In some cultures, illness and emotional turmoil are seen as visitations of a divinity, and rather than fall into the hubris of thinking they can conquer these illnesses, people pray and practice rituals. The ancient Greeks visited the temple of the healing God Asklepios, made their sacrifices, and waited for a curative dream. In many other cultures as well, people address the spiritual dimensions of illness and recognize that a society's and an individual's way of life and behavior are implicated in suffering.
We could respond to illness and other kinds of suffering by shaping a philosophy of life that recognizes the role of loss and pain in the process of humanization that cultures and individuals go through. In this sense, soul is made; it is not a mere given. We could also find an intelligent and yet pious, humble, and spiritual perspective on suffering, allowing us to both seek relief and appreciate its necessity.
— Thomas Moore, The Education of the Heart