Spiritual

• Spiritual self


  The idea of finding the meaning of life or why are we here on earth and where do we go from here
• Religion


  A set of cultural beliefs and practices
• Religious beliefs and practices


  Things we NEED to follow as part of religion
• It is important to have a religion where we can find meaning in ourselves, where we can define or associate ourselves based on our strong belief in our spiritual self
• Ritual


  A set of behavior that we exhibit based on our religious belief
• Rituals are the repeated gestures of activities, and connect worshippers with high power
• Religion


  A personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices; the service and worship of God or the supernatural
• Spirituality


  The aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred
• You may know people who consider themselves spiritual, but not religious. Conversely, there can be individuals who are devoutly religious but are not what most would consider deeply spiritual
• Exclusive vs. Inclusive - Religion

  • Traditional religious beliefs, sometimes based upon rigid interpretations of key teachings, can create an exclusive worldview that isolates those who may not share their views or interpretations
• Exclusive vs. Inclusive - Spirituality

  • Spirituality favors an inclusive approach. In the recognition that pure spirit is a unifying force, no one is left out. You are part of the universal hologram, all gods and goddesses in disguise
• Belief vs. Spiritual Experience - Religion

  • At its core, religion is about faith. That is to say, belief in something is based upon unconditional acceptance of the religion's teachings. Acceptance and surrender to the divine are taught as the path that leads to ultimate salvation
• Belief vs. Spiritual Experience - Spirituality

  • Spirituality doesn't dismiss faith; however, it often leans more heavily on direct experience of the soul or divinity. Spiritual practices such as meditation, yoga, silence, and contemplation allow you to make conscious contact with more expanded states of consciousness
• Fear vs. Love - Religion

  • Despite the best of intentions, religions can sometimes contain a subtle (or not so subtle) undercurrent of fear woven into their teachings. The concepts of original sin, divine judgement, God's wrath, or eternal punishment can create a mental environment burdened in worry and anxiety over your worthiness and whether your actions will result in divine retribution or karmic punishment
• Fear vs. Love - Spirituality

  • Spirituality typically discards the vestiges of fear and worry in favor of a more loving, compassionate approach to life and death. Spirituality embraces a consciousness-based worldview that supports all human beings on their path to awakening in unconditional love and kindness
• Logotherapy


  Theory developed by Viktor Frankl, founded on the belief that human nature is motivated by the search for a life purpose
• Will to meaning


  An inner desire to find purpose and meaning in life, in contrast to Freud's "will to pleasure" and Adler's "will to power"
• Viktor Frankl: 'If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering. Suffering is an eradicable part of life, even as fate and death. Without suffering and death, human life cannot be complete'
• What is your purpose in life?