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Scientists are beginning to discover what believers have known for a long time: the rewards that a religious life can provide. For millennia, people have turned to priests and rabbis, imams, and shamans to help them deal with issues of grief and loss, birth and death, morality and meaning. In this absorbing work, renowned research psychologist David DeSteno reveals how numerous religious practices from around the world improve emotional and physical health. With insight and acuity, DeSteno chronicles the lifespan of religious rituals and traditions from birth to death. He explains how: -The Japanese Shinto rituals surrounding childbirth help insulate mothers from postpartum depression. -Buddhist meditation reduces hostility and increases compassion when we need it most.