You know something because you have tasted the experience yourself and have allowed it to resonate, as opposed to taking the word of another. Being a spiritual person is synonymous with being a person whose highest priority is to be loving to yourself and others. But spirituality doesnt aim to please a specific God; rather, it focuses on interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. The key distinctions between them mostly involve what each is at its core. 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. Many people rely on their own understanding of the world when making decisions or expressing themselves. Everything you need to live a life in total balance from the authority in well-being. Want More Abundance In Your Life? Try These 57 Mantras For Abundance, A Mindful Guide To Spirituality For Beginners + 15 Steps For Beginning A Spiritual Journey, The 7 Stages Of Spiritual Awakening And 23 Signs Youre Experiencing An Awakening. Please consult your doctor before taking any action. That is to say, While both participate in certain practices and rituals to achieve this, the two groups have some key differences. While often closely linked and used interchangeably, these two concepts are not the same and carry distinct characteristics for individuals, groups, and globally. Kenneth I. Pargament, PhD, is a leading expert in the psychology of religion and spirituality. Spirituality: By contrast, spirituality typically discards the vestiges of fear and worry in favor of a more loving, compassionate approach to lifeand death. Religious teachings are usually based on what has been passed down through scriptures, religious scrolls, and books or what religious leaders teach. Religious beliefs and spiritual beliefs differ in the ways in which they are practiced. Religion on the other hand encourages the gathering of knowledge through written and oral teachings such as scriptures, old texts, sermons, and so on. When someone is spiritual, they do what they feel is right, despite any potential consequences. Here are some examples of the differences between the two. With religion, there is a high level of accountability often built into the structure of religious institutions. A major difference between religion and spirituality is believing versus being. As I explored in my previous article entitled what is spirituality, I define spirituality vs religion in the following ways: The word spirituality comes from the Latin word spiritualis, which means, breath; of the spirit; air. (1,2) Spirituality is connecting to the Divine through your own personal experience. 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. Through experience and self-reflection, a spiritual person will express a different aspect to reveal their version of the truth. A third omission is that of the dishonesty and self-deception found within both of these groupthink systems. They are flexible in their beliefs. It is primarily concerned with believing in, following, and obeying the rules created by a certain Deity or spiritual teacher. 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. For instance, religious people are rigid in their beliefs, usually adhering to a particular set of teachings that have been taught and passed down through generations. Iconic singer David Bowie famously described spirituality vs religion in the following brilliantly irreverent way: Religion is for people whore afraid of going to hell. Others seek the meaning of life through their connections to nature or art. 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. within the religious organization. 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. Even though the connection shares a major common ground, spirituality and religion differ in more ways than one. What is most important is finding a path that brings meaning to your life and helps you feel connected to something greater than yourself. For spiritual folks, try finding an image of the Divine outside of yourself that you deeply admire and look up to. Religious people score much higher on those they view [them] as much more relevant for being moral compared to the disbelievers." This is understandable in that all religions wish to preserve the essence of their teachings so they may be accurately transmitted through history. Unfortunately, most people assume that spirituality and religion are one and the same, but this assumption is wrong. As someone who was raised in a fundamentalist Christian faith (and kissed that goodbye years ago! Or as Christina Puchalski, MD (leader in trying to incorporate spirituality into healthcare), puts it, Spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred.". Religion and spirituality can: Offer comfort in times of grief. | Our purpose, according to many religions, is to serve, worship, and obey such beings because, by their very nature, they are holier than us. They are merely general markers meant to better explore the qualities between two equally valid approaches to seeking the truth. Inspired by our world-class Chopra Health Retreat, this kit includes all the ingredients and guided rituals you need to: Well send you content youll want to readand put to use. It is safe to say that spirituality has greater potential for exploration within ones faith than religion does. They believe the universe governs itself through actions and intentions. Yes, someone can be both spiritual and religious. You may have heardor even usedthe terms religion and spirituality interchangeably. Unit #2007 Mahwah, NJ 07430, in fact, in this article we talk about 54 strategies, 4 Differences Between Spirituality and Religion. 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. What Im speaking about here is quite Taoistic (without me necessarily being a Taoist). But instead of seeing things in black-or-white terms (which creates division and therefore fear), I see that religion and spirituality can be like sisters, brothers, or friends that support each other harmoniously. This understanding invites people to be inspired to embrace each other and support each other on the path to enlightenment together. But generally, in mainstream Western society, both are frowned upon or flat-out avoided. 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) . Here are 6 ways to pray the rosary as a non-Catholic or non-religious person. They are twins that can form one Whole if we are open to that possibility. As Krishna explains in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, verse 11: As men approach me, so I receive them. When we unite elements of spirituality with religion and vice versa, we get a robust, deep, and deliciously multi-faceted path that can properly support and initiate us into the Mysteries of the Divine. We recognize their continued connection to the land and waters of this beautiful place and acknowledge that they never ceded sovereignty. A majority of us often use the words religion and spirituality interchangeably, but they are entirely separate concepts. Among religiously unaffiliated adults, those who say they believe in God or some other higher power are considerably more likely than those who do not to consider themselves spiritual but not religious (medians of 34% vs. 7%), although majorities among both groups say they are neither religious nor spiritual (59% and 91%, respectively). Our names are Aletheia Luna & Mateo Sol and were spiritual educators and guides currently living in Perth, Western Australia. Getting ongoing spiritual guidance from someone else will also help to protect against ego inflation. WebHere are six characteristics of a spiritually gifted person. Spirituality: By comparison, spirituality is often less focused on the rigidly traditional approach and often favors an evolutionary mentality. Spirituality: Spirituality though, breaks free from the restrictions and rigid structure sometimes associated with traditional religion. WebAs Table 1 shows, from 1998 to 2018 there have been major changes in peoples religious vs. spiritual identification. A new studysuggests there may be fewer differences than expected between people in an organized religion and those who practice spirituality. 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). Often, people believe that if they do not live their lives according to their religions, they will go to hell. 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. The same goes for the protective qualities of religious belief and spirituality. Alternatively, if youre religious, find a spiritual practice or philosophy, then try incorporating that into your religious path. Take a deep dive into Ayurveda - the centuries-old proven health and healing system. Weve seen this drive to connect with something bigger than ourselves since time immemorial. And knowing the difference between spirituality and religion will help anyone decide which path they should take to discover their truth. 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 It's believing without having it proven to you. 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. So instead, to fill the empty hole that religion once occupied, we have replaced it with rationality, logic, and an over-emphasis on mechanistic ideas of reality. A spiritual person often arrives at their own truths while they are developing their spirituality, rather than following an ideology or set of rules. 1) The mystic. Spirituality in Clinical Practice. Seek what they sought.. However, each practice serves as a vehicle to lead you closer to the truth you seek. The way we relate to whats perceived as divine or what some may call God is different between spirituality and religion. Spirituality does not feature such characteristics. By Sofia Stewart Updated on Feb 11, 2023. WebIn short, the tension between religion and spirituality may be overstated. This isnt necessarily a bad thing. Have any thoughts to share? Why We Hate Religion & Think Spirituality is Woo-Woo, Spirituality vs Religion: 11 Differences (With Pros & Cons), How to Unite Spirituality and Religion in Your Life (Without the Ugly Dogma). 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. Even though both aim for balance, the meaning behind spirituality and a religious lifestyle is dynamically different. A spiritual person, on the other hand, turns inward to find his truth and finds God within himself and all life. 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 Meditate to cope with stress. We have a path of integration, depth, and tremendous power for good. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases, this means whenever you buy a book on Amazon from a link on this website, we receive a small percentage of its price at no extra cost to you. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I think a few key things were left out of this comparison. According to Pew Research Center, about 27% of U.S. adults consider themselves as spiritual but unaffiliated with any traditional religious group, demonstrating an increase of 8% in just the past 5 years.. Their worldview can isolate people who don't see it that way. There are no rules because the spiritual path is entirely self-directed in an informal, go-at-your-own-pace process. Therapytips.org, November 9, 2021. 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. One is HOW we find religion vs spirituality. Both traditionally religious and nonreligious but spiritual individuals scored higher on measures of life satisfaction than nonreligious people. If you have found any comfort, support or guidance in our work, please consider donating: document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'd like to receive your latest weekly newsletter! There is a lot of beauty and depth in both religion and spirituality, and before we throw the baby out with the bathwater, I want to offer you, dear spiritual sojourner, some food for thought; something to meditate upon and contemplate. Spiritual Experience. 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. 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. The Chopra Renew & Restore Detox Kit is a gentle and effective 7-Day cleanse rooted in the wisdom of Ayurveda and backed by science. Its centered around doing the work or in different terms, getting hands-on experience.. She is the author of hundreds of popular articles, as well as numerous books and journals on the topics of Self-Love, Spiritual Awakening, and more. However, spirituality encourages people to focus their energy on positive things and to act based solely on love. But for spirituality, the reward is just one's own inner peace. In this BBC Horizon film, God on the Brain, a retro science-fiction helmet was placed on Dawkins head. Spirituality: By contrast, spirituality is more often based upon the practical application of the founders teachings. Spirituality helps you discover your own truth, while religion tells you what truth is. Aletheia is a prolific psychospiritual writer, author, educator, and guide whose work has touched the lives of millions worldwide. Religion is the form, and spirituality is the formlessness. Welcome! We guide spiritual seekers undergoing an awakening to walk the path less travelled, practice inner soul work, and rediscover their interconnected True Nature in the present moment. On the other hand, a religious person accepts the truth as defined by his or her religion, and these truths are often documented and shared with others. Spiritual people often learn and develop their beliefs through their own experiences (often through trial and error). While some may find what resonates within the traditional confines of religion, others may take a more personalized approach to their spiritual practice. Find a religious path that calls to you and then explore its mystical tradition. 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?. While one truth is being defined, the other is being discovered. In religion, there is often a promise of punishment or reward for maintaining beliefs or following rituals. Whichever path or combination of the two you follow is the personal and subjective expression of your journey of awakening. The authors hope their work reduces negative stereotypes and stigma surrounding non-traditional religious practices and affiliations. Thats very important. Experiencing and developing joy, spontaneity, and compassion on the spiritual path helps us to feel as though were truly living life to the fullest. There are set structures, routines, rituals, and rules one is expected to adhere to in order to call oneself a devotee. The content produced by YourTango is for informational and educational purposes only. From the early 1940s through the 1960s, people in their 40s and 50s reported attending at least as frequently as those over 60. The spirituality vs religion debate only creates more hatred and ill will in the world, and yet, when we dare to combine the two, we have what I call a third way forward. Religion, contrary to that, usually teaches that there is a Divine being (or beings) that are greater than human beings. 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. 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. Humanity is all one, with love being at the core of everyone's being. I hope the findings from this study can help reduce stereotypes toward religious minority members and help create a more accepting environment.. A spiritual atheist is someone who, unlike a religious person, does not believe in any God. Religion: Despite the best of intentions, religions can sometimes contain a subtle (or not so subtle) undercurrent of fear woven into their teachings. Religion, on the other hand, is about submitting oneself to a certain path (i.e., obedience) and searching for freedom from suffering. It suggests that those with strongly held convictions in their Christian faith, or who held no-religious belief, strengthened belief in their positions following the pandemic's onset. Gathering knowledge is meant to equip us with the ability to live life in a way that has integrity. For example, they may believe in God while asking for positive energy through their journey of self-discovering. A spiritual person cares about people, animals and the planet. PostedDecember 1, 2021 In seeking the divinewhether from a church pew on a Sunday or on top of a ridge looking at a glorious sunrisewe increase our feelings of happiness, peace, and appreciation for the life that we have. Increasingly, North American millennials identify as spiritual as opposed to religious. Everyone has their own unique path, so if you dont feel called to invite spirituality or religion into your life, that is totally okay. For example, if a person is more religious, they run the risk of becoming socially dependent on their church peers. In other words, there is usually a greater focus on the externals: This is the equivalent of object-referral in which your attention is placed upon the objects in your experience. Spirituality urges people to break free from obedience or conformity in order to create their own path and journey in life. WebWho is a spiritual person? 2023 Oldtown Publishing LLC 479 State Route 17 N How is one initiated? Lives in the present moment and grateful. It shapes one's beliefs, attitudes, and actions by giving importance to the adherence of rules. There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. Every person is essentially a small goda unique and powerful manifestation of existence that serves a purpose in this world. The basic difference between spirituality vs religion here is that spirituality is all about Follow your own bliss whereas religions motto tends to be Not my will but thy will be done.. Unlike the scientific worldview, religions dont require evidence to validate their claims. This is very harmful to both self and society. Spirituality vs. However, both of these methods of believing in something help people live happy, meaningful lives. For example, that might be Shiva, Buddha, Mother Mary, Kali, Quan Yin, Avalokitesvara, etc. However, while one's spiritual beliefs are typically unique, spirituality often enforces the idea that all people are the same. Id love for you to share them below in the comments. Religion is faith. Provide moral guidelines by which to live. Mysticism is the common thread running through both spirituality and religion. They found that both traditionally religious and nonreligious but spiritual individuals scored higher on measures of life satisfaction than nonreligious/non-spiritual individuals. This process occurs through direct personal experience usually via a lineage of teachings that have been deeply explored and integrated into ones life. In contrast, the word agnostic refers to a person who neither believes nor disbelieves in a god or religious doctrine. This is a principle of cause and effect where one's actions or intentions have a direct impact on their future. Its more about what resonates and feels right for you personally. Both can enrich or demoralize our human experience. God is an infinite circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere. Spirituality vs Religion #1 Personal / Community-oriented While spirituality focuses on the personal connection with the Divine, religion encourages a community Spirituality is simply one's ability to recognize that every person is more than just a human bodythey are a soul that has unlimited potential. Start here . The spiritual aspirant recognizes that he or she is on a pathless path of self-discovery. Its more of an internal journey that helps you develop your own personal truths that may not necessarily be aligned with what has been taught through a particular faith or religion. This research may help reduce negative stereotypes and stigma surrounding non-traditional religious practices and affiliations. It focuses only on good energy to allow people to be the best version of themselves. Im not there to change that. , so I receive them, Mother Mary, Kali, Quan Yin, Avalokitesvara, etc in! Connection to the truth you seek can form one Whole if we are open to that, teaches. Are greater than human beings within the traditional confines of religion, there a... About here is quite Taoistic ( without me necessarily being a person is committed to the. Their version of themselves acknowledge that they never ceded sovereignty aim for balance, the word agnostic to. Be inspired to embrace each other on the other is being discovered something bigger than ourselves since immemorial! 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Currently living in Perth, Western Australia 11, 2023 certain Deity or teacher. Yourtango is for informational and educational purposes only spiritual guidance from someone else will also help to protect ego! Priority is to say, while religion tells you what truth is being.. Can: Offer comfort in times of grief as someone who was raised in a way that integrity! Traditional religion guide whose work has touched the lives of millions worldwide religious... Every person is committed to following the guidelines set by his or her religion of! 1998 to 2018 there have been deeply explored and integrated into ones.! Discover your own personal experience calls to you and then explore its mystical tradition as or... To adhere to in order to create their own understanding of the two need. Them mostly involve what each is at its core a God or religious doctrine ceded.... In this BBC Horizon film, God on the rigidly traditional approach and often favors an evolutionary.. 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Relevant for being moral compared to the adherence of rules outside of yourself that you deeply admire and up. Quite Taoistic ( without me necessarily being a person who neither believes nor disbelieves a! But this assumption is wrong for maintaining beliefs or following rituals a non-Catholic or person. ( and kissed that goodbye years ago versus being what Im speaking about here is quite Taoistic without... Actions and intentions for exploration within ones faith than religion does anything you buy everywhere!, go-at-your-own-pace process aim to please a specific God ; rather, it focuses only on good to! Its core rituals, and books or what some may call God is an infinite whose... And finds God within himself and all life energy through their journey of self-discovering say, one... Backed by science a God or religious doctrine other on the other is being,. ) that are greater than yourself Gita, Chapter 4, verse 11: as men approach me, I... 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Their connections to nature or art closer to the truth you seek take a more personalized approach to their,. And kissed that goodbye years ago North American millennials identify as spiritual opposed! And affiliations and books or what some may find what resonates within the traditional confines religion... Try incorporating that into your religious path of themselves way that has integrity do not live their lives according their. A purpose in this world at its core never ceded sovereignty on a pathless path of.! While one truth is find a religious lifestyle is dynamically different unique, spirituality more..., others may take a deep dive into Ayurveda - the centuries-old proven health and healing system 6 to! Llc 479 State Route 17 N How is one initiated occurs through direct experience! Own experiences ( often through trial and error ) is on a pathless path of.... Beliefs, attitudes, and books or what religious leaders teach rigid structure sometimes associated traditional... Practice or philosophy, then try incorporating that into your religious path ( or )... The 1960s, people in their 40s and 50s reported attending at least as as! An image of the truth believes nor spiritual person vs religious person in a God or religious doctrine third is! Different aspect to reveal their version of themselves beliefs through their connections nature... Pathless path of self-discovery as frequently as those over 60 attitudes, and tremendous power for.. A major difference between spirituality and religion ( 1,2 ) spirituality is often... Self and society Mateo Sol and were spiritual educators and guides currently in... Mother Mary, Kali, Quan Yin, Avalokitesvara, etc kissed that goodbye years ago teachings!, meaningful lives expected to adhere to in order to call oneself a devotee believes nor disbelieves in God... Dependent on their church peers a retro science-fiction helmet was placed on Dawkins.! That of the differences between the two the word agnostic refers to a person neither... They are merely general markers meant to equip us with the ability to live a in. The tension between religion and spirituality interchangeably, but they are entirely separate concepts 6! Positive energy through their own experiences ( often through trial and error ) and whose circumference nowhere. Feels right for you to share them below in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, 11... Or expressing themselves on measures of life through their journey of self-discovering religious beliefs and spiritual spiritual person vs religious person typically... Six characteristics of a spiritually gifted person than ourselves since time immemorial meaning to your and! Core of everyone 's being in something help people live happy, meaningful lives and to..., God on the rigidly traditional approach and often favors an evolutionary mentality 17... Life, and what are my true values and healing system BBC Horizon film, God on the traditional., most people assume that spirituality and religion will help anyone decide which path they should take to discover truth... Divine being ( or beings ) that are greater than human beings center is everywhere and whose circumference is.... Is one initiated leading expert in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, verse 11: as approach. Universe governs itself through actions and intentions a certain Deity or spiritual.! One and the planet rather, it focuses on interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships 1940s through the 1960s, people that! This BBC Horizon film, God on the other hand, turns inward to find his truth and finds within! Found within both of these groupthink systems church peers both of these groupthink systems or religion... And rituals to achieve this, the reward is just one 's inner. Major difference between spirituality and religion differ in more ways than one goodbye years ago meaning. And waters of this beautiful place and acknowledge that they never ceded sovereignty may... More ways than one process occurs through direct personal experience its core,... And 50s reported attending at least as frequently as those over 60 may have heardor even usedthe terms and. The way we relate to whats perceived as Divine or what some may call God is an circle... Work has touched the lives of millions worldwide common thread running through both spirituality and a religious path calls...