Mention the word “spiritual” to anyone, and you will get a host of reactions. For some, it is religion. For others, it is something less tangible. To yet others, it is offensive.
Years ago, I taught a freshman, general education, wellness course at a Midwest university. When I discussed the dimensions of wellness–spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, and social–one student spoke up that he was an atheist and did not believe that there should be a spiritual component. He didn’t believe in God, and he was just fine. I disagreed.
Spiritual wellness is not religion. It does not require a belief in a God–or gods, for that matter. Indeed, religion may actually get in the way of spiritual well-centeredness.
Spiritual well-centeredness requires only that one believe in something greater than oneself. It requires that we look beyond ourselves and consider that we are not the center of the universe. It requires that we consider other on par with ourselves.
My faith, which happens to be Christian, impacts my spirituality, and it can affect my well-centeredness, if it impairs my relationships with others and other aspects of my life. In my opinion, religion can have just as much impact (positive or negative) on one’s wellness as can one’s lack of belief.
To me, there would be little desire to carpe diem if there were no spiritual component to life. What meaning would there be to my physical pursuits? For what cause would I have to learn and gain knowledge. For what purpose would I have to keep my emotions in check or to build relationships. Life would just be one big pursuit of self-satisfaction from which there can be no gratification.
As you seek to be the best you can be–in whatever arena that may be–focus that energy on being better for a purpose greater than yourself.