Spirituality Information

Religion and Spirituality - What Differentiates Religion from Spirituality?


Religion is "absolute truth of life" of the physical manifested world. It is Religion and not Spirituality which forms the basis of the present society we live in. In the present the needs for following a Religion being at its minimum... it is easy to follow any Religion. Anyone... even a layman can follow any Religion but not Spirituality?

What vastly differentiates Religion and Spirituality? Religion... if it forms the core of the physical manifested world... it is the Spirituality (the truth of our Soul within) which upholds the values in the society. Without Spirituality the physical manifested world cannot sustain for long but in the absence of religion... the society can survive on its own.

It is Spirituality (the truth of our real self... our Soul within) which forms the core of the cosmic world. The physical manifested world is a reality in terms of the senses (which guide every human being on its earthly journey). In the cosmic world... our physical manifested world does not hold good for there is nothing solid in the Cosmos. Everything in the Cosmos is made up of the basic building block of the Cosmos which comprise of atoms and molecules alone.

Religion is meant for passing of the physical manifested life in a meaningful manner. Unable to understand the nature of God... humanity has built for itself various religious centers all over the globe. These religious centers are they a mosque, temple or a church... provide a succor to the ever ailing society. They quench the thirst of an average human being... one who does not have time or the resources to contemplate directly on God the Almighty.

Indulgence in Spirituality is not meant for the average human being. To be able to fathom the depths of the Scriptures of the various religions of the world (the core truths of Spirituality)... one needs to dive deep into the pearls of wisdom contained in the various sacred Scriptures of the world. Spirituality is totally oblivious of a religion. In the field of Spirituality one need not go to a mosque, temple or a church in search of God. It is contemplation and only contemplation which shall lead one to God the Almighty.

Spirituality (contrary to religion) is all about the spirit existing within every human being neigh every living being (Jiva as we call it in Hinduism). It is truth of every life prevailing on Mother Earth. It is the real self of us which exists within every living being since the birth of that body in the form of an individual soul. Spirituality and Religion are the two fundamentals of life which every living being is required to follow simultaneously.

One can live without Religion but not without Spirituality for Spirituality forms the core of very existence of every living being. It is the spirit within every human being that we exist as a physical form on Mother Earth. We may or may not indulge in understanding Spirituality or a Religion but inherently every living being pursues the path of Spirituality in every manifestation. Spirituality is that fundamental of life which cannot be ignored by one.

To be able to understand the basics of the Spirituality (not religion) one needs to understand the underlying meaning of the various sacred Scriptures existing on Mother Earth. Whatever our religious masters teach us on the physical plane may not be a truthful representation of whatever is contained in the sacred Scriptures. Many commentaries may exist related to a particular sacred Scripture but all may not be correct or rightly represent the facts contained therein.

To be able to interpret the sacred Scriptures correctly one needs to understand the inner meaning of the core teachings contained therein. Spirituality in other words can only be best understood from a realized master. Only those who have reached the level of Mahavira, Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ or Prophet Mohammed can deliver the humanity of its ills.

On the contrary going to a temple, mosque or a church can provide temporary succor to the ailing humanity but it is only Spirituality which can provide a permanent relief. Religion provides relief in day-to-day life but Spirituality liberates one forever from the cycle of birth and death. Religion is primarily a following of an enlightened master... it is only the correct interpretation of his teachings that one can follow spirituality to its logical end.

Buddhism Religion relates to the teachings of Gautama Buddha. The Islamic Religion is based on the teachings of Prophet Mohammed. Jainism (which can not be rightly called as a Religion but a way of life) is based on the collective teachings of the various Tirthankars (enlightened souls). Similarly Christianity is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Following the teachings of Mahavira, Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ or Prophet Mohammed... One can definitely reach the higher portals of Religion but to become one like Mahavira, Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ or Prophet Mohammed one needs to understand the core teachings of the realized masters themselves in a totally unadulterated form.

In a nutshell, if we desire to understand the fundamentals of life itself and reach the end of the cosmic journey... we need to understand Spirituality in totality. And on the contrary if we desire to live the present physical manifested life in the best manner possible then following the dictates of Religion alone would suffice.

Vijay Kumar... The Man who Realized God in 1993 explains what differentiates Religion from Spirituality. Subscribe free Newsletter "Spiritual Secrets Unveiled" - Explore hidden cosmic truths Religion and Spirituality


MORE RESOURCES:

Religious But Not Spiritual
Huffington Post (blog)
And when he apotheosizes spirituality as the alternative to religion, I groan in dismay. I hate spirituality, at least as it has come to be used in these contexts. Spirituality is a weasel word, impossible to define or pin down. It can, and does, ...

and more »


Toledo Blade

Author questions New Spirituality
Toledo Blade
Rediscovering His Truth in an Age of Mass Marketed Spirituality (FaithWords, $21.99), he sets his sights on the New Spirituality/New Age movement and such prominent proponents as Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra. The book "was prompted by so much that ...

and more »


Entertainmentwise

Demi Moore seeks spiritual help from guru Deepak Chopra: report
New York Daily News
By Joyce Chen / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Demi Moore is in desperate need of some serious spiritual guidance, so it's only fitting that the actress is turning to the best in the business: Deepak Chopra. Various reports have place Moore, 49, ...
Demi Moore seeking spiritual solaceTimes of India
Demi Moore Seeks Spiritual Guru Deepak Chopra's Helpallvoices
Demi Moore has asked for help from spiritual guru Deepak Chopra.Entertainmentwise
People Magazine -Digital Spy
all 55 news articles »


BOOKSHELF: 'Stepping' teaches how to become 'spiritual beings'
Evansville Courier & Press
By Sara Anne Corrigan The inspiration for this book has its roots in Native American spiritual practices. But it is not a book about Native American spirituality. Author Sandy Nathan explains in her introduction that she originally set out to write ...

and more »


National Catholic Register

Religious, Not Spiritual
National Catholic Register
Permit me a few words as a convert to the Catholic tradition from precisely this “I'm spiritual, not religious” flavor of Christian sectarianism. Having been raised nothing, but having imbibed this white-whiskered and hoary rejection of “religion” as a ...



Spirituality for Busy Moms Tip #5: Pray as you are
Patheos (blog)
In Why I Am Both Spiritual and Religious, I write more about prayer and other daily, weekly, and annual practices that help us to both be still and know God. I also recommend two books that have been instrumental in my prayer life over the years.

and more »


Higher calling: the spirituality of Rick Husband
New Zimbabwe.com (blog)
He determined that his fulltime job was to be a spiritual leader to his family. He wanted his children to know Jesus as their Lord. He understood that if at the end of life having been an astronaut but having sacrificed his family along the way would ...

and more »


PR Web (press release)

Celebrate 12-Step Spirituality at St. Patrick's Day Spirituality Workshop 2012 ...
PR Web (press release)
World renown author and spiritual teacher Fr. Richard Rohr (http://www.cacradicalgrace.org) is joined with John McAndrew, Director Spiritual Care at Betty Ford Center, Ranch Mirage, CA for a special St. Patrick's Day Spiritual Workshop in Dana Point, ...



Victoria Times Colonist (blog)

Spirituality, and writing for children
Victoria Times Colonist (blog)
As adults, we can sometimes find it challenging to articulate our spiritual journey, especially when the process feels so personal and beyond words. Yet, if we want to share our spiritual beliefs with children, how do we move past abstract terms and ...



The answers lie within us
Deccan Chronicle
In such a situation we need something higher to fall back on and spirituality provides that solution. Spirituality is not new. It is the science of connecting or reconnecting with ourselves. It is the inner path, the journey within, discovering the ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006