How do you be spiritual?

Question

Sure, we hear it a lot. "No, I'm not religious. I'm spiritual." Ok, what does that even mean? I asked AI and got this:

"Being spiritual but not religious usually means a person cares about inner meaning, purpose, and connection, without following an organized religion or its rules."

Ok, great, but what does that look like? I mean you could have 3 people in a room together, 1 is spiritual, 1 is religious, 1 is atheist. How would you know before they started voicing their beliefs? I suppose, depending on the religion, the way they were dressed would make a difference. I'm sure a Muslim wouldn't be dressed the same as an Amish person, etc. But what really makes the difference between being religious and being spiritual? Going to church? Practicing certain rituals? Following certain guide lines? The way you live your life? Is a homeless person with a kind heart any less spiritual or religious than someone with a Cadillac who goes to church on Sundays?

And what is the point of one opposed to the other? Why be either? Is one right and one wrong or are they all right in their own way? Was Jesus spiritual? Is a wise man sitting on a mountain any closer to God than anyone else? And what God , if any, are they seeking? And who is God? Why would we seek him/her/they/it? Do they have knowledge we don't? And if so, do we really need it? or is it inner peace? Can't we find that here and now?

Or is the point of it all just to find love and it shouldn't matter how anyone gets there?

I know, that turned into a lot more than one question but that's what I was pondering on this winter's eve.

Some may say, "Wtf, Random. Go get a life."

Lynx122 · Accepted Answer

Well by that definition I am spiritual. For me it's just a personal process of me interacting with my own life and figuring out how to handle my struggles and move forward in a positive way. To me there is nothing religious about it but I do like to believe that everything that happens is for my benefit to help me grow and learn and see things in a positive light. But that's just a mindset that I find helpful.
I don't think it's a competition of who is closer to god or who knows the truth or so. It's just about what works for you and helps you grow. I've had to find my own path I couldn't take the one that most people take, so everything I do I built from scratch and figured it out through trial and error what works for me. I feel like it's just about connecting to yourself and listening to yourself and then removing the obstacles that life has put in our way or that we have put there ourselves, that's the main part. If it helps you to believe in some kind of supernatural thing then that's fine. As I said it's better not to focus on a universal truth that needs to be found. When you work on these things then you will see that your story and your journey do reflect some universal truths but that's a secondary thing. The main thing is you living your life. Doing this work is unavoidable and without doing it we can't even absorb or understand the wisdom if someone tells it to us. There is no shortcut. We each have our own history and strengths and weaknesses so each path is different. You can use something as a light at the end of the tunnel if it helps you but for the journey itself, you have to confront your fears and your pain and anxiety and trauma etc.

Good luck on your journey. You don't have to look for someone else to teach you wisdom life will do it for you.

HawkPerception · Accepted Answer

I love this question. It's thoughtful and inquisitive. I can see the preview to your rabbit hole thought process. But you're slacking in your use of AI. Either that, or you chose not to share its answer. Because it would have given you a pretty good answer to your questions. You could have plugged this question into AI and got a pretty good answer, but I'm guessing you did this to see what others think.

The true differentiation between theists, atheists, and spiritual people is primarily INTERNAL. What differentiates us is the foundational belief about the existence and nature of the divine or transcendent.

The clothes they wear, going to church, and rituals are all just cultural packaging.

How one chooses to live their life is the practical output of their worldview, but being a moral person is not unique to any one group or religion; You do not need to be religious to be a good person.

Material wealth or social status does not equate or correlate to spiritual or religious merit. Character qualities like kindness, compassion, integrity, etc. are what defines our merit.

I myself am agnostic. I consider myself spiritual because I'm literally what was mentioned above... "A person who cares about inner meaning, purpose, and connection, without following an organized religion or its rules."

You don't need to be religious to be a good person. I don't believe in any made up human nonsense written in books from thousands of years ago. Most religious people are so indoctrinated, they suffer from cognitive dissonance and will refuse to listen to logical arguments that don't fit their narrative.

FreyaRed · Accepted Answer

Religions are monopolized spirituality. Some pagans believed in forest ghost of winter and spring. This is native spirituality. Than came a demagogue and told them it's not forest ghost make winter solstice but it's time of birth of some pseudo god. It was the moment spirituality of many started to be exploited for benefits of few ones.
Ergo: In terms of spirituality you can believe Spaghetti monster created Universe but for religious person you will be a fool, because their spirituality is exclusive. It's so exclusive that in the past they were convinced to kill pagans in crusades just to prove their spirituality is superior. (See Teutonic Order conquest of Prussia and Baltic pagans)

Now back to the question. I'm spiritual on my own way. I don't let others to tell me what I'm allowed to believe and what not. I believe our universe is just a simulation in much bigger structure. Baryonic matter we can notice and are build off isn't the real structure of universe. We just came while studying electromagnetic waves and weird behavior of these on quantum level to the knowledge there is something unnatural like gravity we don't still don't understand. Because it's knowledge beyond level of our simulation.

jennifer_bloom · Accepted Answer

I believe religion comes by effort and ethics, not occupation or position. A factory worker is just as religious, if not more religious than a monk or sage, because God rewards you based on your labour and behaviour, not your degree or your head wear item.

Purpleronnie · Answer

Your description made me chuckle @randomgirl42 , just because in my opinion the questions you ponder makes me think ironically that your already more spiritual than you perhaps realize.  I consider being spiritual almost part philosophical, mindfulness , inward fulfillment amongst other characteristics. To live with true purpose , noticing your thoughts and being present , aware of your surroundings , controlling what you can , accepting which you can’t in a stoic fashion whilst creating meaning through action.  It could be as simple as living deliberately , what you give your energy to , where you spend your time and what with and who you tolerate being part of it. Letting yourself ‘feel’, being comfortable with your deepest thoughts and conversant in them. People sometimes approach life like a race , thought a collection of stages or tests , education, career , marriage , possessions , status , good times , travel blah blah yadda yadda like targets that somehow give your life meaning as you meet the goals never stopping to appreciate what life truly is , to live with a truly satisfied mind

aaron13547 · Answer

Spirt to me is breath. Its paying attention to yourself. Looking within. Asking the question who am I and daring to find the answer.

Religions i think are like someone telling you about what they discovered about their spirt, which is also the same spirt you have. Hence why we can resonate with some religions and not others.

Spirt is always changing, hence the breathe in and out to stay alive. Hold your breathe and you lose it even with it in your lungs. You have to release it to take in more and keep living. relegion is like trying to hold onto something infinite and always changing.

Spiritual is what we discover ourselves through breath. OR life

🐇🎩😉

Zack-Bann · Answer

It’s just about believing that a higher “magical” power exists, spirits basically

While being a total atheist is only recognizing flesh blood and bone and nothing else

Religious believers see spiritual folk as heretics because they give themselves too much power to justify all kinds of actions

End of the day religion is nothing but a tool for policing a population

Before constitutions and laws there was holy books used to prevent people from killing each other and robbing each other and so on

NathanDavis · Answer

being spiritual is more like... you already have the spirit within you and then you're just kind and generally good, lol being religious... is more like the need to be told that you have to be good to avoid hell, and telling others they are going to hell, they need to be constantly reminded to be good instead of being of good nature being atheist... is more like having nothing better to do than to argue with religious people about Jesus and bananas, lmao

dislikesmath · Answer

For example since I was a young boy I knew something was of as I grew older I heard my name from no were, I used to have weird dreams, I for example dreamed about money in my drawers. later I got checks in mail. For a few years I just try living peacefully I can sense things probably not everyone around can't babies, people even animals look at me and continue to as I walk, im guessing they Sense something in me because I think it's just not s coincidence. For me spiritual I guess means your at peace with yourself.

DextroShade · Answer

When someone says they are "spiritual" it typically means they are into stupid woowoo crap like astrology, numerology, crystals, "energy", "vibrations", and manifestation. These people are almost always low-IQ females.

sawno · Answer

Oh thats an easy one to answer for me since I am in that category.
If you are religious you follow a specific religion, so typically something with a book and religious leaders telling you how everything is. Religious people are spiritual but in a very specific way. While if you are spiritual but not religious you believe there is something, and you may believe in specific things, but not things that are specific to any formal religion.

Agape93 · Answer

It means you have spiritual beliefs, without the structure that is religious dogma.

For example, say you believe a tree is a sentient being, and you enjoy spending time and talking with it, and believing it understands you and can maybe help you. That's spiritual.

If you then try to garner that help via following strict guidelines, that becomes a religion.

garfieldobsessed01 · Answer

I say I'm spiritual instead of saying I follow more pagan practices and witchcraft lol since not everyone responds well to the truth. Lots don't care but most react like I'm going to burn in hell after they burn me at the stake lol so saying I'm spiritual covers it enough, because it's not a lie, I am.

loveslongnails · Answer

It means I believe there's life beyond this physical world, but I don't believe in your religious bullshit dogma. I believe that the Creator is not as stupid and limited as your religion, pretty much ANY religion, makes said Creator out to be. I believe said Creator is not a petty, vengeful, angry, selfish idiot who demands that the creations kill other creations because either one thinks they are true bearers of said Creators words.

I hope that helps.

strateguy632 · Answer

By imagining non-physical stuff in crystals or that the position of zodiac changed your spirit.

LiamS95 · Answer

To me being Spiritual, isn't being religous, it's more about being respectful, obedient and in tune or in sync with the Holy Spirit of God, the bible says the Spirit of God is our greatest friend on earth and will add His strength to our weakness which can help us in every aspect of our lives. I'm not sure if that hrlps you but that's what it means to me.

MrChinaski · Answer

Think warm thoughts until you reach 100% proof.  Well... it works for scotch distilleries...

AngryCarl2 · Answer

My idea of spirituality is broadly the same as Alan Watts. We are not born and we don't die. We are eternal and we are all one.

DonaldDarko · Answer

No idea what spiritual means. I don't have any religious beliefs I don't know if I'm spiritual or not. Maybe not or maybe very much. It's hard to say without anything to go on.

purplepoppy · Answer

A religious person believes God gives their life meaning, a spiritual person believes they have to give meaning to their own life.

exitseven · Answer

I believe that there are things in the universe that we cannot detect with our senses, Every once in a while we may get a glimpse of it when conditions are right.

Spencer10 · Answer

I get away into nature. Nature is my religion in most ways. I feel a connection with the world I seldom feel in civilization.

queenofcardio · Answer

It's confusing and everyone defines spirituality their own way.

WhitneySnow · Answer

Spiritual is religious without following any organized religion. It’s really pretty simple.

SieghardWalsung · Answer

Be religious.. but not like those  other  "religious people."

AgentG111 · Answer

When I get to pounding away in a woman and get her screaming Oh God.

Xawyx-2 · Answer

By summoning spirits? :P

fish5505_87 · Answer

I'm not sure? Still, working on my spirituality.

disgustingweebtrash · Answer

Christ is King

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