If you consider yourself spiritual rather than religious, do you believe in God? Is there a God in spirituality?
Before answering this question, let’s start by asking, “Who is God?”
Religion talks about God as the Creator who created the world and all the things and beings in it. He is seen as most powerful and almighty because all of creation emerges, is sustained and dissolves back into God at the end of life.
Different religions have different names for God—Krishna, Holy Spirit, Lord, Allah, Elohim, Adonai, Yahweh, Jehovah, Ahura Mazda and others..
Hunger To Connect With Something Higher
There seems to be hunger deep within us that longs for a connection to something higher and mightier which can remove our pains and relieve us our sense of helplessness and limitation.
Understanding this innate need and to make it easier for people to connect to God and worship Him, religions were formed.
In times of loss and sorrow, faith in God gives us the inner strength to face and overcome our challenges.
Who Does The Spiritual Person Connect With?
If you consider yourself spiritual and don’t prescribe to any particular religion, then who do you go to in time of sorrow and need?
We all need help and support. Whether we go to people or to a higher power, we are constantly reaching outside of ourselves to fulfill our needs and desires.
A spiritual person sees herself as a thread in the grand tapestry of life. She understands that there is an intelligence and beauty far beyond what she can ever fathom with her limited mind and perspective.
She knows that there must be an Ultimate Cause for this world that pervades everything and every being.
This is her “God.”
“God” in Religion is the same God in spirituality
The same God in religion is known variously in spirituality as:
- Ultimate Cause or Reality
- Source
- All-that-is
- The Truth
And the fact is, religion also speaks of God in those very same words. It adds that God is All-knowing, All-pervading, Immutable, Immortal – the Highest Reality.
A spiritual person may not follow a particular religion but she too, strives to connect with Source in the same way that a religious person may. For example, she may connect through:
- Inner silence
- Meditation Techniques
- Contemplation
- Rituals and worship that reflect her personal beliefs
- Study of metaphysical books and scriptural literature of various traditions and cultures
She does not follow any specific religious injunctions and rituals as prescribed for her religious counterpart, but rather, she strives to follow universal values and principles to guide her thoughts and actions.
ONENESS Is The Guiding Light
The principle of ONENESS is her main guiding light. She tries her best to not see divisions between people and their paths, but rather the interconnectedness of every being and thing.
So, to answer the question whether you believe in God if your are spiritual, yes, you do.
You may not call God as “God” but your belief in something higher is the same as a religious person.
The truth is…
Religion and spirituality are not mutually exclusive
You can be religious and spiritual at the same time.
You can practice the spiritual Truth of Oneness within the parameters of your religion. In fact, this is the goal to be reached, no matter what your religion.
Religion is grounded in spiritual Truth.
The goal of all is the same – whether you consider yourself as spiritual, religious or both. But, the paths leading to the goal are different and have different disciplines and practices
To understand the similarities between spiritual and religion, please read my other article: Can you be both spiritual and religious?
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Thank you so much….as I was reading, I was at the same time, answering your question. My thoughts became your words, in a much more beautiful and soulful way.
Beautiful! We are in synch!
I am getting in touch with my spiritual being . And coming from a Christian back ground I get confused in whether I can be both or not.
I would like to get more in tune spiritually and would love to know more of your teachings .
Hello Jo-Anne,
Thank you for reaching out. Whether you are following a religious path or spiritual one, both lead you to the same goal. Religion calls it God, while spirituality calls it your Higher Self/Inner Self or Self. The underlying teachings of religion are based on spiritual truths but the application of those truths differ from one religion to the next. Each religion has its own set of beliefs on how to apply spiritual truths through various rituals and methods of worship.
To answer your question whether you can be both Christian and spiritual—absolutely! Cultivate love for God while seeing Him in all. Love all, serve all, be good, be kind…all these are spiritual teachings that have been put into a religious context.
You can certainly be a spiritually-inclined practising Christian. Being spiritual does not mean leaving God behind to seek out your own spirit. Your spirit is God. You can worship him within your own heart and not as an external force or power.
Spirituality teaches us that not only is God or the divine within you, but you and He are essentially ONE. You are a divine spiritual being seeking to rediscover your oneness with God/Spirit, your true Self.
You ask how you can come to know more of my teachings…thank you so much for your interest! Please know that my teachings are not my own but are the teachings of the spiritual science of Vedanta, the basis of my studies and work.
My blog has nearly 200 articles on spirituality. Please take a look at the archives and select any title that appeals to you. https://www.manishamelwani.com/archive/ To receive my newer articles and find out about my offerings, you can also subscribe to my free newsletter at https://www.manishamelwani.com
To learn how to apply spirituality into your life and live as a spiritual being (without leaving your Christian faith), please read my book, So You’re a Spiritual Being—Now what? Here’s a short video with a summary of the book. https://www.manishamelwani.com/book-understanding-spiritual-journey/
And lastly, I offer personal consultations and so if you’d like to meet me on-line to discuss more, I’ll be happy to support you. https://www.manishamelwani.com/book-your-personal-consultation/
Wishing you all success in your spiritual journey, Jo-Anne!
This is a true incident that happened with me.. I went to a church when i was feeling low and that things were not happening right in my life. Just to vent out in front of god. As i closed my eyes to pray hard that why my life is not going smoothly, i felt a very warm, almost hot touch on my left arm externally, as if someone is holding a candle very close to me thats burning my skin. I got disturbed while praying.. i thought for a second.. who is this illiterate person who is carrying a candle so close to me. I opened my eyes and i was shocked to see no one around to the left of me!. I left the church in a hurry. And then googled it to see if others have experienced similar warmth in a church. To my surprise, it was an angel as per google results. Some people have felt the same as they shared online. Surprisingly i felt very calm after the experience and for the first time i started seeing no. 7 repeatedly everywhere. On every number plate that i saw. I believe this is called ascension. So i do know that angels exist.
Thank you for sharing that amazing story. Yes, I too believe that angels exist. Many blessings to you!