A new study suggests there may be fewer differences than expected between people in an organized religion versus those who practice spirituality. Is It Better to Be Spiritual or Religious? Spirituality is a part of humanity thats seeking a purpose in life. It is a structured, frequently rule-based construct that to some degree governs the behavior of its members. Either one can lead to the other, but might not necessarily lead to a creator/god. Our website services, content and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Ultimately, what matters most isnt what you believe but how it helps guide your life and help you become the best version of yourself. Feeling lost, confused, or alone? Spiritual aspirants heed the advice of Japanese poet Matsuo Basho, Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Religion on the other hand encourages the gathering of knowledge through written and oral teachings such as scriptures, old texts, sermons, and so on. Are you a spiritual person or a religious person? This includes religions with billions of followings Religion aims to build one's character. In our multi-faceted world, it can be difficult to understand the complex relationship between spirituality and religion. What Is Your True Color Personality Type? WebSpiritual abuse is not limited to one religion, denomination, or group of people. Whereas within religion, self-sacrifice, devotion, and service to others support us in feeling like we have a mission or greater purpose. Usually one has access to a priest, bishop, rabbi, monk, nun, etc. Spirituality, on the other hand, doesnt necessarily involve worship at all. Take a dive with me to explore one of humanitys timeless conversations! This unites people who share a religion, as they share character traits and outlooks on life. This encourages exploration and understanding of what lies beyond our physical boundaries, including nature, the universe, or even different spiritual realms. WebHistorically, the words religious and spiritual have been used synonymously to describe all the various aspects of the concept of religion, [1] but in contemporary usage spirituality Spirituality allows individuals to explore their inner selves, developing a deep understanding of who they are and how they interact with the world around them. Ultimately, both groups honor what works best for them to connect with something greater than themselves whether through religious teachings or a more intuitive approach. Because every human's essence is the same, it means that any differences are superficial. Its often seen as more rigid and less open to exploration. 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. A major difference between religion and spirituality is believing versus being. Spirituality is personal; religion is institutional. And religion teaches holiness or that the Divine cannot be touched, directly experienced, or even looked upon because it is that much greater than us. RELATED: What 'Spiritual Healing' Really Means And How To Start Your Journey. Here are 6 ways to pray the rosary as a non-Catholic or non-religious person. WebTraditional religion involves accountability and responsibility; spirituality has fewer requirements. 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). Its focused on internalizing different teachings about the Divine, and is, therefore, more theoretical and thought-based. 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. 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. The spiritual aspirant recognizes that he or she is on a pathless path of self-discovery. First up in the types of spiritual personalities is the mystic. Reviewed by Jessica Schrader. Those rules encourage them to develop discipline to grow closer to God. This refers to both a more flexible and adaptive mindset toward core teachings of the great wisdom traditions but also reflects the understanding that, as the name implies, spiritual growth is an evolutionary process. Partisan differences are somewhat muted. Aletheia is a prolific psychospiritual writer, author, educator, and guide whose work has touched the lives of millions worldwide. This god helmet generated weak magnetic fields, applied to the temporal lobes. But while they arent diametric opposites, neither are they the same. A spiritual person knows that we are all One, and consciously attempts to honor this Oneness. Getting ongoing spiritual guidance from someone else will also help to protect against ego inflation. One may describe a spiritual experience as being sacred or transcendent, or plainly a true sense of liveliness and feeling interconnected, or pure gratitude. 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. In other words, different religions, in general, tend to focus on gathering people together and finding shared faith in one god or ideology. While religion has various rules that others may or may not agree with, spirituality focuses on an individuals aspect of a belief. But for spirituality, the reward is just one's own inner peace. A spiritual persons set of beliefs evolves as they learn more through their personal study of their own spirituality. 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. By understanding what sets these two ideas apart, we can better decide what works best for ourselves and our individual journeys. It's a blind belief in something with unconditional acceptance of its teachings. Bring into your life the opposite quality of whatever youre used to practicing or embodying. Although they have many similarities and there is a relationship between the two, there are differences between religion and spirituality. This exploration is not necessarily constrained by any organized faith or doctrine- rather, it gives someone space to grow into who they are on a personal level. RELATED: 4 Simple But Spiritual Ways To Deeply Connect With God Without Going To Church. Spiritual people listen to their hearts and their own conscious mind in order to do what is right for their unique self. Have any thoughts to share? 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. Religion emphasizes the content of followers' beliefs and how those beliefs play out in their everyday lives. 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. There are mystics who exist in all religions and spiritual paths. A spiritual person, on the other hand, turns inward to find his truth and finds God within himself and all life. Im that weird outlier whos hanging out on the outskirts holding up a sign that says BOTH are good and BOTH are bad folks.. They believe in sacred scriptures and expressing their own translation. I often straddle the line between religiosity and spirituality knowing that each has its own strengths and weaknesses. WebWhether a person is religious, spiritual or neither, the major influence religion has on American culture will be emphasized over the coming days with religious observances of Passover and Easter. Heres how you can unite spirituality and religion (instead of spirituality vs religion) into your life: 1. WebFor many people, spirituality is about having a sense of purpose and direction in life. Spirituality vs Religion #1 Personal / Community-oriented While spirituality focuses on the personal connection with the Divine, religion encourages a community As your spirituality grows, the more you understand that there is something greater out there, even if you dont see or understand it. Whatever path you choose, I hope you find what youre looking for and know that its okay to experiment, and its also okay to commit deeply and fully. Your life path is your own and I encourage you to pursue that which calls to you. Spirituality is a universal, personalized experience, and everyone's experience is unique. At its most infantile form, spirituality can become new age fluff that lacks depth, commitment, accountability, the ability to create meaningful social change, and credibility. Sign up for self-paced courses designed to deliver balance and health. Instead, it favors an inclusive approach. On the other, we have spirituality, which is a very yin force. (Traditionally religious people scored highest.) Notice how it helps to create a more rich and well-rounded experience. 2. The following characteristics differentiate a spiritual person from a religious person. Religious institutions conservatively guard their practices and values, holding rigidly to the past and the original interpretations of the founders teachings. Its common to abuse religious power to degrade others for their lack of "purity." How is one initiated? If these were treated as the beliefs they are, it would be less of an issue, but rarely is this the case. Spirituality focuses on spreading love and selfless acts. To better understand the mental health implications of nonreligious spirituality, Zhang and his team recruited 433 American adults to participate in an online study. Modern spirituality puts a great emphasis on our personal connection with God/Life/Spirit. There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. 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. For example, Christians are encouraged in the Bible to build a community of believers, gather together to pray and worship, and observe certain holidays or holy days. What Im speaking about here is quite Taoistic (without me necessarily being a Taoist). 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. Learn how to tell the difference between religion and spirituality. 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. Sadly, this religious in-group mentality can be used to justify the exclusion of minorities or those deemed unworthy of Gods favor. 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. When it comes to using the mind, spirituality focuses on cultivating wisdom. Religious people score much higher on those they view [them] as much more relevant for being moral compared to the disbelievers." Religion, on the other hand, is about submitting oneself to a certain path (i.e., obedience) and searching for freedom from suffering. While spirituality does not threaten punishment for a life lived in contrast to a set of rules, it often addresses karma. There's no questioning it. A spiritual person looks within themselves to do the right thing and a religious person looks to the outside for guidance. Spirituality helps you discover your own truth, while religion tells you what truth is. 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.. Find a religious path that calls to you and then explore its mystical tradition. 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.). First up in the types of spiritual personalities is the mystic. 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) . Were encouraged to find the truth within ourselves. Spirituality is all about experiencing, feeling, and embodying the Divine. While religion has various rules that others may or may not agree with, spirituality focuses on an individuals aspect of a belief. Where the two overlap is each person's individual experiences that impact how they think, feel, and act. Religious people lean on gathering with others, to reach a unison connection with God, but spirituality develops their own belief system. Want More Abundance In Your Life? Instead, spirituality helps others focus not just on their own well-being, but for others, nature, or any sacred being. Ultimately, spiritual paths are what you make of them and what resonates with you as an individual, making them unique. Spirituality: Spirituality, however, leans more toward self-referral or the internalization of your awareness of your soul. In the US, > 90% of older people consider themselves religious or spiritual; about 6 to 10% are atheists and do not seek meaning through religion or a spiritual life. 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. A new studysuggests there may be fewer differences than expected between people in an organized religion and those who practice spirituality. Lives in the present moment and grateful. This statistic shows the share of American adults in 2017 who consider themselves spiritual but not religious. Spirituality focuses heavily on the now. 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) . Religion: At its core, religion is about faith. 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. In this article, we will define both and talk about four major ways they they are different from one another. Use this space for describing your block. While religion looks to God for purpose, spirituality looks within life's foundation. People may reject traditional religion but consider themselves spiritual. Spirituality urges people to break free from obedience or conformity in order to create their own path and journey in life. Increasingly, North American millennials identify as spiritual as opposed to religious. 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. Spirituality in Clinical Practice. Belief vs. Without a cup, water spills everywhere. What they both have in common is connecting to something larger than themselves. 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. 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. It has caused wars and major conflict between ecocentric groups and countries. We spend hundreds of hours every month writing, editing and managing this website. The recognized authorities of the religious group reinforce or communicate changes regarding the ideologies for members of the religious group to follow. Spirituality leans heavily on the personal experience of one's soul. (Just please try to spread love and peace. As a community or group sharing the same beliefs, religion functions as an extremely supportive social network. It inspires people to trust their hearts and follow their own instincts. You can belong to a religious group and still be spiritual, and vice versa. Forty-two percent (42%) of spiritual people meditate when stressed rather than overeat or indulge in unhealthy coping In this case, wisdom means a deep and integrated knowing that is expressed through how we live our lives. This is understandable in that all religions wish to preserve the essence of their teachings so they may be accurately transmitted through history. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. Atheism is the doctrine or belief that there is no god. Participants from these two groups showed similar patterns on all the major variables of depression, delusional ideation, subjective well-being, and sense of meaning. Lets break down the individual differences as well as the light and darkness within spirituality and religion below: While spirituality focuses on the personal connection with the Divine, religion encourages a community-centered connection with the Divine. The difference between a spiritual and religious person boils down to how they see God. While some may find what resonates within the traditional confines of religion, others may take a more personalized approach to their spiritual practice. In contrast, spiritual people rely more on their own personal experience and what they feel is right. For example, you can use spiritual practices such as yoga, energy healing, and breathwork to deepen your understanding of what lies beyond the physical world. I hope the findings from this study can help reduce stereotypes toward religious minority members and help create a more accepting environment.. But there is a sublime opportunity present within the heart of both spirituality and religion. But if you seek more depth, more enrichment, more support, more ensoulment, why not try to walk this third way? Whether you choose to explore your spirituality or your religion, what matters most is what brings meaning and purpose to your life. within the religious organization. If you feel these definitions get blurry and cross into each others territory, youre not alone. 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?. Im not there to change that. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Another key difference is tolerance levels. 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. On the other hand, spirituality is less about what you believe and more about what you value or what makes sense to you personally. 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