Religion and spirituality are indeed related to attempting to comprehend life’s essence and, in some ways, how a connection with a higher force can influence the meaning. Although religion and spirituality share a similar foundation, they differ greatly in practice.
Religion is an organized, community-based system of beliefs. But spirituality is a personal belief system. Religion and spirituality are like rectangles versus squares. Within religion, there is spirituality. But having spirituality does not necessarily mean having a religion.
Religion and spirituality can also be beneficial to one’s mental health. Religion-related to spirituality can help you in many ways. For example, Religion and spirituality can also help individuals cope with stress by generating calm, purpose, and forgiveness. However, due to their distinct natures, the advantages of the two usually differ.
WHAT IS SPIRITUALITY?
Spirituality is about discovering your true self and connecting with something bigger than yourself. Some believe it is God, Spirit, or the Source of all that is and that it exists outside of you. Others believe that spirituality exists inside us. I believe it is a mixture of the two.
Spirituality often entails looking beyond the surface of things and trusting the process by which our lives unfold. This is especially useful when our lives are challenged and stressful. Having a spiritual connection during these times can be very comforting. Suppose that we are safe and held in times of difficulty and ease. Then our lives become more meaningful, and we feel more at peace. People get stressed when searching for [an explanation] for why these things are happening to them. Sometimes the wisdom of ‘why’ is revealed only later. A spiritual outlook is highly beneficial during these times. This increases our patience in times of difficulty and provides a sense of gratitude in times of ease.
Health Benefits of Spirituality
Spirituality is a feeling of being part of something bigger than ourselves. It helps the individual look within and understands themselves while also discovering how they fit in with the rest of the world. In other words, it helps people in understanding their interpretation of life’s meaning.
Spirituality also includes healthy practices for the mind and body. This improves mental health and emotional well-being.
Here are a few of the benefits:
Individuality:
- Increases a person’s sense of self and empowerment by helping them to choose how their practice looks.
- Focuses on individuals’ relation to what they believe in and their personal growth.
- Accepts everyone, regardless of religion
Mindfulness:
- Promotes meditation and self-reflection
- Promotes a meaningful life philosophy (e.g., feeling connected to others, nature, or art)
- Promote expression in any form, such as art, poetry, myth, or religious practice
Unity with Surroundings:
- Restores a person’s sense of belonging in the world
- Encourages appreciation and awareness of a person’s relationship with the physical environment
What is Religion?
Religion is a person’s fundamental life stance in which they believe in transcendent reality. Each person assumes a realistic pose before that transcendent, ultimate reality. It acknowledges one’s total dependency as a being on the source of being and the life, which is referred to as reverence, gratitude for being, and life.
So, it is a faith in the transcendent for help in living and dying. It is at the root of every spiritual quest.
Religions are concerned with whatever society or community believes to be ultimately important. In Christianity, for example, heaven is viewed as a foundational principle. Religions are culturally institutionalized as creeds.
Health Benefits of Religion
Religion provides people with something to believe in, a sense of structure. Also, it typically provides a community of people with whom they can connect over similar beliefs. These factors may have a major positive effect on mental health. Studies show that religiosity reduces suicide rates, alcoholism, and drug use. Here are some of the most important health advantages of religion.
Here are some of the most important health advantages of religion.
Community:
- Establishes social ties with other members
- Gives people a feeling of belonging to a community
- Provides a safe and trustworthy social environment
Ritual:
- Helps users in coping with difficult life situations (for example, a memorial service for a loved one)
- Provides structure, regularity, and predictability
- Allows for rest, as well as holidays and other special occasions during the year
Teachings:
- Guides a living (i.e., the importance of doing the right thing)
- Teaches humility, forgiveness, and gratitude in others
- Identify life lessons, even in difficult situations
How is religion related to spirituality?
There are many ways religion related to spirituality.
First, the sacred is central to both religion and spirituality. Religion and spirituality would be indistinguishable without a sacred material from other terms commonly used in the broader field of psychology, such as well-being, community, purpose, hope, and authenticity.
Second, both spirituality and religion are ever-changing searching processes. Through the processes of discovery, conservation, and transformation, both change and evolve.
In this sense, we can see religion and spirituality as key components of the journeys people take on throughout their lives.
Thirdly, spirituality and religion are both multidimensional and multi-level processes. People on their spiritual and religious journeys can take various paths to important destinations in their lives. These paths are not always followed in isolation from other people. We should think about both as they are expressed by individuals, couples, and communities, etc.
Fourth, both spirituality and religion have the ability for both good and bad.
Finally, both spirituality and religion are important. This is because they are concerned with topics of great value. Spirituality leads to sacred destinations. Religion is directed at significant goals, some of which are sacred. In reality, when religion is focused on the sacred, it is indistinguishable from spirituality.
How is religion related to spirituality?
Spirituality and religion should not be strangers but partners in 21st-century America. It is a relationship similar to the one between spirit and body. It is based on the realization that spirituality without the structural and functional resources of an institutionalized religious tradition is rootless for both the person and society. Simultaneously, a religion deprived of personal and corporate spirituality is lifeless. Institutionalized religious traditions have several leadership weaknesses. But, religion as a tradition is the best context for developing a mature spirituality on a personal and societal level. It also enhances inter-religious dialogue, which brings the human family together.
The Bottom Line
Some people are afraid to explore spirituality because they believe it is outside of their religion. But if you already have faith, it is more of a deepening of what you already have. Some people aren’t religious. And they might be afraid that spirituality relates to religion. But it’s more of an inner process. It’s becoming clear what gives your life meaning and purpose. Spirituality is simply an alignment of our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual parts. It means your relationships are improving. And you’re doing work that is in alignment with your soul and meaningful to you. Also, you are living a life that is more connected with your life’s true purpose.
