The main conclusion was that there were relatively few differences between people who identified with non-religious spirituality and people who identified as traditionally religious, say the researchers. So, what is the difference between religion and spirituality? If you feel called toward specifically spirituality or religion, youre in your every right to do that. The results were sorted by age. You can belong to a religious group and still be spiritual, and vice versa. In fact, some may find that their spirituality is closely linked to a religion, while others may have their own personal relationship with a higher power. Others seek the meaning of life through their connections to nature or art. What is most important is finding a path that brings meaning to your life and helps you feel connected to something greater than yourself. Regardless of whether were religious or spiritual, the human psyche, the human soul, innately craves for something greater than itself. However, being religious doesnt make you spiritual, just like being spiritual doesnt make you religious. Its more about what resonates and feels right for you personally. So why the need to keep one and discard the other? You can create a hybrid of the two concepts, allowing what resonates with you individually to be your guide. A spiritual person often arrives at their own truths while they are developing their spirituality, rather than following an ideology or set of rules. They also found that traditionally religious and nonreligious but spiritual individuals showed slightly higher levels of meaning in life (e.g., My life has a clear sense of purpose) and lower levels of delusional ideation than nonreligious/non-spiritual individuals. Please do your own research before making any online purchase. Id love for you to share them below in the comments. In spirituality, one may ponder, Where do I find meaning in life, and what are my true values? Meanwhile, in religion, common questions might be What is the truth? and What is right and wrong?. For example, since accepting fate can be seen as an inner personal struggle, some define it as Person vs. Self instead. For spiritual practitioners, find a source of accountability that will help to keep you focused and committed. Meditate to cope with stress. We have a path of integration, depth, and tremendous power for good. They found that both traditionally religious and nonreligious but spiritual individuals scored higher on measures of life satisfaction than nonreligious/non-spiritual individuals. In the study, the researchers asked participants to denote their religious affiliation, either as (1) traditionally religious, (2) nonreligious but spiritual, or (3) neither religious nor spiritual. This is very harmful to both self and society. Seek what they sought.. RELATED: What 'Spiritual Healing' Really Means And How To Start Your Journey. Whereas within religion, self-sacrifice, devotion, and service to others support us in feeling like we have a mission or greater purpose. This understanding invites people to be inspired to embrace each other and support each other on the path to enlightenment together. As a spiritual person grows in life, so will their perception and beliefs. 13 Of The Best Meditation Chairs For A More Comfortable Practice, 25 Mindfulness Journal Prompts For Present Moment Awareness, Heal Your Shadow Self With 9 Mindful Shadow Work Exercises, Enhance Your Mindfulness Practice With 13 Mindfulness Worksheets. We value a raw, real, and down-to-earth approach to spirituality. One may describe a spiritual experience as being sacred or transcendent, or plainly a true sense of liveliness and feeling interconnected, or pure gratitude. The authors hope their work reduces negative stereotypes and stigma surrounding non-traditional religious practices and affiliations. BEING RELIGIOUS Being religious means belonging to an established religious order, whether large or small. This unites people who share a religion, as they share character traits and outlooks on life. Here are 6 ways to pray the rosary as a non-Catholic or non-religious person. We respect all Whadjuk Elders both past and present, and any First Nations people. When wondering, Am I religious or spiritual? think about whose rules you follow. But how can we make sense of this dichotomy? Please consult your doctor before taking any action. If you notice, others abuse religion to inflict fear into anothers mind. Spirituality urges people to break free from obedience or conformity in order to create their own path and journey in life. Acceptance and surrender to the divine are taught as the path that leads to ultimate salvation. Spirituality is more personal. When it comes to the religion vs. spirituality debate, neither is inherently good or bad. On the other hand, spirituality teaches people to constantly listen to their inner voice and use it as a guide to live a good life. (Traditionally religious people scored highest.) Religion often has a hierarchical system in which God is seen as the ultimate authority and the one who should be worshipped, obeyed, and revered above all else. Yes, they have most certainly caused tremendous evil in this world (Im speaking mostly about religion here), which is undeniable. A religious person is committed to following the guidelines set by his or her religion. He or she observes the rites and practices, such as regularly attending church services on a Sunday for Christians, observing the Sabbath for Jews, and fasting during Ramadan for Muslims. Spirituality: By contrast, spirituality typically discards the vestiges of fear and worry in favor of a more loving, compassionate approach to lifeand death. (To learn more, here are 10 ways you can be spiritual.). From the early 1940s through the 1960s, people in their 40s and 50s reported attending at least as frequently as those over 60. Start here . Firstly, this article will explore the differences between spirituality vs religion for the sake of clarity, but it will also touch on a third path which I believe is necessary for us to evolve and find peace as human beings. On the other hand, the focus of spirituality is on the process of becoming attuned to one's inner self. It focuses only on good energy to allow people to be the best version of themselves. The same goes for the protective qualities of religious belief and spirituality. WebWho is a spiritual person? What It Means To Be A Spiritual Person Vs. A Religious Person, What 'Spiritual Healing' Really Means And How To Start Your Journey, 7 Reasons Why So Many Spiritual People Refuse To Call Themselves 'Religious', The Spiritual Habit That Keeps Couples Energetically-Connected (And Happy!) We spend hundreds of hours every month writing, editing and managing this website. 3. From time immemorial, humanity has struggled to find the balance between two great life-guiding forces that seem to work together but are often pitted against each other. Ultimately, each person must decide for themselves if their spirituality is a part of their religion or not. Im not there to change that. Religion requires one to worship so they will be rewarded later on. These teachings are considered the truth and should be followed without question. Biologist and atheist Richard Dawkins travelled to the lab of Canadian neuroscientist Michael Persinger in the hope of having a religious experience. Spiritual people are more flexible in their beliefs and often draw from multiple teachings and practices to create what works best for them. Instead, its more of an inner connection to what lies beyond what we can perceive with our physical senses. What they both have in common is connecting to something larger than themselves. The details of their lives as holy or highly evolved beings have been carried to us across the mists of time through oral tradition and written scriptures. A new studysuggests there may be fewer differences than expected between people in an organized religion and those who practice spirituality. Get free weekly soul-centered guidance for your spiritual awakening journey! Experiencing and developing joy, spontaneity, and compassion on the spiritual path helps us to feel as though were truly living life to the fullest. In this way, religion requires people to be obedient with their beliefs, keeping them fixed to scriptures or what is taught to them by religious leaders. While spirituality does not threaten punishment for a life lived in contrast to a set of rules, it often addresses karma. Both can enrich or demoralize our human experience. The more religious than spiritual group declined from 16.7% in 1998 to 11.9% in 2018 ( - 4.8 percentage points) and those saying they are equally religious and spiritual also decreased from 64.8% to 55.1% ( -9.7 points) . Sure, I can understand why people either hate religion or elevate spirituality (and vice versa), but Im not interested in perpetuating division our world has enough of that already. The foundation of spirituality is a pure spirit of unifying force. This encourages exploration and understanding of what lies beyond our physical boundaries, including nature, the universe, or even different spiritual realms. However, spirituality encourages people to focus their energy on positive things and to act based solely on love. Theres no one else to tell you where youre going wrong but yourself. Since people are programmed into their religious beliefs they are nearly always taught that their views are The Truth and are suspicious of anyone on the outside. Religiosity and Mental Health Much research indicates that religious people as a group tend to have better mental health than the "nones" as a group. Whether religious or spiritual, its vital that both are used for balance and not for selfish desires. Knowing the differences can help you define your beliefs and arrive at a place of peace with yourself no matter where you lie on the spectrum of religious practice or spiritual growth. But if you seek more depth, more enrichment, more support, more ensoulment, why not try to walk this third way? Spiritual Experience. Are you a spiritual person or a religious person? WebTraditional religion involves accountability and responsibility; spirituality has fewer requirements. A spiritual persons set of beliefs evolves as they learn more through their personal study of their own spirituality. You know something because you have tasted the experience yourself and have allowed it to resonate, as opposed to taking the word of another. On the other hand, religious Provide social and emotional support. Sofia Stewart is a writer and former contributor to YourTango who covers astrology, numerology, spirituality, and relationships. Lets try to clear things up by taking a closer look at the most defining differences between religious and spiritual paths. How Creative Expression Promotes Self-Love, Art as Meditation: How Painting Landscapes Can Promote Healing, To an external practice, object, or figurehead. Unlike religious beliefs, which tend to have strict rules and organized doctrines, spirituality is highly individualized. Religion generally involves participation in organized rituals such as prayer or meditation and attending services at places of worship. It has caused wars and major conflict between ecocentric groups and countries. Religion emphasizes the content of followers' beliefs and how those beliefs play out in their everyday lives. Spiritual practices such as meditation, yoga, silence, and contemplation allow you to make conscious contact with more expanded states of consciousness, thus helping to experientially validate the teachings rather than accepting them on faith alone. Spirituality is a way to find meaning and purpose in what you do or experience. It can happen in any religious group, as an element of child abuse, elder abuse, or domestic violence. In a society that values science as the new word of God, spirituality or anything metaphysical (that cant be directly, empirically, proven by the scientific method) is seen to be woo-woo, fluffy, or worse *gasp* pseudoscience.. Bring into your life the opposite quality of whatever youre used to practicing or embodying. Spirituality (or mysticism), on the other hand, is something people discover and can choose to embrace or not. Spiritual people learn and develop their beliefs based on their own experience while religious people learns it based on the experiences they are told about their religious founders. Listen to your Souls calling. Spirituality leans heavily on the personal experience of one's soul. Belief vs. Alternatively, a religious individual learns or develops their beliefs based on the experiences they are told about their religious founders or through parables. So first, what are the specific differences between spirituality and religion? And at religions most infantile form, it can be a force of destruction that creates more division and suffering. If you're interested to learn more, check out The 90-Day Gratitude Journal that contains writing prompts designed to deepen your appreciation for what you have in life). Religion is the form, and spirituality is the formlessness. ), and has been on the spiritual-but-not-religious path for over a decade, I find myself in the middle. As you can see, there are noticeable distinctions between spirituality vs. religion; however, these comparisons arent meant to be absolutes or an attempt to polarize one against the other. Our names are Aletheia Luna & Mateo Sol and were spiritual educators and guides currently living in Perth, Western Australia. These are mere beliefs that are treated as truths and that can (and sometimes does) lead to unsavory outcomes. Spirituality teaches us that All is One (non-duality), that there is ultimately no separation between the spark of Divine within us and the Divine that pervades everything. It doesnt necessarily require any rituals or practices. Religion: Religions are most often based upon the lives, teachings, and beliefs of a historical or archetypal figure (e.g., Christ, Buddha, Moses, Krishna, Muhammad). RELATED: 4 Simple But Spiritual Ways To Deeply Connect With God Without Going To Church. Religion: Traditional religious beliefs, sometimes based upon rigid interpretations of key teachings, can create an exclusive worldview that isolates those who may not share their views or interpretations. As your spirituality grows, the more you understand that there is something greater out there, even if you dont see or understand it. Religions are based upon rituals that On the other hand, religion provides its followers with a single set of rules and beliefs to follow, typically with less room for personal growth within those parameters. Religiosity, spirituality, and devotion to something Higher than the ego are basic human needs and intrinsic human qualities. Your choices and behavior are guided not by fear of punishment, but rather by a desire to end suffering and create a peaceful and loving world for all. A third omission is that of the dishonesty and self-deception found within both of these groupthink systems. Spirituality encourages people to create their own path, which allows people to take their own journey of enlightenment. Thats very important. On the other hand, spirituality is less about what you believe and more about what you value or what makes sense to you personally. The word religion comes from the Latin word religionem, which means, respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods; conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation. (1) Religion is connecting to the Divine through someone elses experience. 1) The mystic. Those who are spiritual but not religious are about evenly split between men (47%) and women (53%) in stark contrast with those who say they are neither religious Spirituality and religion go hand-in-hand: they are mutually arising. Through experience and self-reflection, a spiritual person will express a different aspect to reveal their version of the truth. This isnt necessarily a bad thing. Welcome! A major difference between religion and spirituality is believing versus being. Heres how you can unite spirituality and religion (instead of spirituality vs religion) into your life: 1. Spirituality While some may find what resonates within the traditional confines of religion, others may take a more personalized approach to their spiritual practice. There are many religions in our world, and one thing most have in common is that they preach the idea that their story is the right story. It deals with being fully present and living as it happens. So, you can go to church every Sunday and say your prayers every day, without caring about loving yourself, others and the planet. Without a cup, water spills everywhere. You may have heardor even usedthe terms religion and spirituality interchangeably. You can read more in my What is a Mystic? In contrast, the majority (56%) of Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious are men, while about four in ten (44%) are women. Neither of these scenarios is fair. A majority of us often use the words religion and spirituality interchangeably, but they are entirely separate concepts. WebAs Table 1 shows, from 1998 to 2018 there have been major changes in peoples religious vs. spiritual identification. Religious people lean on gathering with others, to reach a unison connection with God, but spirituality develops their own belief system. 5. It is primarily concerned with believing in, following, and obeying the rules created by a certain Deity or spiritual teacher. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. Published by Erin Duffin , Sep 30, 2022. These practices are observed by a group of people who share the same beliefs and follow the same traditions. In fact, some may find that their spirituality is closely linked to a religion, while others may have their own personal relationship with a higher power. Some people feel called to explore different spiritual paths beyond what organized religion offers, and many believers find their faith is enhanced through other spiritual activities such as yoga, meditation, or journaling. There were some downsides to religiosity and spirituality: For example, the researchers found that depression levels were higher among traditionally religious and nonreligious but spiritual individuals. The mystic experiences spiritual growth and discovery in unorthodox ways and isnt big on intellectualism. Here are some examples of the differences between the two. Bear in mind that there are no absolutes in these distinctions. A spiritual person cares about people, animals and the planet. Religion has a basic moral code, a set of core values and a story outline. Religious people score much higher on those they view [them] as much more relevant for being moral compared to the disbelievers." There is no definitive answer to whether it is better to be spiritual or religious, as the right path for one person may not be the same for another. Its often seen as more rigid and less open to exploration. With spirituality, self-discovery has no boundaries. Religion, on the other hand, teaches that heaven is something found in the future (usually after you die). within the religious organization. WebSpirituality implies an attachment to matters of the spirit, rather than the physical, material world. There are pretty much no rules at all in the realm of spirituality (other than unspoken codes of conduct like no killing, no stealing, etc.). On the one hand, we have religion which is a very yang force. Some people focus on compassion, self-awareness, and an understanding of what life offers, while others concentrate on what they believe is the ultimate truth or what they can do to connect with a higher power. Spirituality and religion are two distinct concepts with important differences. Being spiritual involves holding one's personal set of beliefs and practices and searching for the purpose of life. It creates practical implications for everyday behaviors in adherence to the beliefs, rituals, and practices of the group. Spirituality: Spirituality, however, leans more toward self-referral or the internalization of your awareness of your soul. For instance, both groups show elevated emotional well-being compared to nonreligious individuals. For religious folks, try listening to the perspectives of people from other religions and spiritual paths. WebSome non-religious people can be thought of as spiritual but not religious (SBNR). That is to say, belief in something based upon unconditional acceptance of the religions teachings. As someone who was raised in a fundamentalist Christian household, then left and became agnostic, then adopted new age spirituality, then became a practitioner of the occult, and has finally committed to a mystical path, Ive been on a merry-go-round when it has come to spirituality and religion. Religion aims to build one's character. Meanwhile, if you're looking for ways of adding meaning into your life, a habit of gratitude is one way to start. Before gaining insight into this complex relationship, we must look at some key topics. Religion: Despite the best of intentions, religions can sometimes contain a subtle (or not so subtle) undercurrent of fear woven into their teachings. Learning to connect with this image (and even giving it daily offerings or other devotional practices) will help to empower your connection with the Divine. In contrast, the word agnostic refers to a person who neither believes nor disbelieves in a god or religious doctrine. A beach will do. 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