Page 211 - Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring

a d m i ni s t er ing s acr e d n u r s in g ac t s
another person and forget that that person is a mirror reflecting back
to us our own qualities, we keep conflict alive. Seeing self and others
in “right-relation,” through symbolic connections for shared learning,
we learn to accommodate differences. This provides the foundation
for the deeper notion of communion, going beyond superficial affilia-
tion as a collection of interpersonal relationships.
Likewise, the energetic system involved with this need is related
to creative energy and the desire to contribute to the continuum of
life. This creative energy helps us break habitual patterns of relation-
ships, helping to reshape and repattern the chaos of our world and
our relationships (Myss 1996). Beyond our intimate personal relation-
ships, there is the affiliation with relationships outside the primary
family. These include extra-familial groups in the community (church,
school, peers, colleagues, neighbors, and business, social, and recre-
ational contacts).
These extra-familial relationships include (1) forming friendships
with others; and (2) sharing, associating, working, and joining with
others. These interactions lead to humanitarian service through com-
munity, civic, professional, religious, and charitable organizations.
They allow one to extend oneself beyond one’s immediate self. These
characteristics are related to altruism and caring for others, previous
and future generations. Without relationships, humans lose contact
with reality and the social nourishment necessary for survival. The
opposite of affiliation is isolation.
Reports across time and experiences highlight what happens to
people if they are isolated from other humans:

1. The “pain” of isolation: prisoners of war have reported that they
prefer torture to isolation from others.
2. People exhibit a strong tendency to dream, think, fantasize, and
occasionally hallucinate about others.
3. They experience withdrawal, suffering, apathy, diminished
growth and development, and even failure to thrive.
This basic need is affected by any health-illness situation. When
a person is worried about his or her health or is actually ill, the indi-
vidual often has decreased contact with others, including the family or

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