#4 Spirituality: What It Is and Why It Matters
“You are not a human being having a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being having a human experience.”
For many people, spirituality feels like a loaded word. It’s often confused with religion, rules, or belief systems that come with expectations. But spirituality doesn’t have to look any particular way—and it doesn’t require belonging to anything at all.
At its core, spirituality points to something deeply human: the inner sense of connection, meaning, and aliveness that runs beneath daily life. It’s less about what you believe and more about how you relate—to yourself, to others, and to something larger than your own thoughts.
This reflection offers a grounded way to think about spirituality—not as something to achieve, but as something already available.
Two Kinds of Energy
One helpful distinction is between natural energy and spiritual energy.
Natural energy comes from the physical world: sleep, food, movement, stimulation, productivity. It’s essential—but limited. In a fast, demanding world, it depletes quickly.
Spiritual energy is different. It’s quieter, steadier, and not dependent on circumstances. It shows up as a sense of peace, clarity, or inner support—even when things feel uncertain. Unlike natural energy, it doesn’t run out.
🪞 Try This: Energy Awareness
Pause for a moment and ask yourself:
What have I been relying on lately to get through the day?
Does it restore me—or just help me push through?
Simply noticing the difference is a first step toward balance.
Three (of the many) Doorways to Spiritual Energy
Spiritual connection doesn’t require a single method. Instead, there are many doorways—some traditional, some deeply personal.
1. Prayer (as openness, not performance)
Prayer doesn’t have to be formal or religious. It can be as simple as acknowledging, I don’t have all the answers, or I could use some help right now. At its heart, prayer is an act of humility—reaching beyond your own mental resources.
💎 Practice:
Before a difficult moment today, quietly name what you’re carrying. No fixing. Just honesty.
2. Meditation (as reflection, not silence)
Meditation doesn’t require an empty mind. It can be a gentle process of sitting with a thought, memory, or question—turning it over slowly, without judgment, and noticing what emerges.
For others, meditation happens in nature, in stillness, or through sensory awareness rather than formal practice.
💎 Practice:
Choose one experience from your day and reflect on it from a few angles:
What did I feel?
What did I assume?
What might I be missing?
3. Mindfulness (as presence, not control)
Mindfulness is less about stopping thoughts and more about choosing where your attention goes. It’s awareness guided by care—bringing the heart into the mind.
You can practice mindfulness while eating, walking, listening, or working. The goal isn’t perfection, but presence.
💎 Practice:
Pick one routine activity today and do it a little more slowly. Notice sensations, sounds, or emotions without trying to change them.
Intuition: A Quiet Form of Knowing
Another expression of spirituality is intuition—that subtle inner knowing that doesn’t argue or rush. Unlike fear, which tends to feel urgent and chaotic, intuition is often calm and steady.
It doesn’t shout. It waits.
🪞 Try This: Discern the Voice
Think of a recent decision and ask:
Did this feeling feel rushed or grounded?
Did it bring tension—or a quiet sense of peace?
With practice, the difference becomes clearer.
What Creates Disconnection from Spiritual Energy?
Spiritual disconnection isn’t usually caused by busyness alone. More often, it comes from separation—the belief that you are defined by performance, possessions, approval, or comparison.
When identity becomes tied to doing, having, or proving, connection suffers. Spiritual energy, by contrast, grows in wholeness and belonging.
🪞 Try This: Notice the Story
When you feel disconnected, gently ask:
What am I telling myself about who I am right now?
Is this story narrowing me—or softening me?
There Is No “Right Way”
One of the most freeing truths about spirituality is this: you can’t do it wrong.
There’s no correct posture, no gold star for consistency, no failure for distraction. Spiritual connection responds to sincerity, not discipline.
If your mind wanders, that’s human. If your practice changes, that’s natural. Spirituality invites presence—not perfection.
Three Gentle Experiments
If you’re curious to explore, try one of these—without expectation:
Whisper a simple request or intention before a challenging moment
Take a short walk in silence and notice what draws your attention
Write about a time you followed a gut feeling and what you learned
Curiosity is enough.
Closing Reflection
Spirituality isn’t something you earn or unlock. It isn’t reserved for special moments or special people. It’s already woven into your experience—often beneath the noise of daily life.
Sometimes it’s felt as calm. Sometimes as clarity. Sometimes simply as the sense that you’re not doing all of this alone.
You don’t need to reach higher to find it. You may only need to slow down enough to notice what’s already here.