There are hundreds, if not thousands, of distinct religious traditions across the different countries, continents, cultures, and civilizations that make up our shared world. I believe that it is in everyone’s interest to actively engage in and foster a spiritual lifestyle. Why? Well, the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences can help us (to a limited extent) understand and comprehend the universe in the aspects of “what”, “when”, “where”, and “how”. Spirituality can help us understand the universe from the prism of “why”. 

If you come from a family, culture, and/or community with an established spiritual tradition and religious faith, then regardless of how much you (think you) already know, you should take effort to learn more about that tradition and faith. Ask questions and listen to your parents, guardians, and elders; engage with your community’s spiritual leaders; read your tradition’s sacred texts; and reflect upon what this all means to you. For example, if you belong to a certain denomination within the Jewish or Christian faiths, then I would encourage that you (1) read the Bible, (2) regularly attend a local synagogue/church, (3) regularly talk with a rabbi/pastor/priest, and (4) actively engage with a synagogue/church community (particularly through acts of charity and volunteerism). If you have thoroughly explored and felt that you have learned enough about your family, culture, and/or community’s religion, but are not satisfied with that spiritual tradition, then perhaps the next step forward would be for you to begin exploring and learning about other traditions, whether it be different denominations within the same religion or a new religion altogether. Likewise, if you come from a family, culture, or community without an identifiable spiritual faith, then it likely in your best interest for you to explore and learn about a religion that could be of interest to you. 

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of acknowledging or worshipping a specific imagined deity (be it God or gods), then perhaps you should consider non-theistic faiths, such as Buddhism. I do not support dogmatism or blind faith without active reason or reflection. Spirituality - and religion, as a collective template that channels spirituality into an organized way of life - should be a means to liberate oneself from the anxieties and fears that exist in everyday life. However, I believe that the only way to do so is through actively engaging with and reflecting upon faith. Submitting yourself as a slave to theological dogmatism and pedagogical religious hierarchs would defeat this purpose.