ABSTRACT
As we first listened to the women and men in this study, and then listened again
to their recorded stories, we heard numerous examples of wide-ranging and
well-articulated feelings. There were tears, sighs, whispers, and long pauses;
there were words of sorrow, joy, discouragement, anxiety, and calm. Most of
the participants talked easily about their affective experiences, relating them
comfortably to their spiritual lives. For the women in particular, expressing
emotional expression was far more than an outlet-it was an intricate part of
their spiritual resiliency.
