Abstract
Sabbath-keeping has several holistic health benefits when done for intrinsic reasons. Most research on Sabbath-keeping is about individuals where Sabbath-keeping is customary. This organic inquiry describes how a Sabbath promoted transformation for ten women where Sabbath-keeping was not the norm. Six themes emerged: Sabbath-keeping enhanced self-awareness, improved self-care, enriched relationships, developed spirituality, positively affected the rest of a Sabbath-keeper’s week, and Sabbath-keeping practices and philosophies also evolved over time. The author argues that reviving the best parts of Sabbath-keeping is an effective, accessible, holistic practice that can contribute to the well-being of individuals, communities, and the earth.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
This article draws extensively on my Master’s thesis.
References
Anderson, R., & Braud, W. (2011). Transforming self and others through research: Transpersonal research methods and skills for the human sciences and humanities. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Blevins, K. (2016). Observing Sabbath. Review and Expositor, 113(4), 478–487.
Boyd, J. (1999). An analysis of the relationship between Sabbath meaning and leisure, marital intimacy, and marital satisfaction among Seventh-day Adventists (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Fuller Theological Seminary, School of Psychology, Pasadena, CA.
Braud, W. (2010). Towards a more satisfying and effective form of research. Contemporary Psychotherapy, 2(1). www.contemporarypsychotherapy.org. Accessed 28 Oct 2015.
Braud, W. (2011). Integral inquiry: The principles and practices of an inclusive and integrated research approach. In R. Anderson & W. Braud (Eds.), Transforming self and others through research: Transpersonal research methods and skills for the human sciences and humanities (pp. 71–130). Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2015). InterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Brueggemann, W. (2014). Sabbath as resistance: Saying no to the culture of now. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
Carter, E. (2013). The practice and experience of the Sabbath among Seventh-day Adventist pastors. Pastoral Psychology, 62(1), 13–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-012-0482-8.
Clandinin, D. (2013). Engaging in narrative inquiry. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press.
Clements, J. (2011). Organic inquiry: Research in partnership with spirit. In R. Anderson & W. Braud (Eds.), Transforming self and others through research: Transpersonal research methods and skills for the human sciences and humanities (pp. 131–159). Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Conroy, D. (2010). Sabbath in an age of ecology within an emerging global society. In E. O’Flaherty, R. Petersen, & T. Norton (Eds.), Sunday, Sabbath, and the weekend: Managing time in a global culture (pp. 164–178). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Curry, D., & Wells, S. (2006). An organic inquiry primer for the novice researcher: A sacred approach to disciplined knowing. West Conshohocken, PA: Infinity Publishing.com.
Dawn, M. (1999). Keeping the Sabbath wholly: Ceasing, resting, embracing, feasting. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Dawn, M. (2010). Sabbath-keeping and social justice. In E. O’Flaherty, R. Petersen, & T. Norton (Eds.), Sunday, Sabbath, and the weekend: Managing time in a global culture (pp. 23–40). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Dein, S., & Loewenthal, K. (2013). The mental health benefits and costs of Sabbath observance among Orthodox Jews. Journal of Religion and Health, 52(4), 1382–1390. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-013-9757-3.
Diddams, M., Surdyk, L., & Daniels, D. (2004). Sabbath keeping: Implications for psychological well-being. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 32(1), 3–11.
Dorff, E. (2005). The Jewish Family in America: Contemporary challenges and traditional resources. In M. Broyde & M. Ausubel (Eds.), Marriage, sex, and family in Judaism (pp. 214–243). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Friesen, K. (2015). A Sabbath rest remains: Finding hope in the face of ecological crisis. Vision: A journal for church and theology, 16(1), 20–27.
Gaiser, F. (2016). The delight of the Sabbath: An exegetical/homiletical study of Isaiah. Word & World, 36(3), 228–236.
Goldberg, A. (1986). The Sabbath as dialectic: Implications for mental health. Journal of Religion and Health, 25(3), 237–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01534020.
Golner, J. (1982). The Sabbath and mental health intervention: Some parallels. Journal of Religion and Health, 21(2), 132–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02276777.
Gubrium, J., Holstein, J., Marvasti, A., & McKinney, K. (2012). The sage handbook of interview research: The complexity of the craft. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Hartman, L. (2011). Christian Sabbath-keeping as a spiritual and environmental practice. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture & Ecology, 15(1), 47–64. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853511X553769.
Heschel, A. (2005). The Sabbath: Its meaning for modern man. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (original work published in 1951).
Jacobson, R. (2016). Oppression interrupted: The Sabbath and justice. Word & World, 36(3), 219–227.
Josselson, R. (2013). Interviewing for qualitative inquiry: A relational approach. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Keeley, B. (2007). One day of hope: Resistance, faith and Sabbath keeping. In Conference Papers: National Communication Association. www.natcom.org. Accessed 17 Feb 2015.
Lee, J., Morton, K., & Adesina, O. (2008). The structure of Sabbath keeping and its impact on well-being. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. Louisville, KY.
Lee, J., Morton, K., Walters, J., Bellinger, D., Butler, T., Wilson, C., et al. (2009). Cohort profile: The biopsychosocial religion and health study (BRHS). International Journal of Epidemiology, 38(6), 1470–1478. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyn244.
Lee, J., Morton, K., Walters, J., Mahoney, M., & Veluz, R. (2006). Beliefs about Sabbath: Associations with religious coping, intrinsic religiosity, mental and physical health. Presentation at the meeting of the Western Psychological Association. Palm Springs, CA.
Muller, W. (2000). Sabbath: Finding rest, renewal, and delight in our busy lives. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Phillips, S. (2011). Stop! In the name of love: The radical practice of Sabbath-Keeping. Crux, 47(3), 2–14.
Ringwald, C. (2009). A day apart: How Jews, Christians, and Muslims find faith, freedom, and joy on the Sabbath. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Roberts, P., & Priest, H. (2010). Healthcare research: A handbook for students and practitioners. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Root, K. (2016). Sabbath: The gift of rest. Word & World, 36(3), 267–275.
Rosenberg, D., Swencionis, C., & Segal-Isaacson, C. J. (2016). Caloric intake on the Sabbath: A pilot study of contributing factors to obesity in the Orthodox Jewish community. Journal of Religion and Health, 55(5), 1824–1831. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0162-y.
Rubin, H., & Rubin, I. (2012). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.
Saldaña, J. (2013). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Schifferdecker, K. (2016). Sabbath and creation. Word & World, 36(3), 209–218.
Shulevitz, J. (2011). The Sabbath world: Glimpses of a different order of time. New York, NY: Random House.
Smith-Gabai, H., & Ludwig, F. (2011). Observing the Jewish Sabbath: A meaningful restorative ritual for modern times. Journal of Occupational Science, Australia, 18(4), 347. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2011.595891.
Spotts, C. (2013). The possibilities of the Hebrew Sabbath for Black theology. Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, 33(2), 41–56. https://doi.org/10.1353/sce.2013.0050.
Superville, D., Pargament, K., & Lee, J. (2014). Sabbath keeping and its relationships to health and well-being: A mediational analysis. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 24(3), 241–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2013.837655.
Vogt, P., Gardner, D., & Haeffele, L. (2012). When to use what research design. New York, NY: Guilford.
White, J., Blackburn, A., & Plisco, M. (2015). Rest as a virtue: Theological foundations and application to personal and professional life. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 43(2), 98–120.
Williamson, M. (1994). Illuminata: Thoughts, prayers, rites of passage. New York, NY: Random House.
Wirzba, N. (2006). Living the Sabbath: Discovering the rhythms of rest and delight. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press.
Woodley, R. (2015). An Indigenous theological perspective on Sabbath. Faculty Publications—George Fox Evangelical Seminary. Paper 49. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/gfes/49. Accessed 29 Nov 2017.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The author declares that she has no conflict of interest.
Ethical Approval
All procedures performed in this study involving human participants followed the ethical standards of St. Catherine University’s Institutional Review Board and the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Speedling, B.B. Celebrating Sabbath as a Holistic Health Practice: The Transformative Power of a Sanctuary in Time. J Relig Health 58, 1382–1400 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00799-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00799-6