We have access to a vast number of spiritual traditions and their many pathways of development. There is a huge smorgasbord of “teachers” offering a bewildering array of instruction, techniques, readings and prophecy.
Most of what is offered appeals to our desire for something more than what our mundane culture offers, and is spiced up with mythology.
We want to resolve our personal problems.
We want something “spiritual”.
We want to manifest more of what we think we want in our lives.
We want to know what’s going to happen, to be prepared and in control.
We want to ascend beyond the world as it appears to be.
We want magic and mystery.
We want to become enlightened.
We want to access higher dimensions.
We want to live in the pure white light.
We want to live at higher frequencies.
And more.
We are hungry for these wants. Thinking we can pick and choose among them, or have them all.
Within these apparent opportunities there is also great potential for confusion.
Learning about a spiritual tradition is vastly different from engaging in the tradition in it’s cultural and geographic context.
Learning about a tradition may make us knowledgeable and sage-like, but the teachings only become alive when they are lived. Knowing a practice is not the same as being able to apply it in difficult life situations.
Spiritual “growth” is about transformation of who we are, not about being able to intelligently discuss the teachings or teach them to others.
We cannot truly teach what we have not experienced. We need to have walked the path and learned the terrain, often through hard struggle and defeat.
We are inherently connected to spirit. However from the time before we are born we become separate. The journey back to connection requires resolving the trauma, blocks, protections, etc. that we hold from our life experiences. Trauma, blocks or problematic beliefs are also inherited from our genetic (family) or reincarnate (past life) lineages. Deep wounds require deep work, and although esoteric practices may assist, eventually we have to clean out the cellar.
We need all aspects of ourselves (head, heart and body) fully available and engaged in order to work deeply with spirit. Often we need to do a lot of inner work just to get to this “starting point”.
Despite the promises, there is no fast track.
At the beginning of training we will make quick advances, learn new things, be excited to develop new skills, and access new insights. As we deepen into the work, the insights are less frequent and the inner work gets exponentially more challenging and difficult.
It is relatively easy to get half or three-quarters of the way up the mountain, but it takes a lifetime to reach the top, only to find that we can now see another ridge leading higher.
We are enamoured with manifestation of what we want in our lives rather than changing who we are as a prerequisite.
Spiritual growth will not lead automatically to happiness or bliss – both are by-products of the deep, often difficult, inner work.
People will tell you that spiritual growth is “ego destroying”, as stated in many teachings. However it seems few teachers or students are able to describe clear examples, from their own lives, of this “destructive” process.
We like to talk about our spiritual practice, but we don’t want to spend hours actually practicing. Spiritual practice is a pathway, not an outcome.
Repetition isn’t “practice” and seldom leads to progress even with hours of activity.
Practice without clear purpose (knowing what you are working on, why it matters and how you will assess progress) lacks potency. Deliberate practice, with clearly focused attention, is more likely to lead to mastery and result in being more skilful, resourceful and then transformed.
Spiritual teaching is a “business”. People make their living from it.
Teachers want us to learn from them and want to maintain the teacher-student relationship.
Teachers want us to stay in their “fold”, and continue to support them.
The more esoteric the teachings the less risk that a student will surpass or question the teacher.
Workshops are seldom real initiations since outcomes are usually predictable and time-bound.
We are looking for teachers when we need coaches.
Coaches deeply care (and demonstrate this caring) about us becoming an authentic, spiritual, individual. They will work closely with us to help us get there and they will challenge us to go deeper. They will ask the hard questions, call us on our BS, and help us get to the heart of things. They can often see in us what we might not see, or trust, in ourselves.
So given the confusions, what might be touchstones for the journey? What are some foundational attributes we need for the work?
- Growth mindset – an approach to life based on willingness to let go of who we think we are, return to being a beginner, and become authentic through continual growth and change.
- GRIT – passion (inner fire), perseverance, and resilience (no quit in hard times).
- Supportive Self Talk – inner capacity to build and maintain a positive self image; self-compassion in the face of repeated failure; and trust / confidence in ourselves.
- Honesty in self assessment – truth in assessing what we feel, who we are, and what is happening.
- Vulnerability – show up, be authentic and be seen.
- A sense of humour.