Occupational Reflection: A Personal Religious Experience in Nursing

This reflective assignment details a nursing student's experience visiting a Hanuman Mandir after a challenging day in community placement. The student recounts the temple's rituals, the significance of the deity Hanuman, and the practice of chanting the Hanuman Chalisa for positive energy and overcoming obstacles. The reflection explores the student's personal beliefs and the impact of spirituality on their career, emphasizing the role of faith in seeking stability and positivity. The student's reflection is based on a personal experience, highlighting the importance of religious beliefs and their influence on the healthcare environment. The assignment concludes with a reference to the temple's website, providing context to the student's experience.

Running head: OCCUPATIONAL REFLECTION
Occupational reflection
Student Name
University Name
Author Note

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REFLECTION
There was a time when I had visited a temple in the outskirts of Minnesota while I
was returning from my community placement as a nurse. It was evening time and I decided to
enter as their rituals have always fascinated me. During my high school days, I had a friend
who originated from Mumbai in India but was born and brought up in Minnesota because of
her father working for a computer company. It was a hard day for me seeing critically ill
patients in the community program which made me think of the power of God. Hence, while
traveling, I came across a temple and thought to visit. While I was entering, there was a
notice which included the guidelines that needs to be followed by the individuals who have
come to offer their prayers. It was mandatory to remove the shoes and cover the heads to
show respect to the deity that is present in the temple. In the Hindu Mythology, there are
numerous godly forms which are significant for each of the religion present in the Indian
continent. The one I had visited is the Hanuman Mandir which is mostly associated to keep
negative energy away from the life of the individual. On the ceiling in the entrance, there is a
bell which needs to be rung to keep evil spirits from latching upon you. After ringing, I
proceeded further to find a human size deity of Hanuman with garlands all over the body. In
front of the deity, there was a mat placed for the people to sit over it and offers their prayers
to the Lord (HANUMAN, 2020).
To the individuals who are offering their prayers, it means a peaceful offering of their
prayer to the Lord with the hope that all the negative energy from their lives will be taken
away and positivity will be given. It is the belief of the individuals in their Lord which brings
them in the temple and offer their thanks to Hanuman. On the side lines of the temple are
people sitting on cemented seats and chanting the “Hanuman Chalisa” which is a form of
chanting to help the individuals overcome their fear of the world and take a leap of faith in
the world of Lord. It is their popular belief that when an individual chants “Hanuman
Chalisa”, they have an immense thrust of positive energy which given them the freeness to

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tackle any obstacle that had been presented to them in the first place. It is shared by the
Pandits, that if an individual chants the “Hanuman Chalisa” every morning, the individual
visualises a stability in the job sector. The career of the person gives them a stability in their
lives which, in turn, helps in increasing the positivity in the individual. The belief in the
strength of Hanuman is what makes them offer their prayers to the Lord and seek positivity in
their life.

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References
HANUMAN, S. (2020). SRI HANUMAN. Retrieved 31 January 2020, from
https://www.hindumandirmn.org/AboutHSMN/AboutTemple/SRIHANUMAN.aspx