Spirituality vs Religion

You may not be religious or “spiritual”, which nowadays just seems to be a word that people (sometimes randomly) use to describe themselves. But I’m sure there was a point in your life in which you asked yourself, what do I believe in? Perhaps it was the tenth-grade world history class you took, or that one yoga class. Or even that time you met a ‘hippie’ on the subway that told you about their spiritual journey to the Himalayas and you told them to nama-stay-away. Either way, even if you do not believe in certain aspects of religion and/or spirituality, you’ve probably stopped and wondered, ‘where do I fit on that religious aka spiritual spectrum?’

Often, the terms religion and spirituality tend to be put in the same category, and over time, people have forgotten the real meaning these terms hold. A few hundred years ago, these words meant a lot to people in terms of belief and faith; now, they’ve become pop-culture terms that don’t seem to mean anything in the life of an average person. When was the last time you stopped and thought about your spiritual journey? I can already see that smirk on your face, mocking my words – silly girl, isn’t she? This is exactly why I wish to remind you that the term spirituality is not just a pop-culture trend that stereotypes you in any way.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: They do go under the same category, always have. This is until you realize that’s only what your limited knowledge about this topic leads you to believe. The truth is that they’ve always been two very different aspects of life; it’s the people that have categorized the idea of spirituality as being a ‘modern phase’. However it is necessary to remember that these terms have always, officially, been differentiated. The New Oxford American Dictionary, for example, defines religion as “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.” Meanwhile spirituality is described as “relating to, or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.”

One thing I have never understood about people is that they wish to be in control at all times, but at the same time, bow down to an inanimate stone with carvings on it sold to them for $20. There are people who believe that a statue could bring composure to their household, and while it may work for some, it seems like pure superstition to those who do not hold those beliefs. In fact, over time, religion has become more of a business than a way to bring peace to someone’s mind. Religion is also often forced upon individuals with the use of superstitions.

“Make sure you buy that rock with Sanskrit carvings on it or your life will be filled with ultimate gloom”

“If you want to get into the college of your dreams, just donate $1000 to [insert Religious Organization]”

“That job you’ve lost, you can get it back as soon as you buy this ring from us” 

For all you know, those Sanskrit carvings you invested in could say ‘The bathroom is to your right’.

Due to this fear and/or temptation, people feel the need to give away their hard-earned money. In most cases, all they get in return are scams. The nature of human beings is to want to know the direction their future is going to take and to stay safe from danger and their fears. With the use of this fear, some, not all, religious businesses tend to make a grab for people’s savings. There are people all over the world that claim to be working for god; some bring peace to people, others just bring them bills. The second kind rely on people with jobs, that physically give them a paycheck, for funds to continue to ‘work for god’. Often, they are questioned on whether or not god truly exists. The reality is, these religious businesses tend to go to extremes to ignore that idea. This is because if that theory is true, they have no work left which also means there are no funds for them to rely on.

Religion is about finding peace, finding a sense of hope to keep going and to stay strong through the worst moments of your life.

It’s not about giving all of yourself to someone/something you’ve never seen.

This is what some religious organizations forget.

One thing that these religious organizations must understand is that each individual is different. They may not look up to a “god” with the use of hymns, statues, or necklaces; or look up to a god at all. Religion is ONE way of living; one way of shaping someone’s morals. There are many people, superficial powers even, that people may look up to. What they believe in shapes their morals; the ones they hold on to for a lifetime. These morals cannot be forced on to someone. Sure, there are many who wish to join a community that holds the same or similar beliefs; however, there are many who create their own beliefs. They do not need to be part of a religious group to hold those beliefs.

This is where spirituality comes into play.

Spirituality is about finding who you really are, what you are afraid of, what your ultimate goals are,

what you believe in, and where you want to be towards the end of your life.

It’s about taking care of your health and well-being, both mentally and physically. Isn’t that what life is all about? Many people do not know how to develop this spiritual aspect of their lives. It may be confusing but the whole point of spirituality is to understand the point of living.

Even if you do not understand the full concept of a spiritual journey, I’m sure you’ve thought at one point in your life, “what’s the point of living, why am I doing what I’m doing?” It could’ve been on that night at 3am when you weren’t able to sleep or when you were writing your physics lab report due the next day. Either way, although we joke about this question at times, it actually holds a lot of meaning to many people.

To answer that question: you must find out on your own. You may not know it, but you could already be on your spiritual journey. The whole point of it, is to ask yourself, how do I want to live my life? What do I find valuable in life? And, where is that one place I find peace in? Some people find this idea through their connections to the things they are most passionate about; be it art, staying healthy, or friends and family. There are many who tend to find peace with the association to religion, and god. However, it does not mean they tie themselves down to that one religion. It does not mean that they follow everything that religion tells them to do. They can associate themselves with some ideas from one religion and others from another. If that is how they find their sense of purpose, who’s to stop them? The whole point of religion is to combine theories about the world to understand humanity and morality. That helps people understand their sense of purpose. This also does not mean that it is wrong to have faith in everything your religion teaches you. There are so many people all over the world who find the utmost peace just by practicing their daily routines as educated by their religion. The whole point of spirituality is to find that meaning and you should feel free to discover your inner self the way you want to. You do you.

Although some may choose to focus exclusively on one religion and accept all of its teachings, many people take what works for them from more than one faith

You don’t have to sit in a church for hours and hours to find out your purpose, the purpose of your life. You could just question the things you experience on a daily basis and ask yourself, “What am I doing with my life, and what should I be doing to improve it for my sake?”

But not while writing your physics paper, or procrastinating.