Watch the video above, Myths of Spiritual Awakening (15 Areas, Some Hidden, You Won’t Want to Miss) or read the blog below.
In this episode myths and snags of the spiritual awakening journey are uncovered. Noticing these myths brings you awareness about lingering or subconscious concerns and brings into the light hidden drawbacks of spiritual awakening where people have deep concerns that often are not even known, that haven’t simmered into consciousness, which hinder the spiritual awakening process you will want to know about.
Some of the myths may be held by people on the spiritual awakening path and other myths are held by others about spiritual awakening and people who are on the spiritual awakening journey. Bringing these myths to our attention helps us to notice when we may be operating from that myth so we can release it.
Other ways bringing these myths to awareness is beneficial for us to notice the social norms and expectations that bind us through our ego and old ideas that are no longer operational and obsolete clearing our way to higher levels of awareness.
Noting here there are different levels of spiritual awakening experiences from what I identify as mild, moderate and extreme.
Examples of mild spiritual awakening experiences include
- some out of body experiences
- feelings of transcendence during meditation practices or shifting from waking consciousness to alpha brain wave states
- some nighttime dreams
- some hypnosis experiences
- and noticing when our intuition is operational.
Moderate spiritual awakening experiences can include
- some out of body experiences
- some dreams like after death communication, some lucid dreaming
- heightened sense of intuition that can include any of the 50+ kinds of intuition
- entrainment that occurs through specific transformational music
- and some nighttime dreams that are often remembered for a lifetime
Extreme spiritual awakening experiences include
- near-death experiences
- Shaktipat
- some nighttime dreams that also can last a lifetime and are life changing
- some healing experiences
- some out of body experiences
- and Intense Musical experiences.
This list does not represent all the ways people experience spiritual awakenings and each experience is unique.
The Commitment, Contracts, and Blueprints
When a person is on a spiritual awakening journey they may have their own hidden agenda sometimes even from themselves, surprisingly. In one person’s hidden agenda they felt they had or have a contract that would accelerate their spiritual awakening when they reached a specific age. This contract is also sometimes identified as a blueprint. Being aware of the contract or blueprint is helpful in understanding the journey we are on and understanding why we make specific decisions that may seem like sabotage to ourselves. This blueprint had the idea that their contact was to experience certain difficulties in life and achieve in different areas as leading and having the experience of a normal human life. And the caveat is their ‘normal’ life was and is not normal by many standards in terms of different intuitive abilities and occurrences that happen around them. Because they knew of the acceleration which would mean to them their commitment to manifest specific undertakings for others, and to live in an accelerated consciousness was part of their blueprint. For some people this would be delaying the inevitable and for others it would be complete immersing in the human milieu of upheaval for experience.
One & Done? Or People Live in A State of Bliss
A myth I have encountered with people is they have one spiritual awakening experience, and it is a one and done thing. This is far from the truth. Our spiritual awakening is ongoing and evolves as we are willing to continue the journey. There are lessons after a spiritual awakening just as before. There are also chores to do, as well as layers of healing, and understanding. Another common saying that goes along with this concept is chop wood carry water before spiritual awakening, chop wood carry water after a spiritual awakening. While some spiritual awakening experiences do blow up the person’s life and make drastic changes there is still integration, lessons, healing, and transformation taking place all the way till we are ready to go on to the next dimension or die and continuing our journey.
Another example of a myth in this category is the State of Perfection.
The myth about this concept is once a person has a spiritual awakening experience they are in a state of perfection. Their life is easy, there are no challenges or if there are challenges they are easily resolved because they have access to the answers and maybe even all the answers! Other myths about this state of perfection are there is no need to have effort, to learn, all healing and resolution has taken place, there will be no more real challenges, and a person cannot lose their spiritual awakening gains.
I have known people who have tremendous spiritual awakening experiences that include near-death experiences, and they did not heal their traumatic past. As a result they devolved and lost abilities they previously accessed. Their ability to manage their emotions was lacking because they had mental and emotional dysregulation, a perfection complex that means they felt they were above making mistakes thus taking advantage of and violating others, misused their power, created alienation, sabotaging their endeavors, friendships, and systems of community they had built. In my observation that was because they had childhood trauma and a lot of anger that never was resolved.
The Myth of Spiritual Superiority
This myth is partly born out by spiritual teachers from all disciplines who have taken advantage of their students and misused their power. These situations range from expecting finances to be turned over, manipulation, using their spiritual ‘mastery’ over people, and even sexual abuse. When people are aware of these real situations gaining spiritual awakening and wisdom can take on a different quality of respect but also the myth of there is temptation of misuses.
The myth of spiritual superiority is not only linked to spiritual teachers.
Along with this superiority is linked competition. Our basic human motivations are sometimes triggered when we are with other people. Competition to have more spiritual awakening, more training, more insight, be better, is linked to spiritual superiority.
State of Perfection Myth
Linked to the superiority of spiritual awakening myth is also the myth of perfection. Often people may wish once they have a spiritual awakening their life is perfect, they have all the answers, everything is going well. This may be wishful thinking from the side of not having a spiritual awakening experience or even after having one or several spiritual awakening experiences. This myth may include not having to work, not having bills, problems disperse, traumas are all healed, relationship issues are resolved and will always be resolved, all is good all of the time.
A Single “Right” Path Myth
Frequently we can see in history the prevailing attitude of different spiritual and religious leaders who have shoved their perspective down upon others to the point of death. This single right path notion still persists with the ideas that people are special for following a certain path, are the chosen ones, thus relegating all others to infidels (disparaging someone who does not follow Christianity or Islam), people who are ignorant, ‘other,’ unworthy, and not chosen. We are still dealing with this notion all over the place even in politics. This single right path notion is sometimes perpetuated by a leader who wants loyalty from people who need to feel special. In undisguised ways people still show up at our front door with a book in their hand, saying they want to share the ‘good word’ with you. This is another version of they are special, and you are an imbecile. Often these people are brain washed to think they are doing the work of God implying your way of spirituality must be less. And they don’t ask. Often they are told they get something from their ‘good deeds’ or conversion so it is self-motivated. The single right path is dangerous and deadly. Even in modern spiritual groups this specialness is still rampant. People may feel they have lost their identity, so they take on this mantel of energy. They are intending to capture the energy of another person through flattery of specialness for their benefit which is an ancient dominance tactic whether conscious or unconsciously in their righteousness.
The Blissed-Out Myth
A spiritual awakening experience may give the person a peak feeling, understanding, clarity and even resolution to specific areas. These uplifting experiences are integrated into life including income management, bills, dishes, buying groceries and cooking, taking care of our body with exercise, and getting good sleep, managing relationships with spouses, children, parents and friends, and plus other areas. While spiritual awakening experiences can bring a profound connection, feelings of love and peace, and understanding even in specific areas this is not a constant state. As the human experience continues to unfold there are times of introspection, setbacks, and challenges that continue.
From a physiological perspective during a peak experience the system is receiving oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine that are all the feel-good chemicals. These releases do not sustain but we are able to use methods that continue to release these chemicals to release them into our system, as well as diminish the production of cortisol which is the stress hormone that causes inflammation that sustains trauma in our system is the underlying causes of physical and mental illnesses.
When we continue specific practices that support continued integration which are releasing our ordinary waking consciousness by accessing alpha and deeper states we are able to sustain and deepen the peak experiences, develop the observer perspective, while lessening depression, anxiety, and release trauma.
All is Good All the Time Myth
A myth that seems to be taken up by some people if they want to be identified to be on the spiritual awakening path is that everything is rainbows and unicorns. When a person is in this mode they are also living out the myth that does not include experiencing the range of human emotions because having ‘negative’ emotions is perceived as bad. Life may be perceived this way because of a romantic idea spiritual awakening eliminates suffering and wanting everything to be lovely, and/or there is a fear of personal challenges and the work that it takes for healing and personal growth to occur.
No More Challenges aka as the Escape Myth
From an outside perspective it may seem to some people, or they may wish when there is a spiritual awakening it is either an escape from the responsibilities of life as well as dealing with unresolved issues, and challenges that arise into the future.
I have known people who wanted to join an ashram or nunnery for this reason. They felt overwhelmed by having to learn about house insurance, medical insurance, managing their money and thinking about auto repairs and home repairs. Their solution was to join a place where they could pray all the time and not have to worry about all those areas.
It is important to note in the spiritual awakening process learning methods and tools to develop greater awareness, access greater emotional and mental regulation, resilience, deepen intuition, and compassion, heal trauma and rewire our neurological system, developing calm and inner wisdom are a work in progress.
Another aspect of the No More Challenges or Escape Myth is the No More Suffering Myth.
Suffering may be part of the self that is fading away and learning to let go, as part of the spiritual awakening process. While some people suffer over their own life, the life of their families, others also suffer over the suffering of other people, creatures, and the environment. This suffering can be paralyzing however during the spiritual awakening process there can be a release of personal suffering, moving to enjoyment and gratitude, holding compassion, and to actions that are in alignment that are movement.
The Spiritual Bypassing Myth
Spiritual bypassing refers to the use of spiritual ideas and practices to avoid confronting or addressing underlying emotional or psychological issues. While spiritual awakening can be a powerful tool for healing and growth, it can also be misused as a way to avoid facing difficult emotions or situations. This can lead to a superficial or incomplete understanding of experiences. One of the primary dangers of spiritual bypassing is that it can hinder genuine healing and personal growth. By avoiding confronting unresolved trauma, and mental and emotional issues, individuals may inadvertently perpetuate patterns of self-destructive behavior or simply not be able to move beyond a certain place. Additionally, spiritual bypassing can create a false sense of enlightenment or spiritual superiority, leading to disconnection from others and a lack of empathy.
Another concern is that spiritual bypassing can be used to justify harmful or exploitative behaviors. Some individuals may use spiritual language to rationalize abusive or manipulative actions, claiming that they are acting in accordance with a higher purpose. This can be particularly dangerous in religious or spiritual communities where there may be a culture of unquestioning obedience to authority.
This myth may also be perpetuated as spiritual awakening becomes more mainstream because there is a risk that it may be commercialized and reduced to a superficial consumer product. This can contribute to a culture of spiritual bypassing, as individuals may seek quick fixes and superficial experiences rather than engaging in a deeper journey of self-discovery.
The Mental Instability Myth
Mental instability is in part becoming an obsolete concern for several reasons. As there are more people who want to understand spiritual awakening experiences, more people who have spiritual wakening experiences, and normalizing of spiritual awakening experiences these contribute to cultural understanding. These changes create a widening awareness about spiritual awaking experiences as a positive opportunity for expansion of consciousness, instead of a pathological diagnosis, as an inability to deal with life, a dissociative episode, and/or an immediate pharmaceutical intervention and label. What this means is when there are people in a community who know how to understand energy systems, how to provide practices that anchor and balance the person who is going through a spiritual awakening instead of pathologicalizing the experience the myth goes away. It is getting the people who are having the experiences to the people who know how to be of assistance which is not the western medicine mental health approach.
The other component of the mental health instability myth is the understanding of trauma, how trauma may be considered an opportunity as a spiritual awakening, and how to work with a person who has experienced trauma in a holistic (by holistic I mean, mental, emotional, physical, energy, and spiritual) comprehensive, and compassionate way.
Therefore working with people with spiritual awakening experiences requires a greater understanding and wisdom of systems that are not mainstream concepts. However there are qualified people who are able to navigate these different assessments and provide the necessary guidance and wisdom. This myth is based in historic mental health treatment of people, giving them a diagnosis without addressing their trauma history, their cultural relationships, not testing for common deficiencies that contribute to instability, not addressing nutritional intake, sleep, or substance abuse. and other important elements.
To clarify when people have a spiritual awakening experience it often is the opposite of mental instability. A spiritual awakening experience often leads to mental clarity and emotional stability and insight. The myth is created from misdiagnosis or misunderstanding of a spiritual awakening experience by medical or mental health providers who consider spiritual awakening symptoms as instability.
Other areas that contribute to anyone’s instability are not getting enough sleep and good sleep, not eating healthy foods, avoiding sugary foods, processed foods, foods with chemicals, additives, and preservatives, using substances. Using substances can cause disturbances, imbalances, and depletions that are often overlooked besides contributing to sensitivities. Unresolved trauma is another area that can cause upheaval.
When a person has a guide and a system to use to anchor their energy so they can process and their experiences it aids the body, mind, emotions, and spirit to allow the neurological system to heal and transform through integration. The method of accessing deeper levels of consciousness on a regular basis also simultaneously facilitates connection to intuition and deeper trust, boosting the immune system, developing mental and emotional regulation, resilience, calming and restoration.
Significant Change of Identity Myth
The myth about loss or significant change of identity when a person has a spiritual awakening experience is based on changes within a person that are perceived by the outside world. This is because there may be a change in values which changes the person’s interests, time spent engaging in specific activities, and emphasis on leading a harmonious life. When a person is from a specific community of people who hold certain beliefs about religion, relationships, activities it can seem there has been a 180 direction turn. Often the person has always had certain proclivities and is inherently expressing their innate self after they have experienced a or several spiritual awakenings. It is the spiritual awakening experience has created inner circumstances of awareness that surface that are no longer congruent with their previous life.
The following is an example of this kind of identity myth. I met a woman who said she was a Presbyterian and saw the archangel Michael in her living which did not fit into the presbyterian belief system. This alone was not what changed her life. There were a group of circumstances that all contributed to the changes including her children leaving high school and going to college her husband having an affair and her moving to another state.
The Loneliness and Isolation Myth
People especially in the past may have felt isolated from others because of experiences they knew were unique to them. Some people are able to sense or know that most people even as children, do not have the capacity to understand out of body experiences and other spiritual awakening experiences, so they learn to not speak about them. Many times people allow these memories and experiences to fade into the background as they go on with their lives. Some people remember these experiences later. There is often a feeling of being different from others and a knowing that these experiences do not fit into the mainstream values. There is a knowing sharing spiritual awakening experiences can jeopardize their friendships and relationships, and career because the experiences are categorized as crazy or unbelievable.
An example is a woman who was a hospice nurse who worked with families with children. She had a near-death experience that changed her abilities of perception and could communicate with those who had passed. However, she knew not to tell her clients she could communicate but determined a way to share information in a non-threatening way. Although she was able to deliver information that was helpful she still had her professional relationships did not speak about her abilities. When she was able to share all of the layers of her experience with a group of ‘experiencer’s her trepidation was palpable and also her relief in finally not feeling isolated. The takeaways are (1) finding others that accept spiritual awakening experiences and to share and listen and (2) we are in a time of transition and there are groups now where others also share diverse spiritual wakening experiences who understand and as human beings it is important to have this social support.
Loss of Control Myth
Spiritual awakening experiences often occur in different gradations which are mild, moderate, and extreme. A concern is that when a person has a spiritual awakening there will be a loss of control which can include of the physical body, mental and emotional components, and including dreams.
We have the ability and empowerment to place parameters on how we are comfortable in experiencing and living with spiritual awakening experiences. And as we draw upon systems that provide emotional and regulation we increase that empowerment. Other ways that we sustain control is through getting good sleep, healing our trauma, developing, and using healthy boundaries, getting nutritional support, and addressing deficiencies, avoiding using substances that create disturbances and also each have their own deficiency that can occur through use.
Finances are Doomed and Financial Hardships Myth
There is an old program that people who have a spiritual awakening, are interested in healing and are healers, people who are on the spiritual awakening path are poor and will always be poor because either they believe
- there is no financial success to be had,
- they believe that if a person is spiritual it is incongruent to have money and be financially successful,
- their offerings are not valued or valuable
- or they are unworthy.
Other areas that can contribute to this myth is there is a detachment form material possessions. Detachment from material possessions can emphasize renouncing of material wealth, or there is a fear of abundance because it could be misused.
The prohibitive nature of these areas is that people are not trained to learn about money and secondary education does not offer this training, so it remains an unknown. These are misconceptions about spiritual awakening as it is noted that people who have great financial prosperity can and do donate to different areas of need making practical and vast improvements in the way of life for people who do not have access to food, water, health care, homes, education, and other areas. Many people are models of spiritual growth, have spiritual awakening experiences, and financial success. Permission to have financial prosperity, to be worthy and have worthy offerings, to learn and joyfully manage money is also possible.
Now you have the content to dispel any areas that may have held you back, as well as knowing where others may have stumbling blocks in our spiritual awakening journey for transforming ourselves and changing the paradigm.
References
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