Is Spiritual Practice the Same Thing As Religion?

Not necessarily.  A religion is a particular belief system, such as Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Sihkism, or etc. 

Each religion passes down it's own very particular teachings from one generation to the next.  So it is very likely that your religion is the same one your parents follow, and their parents before them.  All religions also teach their followers one or more forms of spiritual practice.  

But a person need not follow any particular religion in order to have a spiritual practice.  Tools such as meditation, asking for inner guidance, and positive visualization maybe be used by people of virtually any faith background -- and are even used by people with no religious affiliation at all. 

In fact, some who practice meditation and other spirirual practices prefer to focus on the experience itself and let go of attachment to explaining how it all works.   

So Then What Is "Spirituality" and Spiritual Practice?

A spiritual life means different things to different people. But basically, it is a way of living and thinking that strengthens and gives attention to your spirit. And usually, to the spirit within others as well.

We call this attention to and care for the spirit "spirituality". 

The daily routine of things you do to care for your spirit is your "spiritual practice".   Your spiritual practice might includes such things as: taking a walk in nature and trying to be aware of all the wonderful life around you, keeping a journal and writing down something you are thankful for each day, praying and meditating before bedtime. 

What Is the Spirit?

Different people define or think of the "spirit" in different ways.

Some people speak of "the human spirit", and by this they usually mean the passionate spark inside of all people that often expresses itself as in such qualities as enthusiasm, courage, compassion, determination, curiosity, inventiveness, and etc.

People who use the word this way may or may not believe in a soul.

The soul is the part of us that lives on after the physical body has completed its life cycle or "died".

Most people who speak of the spirit are speaking of the soul or eternal self.

Different Strokes For Different Folks

People practice their spirituality -- or care and attention to the spirit -- in many ways.

Some of these ways come from the religion of their family and community (traditional beliefs).

Some of these ways are things they learned in books, from friends they met, or that just came to them in their thoughts (inspired beliefs) while praying or meditating.

Just Do It -- And Do It Honestly

The important thing about spirituality is not how well you do it, but that you do it -- and that you do it in a way that feels truthful and real to you.

The spirit, just like the body needs to be noticed and cared for. What would happen to your body if you pretended it didn't exist and didn't do anything to take care of it (eat good food, drink water, get sunshine and movement, etc.)? It sure wouldn't feel too healthy, would it? And if your body felt miserable, then you would feel miserable. Even if you tried to ignore your body -- still, some of that feeling of misery would creep into your mind, into your awareness.

It's the same with the spirit.

But How?

This is an answer that you must fill in. You may want to talk to the people in your family about the religion they grew up with. If your parents or caregivers don't practice spirituality, perhaps someone else in your family does -- an aunt, uncle, or grandparent.

Another alternative is talk to a close neighbor or friend. You don't have to take on their ideas or traditions. But you might benefit from being around others who notice and value the spirit.  Just be sure you don't try to take on anything you're not comfortable with.  And no it is okay to walk away from a conversation that is making you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Prayer and Meditation

Two important aspects of spirituality are prayer and meditation. Some people have said that prayer is talking while meditation is listening.  Both are important.  Prayer is our chance to share our heart with our higher power, expressing our concerns and hopes.   Meditation is our chance to quiet the mind, to return to a state of peace and centeredness. 

more to come....

 

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