Healthcare, 9: 362-387. doi:10.1111/j.1744-1609.2011.00229.x Clarke, C., Harrison, D. (2001). The needs of children visiting on adult ICU: a review of the literature and recommendations for practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 34(1), 61-68. Giannini, A. (2007). Open intensive care units: the case in favor. Minerva Anestesiologica, 73(5), 299-304. Hoye, S., Severinsson, E. (2007). Methodological aspects of rigor in qualitative nursing research on families involved in ICU: A literature review. Nursing and Health Sciences, 9, 61-68 doi:10.1111/j.14422018.2007.00300.x Taylor, A. (2008). Exploring patient, visitor and staff views on open visiting. Nursing Times, 104, 30-33.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Personal Strengths and Weaknesses Essay

This paper concerns the personal strengths and weakness of my own life. The details I will be presenting are what I consider my best and worst strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of this paper is to clearly define each of these and figure out a way to learn how to solve my weaknesses and make my strengths even stronger. Identifying personal strengths and weaknesses are essential part of the overall learning processes. Just as we understand which methods and techniques help us to learn at an optimal level, understanding our strengths and weaknesses help us to become more self conscious and well-rounded individuals. I believe that life is our personal experiences and everyone has certain attributes with their personal strengths and weaknesses. . Being aware of what are my best strengths can help me overcome my worst weaknesses. In the past, I have had a hard time recognizing my weakness but as you get older, you become more aware of your weaknesses. I feel that recognizing your strengths and weaknesses is what makes you a successful person in any aspects of your life. I feel that one of my greatest strengths is that I love to learn. Life to me  is a never-ending learning experience. As we go through our life it is vital that we learn who we are and have the ability to grow from our own strengths and weaknesses. I feel by overcoming my weaknesses and reinforcing my strengths that I will become more successful in both my personal and professional life. My strengths, which include good analytical skills, and good computer skills, are offset by my weaknesses, which is procrastination and dreadful writing and grammar skills. I believe one of my greatest strengths is my analytical skills. I love working with numbers and figuring out complicated problems. This is why I chose Accounting for my profession. I love working with numbers and figuring things out. Very few people love working in accounting. Another of my strengths is my computer skill. I am a very fast learner when it comes to figuring out new computer software or hardware. This stems from my husband who I have learned a lot from over the past eight years. His profession is in the computer software business. Often the people I work with will turn to me for help with configuring their computers or formatting a Word document. I had a difficult time narrowing this list to just one or two faults that I would mention here. My one of my most weaknesses is that I am a major procrastinator. Over the past few years, I have tried to work on this fault by reading books and lectures. I feel the only way to stop procrastinating is through determination, commitment, and a desire to change. I believe I possess the determination and desire, and I commit today to apply myself to making this change in my personality. I feel that this next weakness can either be considered a fault or a strength and that is organization. I am a compulsive organizer and sometimes that tends to slow me down on projects. It also takes time away from my children because I am such a perfectionist and organizer. I do not think anyone is perfect but I do think we all strive to be our best. The first step is to improve our weaknesses by learning from them everyday. I think that by using are strengths to improve our weaknesses would be a very efficient process we all could learn. I think that taking this class will definitely improve my weaknesses and help me learn more about my strengths Both my personal and professional life.