Spirituality is a system of beliefs that have been a part of the human race since the dawn of civilisations, and even before that. We have always craved answers to the biggest questions in life, and many have found their answers through worship and practice. Spirituality doesn’t only apply to following a religious life, such as those that have embraced Christianity or Islam, but also to anyone that wants to seek truth within themselves and to understand why we exist at all.
Due to the age of spiritualism throughout history, there are countless different belief systems, creeds, and ideologies that have sprung up over the last few thousand years. But almost all of them can be broken down into three main paths that most follow when beginning their spiritual journeys.
Practice-Based Spirituality
All of the opinions, beliefs, and religious doctrines that a person on this path follow means that all of their worship and meditation is based around physical activity. This can very much vary depending on the type of belief that the person follows, but it always revolves around carrying out certain tasks, usually daily. Following a practice-based spiritual system does not always make a person religious as such, with the Buddhists being the best example, where they spend the day performing tasks that adhere to what they believe in. This can include many hours spent on prayer mats or seeking enlightenment through discipline and meditation.
Devotional-Based Spirituality
Devotional-based spirituality is by far the most common in the world, as it tends to be the kind of worship practised by those that follow one of the Abrahamic religions, such as Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. It’s an extremely easy path to follow, where the worshipper will often say prayers at certain points of the day, thanking their chosen deity for their luck and abundance, or perhaps asking for fortune in the coming future, whether it’s for a job promotion or for casino games for online players. It’s the primary method of worship practised by the Christians in particular, and allows them to follow full lives while also being also being able to remain connected to God. Those that follow Islam will also practice devotional spirituality, although they will also commonly follow methods of practice.
Duty-Based Spirituality
A duty-based spirituality is one that appeals to those that don’t just want to worship as a member of the gathering, but would like to lead that gathering. The person here feels that they were born to be a part of their chosen religion as much as they can, and will often lead a life that leads them to the head of their congregation, such as a priest or rabbi. They will assume the responsibilities inherent with such a position, whether it’s holding religious gatherings every week, learning and interpreting their scriptures, and offering solace and help to those that are in need. It’s not a calling for everyone, but there are some that feel a certain closeness to the divine, and wish to spread the message of love and togetherness throughout the community.
