Synonyms
Definition
Spirituality is a very unclear concept that has no concrete definition. By its very nature, the concept of spirituality is deeply rooted in religion, yet in contemporary spirituality, there is an incremental divide emerging between religion and spirituality. Therefore, in present-day society, the formation of a dichotomy with spirituality representing the personal, subjective, inner-directed, unsystematic, liberating expression and religion signifying a formal, authoritarian, institutionalized inhibiting expression is being witnessed. Spirituality has also been defined as a subjective and fluid approach to experiences which leads one to search for enlightenment, whereby behaviors are practiced in accordance with these sacred beliefs. Similarly, one can also consider spirituality to be something personal, which is defined by individuals themselves and is mostly likely devoid of the rules and regulations associated with religion.
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References and Further Readings
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Gallagher, S., Tierney, W. (2016). Spirituality. In: Gellman, M., Turner, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_495-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_495-2
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