I bet many of you didn’t know. Some people, are religious and not spiritual, and there are people who say they choose to be spiritual and not religious at all. These two mistaken ways of conduct come from a flawed understanding of these two expressions.
Let us define spiritual. One pretty good definition I found, “pertaining to the spirit or soul, as distinguished from the physical nature.” And religious, well that’s a bit more difficult, because everyone has a different idea of what it is. I guess one would say, I know a religious person when I see one. Oh yes?
Mysticism explains that everything in the universe is made of a body, an outer shell, and that which energizes and gives life to the body, we call this, soul. A moving car, the body, has a person inside, steering and directing the body. In this example the person is the soul and energy of the moving car.
The metal body and frame of a car, has a motor inside, which thrusts and propels the frame of the car. The motor is the soul of the frame. Wires, are the outer shell, the body, which carries the electricity that flows through them, and so on, all the way down to the source of everything, and the energy of the whole world, G-d.
In all these examples, the internal soul and energy alone, without the framework and channeling of the external body, can not, and, will not ever accomplish the realized outcome, which can come only through the partnership of the two elements working together.
Disorganized and random electricity without the channeling of wires is not only unhelpful it is downright dangerous. The body, whether it is the frame of the car or the wire, without the soul, will obviously not be able to carry out the desired objective.
Spiritual, as we mentioned before, relates to what’s deep inside, the dimension that energizes our bodies. It is, the spark and soul of G-d within. Someone who meditates on the greatness of G-d in the world at large, and within his own small world and body, will begin to feel spiritual and exalted. This appreciation and emotion must have a method and technique, to channel and express this spiritual energy, no different than someone who feels love for someone, or something, and doesn’t have a way to express and manifest this feeling.
Religious people, generally have a code of conduct that is expected from them by their religion. Living in a physical world it is clear, that if someone eats or takes his medication and doesn’t enjoy doing so, this doesn’t matter, since it’s the deed that counts. However there is no dispute, that enjoying your food and having a positive and optimistic outlook when taking medication, will greatly improve your wellbeing.
There is a Chassidic saying, “The Baal Shem Tov showed us HOW we should serve G-d, and Rabbi Shnuer Zalman showed us how we are ABLE to serve G-d.” These two great luminaries represent the soul and body of a mystical worship of G-d known as, Chassidism.
Spirituality is the HOW and the WHY, the energy, the life the vigor. Religion is the actual practice, doing what we where commanded to do, in order to be in G-ds good grace and bring blessings to our lives. Both spirituality and religion are important in order for people to be complete.
On the one hand, the prophet tells us, G-d doesn’t (just) want our sacrifices, G-d desires our hearts. On the other hand the Sages tell us, it is the actual deed that counts.
Someone who is spiritual and not religious has accomplished nothing in this world. He has not enhanced his physical reality. The world is the same. Someone who is religious, and spiritual, has combined soul with body, to make his life and the world around him truly alive, energized, with the greatest measure of life one can ever reach in his lifetime.