What makes a practice “religious”, and not just a regular activity?
Part of the answer relates to attitude, in how one enters and responds to an experience.
A distinction can be seen with a few examples:
A pilgrimage vs. a business trip to Jerusalem
Yoga vs. “working out” at a gym
A Bach cantata, intended to be played in a church vs. a theme song for a television show
An encounter with nature (noticing and being moved by surroundings) vs. a walk from Point A to Point B
Religious practices may include benefits that can also be wholly secular, but at least part of what is done, or why it is done, includes appreciation for something spiritual.