Basked in the glow of twinkling lanterns and stars, Ramadan is more than just a religious practice. Let’s take a closer look into the real meaning and benefits of spirituality.

Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, communal bonding, and gratitude, woven together with threads of self-discipline and worship. Amid life’s relentless demands and pressures, Ramadan offers a respite—a chance to cultivate resilience and delve into the realms of insight and reflection.

But why does abstaining from food and water hold such significance? Interestingly, similar to Ramadan, other religious festivities like Christmas, Easter, Diwali, or Eid carry a universal essence: spirituality. This age-old link between spirituality and mental health is gaining recognition, backed by growing evidence of its psychological benefits. As individuals navigate life’s challenges, many find solace and strength in spiritual concepts and practices, fortifying their mental well-being against adversity.

In this blog, we embark on a journey to unravel spirituality’s essence, setting it apart from religion while unveiling its potential for fostering emotional balance and inner peace.

What’s the difference between religion and spirituality?

While both religion and spirituality explore morality and the purpose of life, the two terms are neither interchangeable nor mutually inclusive. That means that a religious person may not necessarily have high spirituality, and a spiritual person doesn’t necessarily follow a certain religion. 

Spirituality is a personal humanistic experience of reflecting on the meaning and purpose of life. It involves understanding self-value and discovering personally meaningful ways to feel connected or transcended. On the other hand, religion involves an organized system of beliefs, with specific focus on sacred rituals, institutions and teachings.

They still sound kind of the same, don’t they? Both religion and spirituality have many overlapping concepts. However, the purpose of religion is to enhance spirituality, with the latter being directed towards the individual self. Since spirituality involves a personal discovery of the soul, it is inherently linked to one’s emotional and psychological well-being. 

Spirituality should not be a door for invalidation.

Let’s debunk some myths surrounding spirituality. While it delves into existential questions of meaning and interconnectedness, spirituality should not be grounds for disconnecting from reality or invalidating negative emotions. 

Spirituality is not: 

“Good things only happen to good people.”

“Your suffering stems from lack of praying and devotion.” 

“If you just pray more, you will stop feeling this sadness.” 

“Instead of feeling upset, you should be grateful for your blessings.” 

Many of these phrases reflect the misconceptions about spirituality in which it’s sometimes associated with a constant state of serenity, calmness and acceptance. Other times, spirituality may be used as a means to disregard real-word factors and attribute stressors to spiritual shortcomings or cosmic justice. However, even highly spiritual individuals are not immune to adversities or negative affects.

Spirituality, in reality, is a universal experience that is subjective to each person. When cultivated properly, it can be used to foster emotional processing and self-fulfillment. And in essence, it is one path to self-discovery, where struggles and sorrows coexist with gratitude and compassion.

How can we promote psychological well-being through spirituality?

Cultivating Emotional Balance. 

Present times require major emotional and physical efforts to meet certain professional or personal expectations. Whether it’s hustling through the busy atmosphere of work or managing one’s personal turmoils and social identity, most of our attention is directed externally, with little capacity for reflection and emotional processing. In such cases, spiritual practices serve as a gateway for making a conscious effort to create this time and space- a precious commodity in our fast-paced world. Through certain rituals, such as meditation or praying, one is able to relish in moments of stillness and introspection. Similar to grounding exercises, some rituals allow us to relieve stress through controlled breathing and self-reflection. Consequently, this allows us to connect with our emotional states and needs, effectively understanding and responding to them.

Nurturing Inner Harmony.

Where do I find meaning? What helps me feel interconnected? 

These questions reflect the inherent human desire to understand the purpose of our existence,  the significance of our presence amidst the vastness of the universe, and to establish meaningful connections with others and the environment. Individuals who are able to create an outlet for this exploration, are also able to find personal methods that express this essence. Spiritual practices promote self-acceptance and self-worth by fostering gratitude and compassion. By forging this intimate connection with oneself, one can foster the foundations for self-forgiveness, letting go of past grievances and embracing a sense of inner peace that transcends external circumstances.

Exploring Meaning and Purpose.

Major themes in spirituality focus on exploring the meaning and purpose behind one’s existence. Amidst the predominant social patterns of materialism and capitalism, one’s self-perception could be vulnerable, and self-worth is weighted by one’s productivity. However, cultivating spirituality offers a sanctuary– an invitation to expand the horizon of possibilities associated with one’s identity. By embracing spirituality, individuals embark on a transformative journey that transcends the confines of societal norms, allowing them to reinforce a deeper understanding of their intrinsic worth and purpose.

A limitless journey.

While Ramadan may only be a month, the spiritual journey one embarks has no set limitation. It is more than a single process or ritual, and its ability to impact the individual transcends superficial mantras and serves as a profound avenue for nurturing emotional well-being, self-discovery and connection.

Spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test.

 It is a relationship. 

Spirituality is not about competency;

It is about intimacy. 

Spirituality is not about perfection; 

It is about connection.

The way of the spiritual life begins where we are now in the mess of our lives

– Mike Yaconelli