So. I find it mildly interesting that the health classes at my school teach that spirituality is one of the "Five Components of Health". They don't say which spirituality, just that you should have one. Which presents quite a few interesting questions, none of which we could have discussed in class, because it's health and the teacher and most of the kids are pretty much dumb as rocks. Seriously. The teacher keeps saying things like, "more healthier," and I feel like my eyes are gonna fall out their sockets from all the rolling. Why do they have gym teachers teach the health classes too, anyway?

Back to spirituality, though. If you just need a spirituality to be healthy, what about atheists? As long as you handle your spiritual life well, can you believe in anything, and still be healthy? FSM, anyone? What about nothing? Is a belief in a higher being something everyone should have, or are we all just deluding ourselves into thinking that some higher power is controlling our lives, so we can think we serve some purpose other than to live, reproduce, interact, and die? What about people who believe the higher being commands them to do things that hurt others-everything from outlawing abortion to aztec human sacrifices have been done in the name of spirituality-are they healthy in their spirituality?

I don't think anyone need be spiritual (either religiously spiritual or otherwise) to be healthy. You can be completely secular in all senses of the word and still be perfectly happy and normal. The idea of a higher being is--to be blunt--only key to people who need direction in their lives. A god or gods can provide that direction, but not all people need direction.

So in essence, sprituality may be needed for some people (though I highly doubt it), but not everyone needs to believe in anything remotely spiritual to be healthy.

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If you don't believe in a soul, though, I'd go with the thought that your soul really translates to your conscience. Unhealthy Soul = Guilty and/or Tormented Concience. Healthy Soul = Free, Peaceful Conscience.

Danke

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Originally posted by Sho:
So, spirituality is being happy with your place in the universe, which is an internal thing. All the rest can (and usually are) affected by external events, but only you can change your spiritual health.

Exactly! You made it perfectly succinct.

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Hmm, I like it. Too bad I can't have you guest lecture in my class, Euterpe, we might actually learn something.

Lol.

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I would love to either take a religious studies class or do something of that sort on my own, when I have the time. Maybe next summer. Or the summer after.

That's a really good idea. I find myself doing a bit of home research on some, and it's pretty interesting stuff. (The only religion I find myself grimacing at is Islam. It's very male-dominated, but to each his own, I suppose.)

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What does being spiritual mean really? Especially if you don't believe in a spirit, like a soul.

I find it kinda hard to believe that there are people who don't believe in souls. Even those without religion will most likely feel they have a soul.

If you don't believe in a soul, though, I'd go with the thought that your soul really translates to your conscience. Unhealthy Soul = Guilty and/or Tormented Concience. Healthy Soul = Free, Peaceful Conscience.

So, spirituality is being happy with your place in the universe, which is an internal thing. All the rest can (and usually are) affected by external events, but only you can change your spiritual health.

Hmm, I like it. Too bad I can't have you guest lecture in my class, Euterpe, we might actually learn something.


I really don't know much about spirituality, and unfortunately it's not all that high on my list of things to reaserch at the moment. I would love to either take a religious studies class or do something of that sort on my own, when I have the time. Maybe next summer. Or the summer after.

I saw the title and intended to say how in my health class Spiritual Health was part of the Health Triangle/or 5 Components of Health, but wow that's actually exactly what's it about.

What does being spiritual mean really? Especially if you don't believe in a spirit, like a soul.

Ahhh FSM. Praise be to his Noodly Appendage!
RAmen!

That's pretty much my opinion, Euterpe, come to think of it.

I definately believe you can be spiritual without being religious. I believe in a higher power, but I do not follow any one religion. I think that it is best to be at peace with yourself, so if you want to do that without religion, I suggest some of the concepts of Hinduism and Buddhism.

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Originally posted by Sho:
I guess what I was trying to ask is if it is possible to be spiritual without being religious.

And you're saying it is, right, Euterpe?

Yup. That's what I'm sayin'.

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Maybe I should clarify. The other "four components of health" are mental, emotional, physical, and social. To me, it feels like having a sense of peace in your soul could definitely fall under the emotional category. I don't see where spirituality even needs to come into it.

I think emotional peace is a little more.... blah, ...tangible, if you will. I mean, all four of those components affect each other. Physical health results in mental health, which in turn leads to emotional health, which leads to social health. (That's not the case for everyone, I know, but that's the general chain. They are sorta interchangeable.)

Spiritual health, while sort of like emotional health, is different. Emotional health can be affected by the other components you listed. Spiritual health can only AFFECT those components, it cannot be affected by them.

If you've got an unhealthy soul (for whatever reason), you'll wear emotionally, which'll wear you mentally, which'll wear you physically. However, if you are "spiritually healthy", which includes being at peace within yourself and with others and your place in the universe(which you don't need religion for, obviously -- plenty of Atheists and Agnostics are very content in their lives and with the lives of those they surround themselves with), the other four components will most likely readily follow.

I'm sure that helped any. I got a little distracted there.

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Aztec's did sacrifices in the name of religion, not spirituality. They were spiritually religious, not spiritual in general.

Woah, you summed my question up really concisely...

I guess what I was trying to ask is if it is possible to be spiritual without being religious.

And you're saying it is, right, Euterpe?

Maybe I should clarify. The other "four components of health" are mental, emotional, physical, and social. To me, it feels like having a sense of peace in your soul could definitely fall under the emotional category. I don't see where spirituality even needs to come into it.

I think spirituality does equal a healthier lifestyle. (Or "more healthier" if you prefer. ) Not necessarily religiously spiritual. I think being spiritual is having a state of peace in your soul. Which can happen whether you're a Christian, a Jew, an Atheist, a Muslim, a Satanist, a Pagan, etc. Without that sense of peace, your health suffers.

Aztec's did sacrifices in the name of religion, not spirituality. They were spiritually religious, not spiritual in general.