Religion is “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or Gods.” Spirituality is “the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.” Religion describes the social, public and organised means by which people relate to the sacred; spirituality describes such relations when they occur in private, personally.

Spirituality is perhaps the most natural thing — our own conscious self recognising that we are more than just a body, a soul with infinite potential. Every religion came by spirituality, through the journey by which one person became God — spirituality is a form of religion, but a private and personal one. The valid distinction, then, is really between spirituality and organised religion.

Where they differ

• Religion brings in fear; spirituality is based on love and helps us to be brave
• Religion makes you follow; spirituality sets you free
• Religion tells us the truth; spirituality lets us discover the truth
• Religion separates from other religions; spirituality unites them
• Religion makes us dependent; spirituality makes us independent
• Religion talks about punishment; spirituality applies karma — every action has its reaction
• Religion makes us follow another's journey; spirituality lets us create our own

Religion requires membership, and embodies practices shaped over the course of history; spirituality is a personal self-journey connecting us to a deeper meaning, without the rigid boundaries of institutional religion. It is chosen, where religion is often forced or imposed.

Identify your Purpose of Life, and choose your preferred path — of religion, or of spirituality.