Maybe you’ve heard about spirituality but aren’t really sure what it is. Well, it's different from religion, and you can practise it even if you’re not religious. Find out more about different types of spirituality and the reasons why some people decide to lead a spiritual life.
This can help if:
you're wondering what does spiritual mean.
you’re curious about the different types of spirituality.
you want to understand the difference between spirituality and religion
you’re looking for spiritual guidance without being religious.
What does spirituality mean?
Spirituality is something that’s talked about a lot but is often misunderstood. Many people think that spirituality and religion are the same thing, and so they bring their beliefs and prejudices about religion to discussions about spirituality. Though all religions emphasise spiritualism as being part of faith, you can be ‘spiritual’ without being religious or a member of an organised religion.
What are the different types of spirituality and spiritual practices?
Spirituality often involves looking for meaning, purpose, and a sense of interconnectedness with the universe, other people, or a higher power. Spirituality can be expressed in different practices, such as meditation and prayer.Some common spiritual practices are:
mindfulness
meditation
yoga
dance
creating art or music
being in nature
breathwork.
Spirituality vs religion: what’s the difference?
While they overlap there are some pretty clear ways in which religion and spirituality differ. Read our definitions below to better understand and compare the difference between spirituality and religion.
Religion
This is a specific set of organised beliefs and practices, usually shared by a community or group. Religion often includes acknowledgement of deities, gods, traditions and sacred texts.
Spirituality
This is more of an individual practice, and has to do with having a sense of peace and purpose. It also relates to the process of developing beliefs around the meaning of life and connection with others, without any set spiritual values.
Organised vs freeform spirituality
One way to understand the relationship between spirituality and religion is to imagine a game of football. The rules, referees, other players and the field markings help guide you as you play the game in a similar way that religion might guide you to find your spirituality. Kicking the ball around a park, without having to play on the field or with all the rules and regulations, can also give you fulfilment and fun and still expresses the essence of the game, similar to leading a spiritual life.
You can do either spiritual or religious, or both
You may identify as being any combination of religious and spiritual, but being religious doesn’t automatically make you spiritual, or vice versa.
What is a spiritual awakening and how does it relate to spirituality?
Sometimes you might hear people say they’ve had a “spiritual awakening”. They might describe it as a profound experience after which they see the world in a whole new way. A spiritual awakening can make you feel a deep connection to something bigger than yourself, like the universe or a higher power. You might also start feeling more peaceful, intuitive, and connected to others and the environment. While they can be seen as a sign of connecting deeper to your spirituality, spiritual awakenings aren’t necessary for you to live a spiritual life.
What is spiritual health?
Just like physical and mental health, spiritual health can be an important aspect of your wellbeing but it doesn’t have to be connected to structured or organised practices. Spiritual health often means discovering what makes you truly happy and fulfilled, whether it's spending time with friends and family, helping others, or exploring things you’re passionate about. Taking care of your spiritual health can help you live a more meaningful and satisfying life.
Why do people practise spirituality?
Life can be full of ups and downs, good times and bad. Many people see spirituality as a great way to seek comfort and peace in their life. It can often be practised alongside things like yoga, which ultimately focus on stress relief and release of emotion.
Spirituality is a way of gaining perspective
Spirituality recognises that your role in life has a greater value than what you do every day. It can relieve you from dependence on material things and help you to understand your life’s greater purpose. Spirituality can also be used as a way of coping with change or uncertainty.
FAQs
Spirituality involves the recognition of a feeling or sense or belief that there is something greater than myself, something more to being human than sensory experience, and that the greater whole of which we are part is cosmic or divine in nature.
What is spirituality in your own words? ›
Spirituality can be defined generally as an individual's search for ultimate or sacred meaning, and purpose in life. Additionally it can mean to seek out or search for personal growth, religious experience, belief in a supernatural realm or afterlife, or to make sense of one's own "inner dimension".
What is the best way to explain spirituality? ›
“Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose to our lives.”
What is spirituality according to me? ›
Spirituality is about seeking a meaningful connection with something bigger than yourself, which can result in positive emotions, such as peace, awe, contentment, gratitude, and acceptance.
What are the spiritual values in short answer? ›
Spiritual values are the integrative values of human soul consisting of altruistic, humanistic, personal, divine, and affective values leading to spiritual growth of personality [1].
What is spirituality best defined as? ›
“the experience or expression of the sacred” (Adapted from Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 1967). “…the search for transcendent meaning” – can be expressed in religious practice or …
What does spirituality mean to us? ›
Virtue. Morality. Unity. Engaged community. These are some of the words that come to mind when people hear the word “spiritual.” And, scientists have found common ground: The generally accepted scientific definition of spirituality – the search for or communion with the sacred – can be aligned with any of these words.
What does spiritually mean? ›
Meaning of spiritually in English
in a way that relates to deep feelings and beliefs, especially religious beliefs: They showed great strength, both morally and spiritually.
How to understand spiritually? ›
The first step to comprehending and achieving spiritual wellness is to look for life's meaning and purpose. With this, you can work toward your spiritual wellness using numerous methods, including organized religion, meditation, yoga, and a rigorous examination of your morals, values, and beliefs.
What are spiritual beliefs? ›
Spiritual beliefs include the relationship to a superior being and are related to an existential perspective on life, death, and the nature of reality. Religious beliefs include practices/rituals such as prayer or meditation and engagement with religious community members.
Spirituality goes beyond religious or cultural boundaries. Spirituality is characterized by faith, a search for meaning and purpose in life, a sense of connection with others, and a transcendence of self, resulting in a sense of inner peace and well-being.
What are the qualities of a spiritual person? ›
Spiritual life is like a bed of roses. In this article we have discussed twelve essential qualities of a spiritual person. These are: positive thinking, inner peace, egoless, unconditional love, optimism, harmony, humility, responsibility, compassion, justice, simplicity, and reciprocity.
What is the point of spirituality? ›
Spirituality involves the recognition of a feeling or sense or belief that there is something greater than myself, something more to being human than sensory experience, and that the greater whole of which we are part is cosmic or divine in nature.
What is the spiritual meaning of life? ›
Spirituality approaches the definition of life through transcendence and interconnectedness. Spiritual understandings of life include: DIVINE ESSENCE. Life is seen as a manifestation of a divine essence, with each living being containing a spark of the sacred or a connection to a higher power.
What is the value of spirituality? ›
Spirituality was associated with the development of inner strength, looking into one's own soul, the belief that there is more to life than the temporal as well as trying to understand who we are and why we are on this earth [29].
What does it mean to describe yourself as spiritual? ›
Focus group participants described spiritual people as having positive attitudes, such as being happy and joyful; having positive characteristics, such as being humble, calm, and centered; and relating to others in positive ways, such as being compassionate, generous, or caring.
What is spirituality in a sentence? ›
noun. , plural spir·it·u·al·i·ties. the quality or fact of being spiritual: Life in modern society is all work and no spirituality. incorporeal or immaterial nature.
