On the Terms “Religion” and “Spirituality”

Today, I read Eckhart Tolle’s explanations as to “religious versus secular spirituality” (which has also been recorded on ETV a few months back).

I was tempted to write a comment there, but not ultimately sure about my motive, (and) whether it was not more the mind, and given the possibility I should not sit in front of my computer this morning anyway, I probably better post it here. My comment is:

When reading the comments, it occurs to me that one might wish to be careful not to build an artificial contradiction between “religion” and “spirituality”. (For then, the ego has an opponent to strengthen itself in fighting.)

It is a question of definition, and Eckhart shows how to use both terms with slightly different, but possibly somewhere overlapping / “meeting” meanings.

My hitherto approach has been to always seek the highest meaning of a word, and understand the word in that sense. Thus, spirituality and religion become the same, the outer forms of religion without true spirituality not giving justice to the full meaning of the word.

By giving words their highest possible meaning, we can devoid our language and form of living from contradictions and reflect the underlying unity in the realms most people may still live in.

Religion in that sense is, even if that meaning appears “unscientific” to some, re-ligio, reconnection with the origin.

May it shine through.