I often find myself sitting quietly in the early hours of Amritvela(the time of nectar), eyes closed, heart open — wondering where religion ends and spirituality begins. Is it in the rhythm of the Japji Sahib( Sacred prayer in Sikhism) flowing through my soul? Or in that fleeting moment when I feel God’s presence — not because I performed a ritual, but because I was simply present?
As someone who walks the line between Sikh and Hindu traditions, and who’s also learning to decode her own soul’s whispers, I’ve come to believe that spirituality and religion aren’t at odds — they are different languages of the same truth.
Religion Gave Me Roots, Spirituality Gave Me Wings
Growing up, I bowed my head in gurdwaras and mandirs(sacred Sikh and Hindu temples) alike. I was taught to fold my hands, light a diya, recite a paath(prayer) — and I did. But what stayed with me wasn’t the form. It was the feeling. The stillness. The energy shift. The undeniable sacredness that entered the room when I surrendered to something higher. The connotation derived from bowing down( touching your head specifically, the centre of your eyebrows to the ground) in front of the Lord, is in surrender. Surrendering all of your doubts, sorrows, literally everything to the one who runs the world.
In Gurbani, the divine surrender is highly mentioned:
ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥
Japji Sahib, Pauri 1
Walk in harmony with the Divine Will, O Nanak — this is already inscribed in your destiny.
This line reminds us that surrender is not passive — it’s a sacred alignment with the rhythm of the Universe. Guru Nanak invites us to live with Razaa (acceptance), knowing that everything — even our hardships — is unfolding with Divine precision. Your peace lies not in control, but in surrender.
Religion taught me reverence. It gave me structure and belonging. But spirituality — gave me liberation. It whispered, “You can meet God in silence. In your pain. In your joy. In the way your heart aches for truth.”
Every religion talks about the divine surrender and God’s will. This is where the intersection between religion and spirituality comes into play.
For me, religion was the gate.
Spirituality was the garden.
How the Two Co-Exist in My Life
I don’t see them as separate. I see religion as the map and spirituality as the journey. One gives me discipline, the other gives me depth.
- When I do Simran(meditate), I’m not just repeating a word. I’m dissolving into it.
- When I light agarbatti(incense stick) in front of my altar, I’m not just performing a ritual. I’m sending out a prayer — from my breath to the Divine.
Sometimes, I chant mantras in Sanskrit and Gurmukhi. Other times, I cry without words, and that’s a prayer too.
Spirituality is the intimacy.
Religion is the tradition.
And both — when approached with heart — become sacred.
Why This Intersection Matters Today
In a world filled with noise, confusion, and comparison, it’s easy to lose faith — in systems, people, even ourselves. But that’s where this intersection becomes powerful:
- Religion grounds us when we feel lost.
- Spirituality lifts us when we feel empty.
Together, they create a bridge between earth and soul — between devotion and liberation, obedience and love.
As a young woman building her dream business, holding sacred space for others, and trying to stay true to her essence, I often lean on both. I need the ritual to anchor me, and the mysticism to free me. Your relationship with the Divine, that broadly is your relationship or attunement with your soul’s consciousness, is the ultimate force that drives your life in this human experience.
In this modern world that thrives on hustle culture, where peace feels like a luxury, we have forgotten the innate state of our soul, that is bliss. And all the religions to exist help us to build that spiritual connection with our own inner conscience. And in that lies the ultimate purpose of our human life.
I would like to mention this excerpt from a recent book that I read ,written in Gurmukhi . The link of the book is given below, all my readers who are well versed with Gurmukhi script should definitely read it.
This is a story of a “Fakir” and a boy from a small village in Punjab ,who walk for 40 days to Bikaner, Rajasthan. Both of them have different purposes behind their pilgrimage. The Fakir being a learned man, throughout the days, teaches the boy(named Kesar) many valuable lessons through stories. Here’s one of the stories:
Kesar questions the Fakir ,”where can one find God?” The Fakir in a profound manner tells Kesar a story that answers his innocent question. The story goes like :
Many schools of thought believe that God created the earth in six days. On day one, he created light, that ultimately created the rotation cycle of the earth ( day and night). On day second, the sky. Third, the land and the flora( plantation and vegetation). On the fourth day, he created the Sun. The next day, water and the fauna( wildlife). On the sixth day, he created humans and on day seven he rested. Initially, humans were very alone and upset. Seeing such a melancholic state of his creation, God decided to play hide and seek with humans. It was God’s turn to hide first. Because the Earth was empty, God couldn’t find a place to hide. On giving some thought, God decided to hide and reside in the heart of the human. And till date, God lives there.
As said in the Bible:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” — Romans 8:28 (NIV)
This verse reassures us that nothing in life is wasted when you’re walking with faith. Even pain, loss, confusion, or failure can become part of a bigger, divine plan. God doesn’t cause all things, but He can use all things—even the ones that break us—for a purpose that ultimately leads to growth, healing, and alignment with our true calling.
If this resonated with you, share this post with someone who’s questioning or redefining their relationship with faith. And tell me in the comments — How do YOU experience the intersection of spirituality and religion in your life?
