Spirituality Is Human: Why It’s About Connection, Not Complexity

By Dr. Katie Eastman & Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

When people hear the word spirituality, they often imagine something mysterious, complicated, or out of reach—reserved for mountaintop retreats or those who speak in abstract terms. But spirituality is not something outside of you. It is woven into the very fabric of being human. At its heart, spirituality is not about complexity—it’s about connection.

Throughout history, people have asked the same questions: Why am I here? What gives life meaning? How do I connect to something greater than myself? These questions don’t require special knowledge or training. You ask them when you sit with a loved one, when you pause in awe at a sunrise, or when you take a breath before responding with compassion instead of anger. These are moments of spirit in action.

Spirituality shows up in the ways we connect—to ourselves through presence and reflection, to others through authentic relationships and kindness, and to the world through gratitude and wonder. Each act of connection is spiritual because it reminds us we are not separate, but part of something greater.

For many, religion offers a meaningful way to express spirituality, providing structure, ritual, and a sense of community. Religious traditions can give form to what feels vast and mysterious. But spirituality does not require religion. You can experience it wherever you feel connection to something beyond yourself—whether in nature, in music, in service, or in the simple act of journaling at the end of the day. Religion can guide and shape spirituality, but the essence of spirit—connection, meaning, and awareness—is available to everyone.

Spirituality does not ask you to memorize doctrines or perform perfect practices. It asks only that you notice the sacredness of being alive. It lives in the way you breathe deeply, in how you listen fully, and in how you create meaning in the smallest of moments. When we strip away the layers of complexity, spirituality becomes what it has always been: an invitation to live with intention, compassion, and awareness.

So instead of asking yourself, Am I spiritual enough?, try asking, Where do I feel most connected? It could be in prayer, in stillness, in laughter with a friend, or in the first sip of morning coffee. The form doesn’t matter—the connection does.

✨ Reflection Prompt: Where in your daily life do you already feel a sense of connection? How might you nurture that as a spiritual practice