Religion usually involves following to a certain dogma or belief system. Spirituality places little importance on such beliefs but is concerned with experiencing the divine consciousness.
Religion is for those who are asleep. Spirituality is for those who are awake.
Religion is often concerned with virtue or sin, and a concept of a God who rewards punishes. The spiritual approach to God is through the path of love. This is a love where there’s no judgment — only acceptance.
Religion dreams of glory and paradise. Spirituality makes you live it here and now.
Religion talks of God as being high in the heavens. At times God can seem far from the reach of humanity. Spirituality shows us that God is omniscient and omnipresent and can be felt like a living presence in our own heart.
Religion places more importance on outer forms and outer rituals. Spirituality is less concerned with outer rituals. Spirituality says that what’s important is a seeker’s inner attitude. Through practicing spirituality, we seek to develop an inner shrine in our own heart.
A spiritual person knows that there’s only one truth and they’re in fact in charge of their evolution and destiny. They also know that nothing is written and all our futures are shaped by our desires and the power of our minds.
True spirituality is something that’s found deep within oneself. It’s your way of loving, accepting and relating to the world and people around you. It can’t be found in a place of worship or by believing in a certain way.
Religion is spiritual and spirituality is religious. But you can only understand if you understand the real essence of religion.
One inclines to be more personal and private while the other tends to include public rituals and organized principles. The lines between one and the other aren’t clear and distinct — they’re all points on the range of belief systems.
Neither religion nor spirituality is healthier or shoddier than the other; people who believe such differences are only fooling themselves.
I would say religion is like a University and spirituality is like the education you get in a university.
Your view kind of lowers the value of religion (atleast I felt so). You said religion concentrates on external while spirituality internal. This is not correct. It is a pseudo spirituality which concentrates on internal alone. For example, One has to eat, to maintain his body. For him to eat, they need hardwork of a farmer. If this so called spiritual fellow does not add to the life of farmer, what good is he? The ancient view of spirituality always insisted on harmonious way of approach – one of your earlier articles suggested the “balance”. You can see this in Gita’s roar to fight for dharma or Jesus’s call to love thy neighbours (how do you love? By externally acting). This is required. This is brought by religion. The thing that religion brings is spirituality. So, it’s like Sun and its light. You can not seperate both and speak individually!
Spiritual person knows that there is only one truth and they are in fact in charge of their own evolution and destiny. They also know that nothing is written and all our futures are shaped by our desires and the power of our minds.
How do you “know” there is only one truth and that you are in charge? Your future is shaped by your desires? Really … you put yourself on a par with Yahweh the creator of heaven and earth? I came out of decades of false new age spirituality thanks to Jesus – my saviour NOT my religion. Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life and no-one comes to the Father except through me” and that his “truth will make you free”. God’s son does not lie. AMEN!
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your heart out.
Please could I ask – why do you prefer new age spirituality over what Yahweh actually teaches? Thank you for your time.