What’s the difference between religion and spirituality?
Telling people you are spiritual but not religious is often greeted with a confused face. People tend to think of spirituality as something very strange and mysterious. They even struggle to differentiate it from religion but this is only because people in modern-day society have a fear of being manipulated and has a lack of knowledge when it come to non-material subjects.
The truth of the matter is that spirituality is perhaps the most natural thing there is , it is simply your own conscious-self recognizing that you are more than just a body, that you are a soul with infinite potential. To simplify what I am trying to explain here a short list of things that help to highlight the differences between religion and spirituality.
There are no rules to spirituality.
As opposed to following a specific ideology or a set of rules spirituality simply lets you follow your heart, it encourages you to listen to your intuition and do what is right for yourself and others around you. It truly sets you free to be the best you can be a good person with no promise of punishment or reward. The reward is simply your own inner happiness.
Religion Makes You Bow – Spirituality Sets You Free
Religion tells you to follow an ideology and obey certain rules or you’ll be punished otherwise. Spirituality lets you follow Your Heart and What You Feel It’s Right. It’s sets you free to be what you truly are without bowing to anything that doesn’t resonate as right with you or to anyone because we are all one. It is all up to you to choose what you’ll honor enough to make it divine.
Religion Shows You Fear – Spirituality Shows You How To Be Brave
Religion tells you what to fear and tells you consequences, Spirituality makes you aware of the consequences but doesn’t want you to focus on the fear. It shows you How to Stand despite Being Afraid, how to move on doing what you feel it’s right despite the consequences that may come. It show you how to act on love and not fear, it shows you how to control fear and use the best of it.
Religion tells you what they believe to be true – Spirituality lets you discover it.
As opposed to telling you in black and white how the universe was created and why we are here. Spirituality lets you discover these questions and answers for yourself. It empowers you to find your own truth in all things and sets no limits to how deep you can go in understanding all there is to know.
Religion Separates, Spirituality Unites.
Through our world there are many religions and only one God, they all preach that their story is the right story. Religion separates families, even parents from their own children if they believe in a different religion. Spirituality loves family unconditionally regardless of your beliefs. Spirituality sees the truth in all of them, and unites them because the truth is same for all of us despite our differences and uniqueness. It focuses on the quality of the divine message they share and not on the differences in details of the story they speak.
Religion makes you dependent – Spirituality makes you independent
If you attend religious events only then you are seen as religious person and someone who is worthy of happiness. Spirituality shows you that you don’t need or depend on anything to be happy. Happiness is always found from with-in ourselves, and we are responsible for it. We are always where we need to be and just while attending at some events or buildings. Divinity is in us and that is why we are always worthy.
Religion Applies Punishment – Spirituality Applies Karma
Religion says if we don’t obey certain rules there is punishment that awaits us which relies on our belief. Spirituality lets us understand that every action has its reaction and realize rhat the punishment of our actions will be the reaction coming from the actions we set in motion. it relies solely on the fundamental forces of The Universe and it doesn’t need to believe in that force to be true. Instead of talking about punishment or the threat of hell , Spirituality only talks about Karma. It’s the Law of Attraction, you get what you give. Simple.
Religion Makes You Follow Other journey – Spirituality Lets You Create Your Own
Walk you own path.
Instead of ancient ‘s stories about angels and Gods, spirituality encourages you to make your own path and create your stories. This sets you on a journey of enlightenment and self-discovery to which the only limits can be set by yourself. It encourages you to trust your heart and follow it wherever it may lead you.
I do believe that all religion has some truth in them, but ultimately anything that separates you or creates division is not good for your soul.
There are some pretty clear ways in which religion and spirituality differ.
Religion: This is a specific set of organized beliefs and practices, usually shared by a community or group.
Spirituality: This is more of an individual practice, and has to do with having a sense of peace and purpose. It also relates to the process of developing beliefs around the meaning of life and connection with others, without any set spiritual values.
One popular idea is that there exists a distinction between two different modes of relating with the divine or the sacred: religion and spirituality. Religion describes the social, the public, and the organized means by which people relate to the sacred and the divine, while spirituality describes such relations when they occur in private, personally, and even in ways. Religion is an institution established by man for various reasons. Exert control, instill morality, stroke egos, or whatever it does. Organized, structured religions all but remove god from the equation. You confess your sins to a clergy member, go to elaborate churches to worship, are told what to pray and when to pray it. All those factors remove you from god.
Spirituality is born in a person and develops in the person. It may be started by a religion, or it may be started by a revelation. Spirituality extends to all facets of a person’s life. Spirituality is chosen while religion is often times forced. Being spiritual to me is more important and better than being religious.
Religion can be anything that the person practicing it desires. Spirituality, on the other hand, is defined by God. Since religion is man defined, religion is a manifestation of the flesh. But spirituality, as defined by God, is a manifestation of His nature. True spirituality is something that is found deep within oneself. It is your way of loving, accepting and relating to the world and people around you. It cannot be found in a church or by believing in a certain way.
REALITY CHECK– Now that you know the differences, are you SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS?