Spirituality

Differences between religiosity and spirituality have been well articulated, although there continues to be overlap in how the terms are sometimes used. Religion tends to be defined as set of organizing beliefs and practices legitimized by a group’s established views. Spirituality tends to be defined more subjectively, often including the search for something sacred, a belief in something bigger than oneself, and experiences of self-transcendence. Spirituality is often but not always associated with an emotional and relational connection with the divine. Despite such definitional distinctions, there appears to be no universal agreement on the difference between religion and spirituality.

Spirituality appears to impact human experience not only emotionally and relationally but also biologically. Studies indicate that experiences of spiritual self-transcendence have been linked to increased binding ...