In pictures – human spirituality in all its remarkable beauty and diversity

Love, commitment, dedication, and faith – the many forms of devotion as seen through the lens of one photographer

Bearing witness to the Holocaust, Grover Gauntt meditates during an annual Buddhist-led retreat at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp (Steve McCurry)

Magnum Photos and National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry is known for his compelling and evocative images; his 1984 portrait of Sharbat Gula, known as Afghan Girl, is one of the world’s most recognisable photographs. His latest book, Devotion, delves deep into the human spirit with a collection of images that are at once beautiful and also incredibly moving.

Devotion, by Steve McCurry, is published by Prestel, £50, www.prestel.com

Monks suspend themselves from a metal beam as they train at the Shaolin Monastery in Zhengzhou, China. The physical strength and dexterity displayed by the monks is incredible, although they exude a deep serenity (Steve McCurry)