What exactly is "spirituality?"

[Modax]

Second, even if these artificially induced religious experiences aren’t veridical, that would not entail that no religious experiences are veridical. Other experiences that can be induced using the transcranial magnetic stimulator include the sense that there is a second person present in the room when there is not. We do not conclude from this that all sensations that there is a second person present in the room are false. Though it is possible create such false experiences, we remain confident that some such experiences are veridical. Why, then, should the fact that it is possible to create artifical religious experiences be taken as evidence that no religious experiences are genuine experiences of God?

I think the real question that these guys have to answer is why would God find it necessary to create a special region in our brains in order to contact us? Shouldn't he just be able to reach our 'immortal souls'? Even if science is able to explain the phenomena of religion in great detail, they won't give up. Its like a child continuing to believe in Santa Claus, even though he sees his parents putting presents under the tree.

[Oni Koneko Damien]

I decided to go a step further and look up spirit, which was much more helpful:

spir⋅it [spir-it] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. the principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans, animating the body or mediating between body and soul.
2. the incorporeal part of humans: present in spirit though absent in body.
3. the soul regarded as separating from the body at death.
4. conscious, incorporeal being, as opposed to matter: the world of spirit.
5. a supernatural, incorporeal being, esp. one inhabiting a place, object, etc., or having a particular character: evil spirits.
6. a fairy, sprite, or elf.
7. an angel or demon.
8. an attitude or principle that inspires, animates, or pervades thought, feeling, or action: the spirit of reform.
9. (initial capital letter) the divine influence as an agency working in the human heart.
10. a divine, inspiring, or animating being or influence. Num. 11:25; Is. 32:15.
11. (initial capital letter) the third person of the Trinity; Holy Spirit.
12. the soul or heart as the seat of feelings or sentiments, or as prompting to action: a man of broken spirit.
13. spirits, feelings or mood with regard to exaltation or depression: low spirits; good spirits.
14. excellent disposition or attitude in terms of vigor, courage, firmness of intent, etc.; mettle: That's the spirit!
15. temper or disposition: meek in spirit.
16. an individual as characterized by a given attitude, disposition, character, action, etc.: A few brave spirits remained to face the danger.
17. the dominant tendency or character of anything: the spirit of the age.
18. vigorous sense of membership in a group: college spirit.
19. the general meaning or intent of a statement, document, etc. (opposed to letter ): the spirit of the law.
20. Chemistry. the essence or active principle of a substance as extracted in liquid form, esp. by distillation.
21. Often, spirits. a strong distilled alcoholic liquor.
22. Chiefly British. alcohol.
23. Pharmacology. a solution in alcohol of an essential or volatile principle; essence.
24. any of certain subtle fluids formerly supposed to permeate the body.
25. the Spirit, God.

–adjective 26. pertaining to something that works by burning alcoholic spirits: a spirit stove.
27. of or pertaining to spiritualist bodies or activities.

–verb (used with object) 28. to animate with fresh ardor or courage; inspirit.
29. to encourage; urge on or stir up, as to action.
30. to carry off mysteriously or secretly (often fol. by away or off): His captors spirited him away.

—Idiom31. out of spirits, in low spirits; depressed: We were feeling out of spirits after so many days of rain.

Origin:
1200–50; ME (n.) < L spīritus orig., a breathing, equiv. to spīri-, comb. form repr. spīrāre to breathe + -tus suffix of v. action

I think the coloured definitions are most relevent. From what I've seen, 'spirituality' seems to be an attempt to achieve some sort of emotional high, often as part of a group (or religion/cult) and then ascribe it to some supernatural means rather than secular.

[Lagmonster]

If I were to tell you what religious 'spirituality' is based entirely on the context in which the word is used, then spirituality is whatever beliefs make you feel better about the mental and emotional aspects of your life. Having trouble wrapping your ego around the idea that you're going to cease existing some day? No problem, fantasize about an afterlife. Having trouble with your sexual self-identity? No problem, fantasize about spells and curses being cast on you by some sinful entity.

Spirituality, as used by the religious, to my mind harkens back to the phrase, "to lift one's spirits", ie. morale, as opposed to the other definition of spirit, ie. ghosts.

[PeZook]

I happen to be with Lagmonster. The "human need for spirituality" is simply a need to feel good about yourself and the universe around you. Physicists feeling awe at the mightiness of the universe and our own insignificance in cosmic processes have spiritual experiences about these facts, too. The terms aren't anywhere near equivalent, since "spirit" doesn't necessarily mean "soul", just morale or mind. Did you ever watch a movie with a truly awesome scene, and felt elated and all pumped up? Spiritual experience, too.

[Kanastrous]

I wonder how long it will be before such devices become available for home use.

Well, it is already true for the Netherlands, but most of the world hasn't followed the lead of the Dutch.

On second thought, seems like something a church would want to invest in. Get a high-powered model that you can conceal up in the rafters; come the Raising of the Host (or opening of the Ark, or invocation of prayer, or whatever) give your congregants a stiff dose of feelin'-the-Presence, with the push of a button. Bet *that* would be good for attendance. Not to mention filling the collection plate.

[Edi]

In my opinion, a spiritual experience is simply any profound feeling of wonder or awe regarding existence, and the nature of life and the universe.

This is how I've always understood the word. As corny as it sounds, this is largely due to the Ultima 4 and Ultima 5 games where the virtue of spirituality was described in a way that gave this implication. Given that back then English was very much a second language to me still and I was just learning it, I never attached the concepts tied in Christianity or religion in general to the term.

Also, one important note: It is absolutely impossible to even discuss any terms like spirituality, spirit, faith or basically any concepts related to them or even tangentially attached to them in English without running headfirst into the wall of religion and specifically to the Christian religion. Aside from its roots of Old English and the later additions absorbed from the old Scandianvian language of the Danes and Norwegians, English as a language has been shaped and defined by Christianity and due to the enormous influence of religion in English society, it has also been harnessed to serve the religion.

In essence, to speak English is to speak a language that was made an instrument of religion on purpose, on a conceptual level (given how so many positive qualities are directly attributed to religious influence or tied to concepts important to such). Rather obviously English has overcome these conceptual limitations so that words are not necessarily tied to such religiously tinged definitions in common use.

In Finnish, by comparison, such religious influence is not visible in anywhere near this extent and Finnish people who speak English as a second language without having internalized it and its concepts will have enormous trouble understanding many of these things. I know English nearly as well as Finnish and can think natively in it without translation and I still have trouble with it.

In a thread like this, I would be very leery of taking all dictionary definitions at face value without probing deeper, which is what I think Mike was after. Otherwise you're just going to be running around in circles nitpicking definitions that may mean less than nothing to someone who does not share the same basic framework you do. This embedding of religion in the very fabric of the language is also why religious influence is so perniciously entrenched and difficult to dislodge.

To get back to the quote from Modax that I included in this post, I get that sort of feeling of awe when looking at the night sky, or when considering certain other natural wonders. Sure, it can be classified as a sort of mysticist experience or religious or whatever term you want to apply to it, but it's not accurate to do so. Yes, it's a feeling of awe and emotional in origin. But the thing is that I've read about all sorts of things about science and the discoveries achieved by it, and knowing all that actually amplifies that feeling of awe instead of lessening it.

It's the difference between reading a description of something and seeing it in actuality.

[General Zod]

To get back to the quote from Modax that I included in this post, I get that sort of feeling of awe when looking at the night sky, or when considering certain other natural wonders. Sure, it can be classified as a sort of mysticist experience or religious or whatever term you want to apply to it, but it's not accurate to do so. Yes, it's a feeling of awe and emotional in origin. But the thing is that I've read about all sorts of things about science and the discoveries achieved by it, and knowing all that actually amplifies that feeling of awe instead of lessening it.

It's leaning towards the right idea for defining spirituality, I think. Although it could probably use some clarification. (I largely took issue with how he thought people would interpret it). I'd be inclined to argue that it could possibly be defined as "a profound sense of awe towards something that people place supernatural importance on."

[Akhlut]

I tend to hear about spirituality via people juxtaposing it with religion, i.e. "I'm not religious, I'm spiritual."

This sort of usage tends to make me think of spirituality as being part of the majority of humanity's acceptance of philosophical dualism (a material world and a spiritual world), which would mean that spirituality relates to things in the non-material world. Thus, religion would be part of spirituality, but not all spirituality would be part of religion (i.e. belief in modern astrology by a Christian; the astrology is not religious, but is still part of the spiritual and non-material world, while Christianity is also part of the non-material and spiritual, but is religious).

[Kanastrous]

^It's a way to embrace a degree of mush-headedness, without feeling like too much of a mush-head. "I like this, but I'll keep it vague enough that I can't be called to account for the more flagrant silliness involved."

[Zixinus]

Personally, my guess? A sense of what the world is on a semi-rational level, as well as your place and the people around you. Your concept of existence that's somewhere between an emotional and concious level, like the collective of impressions you have of the world around.

You don't need a religion about that. Hell, you don't need an industry for that. Just a manner in which you can gain new experiences, like, going on a walk to visit a memorial or even some kind of drug.

Isn't is just a buzzword that doesn't really mean anything?

Would opt for that too.

[TithonusSyndrome]

So we have two competing or perhaps complimenting definitions for spirituality, one which can be described more or less as the position of awe, and the other as the position of supernaturalism. This is just asking for some smug moderate to endlessly commit a Fallacy of Equivocation over and freaking over.

Obviously the power to change accepted definitions of words is outside the hands of pretty much anyone, but I still don't have to like this or even recognize the conflicting definitions. Other than that, though, what can anyone do?

[Edi]

Not a lot, besides articulating what they mean clearly and concisely. You don't break up 600-700 years of religious stranglehold on language and culture in just a few decades, but if you ever intend to do something about it, expanding the definitions of suitable words and hoping that the usage sticks is one of the few viable starting points to doing so.

[Companion Cube]

In Finnish, by comparison, such religious influence is not visible in anywhere near this extent and Finnish people who speak English as a second language without having internalized it and its concepts will have enormous trouble understanding many of these things. I know English nearly as well as Finnish and can think natively in it without translation and I still have trouble with it.

A trivial question: my (Finnish) mother occasionally uses the phrase "sharing [something] in a Christian manner", that is, fairly. I've always assumed it was a Finnish mum thing and never asked her about it, but is that a stock phrase in Finnish?

[Edi]

A trivial question: my (Finnish) mother occasionally uses the phrase "sharing [something] in a Christian manner", that is, fairly. I've always assumed it was a Finnish mum thing and never asked her about it, but is that a stock phrase in Finnish?

Yep, and one of the more entrenched ones with religious origin. The phrase "kristillinen tasajako" means sharing something in equal portions and literally translated it would be "Christian equal sharing". That particular phrase is one of the ones guaranteed to piss me off, especially since "fair sharing" would serve just as well. It would require just changing the word "kristillinen" to "reilu". Religion is pretty big in Finland, but Christianity has not left the kind of impact on the language as it has on English. There are quite a lot of phrases, borrowed from the Bible or otherwise referencing religion, but they are not as pervasive and some of them are dying out in common use because religiosity is declining somewhat.

[Shroom Man 777]

I happen to be with Lagmonster. The "human need for spirituality" is simply a need to feel good about yourself and the universe around you. Physicists feeling awe at the mightiness of the universe and our own insignificance in cosmic processes have spiritual experiences about these facts, too. The terms aren't anywhere near equivalent, since "spirit" doesn't necessarily mean "soul", just morale or mind. Did you ever watch a movie with a truly awesome scene, and felt elated and all pumped up? Spiritual experience, too.

That's an awesome way to put it! No wonder I'm so screwed up, instead of blending in with my predominantly Roman Catholic society, I ended up having Arnold Schwarzenegger movies as a surrogate religion!

I think 'spirituality' is some vague concept, manifested in a lot of ways (through forest spirits! through Jesus! through the stars! through human sensuality! through erecting tall structures!) that'll stroke a person's emotions rather than the cognitive faculties of his brain, giving him the impression of something greater than himself that's 'out there' in all its majesty and warm-and-fuzziness.

I guess its some kind of natural human tendency, but it ends up getting misplaced often. I mean, you look outside and see a beautiful scene, and you think of the majesties of nature and all that jazz and just how big and amazing the world is - full of berthy bosoms and such. But you can also go into a temple filled and engulf yourselves in a spiritual experience as likeminded individuals drone on and on and together you bond in a massive mindless spiritually-charged entity that ends up being insular and goddamn retarded.

I guess this greater warm-and-fuzziness can be applied to family, to friends, to country, to sports teams, and whatever. But with how religion ended up being such a big thing in culture, we ended up thinking spirituality = Quarter Pounder Baby Jesus.

[Akkleptos]

Can't spirituality refer to one's own spirit, in a philosophical kind of way?
Such as "the vital, immaterial, life principle, generally conceived as existing within humans and sometimes within all living things, inanimate objects, and the universe as a whole" (Columbia encyclopedia definition on "soul"). It doesn't clash the neurological nature of the concept "mind".

[Edi]

Can't spirituality refer to one's own spirit, in a philosophical kind of way?
Such as "the vital, immaterial, life principle, generally conceived as existing within humans and sometimes within all living things, inanimate objects, and the universe as a whole" (Columbia encyclopedia definition on "soul"). It doesn't clash the neurological nature of the concept "mind".

I suppose it could, spirit is already used as a synonym for soul in some contexts, but using spirituality for the same seems redundant and more confusing, as its primary meanings and even extended meanings are different.

[Akkleptos]

Can't spirituality refer to one's own spirit, in a philosophical kind of way?
Such as "the vital, immaterial, life principle, generally conceived as existing within humans and sometimes within all living things, inanimate objects, and the universe as a whole" (Columbia encyclopedia definition on "soul"). It doesn't clash the neurological nature of the concept "mind".

I suppose it could, spirit is already used as a synonym for soul in some contexts, but using spirituality for the same seems redundant and more confusing, as its primary meanings and even extended meanings are different.

I see. I meant more like Einstein's religion, since I see that as the best possible sense of "spirituality":

A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute the truly religious attitude; in this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man.

I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it.

I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings.

[Edi]

All of that can be summed in one sentence, which Modax did earlier in this thread. See this post where I quote him.