Spiritual NOT Religious

Spiritual but not religious” (SBNR), also known as ” Spiritual but not affiliated ” (SBNA), is a popular phrase and initialism used to self-identify a life stance of spirituality that takes issue with organized religion as the sole or most valuable means of furthering spiritual growth. Historically, the words religious and spiritual have been used synonymously to describe all the various aspects of the concept of religion, but in contemporary usage, spirituality has often been associated with the interior life of the individual, placing an emphasis upon the well-being of the “mind-body-spirit”, while religion refers to organizational or communal dimensions.”  (Wikipedia)

 

Another explanation that helps us to understand Spirituality is a quote from Science of Mind magazine’s June 1990 column titled:  Explorations in Consciousness:

In essence, spirituality is simply living with the intention to realize God in every circumstance of your being — your thoughts, emotions, words, deeds, relations, aspirations — in short, the totality of your life, right to its very end.  That attitude, that stance in life is the only thing which can truly create a better world.  There will never be a better world until there are better people in it.  The way to build better people is to begin with yourself by realizing God.  To realize God means to know God on every leverl of reality and in every mode or aspec of God’s being.

In theological terms, spirituality is seeing God in all things, all events and alol circumstances, indwelling as infinite light and unconditional love, and seeing all things, events, and circumstances in God as the matric or infinite ocean in which the universe occurs …

Although definitions of Spirituality and beliefs around it are different, there are a few standard beliefs about Spirituality:

1. We believe everyone possesses the divine within them which manifests itself in our uniqueness, our authenticity and our unlimited power to create our own reality.  Somewhere along the path of life, we turn away from this belief as we try to conform to the world.

2. We believe in everyone’s inherent goodness rather than thinking we are sinful in nature.  After all, if we are made in the image of God how can we truly be ‘evil’ or live in ‘original sin’.

3. Instead of worshiping a deity or entity outside ourselves, we work on becoming better versions of ourselves.  We believe that the divine resides within all creation — including ourselves!

(Excerpts taken from Dr. Jayne Gardener’s article:  Some Differences Between Spirituality/Religion.)

 

Spirituality really has very little to do with Religion.  Non-religious people often search deeper and harder for personal spirituality because they do not relate to any religious organization.  In my case, religion drove me to find my own spirituality outside of a fundamental religious belief.

Spirituality should not be confused with religion.  The first is the fuel, the second a mode of transport into which to load it.  Poeple who suddenly “get religion” have been spiritual beings all along.

~ Rev. Dr. Jess Jennings, SOM Magazine, June 2018

If you relate or identify with this, then you are probably in the right place!

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