Spirituality Vs Religion

Improved Essays
If religion is defined as “…the direct expression of universal human needs” (Bainbridge & Stark in Davie, 2007, p. 71) while spirituality is defined as “…the deepest values and meanings by which people seek to live” (Sheldrake, 2007, p. 1) it’s clear that the two seem distinctly separate. This essay will explore the definitions for both terms while examining the relationship between religion and spirituality, which are undoubtedly connected. It will assess how spirituality can exist without religion, religion without spirituality, and what happens when they meet, using evidence and practical examples.

Religion and spirituality are terms with blurred lines, the meanings of which can be very subjective. To understand how they differ, a definition
…show more content…
It has relationships with the mind, body, spirit, soul, new age religions, paganism, druidism and even activities such as meditation or yoga (Woodhead, et al., 2009, p. 335). Spirituality is less defined, less structured and is something that is searched for and often experienced alone, compared to religion, which is inherently social (Bouma, 2006, p. 15). A practical example of spirituality without religion is yoga. The term yoga loosely means union, but this meaning is too abstract to be fully understood. Instead, yoga is often described as the connection between the body and mind, and the mind and soul. Yoga has been significantly westernised, with a central focus on the physical motions, but in essence it is far more spiritual and experiential. Yoga encourages the soul, increases ones mental health and connects the mind, body and spirit. It is a science that frees the mind from the body’s restraints and carries it toward the soul (Iyengar, 2013, pp. 3, 118, …show more content…
195) defines religion as “…that which is concerned with the holy.” He associates religion with being told what to think, feel and believe, while spirituality is individualised and personal, being linked to the body, nature, femininity, sexuality and the environment – things that religion lacks. Tacey goes on to explain that following a dogma is outdated, and that while religion and spirituality are connected, religion does not inherently contain the spiritual experience that it should. He states that religion is a starting point, and those who are born into a religious family have an advantage as they inevitably move away from creed and towards discovery (Tacey, 2004, pp. 4, 5, 8, 112, 193). A boy of seventeen wrote, “sometimes I go to Church, I sit down, join in the service, and before I go out I feel as if God was with me, right side of me, singing and reading the Psalms with me…” (James, 1902, p. 71). This example of spirituality in traditional religion – a connection within one’s self to a higher being, an ineffable experience – counters Tacey’s belief that religion and spirituality are inherently separate. The unexplainable connection that some feel towards God and religion is a practical example of how religion and spirituality can go hand-in-hand.

In summary, both religion and spirituality are experienced on a personal and subjective level, and to some degree cannot completely be defined. This essay has displayed the differences between spirituality and

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In understanding the dimensions of religion and how the rituals of each religion have been formed, it is important to recognize that each individual religion holds its own unique methods of practice and have many different levels of complex beliefs; including ways of following and practicing the cultural expectations as well as understanding the historical events that have formed each religion. Some beliefs are formed due to the exposure of the religion that has been practiced within one’s family. Others may be formed within adulthood based upon self-discovery and one’s wishes to pursue a certain lifestyle. Those who are fully knowledgeable on the many different forms of religion are more likely to be able to form more in-depth opinions that…

    • 1399 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Religions provide and teach a system of ethics which help us determine between right and wrong conduct. Religions provide answers to questions that we may not otherwise be able to answer. To truly understand the meaning of religion a definition is not sufficient as it omits the motivation of believers, which is the Identity - Religion can give us a sense of belonging that may otherwise escape us, and connect with others who feel the same way. Family and Culture – many people all over the world become associated with the practice of religion through their family or because of a cultural connection. When asked why they follow a faith system, many people respond, “Because I was raised that way.”…

    • 584 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    8. Describe the difference between spirituality and religion. Spirituality is the belief of things that are not earthly. Spirituality is more like a choice. Religion is the belief you do daily and that you follow.…

    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The text written by Rick Rogers is a brief introduction to give students an idea of what to expect in the course. This text also builds a foundation needed for future endeavors within the course. As stated previously, the assigned text written by Rick Rogers is written with a purpose of creating the foundation needed to venture into the enigma of religion. The foundation consists of defining key terms, understanding origins, how to categorize religions, and understanding the methodologies of approaching religion (historical and scientific).…

    • 1008 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Sacred Canopy Analysis

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Role Religion has on Social Structure The Sacred Canopy by Peter Berger offers a way to gain new perspectives on how we construct different realities in society for ourselves. Berger didn’t seem to be interested in convincing us that religion is a spiritual phenomenon, but rather he offered a perspective on how religion plays a role in our social life. This is because we live in a world that places value on cultural aspects.…

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Plea to Commence War In order to gain freedom from the despotism of the British monarchy, citizens of the United States took it into their hands to persuade the loyalists to take action against injustice. In 1775, Patrick Henry powerfully addressed the idea to commence war upon the British to resolve the issue of oppression at the Virginia Convention. He was able to conjure conflict and fear within the minds of the audience members by appealing to emotion, and making religious or authoritative remarks in front of colonists who felt enslaved by the British. Patrick Henry’s intentions were to provoke the result of the declaration of war in rage against British oppression.…

    • 788 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Yoga, the mental, spiritual, and physical practices exercised to achieve a state of peace, comes from the various religious practices in India, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It requires concentration, determination, and willingness and takes time to become accustomed to. Armstrong refers to yoga and states that “it [is] mentally demanding and, initially, physically painful. The yogin [has] to do the opposite of what [comes] naturally,” (Armstrong, 15). The mental demands of having to stay still “like a plant or a statue” and the physical demands of “controlled… respiration” or sometimes the need to “exist for long periods without breathing at all” makes yoga an activity that requires much endurance and effort (Armstrong, 15).…

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Religion is a default that people turn to - to step outside their norm, to fill a type of need and satisfaction. As Armstrong demonstrates, people use religion and practices to help them find meaning in their lives, when she sates “a poem, a play, or, indeed, a great painting has the power to change our perception in ways that we may not be able to explain logically but that seem incontestably true” (5). If one is willing to free up his/her mind, he/she will then be unable to find oneself in an open place where new ideas and experiences are welcome to enter. People alter their state of awareness in order to change how they think and feel. By doing so, this guides individuals to grow.…

    • 1270 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In his contributions, Lewis, (1997), explains spirituality basing his facts from several denominations. From these, he derives the law of human nature which explains that people comply…

    • 1086 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    While this statement is not completely correct it is also not completely incorrect. Spirituality is a very broad concept that cannot be limited to just one definition. It can be different things for different people. For some, spirituality could be engaging with others and being a part of a collective community while for others, it may be spending time in a meditative state sharing your thoughts with God. To generalize spirituality is a common mistake made by many people.…

    • 907 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Spirituality is defined as a relationship with God and the extraordinary values which “reflects a ‘fleshes out’ the experiences of one’s relationship with God through one’s belief, values, lifestyle, quality of life, and interactions with self, others, and nature” (Taylor, 2002, p. 7). Spirituality is very important in our lives and in health care because having a powerful spiritual perspective can help you find meaning in life. Having a spiritual knowledge is important because it shows what you believe in. Client History and Health Status…

    • 1332 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Spirituality and religion are two related and yet different words linked with faith. First of all it is important to define the meaning of Spirituality and Religion. Spirituality means believing more about oneself and the existence of different spiritual paths such as material or physical things and Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. There are many religions in the world, so often people have different meanings of religion and spirituality. The word spirituality is intellectual belief, whereas religion is a belief system.…

    • 543 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Introduction Concept Analysis, though a powerful tool, was only adapted to be used in nursing towards the end of the last Century. In 1986, Walker and Avant adapted the process, that John Wilson developed in 1960 for analyzing concepts, to be used in nursing (McEwen, 2014, p. 58). Prior to this time, there were no clear processes laid out to define the analysis of concepts in the nursing practice. Walker and Avant based their process “on Wilson’s method and clarified his methods so that graduate students could apply them to examine phenomena of interest to nurses” (McEwen, 2014, p. 58).…

    • 1184 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    40. What is and ‘Where’ Is ‘SPIRITUAL WORLD’, Why Must Stay Separate from Physical? • Although etymology of the word is clear, when deducting all mere rhetoric and verbal & written ornamentation, one faces a situation that widely accepted the definition of a ‘Spiritual’ does not exist. Back in human history, the word ‘translatable’ to Spiritual was part of Biblical context as something Holly or animated by God. Much later, as human Intelligence and inquisitiveness about Life advanced, it has acquired first social and in modern age a psychological meaning Frequently and in general terms a ‘Spiritual’ is the designation for a personal orientation in seeking a meaning, or pursuing the inner transformation which incorporates personal growth.…

    • 1360 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This paper will discuss the various meanings of "spirituality," and my understanding of the concepts of pluralism, scientism, and postmodernism. Spirituality Spirituality can have various meanings. The word “spirituality” has gained varied, and occasionally contradictory meanings. Traditionally, spirituality is attached to religious values.…

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays