Spirituality and Religiousness: A Diversity of Definitions

This study explored the viewpoints of 234 participants from various nationalities on the definition of spirituality and religiousness. Several universal themes emerged from the phenomenological analysis of participants' definitions. Spirituality was primarily viewed as an integral part of one's identity and the personal experience of the transcendent whether it is defined traditionally as God or a higher power, or in more secular terms as unity with the greater world or mystery. In contrast, religiousness is an external tool through which individuals can access their spirituality and relationship to the divine. These results have important implications for how spirituality or religion is assessed and used in interventions with individuals in counseling.