Spirituality is a broad concept that includes a belief in something beyond the self. It can involve religious traditions centering on the belief in a higher power, or it can be a holistic belief in an individual connection to others and to the world as a whole.
Spiritual people often strive to understand the universe and its deeper meanings and values, striving to answer questions about life, the universe and other mysteries of human existence. They seek to find spiritual peace and harmony with the world.
This is a growing trend, and it may be an important aspect of the modern world. Some of this is a reaction to a decline in respect for traditional religious and political authority, but it also suggests that people are more able to live their lives on their own terms and are more comfortable with self-expression and autonomy.
It is not just an intellectual pursuit; it involves experiences and emotions that are not usually experienced by non-spiritual people, such as gratitude, awe, wonder and joy. It can also be a way to cope with emotional stress, illness or loss and bereavement.
A key challenge for researchers in spirituality is to keep a balance between the objective and subjective ways of interpreting what it means to be spiritual. An objective approach will try to be as scientific as possible, precise and defined; a subjective one gives more space to ideas that are difficult to grasp by science, such as love, self perception, inspiration, emotions, symbols, sensitivity and intuition.