What is "spirituality"?

In another recent discussion it a number of people objected to the use of the word “spiritual” as applied to themselves. Indeed, they had very stereotypical ideas of what they thought “spirituality” was supposed to be—i.e., that it necessarily had to do with conventional religiosity, praying, or a belief in ghosts, spirits or some supernatural rigmarole.

Nonetheless, there are lots of nonreligious people, including some atheists and agnostics, who describe themselves as “spiritual.” The idea of spirituality, as these folks use it, does not seem necessarily tied to any particular set of religious beliefs. Indeed, historically and cross-culturally, spirituality appears to be almost universal, although it seems to mean very different things to different people.

Spirituality seems to have something to do with feeling fully alive and emotionally healthy; it seems to have something to do with feeling morally connected, open, hopeful and alive to the moral claims of one’s fellow man.

What does it mean to be “spiritual”? What does it feel like to be “spiritual”? Is there such a thing as spiritual health, or ill-health?