Spiritual Atheism: How to Be Spiritual Without Belief in God
Can I Be Spiritual without Being Religious?
When it comes to Spiritual Atheism, I’ve come to believe that there are as many ways to practice truth as people are walking the Earth. For some, that path is spiritual but not religious—grounded in wonder, connection, and meaning, without needing a name.
That’s where we go next.
Spiritual atheism—a term that may seem paradoxical at first—offers a meaningful path for those who don’t believe in a traditional deity but still seek a spiritual life rooted in connection, awe, and deeper purpose.
(NOTE: This article is Chapter 4 of my upcoming book, One Choice. One Act, set for release Fall 2025. If you would like to begin reading the series as I publish chapters, it’s on my Substack, Elemental – Start here – Death Was My Guru.)
For some, “atheism” means a life grounded in reason, ethics, and a reverence for the interconnected whole, without reliance on a personal deity.
A close friend of mine is one such seeker. He doesn’t identify with any formal religion or belief system, yet describes himself as deeply spiritual. Still, he has often struggled to explain how a non-believer can have a rich spiritual life.
He once posed two thoughtful questions, hoping I could help him explore them:
- Can someone who doesn’t believe in God live a spiritual life grounded in reason?
- Is it possible to be spiritual without religion or belief in deities?
Understanding Spiritual Atheism
Unlike organized religion, spirituality is often rooted in the experience of an immaterial reality, such as energy or consciousness, that we encounter simply through being alive. It isn’t about belief in gods or goddesses but a sense of connection to something larger—within and beyond us.
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI – James Webb Space Telescope, Pillars of Creation (2022)
A spiritual life doesn’t require belief in deities or adherence to a specific religious tradition. An atheist might understand “God” as energy or spirit—a metaphor for connection rather than a literal being. In this context, words like “God,” “spirit,” “energy,” or even “love” aren’t fixed definitions—they’re attempts to name something felt but not easily explained.
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We don’t need a name for what we feel when we gaze at the stars or are deeply moved by music or silence. Whether we call it spirit, energy, love, or consciousness doesn’t matter—the feeling matters. We don’t need belief in a deity to experience reverence, awe, or connection. What matters is our willingness to let that feeling move us toward a more honest life.
Atheists may not reject the idea of an immaterial reality—such as energy or consciousness—but typically reject belief in supernatural beings with human-like powers. Like many scientists, they often question religious dogma, superstition, or untestable claims in various traditions. Spiritual atheism doesn’t require belief in myth or formal doctrine—it simply offers another way to explore meaning and connection.
Many adherents of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam believe in the God of Abraham—a divine presence often described as personal, possessing human traits, and traditionally referred to in masculine terms. This perspective can shape how followers relate to the sacred: as a being, a figure, or a guiding force. In contrast, spiritual atheism doesn’t relate to “God” as a figure or entity but as energy—something felt, experienced, and beyond definition.
At the same time, many of these traditions describe God as transcendent, existing beyond and apart from humanity. Spiritual atheism offers a different view: not of a being outside of existence but of an ever-present energy or spirit that permeates all things. This is its central idea—connection, not separation.
Can Atheists Be Spiritual?
For some, the sticking point is the word “God.” But the question isn’t whether an atheist can believe in a supernatural being—it’s whether one can experience deep connection, awe, or purpose without one. It’s not a contradiction when “God” is seen as energy or metaphor, not as a personal figure. It’s a different path to the same mystery.
My friend wouldn’t deny that all existence comprises energy and matter. Matter itself is simply a form of energy. From this perspective, an atheist can understand a spiritual notion of “God” as energy—not as a separate being, but as the underlying whole. A being implies separation. Energy implies connection.
When we understand spirit as energy—the animating force of the universe—an atheist can live a spiritual life grounded in science and reason. This isn’t a contradiction. It’s a bridge. Science, after all, thrives on curiosity and openness to the unknown.
That’s the heart of the scientific method: exploring what we don’t yet understand, guided by evidence.
The Science Behind Spirituality Without God
Science has shown us how deeply connected we are—to each other, the natural world, and the cosmos. Over the past century, we’ve come to understand that all existence is composed of energy. According to the first law of thermodynamics, energy cannot be created or destroyed—only transformed. In this way, energy is eternal.
And if God is energy, then perhaps God, too, is eternal.
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI – James Webb Space Telescope
Quantum physics reveals that matter—even at the atomic level—is composed of constantly vibrating and shifting energy. Everything in the universe, including us, is energy, each with its unique signature.
Many who live a spiritual life are drawn to understanding how their being is intimately connected to the whole of existence. Put simply, we are far more than just our physical form.
As more people awaken to the interconnected nature of being, life begins to feel deeply present and profoundly expansive—what many might describe as a spiritual experience and a foundation for spiritual atheism.
The experience is inherent and immanent because it arises when we recognize ourselves as part of a greater whole. It is transcendental because the moment our awareness shifts from the self to our interconnectedness, we transcend the solipsistic notion of the self and become conscious of what is more significant than I am.
At our core, we are energy—each carrying a unique signature. We are spirits, shaped by and radiating our distinct imprint within an energy-filled universe. In that sense, we are one with everything. Some might even call that “God.”
My friend can live spiritually—and remain grounded in reason—by embracing a few core scientific understandings: that everything is energy and that words like “spirit” or “God” might simply be the early language for what we’ve always sensed—that everything is connected. And that, my friend, is one way to walk a spiritual path without belief in a deity—perhaps a quiet step toward a more connected, compassionate, and ecologically rooted way of being.
Words like “God,” “spirit,” “energy,” or even “love” aren’t fixed—they’re ways we attempt to describe experiences that we often struggle to explain. What we call them matters less than the fact that we feel them.
Spiritual atheism is not a contradiction. It is a path for those who question and still seek. It honors science and mystery, clarity and wonder, reason and reverence. It says: We don’t need to believe in God to live in a sacred way. For me, it has meant moving closer to an evolved, ecologically centered worldview.
Related Reading
An Evolved, Ecologically Centered Worldview
Ultimately, spirituality is not about what we believe, but rather how we live—how present we are, how deeply we feel, and how honestly we act.
And that begins with listening—really listening—to what is alive within us.
This next step isn’t about what we know. It’s about how we listen. How to (really) listen to our hearts; learning to trust the body’s wisdom when logic isn’t enough.
Sources:
[1] Greene, Brian R. (2003). The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory.
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Author: Dr. Matthew Wilburn King
Images: James Webb Space Telescope
Editor: Callie Rushton
Original Publication: Elephant Journal