It's Personal! The Fundamental Difference Between Religion and Spirituality

Religion can loosely be described as the formalizedknowing' that you are indeed connected to God.
ideas held by a group of people to define theirThis is a personal relationship to God and an
understanding of God and their relationship to theinsight that you don't need to go to a special
creator and creation. In some shape or form,building to find God, but that you simply have to
religion has been present in human civilizationslook deep within yourself. It means that you don't
since the beginning of time. Throughout historyneed some special person with a college education
cultural development has been inextricably linkedto lead you to God, but that you simply have to
to people's view of the world and their relationshipturn inwards to find divine guidance.
to the mysterious and the unknown dimension ofIt's been said that you can't get wet from the
life that we've come to call God. Religion hasword water and however strange the idea is, it is
taken on many different forms and manyvery true for many people's spiritual journeys.
different views in many different cultures. TheUntil and unless you dive in and make personal
one common idea is that the religion willcontact with God by turning inwards and following
collectively value, uphold and even impose a setyour inner guidance your life will always be
of beliefs which they consider the path to Goddictated by other people's ideas - ideas that are
and 'the truth' about this mysterious, yet evermostly designed to keep you thinking and acting
present force of life.like everybody else.
Along with religion, came a certain level of powerTrue freedom comes from this personal
- especially for those who 'made the rules' andrelationship to God and knowing that you don't
who were believed to be appointed by God toneed to be saved, that you are in fact born a
rule the people. In the early Christian church, thegood person and that God cares about you
religious leaders were also the politicians and theyregardless of whether you comply to some
ruled by fear, violently imposing their ideas uponreligion's rules. Spirituality will lead you to the
the people. You were told what to believe andrealization that you are whole, complete and
how to behave in virtually every aspect of life.magnificent in every possible way and that you
There was absolutely no room for really gettingare unique and special with your own grand
to know God, because those who claimed tomission in life. Your purpose in life in not to live up
know God were the only one who can speak toto the expectations of other in order to be a
God, and be spoken to by God.good person, but rather to live up to the
Some of the earliest meaning of the word religionexpectations of your Self, your spirit (or your
comes from a Latin interpretation that means 'tosoul) and to become, in form, the kind of person
bind' - an bind it did, keeping people tied to sillyyou were destined to be.
ideas for centuries. Religious ideas have beenYou can get to know God for yourself. It will lead
developed and refined for centuries and is almostyou to the realization that you are in fact "God' -
exclusively designed to keep people from steppingyou are a part of God and contain within you a
out of line and 'being different'. The fundamentalportion of this Divine force that makes up the
difference between spirituality and religion is thatvery essence of life. Listen to other people, hear
religion is based on knowing ABOUT God, whilethem out and discover their view of God, but
spirituality is based on KNOWING God on athen go within and find God for yourself. This is
personal level.where all the power is. This is where the freedom
There's a big difference between knowing aboutlies and if you need a religion to help you develop
God and knowing God. Knowing about God isyour understanding of God, then practice it!
about intellectual knowledge and relying on theRemember to keep and open mind and don't just
testimonials and experiences of others, whilefocus only on what you are told about God but
knowing God is a deeply personal and 'innerrather what you feel to be true deep down inside.