Author: Asia S (Page 4 of 7)

Paul GunterCo-Founder of Greater Minds. Positive thinker, Paul. “What Is Spirituality? Exploring Spirituality For Beginners.” The Law Of Attraction, March 30, 2020. https://www.thelawofattraction.com/what-is-spirituality/. 

Spirituality is an aspect of you that is apart of an idea of there being something beyond you. Spirituality might involve endorsing a higher form of life.Spiritual people tend to have different spiritual pratices that they adhere to. Some spiritual people even describe their spirituality as a path to enlightenment. Spiritualist believe we create our own reality, with our thoughts. I learned that a spiritual awakening is , in essence a journey towards greater awareness. “To connect with this part of you, try adding a daily meditation practice to your life.”“Where religion emphasizes knowledge, spirituality is more concerned with gaining wisdom.”“The power of words is significant and can change the way you think, feel and vibrate.”

SPIRlTUALITY VS RELIGION: IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE Introduction John K. Testerman, MD, Ph.D. Presented at 20th Annual Faith and Learning Seminar June 24, 1997 

Spirituality consists of  inner journey towards more  meaning and deeper encounter with God. The spiritual life is the encounter itself. Religion is a social and conceptual container for that encounter. A religious faith tradition provides more structural concept and language that connects the outer world of people and culture with the inner world of spiritual experience, as well as a set of spiritual tools to promote our growth on the spiritual path. It can provide the setting for the encounter with God, but it is not itself that encounter. The practice of a religion may be an invaluable aid to the spiritual journey or it can become an idolatrous substitute for spirituality. I have learnt that alot  of research has shown that the practice of a religion is usually associated with a variety of favorable health outcomes.

“A high level of involvement in a specific faith community does not necessarily connote exclusivistic attitudes, however. Many individuals who enter deeply into the life of a specific faith community, adhere rigorously to its traditions and practice its spiritual disciplines, nevertheless maintain non-exclusive attitudes and an open mind to learn from those of other faith communities. Many have discovered that by entering profoundly into their own faith tradition, they discover the deep roots that connect to other traditions.”

Cunningham, Terry. “Religion vs Spirituality: What Are the Similarities and Differences?,” May 14, 2018. https://raisingselfawareness.com/religion-vs-spirituality/. 

Religion is an organized system of beliefs and practices.Spirituality is a broad concept that focuses on the connection of the self to something bigger. It deals with existential questions like our place in the universe and the meaning of life. Religion is an institution that was created by another person. Spirituality is something only you can find inside yourself.Sometimes people can be forced into religion. spirituality is something no one, can decide for you. Self discovery makes spirituality great.I agree with Cunnigham. I strongly believe religion is a man-made structure. It makes you question, Who came up with all these rules, that restrict humans from living a certain way. Is it god? A High Being ? or is it the flawed human ? . It so hard trying to live a life from a book, that was written by humans , versus connecting with god, and finding everything theres is about life , within you. This article helps me understanding my question even more. It also serves as a reminder, that religion and spirituality are extremely different. If i could ask the writer one question , it would be to ask them “ what do you believe in”. “As Deepak Chopra said, “Religion is a belief in someone else’s experience. Spirituality is having your own experience.” Other people might say they are spiritual but not religious yet, it is possible to be both. These two things are important in maintaining the balance between your mind, body, and spirit.” “Man defines religion. On the other hand, a greater power defines spirituality. Human beings can decide what religion is for them. In spirituality, something bigger than yourself guides you and your life.”“One of the most noticeable differences between religion and spirituality is that religion preaches and commands while the spirituality inspires. You need to follow a set of rules if you want to move forward in religion. Advancing in spirituality is through a process of loving and accepting yourself and the world around you. The idea of advancement is replaced with the journey for growth.”

Religion and Spirituality is something that is often talked about almost everyday of our daily lives. Even on social media , people post about how the god or gods they believe in are so good to them. The reason this topic is so important to me, is because i want to discover the distinction between the two and learn about the development of both ,since the beginning of time. Also , would like to find this out for myself as well, in terms of purpose and understanding.I think we all question our existence on this earth and our purpose. Many of us , dont even know if we’re living the right or wrong way. Is there even a right way of doing this thing called “existing” , only time will tell. I grew up going to a baptist church, and still til this day, nothing about the ways of the church sat well with me. Does this mean i am an atheist ? What i expect to find in my research is, the difference between Spirituality and Religion , why is religion considered a man made structure , and how they are different. Also, what is considered living a life that is considered good or bad in god’s image. How does religion or spirituality affect us ? , and how it is vital in today’s society ?. If my research goes against what i expected , i will continue to research information from every single genre, or interview two people and find out their perspective and use in my research. I am very certain i discover different types of writing , during  my research. The genres i think that would be very helpful to my research is science non-fiction,historical non-fiction, journals , articles and psychological non -fiction