How to Become more Spiritual in Life versus Being Religious

Learning to differentiate between the two words is just the start of the process. The word "versus" is an innocuous attempt at invoking thought. Please read on.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• An open mind

1. Before I explain how to become more spiritual versus religious, I would like to clarify the difference between the two diverse words. When you are religious you believe in God and having faith that a supreme being is overseeing the universe. Prayer is a significant part of being religious as is going to a house of worship.
2. To become spiritual entails far more. Spirituality comes from within. Some say it means breath. It encompasses who you are and what you espouse. It involves doing righteous things with a sense of tranquility and purpose with a connection to all living things.
3. Religious beliefs are the outward manifestation of worshipping a God. The spiritual aspect is the inner connection to God. The core beliefs of any religion allow standards that can be measured. In spirituality the standards are the inner awareness that good cannot be transcribed in dogmas. It is an internal knowing, a sense of interconnectivity to everyone and to God.
4. How does one become more spiritual? That is a loaded statement. One just doesn’t suddenly become spiritual. I have witnessed people become religious or ‘born again’ immediately. So to suggest that one can instantly attain spirituality is not something I can agree with. It is a learned endeavor and it is a process that continues throughout your life. The elevation of your spirituality manifests from within and expels outward with a lucidness that is palpable to others. You exude a ‘glow’ that ignites others to be around you. The inner flame burns with an inner passion that dispels itself toward the betterment of fellow man and its creatures.
5. Learning spirituality from a book can give you the format and platform to help you achieve an inner peace but it is only a guiding factor. The path or journey is taken from within. The best thing one can do, besides reading literature, is to find a mentor. You can locate a teacher by attending a course at a local college. If you decide that you like the curriculum, you can consult with the teacher. It doesn’t hurt to ask questions that you don’t comprehend. By conversing with a teacher you may learn where he or she studied. That establishment may have a teacher waiting for you.
6. While I stated that spirituality comes from within the confines of your soul, you may need direction in accomplishing that goal. That may require outward materials such as books and mentors to give you a foundation. The actuality of spirituality can only come from the internal self.
7. Finding a guide or mentor can take a lifetime or can be found immediately. It all depends on your willingness to look for signs that show you the way.

Tips & Warnings

• Both can be mutually exclusive or brought together depending on your dogmas.
• Advocating one over the other is not the intention here.
• One is not better than the other.