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Hello, I think the question is right put 'what does it mean to yourself', because everybody should be free to believe in whatever he needs to believe to find inner peace. I myself think I am spiritual, even though I say I don't believe in God as it is thought in any religion. I was risen in a christian environment and probably got some christian features or tools or values through my education, since all our society is shaped around that religion. But growing up, I had given up some of those concepts, still discovering some I didn't know that were given to me, and finding new ones, sometimes through knowing other religions or beliefs, through experience, that are helping me going through life more serene. I don't believe in God, nor do I go to church, no do I have rituals in praying, but I am still spiritual, because I believe. I believe in time, that it can set things right, i believe in nature, that it does what's necessary to survival (it's us , through unnatural actions or reactions that influence that natural evolution of things most of the time), I believe in love, and I believe in 'healthy body-healthy mind, and vice versa'. To reflect on that i need time to myself, time in nature, time to rest, and time to be active. I need time to be with myself, find inner peace, stop the thoughts, do me good. sometimes in order to do that, i go for a long walk, I eat a nice meal, i read a good book, I go for a swim, or i lay down in the grass, letting the sun shine, or run through the rain... I have to feel I am part of the world, I climb a mountain , feel the wind, smell the season or the spices, have a laugh, sit down and observe, travel...simple things, human things. Sometimes I do yoga, because all the things mentioned before didn't calm me down, but most of the time those do quite well. In Buddhism indeed, many of the values taught about are very useful in everyday life, because it explains in an easy way what self love and self respect mean, Buddha's life tells the story of the so called spiritual path, which is no super power or something difficult to grasp, it's actually describing steps or episodes a human being can or will face in a life time, and gives ideas how to overcome its difficulties. It tells that the power lies within every human being, that all of us have that force to heal in ourselves... and I found that quite true, and if I'm honest, being spiritual to me means taking responsability over my own life, using my heart and my brain in an active way. Obviously that is not always easy, since we are given a package at birth that we didn't actively choose, and we have to deal with that luggage first, let some of it go, and choose our own road, and here it helps to be 'spiritual', meaning to get to know who we really are, despite that package. enjoy the journey, there is lots to discover!
Spiritual like religion can mean different things to different people. Although I belong to a church that I love, I rarely attend services. What I do, do is volunteer and try to give back to the church or community as a way of "paying it forward" type thing. Spiritual I think means you believe their is an entity more powerful than yourself (for me it's God) and you trust that entity with your whole being that whatever happens is meant to happen. You live your personal life in a way your Higher Power would want you too. I hope that made sense (It did in my head lol). I heard a saying yrs ago ( and I know many may disagree with this saying so putting a disclaimer that it is not my quote, just one I personally relate to) "Church is for those who don't want to go to hell, Spirituality is for those who have already been there" Blessings
Simply put, being spiritual is being able to look beyond the physical, measurable, quantifiable world. It is recognizing that we are spirits living in physical bodies, and that there is a greater reality that transcends what we can see, hear, touch and taste.
Geez, that sounds new-agey, but I'm trying to be succinct, lol.
What a wonderful question. I concur with Tom. Religion and spirituality are different to me.
It is imperative that spirituality is as the individual believes it to be.
I am not religious. I like some of what some religions speak of, but much I do not like.
I know I am living spiritually when I don't have that lump in my throat, when I feel my core at peace. When I can spend the time (seconds even) to appreciate small things like a glimpse at a sunset and say a quiet...wow.... When I walk my dog in the morning and hear the birds instead of the constant committee talking in my head.
When I can sit down and feel some peace and some calm... then I know I have connected spiritually.
How I do that is individual to me, but thats not the question you asked.
I know I am living spiritually, so to me a spiritual life, when I can do a gratitude list in the pit of my stomach and really feel it.
