While spirituality is a personal journey unique to the individual, there are aspects that define what it means that everyone can relate to. Being spiritual is a deep inner experience where one feels connected to life beyond themselves and sees the universe as containing meaning in it’s mystery. It is where the known and the unknown intersect, causing a mystical awareness of the profound nature of existence.
However, in the simplest of terms, being spiritual is no more than being present in life, letting it touch and change your heart, and growing toward a mindset of love, kindness, and interconnectedness with your community and the natural world. The following quote sums it up. For context:
My 4 year old son has taken a love of the Disney movie, Moana. We’ve watched it probably 15 times in the past 3 months! In one scene, Moana’s grandmother sings a song to restore the determination in Moana to complete her hero’s journey. She says:
The people you love will change you
Disney’s “I am Moana” song lyrics
The things you have learned will guide you
And nothing on Earth can silence
The quiet voice still inside you
And when that voice starts to whisper
you’ve come so far, listen,
Do you know who you are?
So, being spiritual, in it’s most basic form, boils down to those words. It is an awakening of the voice of conscience within oneself that then can be developed into an inner relationship that guides one in life towards goodness. But let’s explore the topic more thoroughly and get to know what it generally means to be spiritual and why everyone can benefit from it (even atheists!). We’ll dive into what it means to shape your own spiritual journey.
The Broad Spectrum of Spirituality
When we venture into the realm of the “spiritual”, we’re stepping into a vast mystical spectrum that spans subjective experiences. In the silent moments of introspection, the awe-inspiring wonders of nature, and the deep connections we forge with others we develop awareness within of the miracle of life. First, let’s define the similarities and differences between “being religious” and “being spiritual”.
Spiritual vs. Religious: Unraveling the Complexity
When the term “spiritual” is mentioned, many immediately think of religion. That’s because both religious and spiritual paths help you find meaning in life and offer a guiding beacon on human relationships and behavior. Both give an understanding of moral values in the wilderness of existence. Religion has been the mainstay of this meaning-making for most of human time.
Indeed, “spirituality” comes from old Christianity to refer to being oriented toward the Holy Spirit. But in our modern times, that’s boiled down to “the deepest values and meaning by which people live their lives”, by way of Eastern philosophies, such as Buddhism and Yoga, blending with Western Judo-Christian and Native American ones in the 20th century.
However, it’s essential to differentiate between the terms. While they intersect, they are not synonymous. Religion pertains to an organized faith system around a godhead or deity with specific practices, doctrines, and places of worship. It’s a collective experience, defined by a community with shared beliefs.
Being “spiritual”, on the other hand, often strips away the myths, origin stories, and God-given values-framework involved in religious thought. This leaves values, meaningful curiosity about the mystery of life, and direct rich inner connection to God or awe of life without dogma and is often a solo path.
Let’s go deeper on spirituality.
Spiritual Individuality: It’s A Personal Journey
The term “spirit” comes from the French espirit meaning the “animating or vital principle in man and animals.” One of the most beautiful aspects of being spiritual is its deeply individual nature. No two spiritual journeys are alike. For one, a spiritual calling may arise from grief; in trying to make sense of an extraordinary loss or painful experience. For another, it bubbles up organically as one goes through life transitions and seeks to find who they are in a new phase of life.
Developing that spiritual sense might mean doing daily meditation sessions or yoga practices, seeking a deeper connection with their inner self. For another, it might involve taking long walks in nature, absorbing the serene beauty, and contemplating life’s mysteries, or doing introspective work such as painting, journaling, or making music.
There isn’t a “right” or “wrong” way to be spiritual. It’s about what resonates with you, what makes you feel connected, grounded, and alive, and curious about life’s meaning. The keyword here is “personal.” Your journey is yours alone, influenced by your experiences, upbringing, desires, questions, and pursuits. You don’t need religious deity figureheads, rules, or lineage to develop a spiritual connection.
This is an evolving journey. As we grow, learn, and change, so does our spiritual understanding. It’s a path of self-discovery, often filled with more questions than answers, but that’s what makes the journey so enriching and profound; it’s the ability to question the unknown and linger in that graceful opening where personal transformation can take place.
Core Aspects of Being Spiritual
To define spirituality in a way is like trying to pin down a cloud. It’s such a personal experience! But below are some general core elements of being spiritual. As we delve into them, we’ll discover it’s not just about rituals, beliefs, or traditions, but is about understanding oneself and our relationship with the world.
More Than Just a Higher Power
For one, being spiritual is about a connection to something greater but it doesn’t necessarily mean looking upwards to a deity. It’s about feeling tethered to the vast universe, recognizing the mysteries and marvels that lie beyond our comprehension. This connection might be with the cosmos, with nature, or even the collective consciousness of humanity. It’s a humbling realization that we’re a small but essential part of a grand design.
Importantly, awareness of the higher power, in whatever terms you use to define it, brings with it a calling to be in relationship to it and to believe it speaks back to you. This means your heart and mind communicates with that mystical essence, that God-vibe, asking for guidance or help. One can pray for answers and often finds that the higher power listens to them and shows up in life as meaningful coincidences, newfound inspiration, and even a sudden dream that clarifies an emotional tumultuousness.
Thus, being spiritual is more than just believing in a higher power or godhead. It’s cultivating faith, or an inner relationship, within oneself that can be trusted to lead one towards goodness in life. Another core aspect is inner peace. Let’s take a look.
Inner Peace: The Path to Serenity
Being spiritual means seeking inner peace. But True tranquility isn’t about escaping the chaos—it’s about finding calm amidst it. It means balancing the realization that we can’t stop hardships in life. But we can journey through it knowing we don’t have to resist pain but instead have inside of us a quiet place to hold it all, heal, and learn from it.
In this inner peace, we can find tools to navigate life’s storms with grace. It’s not about avoiding your issues through spiritual practices. Through meditation, journal-reflection, or even a simple mindful breath, we can tap into an oasis of calm within, and go outward to life from there. So, being in touch with one’s quiet mind and heart is key to being spiritual because it is from there that you can truly cultivate perspective on life- wisdom.
Compassion’s Role in the Spiritual Life
Another core aspect is being compassionate. Being spiritual often translates into a heightened sense of empathy. It’s the soft voice that prompts us to lend a hand. It’s the nudge that makes us more understanding and less judgmental.
Compassion isn’t just about feeling for others—it’s about acting on those feelings, making the world a kinder place one gesture at a time. This goes hand-in-hand with being connected within to the larger world and living a good life.
Spiritual Growth
Being spiritual is also about self-discovery. It isn’t about navel-gazing or glorifying one’s awareness of a higher power. It’s about understanding our place in the world, recognizing our strengths, and acknowledging areas of growth in our relationships.
It’s about holding ourselves accountable when we do wrong and making amends. Every experience, every challenge is a lesson, nudging us closer to our higher selves. This higher self fundamentally means our goodness, kindness, and loving nature and we strive to live up to it.
Next, let’s look at how many paths can lead to transcendence.
Various Paths to Spirituality: How to Find Yours
In the landscape of spirituality, there isn’t a single marked trail, but a myriad of intertwining paths. The point of developing a path or practice is to cultivate the capability within yourself to feel connected to the whole, to God, the Universe, infinite love. To connect to the essence in life which makes us feel inspired, whole, inner peace, and love.
In this section, we’ll traverse the diverse routes you can take to connect, reflect, and transcend. Let’s begin with meditation and contemplation.
Meditation and Contemplative Practices
Meditation and contemplation are great foundational practices to develop your spirituality. Beyond the silence of closed eyes and steady breaths, meditation opens doors to the soul’s sanctuary. This is a space where the present moment is both the guide and the destination, grounding us in the here and now, allowing us to gain deep insight in the stillness.
I love this quote by Sam Harris, meditation teacher and philosopher about meditation:
The goal is to awaken from our trance of discursive thinking—and from the habit of ceaselessly grasping at the pleasant and recoiling from the unpleasant—so that we can enjoy a mind that is undisturbed by worry, merely open like the sky, and effortlessly aware of the flow of experience in the present.
sam harris
Start with simply sitting quietly and observing your breath. Use instructional apps like Harris’s Waking Up to help you get started.
Contemplation is meditation with perhaps a bit more intent. It’s sitting in reflection or prayer on life and on the greater point of existence. It’s seeking the good for the future by being fully in the now realizing life’s positive potential. Richard Rohr, a contemplative Christian priest, says:
“Contemplation is the practice of being fully present—in heart, mind, and body—to what is in a way that allows you to creatively respond and work toward what could be.”
And this: “Contemplative prayer is the way we work out the experiences that words elude, how we learn from them and bravely allow ourselves to be transformed by them, even when our normal modes of thinking can’t make sense of them.”
Both meditation and contemplation are great tools for spiritual development because they cultivate that inner sensitivity to love, grace, and understanding.
Only the contemplative mind can bring forward the new consciousness that is needed to awaken a more loving, just, and sustainable world.
center for action and contemplation, NM
Creative Expressions: The Artistic Side of Spiritual Exploration
In creativity, spirituality flourishes. When you open yourself up to self-expression through art, music, or movement, you are likely to feel connected to a power beyond yourself. Many artists speak of the Muse, or spirit beyond themselves, that comes through them carrying inspiration and communicates when they create. Art becomes more than expression; it’s a spiritual dialogue, where you commune with a cosmic connection.
Doing forms of artistic expression opens you up to inspiration and love and gets you outside of your ego or limitations. Doing it can help you process daily life struggles and then invites you to transcend them. It carries the potential to liberate you from small thinking and invites you to wonder about the great mysteries of living.
So grab a tool, whether it’s drawing, journaling, painting, dance, or music, and allow yourself to surrender to the creative process. You may find yourself experiencing something profound.
Community Connections: The Spiritual Bond of Us
In the tapestry of humanity, every thread is vital. Being spiritual recognizes this interconnectedness. One seeks bonds that go beyond blood or background, nurturing a perspective of a global family that is united in understanding and respect.
Giving back to your community and being in touch with the lives of others helps to cultivate spirituality. When we transcend our own suffering to have empathy and compassion for the suffering of others, we not only feel connected to them by common experience. We also open within ourselves spiritual doors of perception such as love, kindness, and, unity, and charitability for all creatures of the Earth.
Nature’s Call: Connection to the Earth
Whispers of the trees, songs of the ocean, majesty of mountains—nature is spirituality’s most honest sermon. Amidst its wonders, we’re reminded of the beauty in simplicity and the sanctity of the world we inhabit. Simply getting out in nature to contemplate and play in it’s glory lifts your spirits. It awakens within you that sense of inner peace and interconnectedness to all of life.
Make time in nature a regular part of your life and you’ll naturally develop spiritual perspectives.
Can Atheists Be Spiritual?
At its core, spirituality is a pursuit of personal purpose, connection, and understanding in the vast tapestry of existence. While many associate spirituality with a belief in a higher power or deity, it’s not a requisite. Atheists, although they don’t subscribe to the existence of a god or gods, can still experience profound feelings of awe, wonder, and connectedness to the universe. Their spirituality might be rooted in the marvels of the natural world, the intricacies of human consciousness, or the deep bonds they share with fellow beings.
Thus, an atheist’s spiritual journey is a testament to the fact that the quest for deeper understanding and connection is a universal human experience, not bound by religious beliefs.
Conclusion: Weaving It All Together
In the expanse of life’s varied journeys, spirituality serves as our North Star. Having a spiritual life guides us through the ups and downs of experiences, questions, and wonders. It is a buoy in times of loss and pain and a tether to hope when life feels hopeless.
So, whether it’s through the silent meditation, the creative artistic expressions, or community bonds, our spiritual paths are unique to us. Religion, or the lack thereof, doesn’t dictate the depth or authenticity of one’s spiritual quest.
Instead, in it’s truest form, spirituality is waking up as humans to an awareness of the great mystery of life. It’s our innate yearning for understanding, connection, and purpose.
Thus, whether you’re new on your spiritual journey or are miles into it, remember: it’s a personal expedition, unique and sacred in its own right. Embrace it, question it, and let it guide you towards your own truth.