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Symbols of some of the more common religions. From left to right starting at top: Christian Jewish Hindu Muslim Buddhist Shinto Sikh Bahai Jain.

A religion is an organized approach to human spirituality which usually encompasses a set of narratives symbols beliefs and practices often with a supernatural or transcendent quality that give meaning to the practitioners experiences of life through reference to a higher power or truth. ¹ It may be expressed through prayer ritual meditation music and art among other things. It may focus on specific supernatural metaphysical and moral claims about reality which may yield a set of religious laws ethics and a particular lifestyle. Religion also encompasses ancestral or cultural traditions writings history and mythology as well as personal faith and religious experience.

The term "religion" refers to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction. "Religion" is sometimes used interchangeably with " faith" or " belief system" ² but it is more socially defined than personal convictions and it entails specific behaviors respectively.

The development of religion has taken many forms in various cultures. It considers psychological and social roots along with origins and historical development.

In the frame of western religious thought ³ religions present a common quality the "hallmark of patriarchal religious thought": the division of the world in two comprehensive domains one sacred the other profane. ⁴ Religion is often described as a communal system for the coherence of belief focusing on a system of thought unseen being person or object that is considered to be supernatural sacred divine or of the highest truth. Moral codes practices values institutions tradition rituals and scriptures are often traditionally associated with the core belief and these may have some overlap with concepts in secular philosophy. Religion is also often described as a " way of life" or a life stance.