by Luna Kay

Created on: February 29, 2008

Spirituality is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as either being owned by the church by ecclesiastical law, being clergy, or being spiritual in nature. It's defined in the Random House dictionary as the above, but including things of an incorporeal or immaterial nature.

But, what does spirituality mean on a more personal, intimate level? To an individual? Excepting the Church or religious matters, spirituality can take on whole different meanings for different people.

For some, spirituality may come as a sense of connectedness a feeling of oneness with the people and things around them. For others, it may come as a divine presence or feeling of 'something bigger'. Yet others may feel it as an intense desire to help people, or nature as a whole. But even these aren't all there is. So many people view spirituality in so many different ways, that it's extremely difficult to pinpoint the nature of those feelings and sensations.

A lot of people automatically equate spirituality with religion, hand in hand and inseparable. There can be no spirituality without God, and there can be no God without spirituality. While the latter might be true (especially for those who view spirituality as a divine presence), the former is most assuredly not.

Spirituality, while often viewed as divine in origin, doesn't necessarily have to originate from religion, any religion. A sense of attunement with nature, for example, is often attributed as a more spiritual sense of being to those who experience it, but have no official (or unofficial) ties to any particular religion. There's also the philosophical viewpoint of spirituality leading to a greater understanding of ourselves and thus the universe the universe being a great cosmic force that is all encompassing. Or, as Scientist and U-Conn physics professor Ronald Mallett said, "We [humans] are the product of the universe trying to understand itsself."

Of course, to some people spirituality is pretty all-encompassing, including such things as different planes of existence, ghosts and other supernatural entities, energy (both life energy and ambient energy), the divine and our own psyches. This sort of spirituality seems to be prevalent among New Age/Neopagans, taking into account the spiritual nature of all things.

Others see spirituality as more of a life philosophy explore yourself, do good deeds, live a good life, and find enlightenment. Or even something as simple as a 'roll with the punches' attitude. Take things as they come, live with them in harmony, and keep your inner peace.

Obviously, spirituality is different for everyone. The common theme is a personal journey of self discovery and trying to achieve a harmonious state of being.

What does spirituality mean for you?

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