What does it mean to have a “spiritual view of life”? Whilst there are various ways of understanding spirituality one starting point might be to consider the phrase, “there is more to life than meets the eye”. Spirituality points to something more than simply our physical or material life. And for many people being spiritual is not just about holding certain ideas or beliefs, it is also about how they actually experience life.

Many people with a spiritual view of life will be keen to deepen within themselves that which makes us fully human - some would use language such as connecting with their soul or the spirit within. They will also be concerned to nurture what connects us in a meaningful way to other people; they will seek a sensitive connection to the natural world, and they will want to deepen their connection to ultimate reality, that is, to what is beyond this physical life.

Many spiritual people may feel comfortable using language such as “God” or the “Divine” to describe this connection but they might not necessarily accept many of the religious beliefs and teachings of traditional religions. Others will refer to a power or energy and might use language such as “Life Force” or “Universe” or “Love” to point to that which connects us but which is also greater than us. For many spiritual people however, they will say that they cannot fully explain or express what they believe or experience in life and accept this as ultimately a mystery. Of course, there is no one way of “being spiritual” just as there is no one way of “being religious” or “being a humanist”, every person will walk their own path through life.

May 2023