Spirituality is about one's soul and inner self. Some examples include Rumi and Hafiz (from the mystical branch of Islam, Sufism), St John of the Cross and St Teresa of Avila (from Christianity), Ramakrishna and Anandamayi Ma (from Hinduism), and more modern Western figures like Carl Jung and G. I. Gurdjieff. Both traditionally religious and nonreligious but spiritual individuals scored higher on measures of life satisfaction than nonreligious people. For example, you may know people who consider themselves spiritual, but not religious. 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. Both can enrich or demoralize our human experience. There's no questioning it. On the one hand, we have religion which is a very yang force. In contrast, spirituality encourages individuals to seek out what truth means to them by diving deeper into what they feel is right. Their worldview can isolate people who don't see it that way. And knowing the difference between spirituality and religion will help anyone decide which path they should take to discover their truth. The goal of spirituality is to realize one's inherent power to combat all of life's challenges, and connect with something greater than oneself. This post may contain affiliate links. Meditate to cope with stress. I have directly experienced both spirituality and religion in their most toxic states, and Ive also experienced the benefits of both. 2023 Oldtown Publishing LLC 479 State Route 17 N Religion, contrary to spirituality, is highly formal. From the early 1940s through the 1960s, people in their 40s and 50s reported attending at least as frequently as those over 60. WebHere are six characteristics of a spiritually gifted person. Instead, it favors an inclusive approach. Spirituality helps you discover your own truth, while religion tells you what truth is. The difference between a spiritual and religious person comes down to how they see God. For a religious person, the concept of God is predetermined, named, and comes with a set method on how to worship that God. A spiritual person on the other hand, turns inwards to find their truth and finds God within themselves and all of life. 1. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. Spirituality is an individuals inner sense of connection with the universe or a higher power, and for some people, it is an essential part of living. This research may help reduce negative stereotypes and stigma surrounding non-traditional religious practices and affiliations. It is primarily concerned with finding, experiencing, and embodying ones true spiritual nature. Yes, you can be both religious and spiritual. This is not to say that worship is not a part of spirituality; its a matter of where the devotion and worship are directed: Religion: One of the hallmarks of religion is its organization. A spiritual person is selfless, perhaps ascetic, one who strives to imbue his life with a higher meaning, to think of and serve others, not himself, to see the purpose and goodness in In other words, from a spiritual perspective, no one has a monopoly on the truth. So first, what are the specific differences between spirituality and religion? By Sofia Stewart Updated on Feb 11, 2023. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. BEING RELIGIOUS Being religious means belonging to an established religious order, whether large or small. Its more about what resonates and feels right for you personally. Religious people lean on gathering with others, to reach a unison connection with God, but spirituality develops their own belief system. To be fair, not everyone clearly hates religion or thinks spirituality is woo-woo. 1) The mystic. For a religious person, the concept of God is predetermined, named, and comes with an established method of how to worship that God. 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) . Total Well-being Teacher and Coaching Certification. Acceptance and surrender to the divine are taught as the path that leads to ultimate salvation. 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. This unites people who share a religion, as they share character traits and outlooks on life. Take well-being with you wherever you go with the Chopra app. The fear of punishment for one's actions is often a principle factor in religion. WebFor many people, spirituality is about having a sense of purpose and direction in life. Bear in mind that there are no absolutes in these distinctions. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced meditator, the Chopra App has you covered with personalized practices and guided meditations for all, available now. Want More Abundance In Your Life? Rather, they're offered as tools for spiritual seekers to use to help their spiritual growth. Every person is essentially a small goda unique and powerful manifestation of existence that serves a purpose in this world. The following characteristics differentiate a spiritual person from a religious person. A third omission is that of the dishonesty and self-deception found within both of these groupthink systems. For thousands of years, humanity has passionately pursued the Truth with a capital Tthe ultimate answers to life and the universe. Religious institutions conservatively guard their practices and values, holding rigidly to the past and the original interpretations of the founders teachings. WebIn short, the tension between religion and spirituality may be overstated. A spiritual atheist is someone who, unlike a religious person, does not believe in any God. Somatic Bodywork: 7 Types For Psychospiritual Healing, 7 Vagus Nerve Exercises For Nervous System Healing, How to Begin a Spiritual Journal (Start Here! Please also feel free to share this article with someone you think might enjoy or benefit from it. On the other hand, the focus of spirituality is on the process of becoming attuned to one's inner self. God is an infinite circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere. Spirituality seeks its own truth and translates it based on one's experience. Religion: At its core, religion is about faith. Spirituality is personal; religion is institutional. On the other hand, religious Spirituality embraces change and the evolution of consciousness. Despite any possible ideological differences, all humans are the same consciousnessthey are just expressed in different ways. Alternatively, if youre religious, find a spiritual practice or philosophy, then try incorporating that into your religious path. Are you a spiritual traveler? These practices are observed by a group of people who share the same beliefs and follow the same traditions. Bring into your life the opposite quality of whatever youre used to practicing or embodying. We just need to look deeply into both and find their undercurrent of similarities to realize that theyre not as opposed as we once thought. What are your thoughts about spirituality vs religion? The practices of spirituality, like meditation and yoga, gives people the chance to make "conscious contact" with expanded states of consciousness. There are many people who do not practice a religion, who do not meditate, pray or belong to any group, who are very spiritual people. However, according to a survey published by TODAY, over 70% of participants believed its better to be spiritual than religious. Regardless of whether were religious or spiritual, the human psyche, the human soul, innately craves for something greater than itself. Religion emphasizes the content of followers' beliefs and how those beliefs play out in their everyday lives. Religions are based upon rituals that The two dance together, hand in hand or at least, they can do. Spiritual people can feel a stronger connection when their beliefs are intertwined with religion. Zhang, H. (Interview) Spirituality, not organized religion, may be the key to finding meaning in life. 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. WebWith the phrase generally comes the presumption that religion has to do with doctrines, dogmas, and ritual practices, whereas spirituality has to do with the heart, feeling, and Staying Single: What Most People Do If They Divorce After 50. Spirituality leans heavily on the personal experience of one's soul. These rules are public so others draw near, all in order for a church to increase their congregation. Religion, on the other hand, puts emphasis on humbling ourselves to a Divinity that is usually seen as outside of ourselves. Spirituality: By comparison, spirituality is often less focused on the rigidly traditional approach and often favors an evolutionary mentality. Religion is faith. Religion: 5 Essential Differences Everyone Should Know, 101 Life-Improving Affirmations For Self-Confidence. Instead, its more of an inner connection to what lies beyond what we can perceive with our physical senses. A spiritual person is a kind person. Without a cup, water spills everywhere. Advance online publication. Here are five essential differences between spirituality and religion to consider: Religion focuses on outward structures and traditions, whereas spiritualism directs its attention inwardly toward self-discovery. Participants from these two groups showed similar patterns on all the major variables of depression, delusional ideation, subjective well-being, and sense of meaning. Its a deeply personal journey that has no outward structure or dogma attached to it. Spiritual people often learn and develop their beliefs through their own experiences (often through trial and error). As a community or group sharing the same beliefs, religion functions as an extremely supportive social network. They found that both traditionally religious and nonreligious but spiritual individuals scored higher on measures of life satisfaction than nonreligious/non-spiritual individuals. A majority of us often use the words religion and spirituality interchangeably, but they are entirely separate concepts. Unlike the scientific worldview, religions dont require evidence to validate their claims. Peace comes within the soul of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its power. But how can we make sense of this dichotomy? Meanwhile, if you're looking for ways of adding meaning into your life, a habit of gratitude is one way to start. This means that one who lives with good intentions and practices good deeds will experience happiness in the future, while living with bad intentions may lead to future suffering. Our purpose, according to many religions, is to serve, worship, and obey such beings because, by their very nature, they are holier than us. A new article published in the journal journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice suggests that there are fewer differences between people who are part of an organized religion and those who practice spirituality on their own than might be expectedat least from a psychological standpoint. Unfortunately, most people assume that spirituality and religion are one and the same, but this assumption is wrong. Instead, spirituality helps others focus not just on their own well-being, but for others, nature, or any sacred being. The results were sorted by age. Spirituality: Spirituality doesnt dismiss faith; however, it often leans more heavily on direct experience of the soul or divinity. Resource for mind-body health, meditation, personal growth, nutrition, and more. Where the two overlap is each person's individual experiences that impact how they think, feel, and act. The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; not will they say Here it is or There it is, because the kingdom of God is within you. Most people dont really find religion; rather, its programmed into them from either a very early age or from a vulnerable place. Increasingly, North American millennials identify as spiritual as opposed to religious. Everything you need to live a life in total balance from the authority in well-being. Belief vs. Spirituality focuses heavily on the now. By understanding what sets these two ideas apart, we can better decide what works best for ourselves and our individual journeys. Through religion, you are taught to have faith in God or the scriptures as being the infallible and ultimate truth of reality. Religion commonly refers to an institution that has a set of organized practices and a structured belief system shared by and among those who are members of the institution. 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. In contrast, the word agnostic refers to a person who neither believes nor disbelieves in a god or religious doctrine. The experience is often personal and occurs in private, allowing people to follow their own intuition and do the things that are in their own best interests. Earn the highest Chopra Certification available and expand your toolbox of offerings. Some religions have a reward that comes after death, like getting into heaven. One is HOW we find religion vs spirituality. The world has no perimeters, races, or cultural partitions. | Religious beliefs and spiritual beliefs differ in the ways in which they are practiced. Sunday services and disciple groups help religious people study the Bible together to understand scripture. For example, while Christians may focus on the story of Moses and the 10 Commandments in detail, someone who is spiritual may take away some broader messages from the story, such as being grateful for the things in one's life or always being honest. They believe the universe governs itself through actions and intentions. This may be a spiritual teacher you trust, a leader from a religious path you trust and feel safe with, or even a counselor/therapist. When it comes to using the mind, spirituality focuses on cultivating wisdom. They do not hold on to their memories which may bring you down. Because every human's essence is the same, it means that any differences are superficial. Whichever path or combination of the two you follow is the personal and subjective expression of your journey of awakening. First up in the types of spiritual personalities is the mystic. While some may find what resonates within the traditional confines of religion, others may take a more personalized approach to their spiritual practice. Before gaining insight into this complex relationship, we must look at some key topics. WebSpirituality implies an attachment to matters of the spirit, rather than the physical, material world. Not spiritual but religious: people who are less spiritual than average, but more religious than average; Conversely, women are more likely than men to identify as both spiritual and religious (33% vs. 24%, respectively). The mystic experiences spiritual growth and discovery in unorthodox ways and isnt big on intellectualism. 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? 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