Thats why you follow the rules of the relevant religion. You can belong to a religious group and still be spiritual, and vice versa. Religion includes a preacher or religious leader who defines what the truth is to their congregation. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I think a few key things were left out of this comparison. The same goes for the protective qualities of religious belief and spirituality. You can belong to a religious group and still be spiritual, and vice versa. We value a raw, real, and down-to-earth approach to spirituality. A spiritual person cares about people, animals and the planet. Are you a spiritual traveler? 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. Instead, it favors an inclusive approach. We spend hundreds of hours every month writing, editing and managing this website. They are flexible in their beliefs. This is when spiritual awareness and growth come into play. Spirituality is an inward journey that involves a shift in awareness rather than some form of external activity. While often closely linked and used interchangeably, these two concepts are not the same and carry distinct characteristics for individuals, groups, and globally. It creates practical implications for everyday behaviors in adherence to the beliefs, rituals, and practices of the group. Mysticism is the common thread running through both spirituality and religion. Youve probably heard people say theyre spiritual but not religious when describing their faith, and wondered what it truly means. As such, spirituality is much more about inner understanding than outer worship. Religion and spirituality can: Offer comfort in times of grief. Spirituality is more personal. 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. Sofia Stewart is a writer and former contributor to YourTango who covers astrology, numerology, spirituality, and relationships. Whether you choose to explore your spirituality or your religion, what matters most is what brings meaning and purpose to your life. Some religions have a reward that comes after death, like getting into heaven. Please also feel free to share this article with someone you think might enjoy or benefit from it. That is, nobody is left out, behind, or forgotten. Earn the highest Chopra Certification available and expand your toolbox of offerings. Alternatively, a religious individual learns or develops their beliefs based on the experiences they are told about their religious founders or through parables. In contrast, the majority (56%) of Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious are men, while about four in ten (44%) are women. The difference between a spiritual and religious person boils down to how they see God. This isnt necessarily a bad thing. Where the two overlap is each person's individual experiences that impact how they think, feel, and act. (Just please try to spread love and peace. 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. Welcome! See what you like and resonate with and take note there are more similarities between you and other paths than you may think.4. Spirituality focuses more on the quality of the message that is being offered than the differences in the details of the original story. Spirituality is a solitary experience of the divine, while religion involves a group of people brought together by their common faith or beliefs about the divine. Religious institutions conservatively guard their practices and values, holding rigidly to the past and the original interpretations of the founders teachings. [Read More]. Spirituality (or mysticism), on the other hand, is something people discover and can choose to embrace or not. 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). Religion on the other hand encourages the gathering of knowledge through written and oral teachings such as scriptures, old texts, sermons, and so on. Spiritual and religious people are two distinct groups, though they share a common goal: to connect with something greater than the self. Spirituality is a way to find meaning and purpose in what you do or experience. This empowers people to discover their own truths without setting any limits as to the depth of one's understanding. Religions are based upon rituals that A spiritual person focuses on the here and now. It inspires people to trust their hearts and follow their own instincts. What Is Your True Color Personality Type? However, while one's spiritual beliefs are typically unique, spirituality often enforces the idea that all people are the same. This post may contain affiliate links. 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. First up in the types of spiritual personalities is the mystic. A spiritual person is a kind person. 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. Nonreligious spirituality, mental health, and well-being. Moral rules, laws, and doctrines, as well as specific codes and criteria, create the organized structure that contains the religions specific belief system. (Traditionally religious people scored highest.) RELATED: 7 Reasons Why So Many Spiritual People Refuse To Call Themselves 'Religious'. However, when someone is spiritual, they are able to pick out the things they believe from any religion and combine these truths to formulate their own set of beliefs. There's no scientific evidence to corroborate its existence. Are you a spiritual person or a religious person? Spirituality encourages people to create their own path, which allows people to take their own journey of enlightenment. God is an infinite circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere. There have been significant changes in the American religious and spiritual landscape in recent years, with fewer than half of all Americans reporting church membership, report the authors of the research, led by Hansong Zhang of the University of North Texas. The recognized authorities of the religious group reinforce or communicate changes regarding the ideologies for members of the religious group to follow. For example, you may know people who consider themselves spiritual, but not religious. 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. Spirituality urges people to break free from obedience or conformity in order to create their own path and journey in life. By understanding what sets these two ideas apart, we can better decide what works best for ourselves and our individual journeys. The foundation of spirituality is a pure spirit of unifying force. For Life, 3 Ways To Turn A Simple Daily Task Into A Spiritual Breakthrough, 10 Things Every Type-B Person Really Wishes You Understood, 4 Simple But Spiritual Ways To Deeply Connect With God Without Going To Church, The 3 Things People Immediately Judge You On When You First Meet Them, 5 Immediate Signs Of A Toxic, Passive-Aggressive Person, 10 Little Habits That Make You IRRESISTIBLY Attractive. Lets try to clear things up by taking a closer look at the most defining differences between religious and spiritual paths. 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.). A way to practice both in a healthy manner will take some adjustment. Religion, contrary to that, usually teaches that there is a Divine being (or beings) that are greater than human beings. (12 Signs Youre One) article. All are welcome in Gods eyes. Listen to your Souls calling. Any text will do. Sometimes aspects of it get split up and parsed out among the other categories. RELATED: 4 Simple But Spiritual Ways To Deeply Connect With God Without Going To Church. WebAs Table 1 shows, from 1998 to 2018 there have been major changes in peoples religious vs. spiritual identification. This allows those who practice the teachings to experientially validate them. In other words, different religions, in general, tend to focus on gathering people together and finding shared faith in one god or ideology. Spirituality is broader and more abstract than religion. Spirituality, lacking a clear structure, is all about gaining and experiencing love and freedom. A spiritual persons set of beliefs evolves as they learn more through their personal study of their own spirituality. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. Religion is the belief of another mans experience written down in sacred scripture, but spirituality is the belief of ones own experience. Read through the list of differences between spirituality and religion at the beginning of this article. 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. Thats very important. 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. Your life path is your own and I encourage you to pursue that which calls to you. Provide moral guidelines by which to live. Reviewed by Jessica Schrader. Even though the connection shares a major common ground, spirituality and religion differ in more ways than one. 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. As a survivor of fundamentalist religious abuse, her mission is to help others find love, strength, and inner light in even the darkest places. The word atheist originates with the Greek atheos, which is built from the roots a- (without) and theos (a god). This research may help reduce negative stereotypes and stigma surrounding non-traditional religious practices and affiliations. Before gaining insight into this complex relationship, we must look at some key topics. Religious people lean on gathering with others, to reach a unison connection with God, but spirituality develops their own belief system. In this way, spirituality can sometimes feel like a rebellious act of going solo and leaving the tribe, very much in the spirit of American philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson when he said, To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.. Spirituality embraces everything good, bad, and neutral as it happens without worrying about a future reward. Being a spiritual person is synonymous with being a person whose highest priority is to be loving to yourself and others. Theres no one else to tell you where youre going wrong but yourself. 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. 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. Spirituality is a universal, personalized experience, and everyone's experience is unique. In contrast, the word agnostic refers to a person who neither believes nor disbelieves in a god or religious doctrine. 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. You know something because you have tasted the experience yourself and have allowed it to resonate, as opposed to taking the word of another. It's a blind belief in something with unconditional acceptance of its teachings. Spirituality is personal; religion is institutional. On the other hand, spirituality is less about what you do and more about what you achieve inwardly through practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and introspection. 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) . Neither of these scenarios is fair. In religion, there is often a promise of punishment or reward for maintaining beliefs or following rituals. Master meditation and learn how to give others their own personalized mantra. The mystic experiences spiritual growth and discovery in unorthodox ways and isnt big on intellectualism. Notice how it helps to create a more rich and well-rounded experience. Sadly, this religious in-group mentality can be used to justify the exclusion of minorities or those deemed unworthy of Gods favor. For religious folks, try listening to the perspectives of people from other religions and spiritual paths. All Rights Reserved. Spirituality embraces change and the evolution of consciousness. 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