The challenging task of defining spirituality

ABSTRACT Many concepts in science lack clarity. Developing clear definitions of research phenomena is one of the most challenging tasks for academics of various proveniences. Defining spirituality seems to be one of those challenges. The author of this article synthetically describes historical and present-day challenges in defining spirituality in order to develop an appropriate awareness of certain major choices one has to make, while using a particular definition of spirituality. A universal definition of spirituality is not proposed here. Instead, the author develops a topology of definitions of spirituality intended to increase both semantical and methodological awareness of the remaining challenges.