For a major part of my life I identified as Roman Catholic, but I have since deconverted and now consider myself a Secular Humanist. I believe that any viewpoint should be scrutinized and considered and not simply taken on faith. I also reject supernatural beliefs because I currently have not found any convincing evidence to support them. Having grown to become somewhat of a skeptic over the years, I feel a bit uncomfortable (and perhaps pedantic) using terms like "supernatural" or "non-physical" because they don't make much logical sense to me (e.g., How exactly can a person conceive the non-physical when the physical is the only thing that has been a part of his experience?). Similarly, I get somewhat frustrated by the term "spirituality" because so many people use it in different ways- it's extremely subjective. But I think I can try to take a shot at what I think differs religion from what I consider spirituality.

From what I gather, the meaning of the term has really shifted over time. Traditionally the term used to have a much more pious connotation than it does today; more modern conceptions of the term tend to omit any specific theological reference. I believe that this definition change is reflective of a growing understanding that there are many paths to the spiritual experience. Personally, I do not think the spiritual experience has to refer to anything necessarily supernatural. Rather, I think the term really refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose in life. It also relates to the way an individual can seek connection to something they consider meaningful (often more important than themselves). Perhaps what separates each spiritual experience is how it is directed- whether it is to the self, this moment in time, to others, to nature or to the sacred. By this standard, I would say the spiritual experience is a fundamental part of the human experience. It can definitely be attributed to a particular religion, but it is ultimately not necessary. Much like what was said in the video, religion is a more organized and related set of beliefs and practices . The spiritual, on the other hand, is what can be experienced by any individual.