In one of the stories I am currently writing, two characters are having a conversation about "strengths" in the human race. I.E. Physical, Humility, Joy, Peace etc. One of my place fillers is Spiritual, but that doesn't really work for what I'm trying to bring across. I don't want it to be a religious reference of any kind. I want it to denote non-worldliness. But it needs to be immediately seen as being positive. I'm stumped, the best I could come up with is Ethereal, but I don't like that one. Mike
Wisdom? Emotion(al strength)? Insight? Balance? Mental strength? Spirit (yay WoW!)? Or perhaps something wild as creativity?
'spirituality' doesn't necessarily relate to religion... and it does imply non-wordliness... case in point: i don't believe in any god/s or religion, yet i've been told by very religious folks that i nevertheless live a 'spiritual' life and am a 'spiritual' person...
This. Have you ever heard someone described as having spirit or being soulful? Only someone purposely trying to read a religious message into that will see one. The word "spiritual" can be slightly more religious, but that depends entirely on usage. Does your book have religious undertones? Then whatever word you use will look religious. If not, then your readers are smart enough to figure out what you mean by it -- I bet your story is already chock full of words that, in isolation, could be wildly misinterpreted.
Thank you all for your replies and insight. Arathald, I guess my book could easily be interpreted as having religious undertones. Perhaps spiritual is the right word there after all. Mike
