History of Spiritual Seeking From Prehistory to Modern Times

1. Prehistory and Shamanic Traditions 2. Ancient Egyptian and Greek Civilizations 3. Eastern Traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism 4. The Rise of Monotheism – Judaism, Christianity and Islam 5. The Enlightenment – Reason, Faith, and Scientific Inquiry 6. Contemporary Spirituality – New Age Movement and SBNR 7. Beyond Religions – An Approach Based on Inwardness Introduction: The Eternal Search for Meaning The pursuit of spirituality—a quest for understanding, meaning, and connection to something greater than oneself—has characterized human existence from time immemorial. Spirituality is often defined as an internal journey to explore fundamental questions about existence, morality, and the universe. Throughout history, spiritual pursuit has manifested in various forms: from ancient rituals to modern-day practices, it has revealed the desires, beliefs, and questions uniquely shaping humanity. This essay will trace the intricate history of spiritual pursuits, examine pivotal influences and shifts throughout the ages, and explore the nuanced distinctions between spirituality and organized religion () . The Difference Between Living and Existing Spirituality can be defined in many different ways, some of them even conflicting, and this happens because the experiencing of the transcendent acquires very personal connotations. Trying to come up with a generic definition that everyone can agree on, we could say that spiritual seeking lies in the thin line between physical survival and broader existence. Most human disciplines deal with earthly life ()  and thus with survival intended in a material sense. Science, psychology and even most religions do exactly that. Spirituality, the genuine kind, transcends everyday issues and brings us into much more complex and, in some ways, unsettling ground. Philosophy Turning Into Spirituality What is the meaning of earthly life? To be born, to grow up, and then to die? And in the meantime, struggling to obtain what is necessary for physical survival? Where does all this lead? Can human existence be limited to this alone? The philosophical quest soon turns into something even more profound that arises from an innate need of those human beings who are endowed with a soul () : an inner quest aimed at restoring the missing connection between our ethereal and immortal side (the soul) and the universe as a whole (the One).