To comprehend the distinction between religion and spirituality, it's essential to discern the relationship between religion and practical spirituality. Religion is commonly regarded as the medium through which humanity expresses devotion to God. Religious rituals often take place in the sacred confines of prayer rooms within homes or at places of worship, like temples. Conversely, practical spirituality can be defined as the extension of religious devotion beyond the confines of these spaces, manifesting through one's daily activities and selfless service to humanity as an integral part of daily life. Therefore, the concept of worship, as a component of exemplary living, can be seen as a process that combines routine religious rituals within the home or temple and dedicating one's daily work to God as an act of worship.
Frequently, religion and spirituality are thought to be synonymous without significant distinctions. Many individuals consider daily religious practices such as prayer, meditation, ceremonial observances, fasting, chanting, singing hymns, or reading scriptures as expressions of practical spirituality. There is a common belief that one's spirituality is demonstrated through the practice of religious disciplines within the home or temple. While the idea that spirituality can extend beyond the prayer room into acts of humanitarian or selfless service lies in the subconscious or unconscious minds of most religious seekers, it raises the question of how many of us truly approach our daily lives with the awareness that work itself can be a form of worship.
Upon leaving the sacred confines of the shrine or temple, our involvement in the complexities of worldly activities often prioritizes self-interest. In essence, we instinctively erect a barrier between the spirit of the prayer room and the spirit of work in the external world, isolating them as two unrelated phenomena. Our conscious actions separate the visible lower self from the invisible higher self or spirit. Yet, if we were to bridge our religious rituals with our entire earthly existence, encompassing a multitude of activities, making all of them acts of worship to God, the pursuit of the highest humanistic ideals would become considerably more attainable. To establish this connection, deep introspection and ongoing self-assessment for spiritual growth and enlightenment are imperative. Religious contemplation and actions imbued with spirituality must occur concurrently for our lives to become meaningful and exemplify the highest ideals.