What is spirituality? What is the meaning of spirituality? Can you define spirituality?

What is spirituality? What is the meaning of spirituality? Can you define spirituality? If so, what is a good spirituality definition? Spirituality is a new buzz-word. It is thrown around left and right and like so often, the meaning of spirituality develops on its own. Every religion or school of thought seems to define spirituality according to their particular beliefs. So maybe it's time to explore this a bit deeper. Before you do it, it would be helpful to watch this little Youtube video clip, which gives a nice approach wanting to understand spirituality.

What is spirituality
So let's address the first issue first. Consider first that the semantics of the word itself gives us some good starting point. So let start there. Let's define spirituality.
The word has a root that is spirit. This suggest some reference to the unseen. In all religions spirit is associated with the eternal part of our being. So by implication, the spirituality definition should be confined to that eternal part of humanity - the soul or spirit that does not die. But what about animal and plant spirits? There are people who believe that all living things have spirits, does that then mean that spirituality includes these entities? I think it doesn't have to, but it won't harm if it does. From the perspective of this site, the definition of spirituality will be all matters concerning with the unseen and untouchable component of humanity's existence. I know this definition brings us very close to the definition of consciousness, but I suppose that is exactly the purpose of this website: To explore the connections between consciousness and spirituality. Hopefully this definition of spirituality will assist you to describe spirituality better when asked 'what is spirituality', but you may still not know how it feels.

Introduction to spirituality
With a definition of spirituality in hand you may have a better UNDERSTANDING as to what is spirituality, but does that make you spiritual? No you will need to start engaging with spiritual-related activies. There are many such activities. Consciousness editation is one such activity. Practicing the power of now as defined by the author Eckhart Tolle is another. In many religions prayer or rituals (sacraments) fulfill a similar experience. It is all about having an emotional response. Like tuning a string instrument. You have to adjust your frequency until the experience resonates with you.

Meaning of spirituality
Spirituality has to bring meaning to those involve at either an experiential level or merely studying. The meaning of spirituality lies entirely on an emotional level. It is not something where a lot of intellectual thinking will enhance spirituality. Off course, an intellectual understanding facilitates spirituality but it can not enhance the experience per se.

Science, mysticism, spirituality
Science is increasingly bringing new understanding to the previously mystical fields such as spirituality. Cast your mind back a couple of centuries. The notion of illness was entirely mystical and explained in spiritual terms through demon possession and later as a result of sin. I believe in time our understanding of spiritualism will be purified by science as it removes the mysticism associated with the question of what is spirituality.

Spirituality vs religion
A topic as old as the mountains. For many centuries in the west, religion was spirituality. Religion in turn was a set of rules to be followed in order to gain access to the deity. Particularly in the middle-ages the experiential component of religion was completed ignored so that the spirituality component had no soil in which to germinate. These two subjects are still in a tug of war. As the meaning of spirituality shifts more toward the experiential, so religion is losing ground. Many people, including myself, declare themselves as spiritual and NOT religious.

So what is spirituality?
In the end you have to make up your own mind as to what it means to you. Since it is an intangible, your experience will dictate to you as to the meaning of spirituality for you.

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