Knowing how to turn religion into spirituality is important because going to church every Sunday or meditating every morning doesn’t make you a spiritual person…though it may mean you’re religious! There’s a big difference between religion and spirituality, and these tips for spiritual growth will help you stay connected to the source of your power.
“Sometimes people get the mistaken notion that spirituality is a separate department of life, the penthouse of existence,” said theologian David Steindl-Rast. “But rightly understood, it is a vital awareness that pervades all realms of our being.”
Part of turning religion into spirituality is to stop separating your spirit and soul into different compartments of your life. For instance, you can be spiritual at work – you don’t need to reserve spirituality for when you meditate or commune with nature! For more info on religion in general, click Religions of the World: Our World Faiths Animated. And, read on for three tips from me and three tips from my partner, Gini Grey…
How to Become More Spiritual, and Less Religious
According to the dictionary, religion is a “set of beliefs about the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe.” Spirituality is harder to define because different people see it in different ways. For many, spiritual health is a connection to a source higher than yourself, which often flows out of you in love, generosity, and spirit.
Find a spiritual mentor. Who do you admire for their faith, love, trust, and general depth of spirituality? Spend time with that person, learn who they are and how they grew into themselves. You can initiate a formal mentoring relationship, or just invite them for coffee, walks, or over for dinner.
Get out of your religious routines. Change your schedule! Instead of Sunday morning church attendance or a quick grace before meals, try going to church on Saturday night or saying a longer, more heartfelt prayer before eating. To turn religion into spirituality, you need to figure out where and how you’re “religious”, and bring spirituality into that practice.
Try a different type of religion or spirituality. If you were born and raised as a Buddhist, try a Catholic church. If you’re Jewish, explore Baha’i or Buddhist traditions. You don’t need to change your religion…just expose yourself to different types and practices of spirituality. Challenge your beliefs and faith – it may bring you closer to God or your source of power and inspiration!
Tips for Spiritual Growth From Gini
Attending religious services to hear scriptures, sing hymns, or perform chants is a beautiful way to connect to the God of your heart. But what do you do for the rest of the week? Do you bring that loving, peaceful, centeredness with you, or does it get left behind at the alter? Do you greet your neighbors at your place of worship with a warm hello, while scowling at your household neighbors? Do you generously give donations to your church, while ignoring homeless people on the street?
It’s not easy to turn religion into spirituality in every facet of one’s life, but here are three tips to help bring spiritual growth into more areas of your life.
Practice what is preached. Examine the core beliefs and practices of your religion and set your intention to live from these principles. It’s one thing to talk about being kind, forgiving, and compassionate; it’s another to operate from these states. It can be helpful to write inspiring, spiritual words on post-it-notes and have them on your desk, fridge, and by the phone as reminders to help you stay spiritually centered instead of reactivite.
Touch into the essence of your Source. Don’t just connect to the God of your heart during a religious service, while praying, chanting or meditating – stay tuned in all day. Have sacred objects, photos or written words near you during the day as a way to remind you to operate from your spiritual center and stay connected to your Source.
Read or listen to spiritual and inspirational material daily. A wonderful way to start and end the day is by reading or listening to something inspirational that connects you to your soul and the source of all life. It sets the tone for the day and at night it will support you to have a peaceful sleep.
If you have any thoughts or questions on these ways to become more spiritual, we welcome your comments below…
Tags: Baha'i, Buddhism, Catholicism, God of your heart, inspirational material, Jewish faith, religion and spirituality, source of power, spiritual growth, spiritual health, spiritually centered, workplace spirituality
