andliga

Andliga is a Swedish adjective meaning relating to the spirit, soul, or nonmaterial aspects of existence. It is commonly used to describe phenomena associated with spirituality, inner life, and religious or philosophical beliefs. In everyday Swedish, andlig or andlig is used to discuss spirituality, meditation, and values; for example, andligt liv or en andlig praxis. The form andliga functions as the plural or definite form of the adjective in contexts such as andliga idéer (spiritual ideas) or de andliga övningarna (the spiritual exercises).

Etymology: Andlig derives from the noun indicating breath or spirit, linked to the broader semantic field of "spirit" or "soul," with the suffix -lig meaning "having the quality of." It shares origins with cognate terms in other Germanic languages.

Usage and nuance: The word appears in religious contexts, philosophical discussions, and popular culture about mindfulness, new age thought, and personal development. It is often contrasted with spirituell, a term sometimes used for more formal or organized forms of spirituality; andligt tends to be used as the adverbial form meaning spiritually.

Related terms: andlighet (spirituality), ande (spirit), andlig praxis (spiritual practice). The noun form is andlighet, and the adverbial form is andligt.

See also: ande, andlighet, andlig praxis, spirituality in Swedish discourse.