Certainly, each person has his own idea of what spirituality is. However, when we stop to reflect on the real concept of the word, we are often left with no answers.
It is common to associate spirituality with different spiritual practices, such as masses, services, sessions, meditations, in addition to specific techniques or actions. In fact, spirituality can be found in a Catholic blessing, in a Spiritist healing touch, in an Evangelical preaching, in a Buddhist koan.
All of this is spirituality and, at the same time, none of this represents the essence of the word. After all, rituals or techniques are means to attain spirituality, not the ultimate goal.
So, what is spirituality?
In this publication, we will take a look at spirituality through some points of view. Thus, we can understand the subject from an ecumenical and inclusive perspective.
Spirituality vs. Religion
As I said above, religions are ways of practicing spirituality. However, in essence, religion and spirituality are quite distinct.
Religion
Religious practice is based on rituals and traditions. Both have the important function of facilitating the practice and creating habits of reconnection between man and the Higher Power.
Practitioners of formal religions find a clear path, with steps already taken to reconnect with “God”. It is as if, in this context, everything is already a little more "chewed" to facilitate learning.
One of the fundamental characteristics of religion is the existence of an external authority that tells us what to do. This authority can be a priest, pastor, rabbi, pope, reverend, mother, teacher, etc. Depending on the context, authority is the very sacred scripture on which religion is based.
Spirituality
While religion emphasizes form (ritual, tradition, dogma), spirituality usually consists of a search for the essence behind the appearance. In other words, what counts in this case is the purpose or intention behind the action.
Interestingly, spirituality has a strong connection with the origin (the essence behind the appearance) of the word religion, which comes from the Latin religare and means to reunite, to reconnect, to commune with.
In this context, spirituality can be understood as the constant union with something greater than yourself, regardless of the location, the form, the companies, or the action being taken.
A fundamental characteristic of spirituality is the presence of an internal authority (intuition, being, consciousness, inner God) on which the practice is based.
Spirituality according to etymology
As we have seen, in essence, spirituality is related to the etymology of religion, which means to reconnect, to reunite.
In addition, it is interesting to look at the etymological root of the word spirit. It comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning "breath" or "blowing", but also "courage" and "vigor". Thus, spirituality can be seen as the quality or state of courage and vigor.
Spirituality according to the New Testament
In the New Testament, there is a Greek word that refers to the concept of spirit. This word is pneuma and brings the idea of something that reconnects to “God” after physical death.
In this context, spirituality can be understood as the process of turning to “God” or reconnecting to the Higher Power, very similar to the origin of the word religion.
Spirituality according to Philosophy
In philosophy, spirituality is understood from the opposition between spirit and matter. Spirituality can be associated with a search for the meaning of life that transcends the mundane.
Finally: what is spirituality?
Virtually all points of view agree that spirituality is related to the search for the meaning and purpose of life through the transcendence of the physical world.
Likewise, different evolutionary paths and traditions commonly associate spirituality with words such as:
Essence - Happiness - Harmony – Faith
These terms can be seen not only as symbols of spirituality, but also as tools to achieve reconnection with yourself and with something greater than yourself. In addition, the words above convey qualities that are evidenced by all true spiritual practices, regardless of the religion, form or technique chosen by the practitioner.
Finally, if you have any definition or concept of spirituality that you like, feel free to complement the article by leaving your comment below. This way our reflection will become even richer!
Picture credits: The pictures used in this publication can be found on these sites: Sara Mastros Blog, Centro de Ajuda, Portugal Resident
Follow the Light and much Love,
@manandezo!
October 11th, 2020
The spirit is the divine force, a basic energy of being. In a more symbolic term, spirit is the breath of life. In the Hebrew ruah, the Greek pneuma, the Latin spiritus and the Sanskrit prajna all mean both "breath" and "spirit". This force can manifest itself in our love; in those passions and inspirations that motivate us and connect us to the world, and in the other.
Spirituality is the fundamental force that drives our lives, whether in our loves, passions, or even deep concerns. It is the will to live, the origin of our values and desires, of our deepest dreams. Contrary to popular belief, spirituality is not something ''extraordinary'', it can be something ordinary and very natural, we all have a spiritual life, but we express it in many different ways; not only in those places of worship, but also in our daily life.
Thank you very much for sharing this article so full of energy and spirit. It is a pleasure to read this kind of thing here and you do it very well.
Blessings to you, always.
Thank you, @pavanjr, for your kind response and input to the publication! I do strongly think we are divine shrines and all we have to do is breathe deeply and concentrate all our efforts in loving the Planet as a whole. This is something basic and nothing can stop the power of this so beautiful Light we all bring inside of us! Follow the Light! 🌻
I used to be very turned down by religions, but eventually I saw there was great beauty in their art and their holy books, and realized that what bothered me was the way their practitioners and leaders have mishandled the knowledge handed to them by their ancestors. All religions have magnificent mythologies, they're all built on powerful codes which correlate to one another regardless of location, most of them have extremely refined aesthetics and their sacred texts can all be read for their narrative worth, poetry and alchemical/occult references.
Lovely post, man. I think it deserves more attention!
Amigo @manandezo, este es un post muy importante, especialmente para aquellos que estamos tratando de reconectarnos con Dios. Para mí la espiritualidad está en todos nosotros, también en nuestros semejantes y en cada ser de la creación, ya sea un animal, una planta, una piedra... por eso siempre digo que tenemos un pedacito de Dios en nuestro interior, y que el soplo originario con el cual Él nos dió el aliento vital, persiste aún; de allí que para mí, el soplo sea sagrado y deba ser utilizado a diario de forma consciente, si quieres leer la publicación que hace tiempo hice hablando del soplo, te la comparto aquí Solamente con el vivir en esta realidad ya estamos en una experiencia espiritual, porque nos vemos obligados a buscar adentro para poder vivir con las contingencias del día a día. Buen post. Un abrazo.
Friend @manandezo, this is a very important post, especially for those of us who are trying to reconnect with God. For me, spirituality is in all of us, also in our fellow humans and in each being of creation, be it an animal, a plant, a stone ... that's why I always say that we have a little piece of God inside us, and that the original breath with which He gave us vital breath, still persists; Hence, for me, the breath is sacred and must be used daily in a conscious way, if you want to read the publication I made a long time ago talking about the breath, I share it here Only by living in this reality we are already in a spiritual experience, because we are forced to look inside to be able to live with day-to-day contingencies. Good post. A hug.
For me, because of my experience with the practice of Yoga, spirituality is in the full attention of what it is: the breath, the moment, the word or the action.
For those who believe in a god or a dedication, by being much more attentive to the present moment, they can make contact with this divine being. And for those who do not, who do not consider it as something fundamental to be a spiritual being, full attention will also make them make contact with the wonders that appear at every moment.
Thank you very much for your post, I love to read more about such topics.