Why is spirituality important?

Spirituality is everything to do with the Spirit, the Soul, the Atman or what in reality is the life energy within us. Why is that important? Because that is everything! If there is no life energy within us, then we are dead, then there is nothing. The only thing that truly exists is this life energy which is us, but which we don’t realize. We think that we are the body, we are the mind, when in reality we are the Spirit. Therefore, Spirituality is the study of the Spirit. It is being conscious of who we truly are. If we do not follow a life that is Spiritual or rather being that life energy, that Soul or the Atman, then we are living a life of illusion.

There is a growing body of evidence indicating that spiritual practices are associated with better health and wellbeing for many reasons, including:

1. Contemplative practice is good for you.
   Contemplative practices are activities that guide you to direct your attention to a specific focus—often an inward-looking reflection or concentration on a specific sensation or concept. Many spiritual traditions have a long history of using contemplative practices to increase compassion, empathy, and attention, as well as quiet the mind.
2. A spiritual community can improve your life.
   Many spiritual traditions encourage participation in a community. Spiritual fellowship, such as attending church or a meditation group, can be sources of social support which may provide a sense of belonging, security, and community. Strong relationships have been proven to increase wellbeing and bolster life expectancy, which is perhaps why one study found a strong association between church attendance and improved health, mood, and wellbeing
3. Spiritual strength can help you overcome hardships.
   Having a strong spiritual outlook may help you find meaning in life’s difficult circumstances.
   The spiritual practice of recognizing the interconnectedness of all life can also help buffer the pain that comes with difficult. If we can compassionately remind ourselves in moments of falling down that failure is part of the shared human experience, then that moment becomes one of togetherness rather than isolation. When our troubled, painful experiences are framed by the recognition that countless others have undergone similar hardships, the blow is softened.
4. Spiritual people make healthier choices.
   Adhering to a particular spiritual tradition may bring an indirect health benefit because many traditions have rules about treating the body with kindness and avoiding unhealthy behaviors. Research shows that perhaps because of these tenets, people who practice a religion or faith tradition are less likely to smoke or drink, commit a crime, or become involved in violent activity, and they are more likely to engage in preventative habits like wearing seatbelts and taking vitamins.
5. Spirituality may help you live longer.
   An exhaustive review that compared spirituality and religiousness to other health interventions found that people with a strong spiritual life had an 18% reduction in mortality. Giancarlo Lucchetti, lead author of the study, calculates that the life-lengthening benefits of spirituality can be compared to eating a high amount of fruits and vegetables or taking blood pressure medication. Although some researchers have suggested that the extent of spirituality’s benefit on health is exaggerated, most researchers agree there is a positive relationship between religious and spiritual practices and better health outcomes.
6. Forgiveness is good medicine.
   Letting go of blame and negative feelings after a hurtful incident is a practice that is reflected by a number of spiritual traditions, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism. Modern science shows the health benefits of forgiveness are numerous: better immune function, longer lifespan, lowered blood pressure, improved cardiovascular health, and fewer feelings of anger or hurt.