Saturday, September 19, 2026

What’s Working

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The Research Desk

The finding1 of 3

Ignatian spirituality supports Jesuit leadership and human flourishing, enhancing emotional, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing in India.

What’s Workingpositivetech.org

Ignatian Spirituality as a Foundation for Jesuit Leadership and Human Flourishing in India: A Systematic Review.

  • Resilience
  • Growth

Tauro, P., Rose, S., Jena, A.

Journal of religion and health

In plain language

This systematic review explores how Ignatian spirituality underpins Jesuit leadership and its contribution to human flourishing, particularly in India. The principles of cura personalis (care for the whole person), accompaniment, and magis (the pursuit of excellence) are central to this spiritual framework. These principles are shown to enhance emotional, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing, promoting resilience and purposeful growth.

The study synthesizes findings from 45 peer-reviewed studies, highlighting that Jesuit leadership practices align ethical reflection and compassionate service with institutional missions. This alignment fosters holistic development and wellbeing, demonstrating the potential of Ignatian spirituality as a foundation for leadership that supports human flourishing.

Key findings

  • Ignatian spirituality forms a foundational framework for Jesuit leadership.
  • Practices like cura personalis and accompaniment enhance emotional, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing.
  • Magis and reflective discernment promote ethical excellence and resilience.
  • Jesuit leadership aligns ethical reflection with compassionate service for integrative human flourishing.
  • There is a need for future empirical research with validated wellbeing measures.

Why it matters

This research matters for human wellbeing as it highlights how spiritual and ethical leadership frameworks can enhance holistic development and flourishing. By focusing on care, excellence, and reflection, Ignatian spirituality supports emotional and psychological resilience.

Try this today

Readers can apply principles of Ignatian spirituality, such as caring for the whole person and pursuing excellence, in their own lives to enhance personal wellbeing and resilience. Reflecting on ethical practices and aligning them with compassionate actions can also foster a sense of purpose and community service.