A spiritual journey is an ongoing quest to becoming the best version of you, through reflection, education and spiritual growth. It helps you understand yourself on the deepest level. It will also give you a better idea of what your purpose in this lifetime is, which is an important lesson to learn while here on this earth. Each person’s journey will be as individual as they are. However, there are comparable experiences that many people have while seeking out spiritual enlightenment.
You are probably here because you feel you are beginning your spiritual journey. But, now what? Many people seek out a step-by-step plan on how to go about the expedition of their soul. Unfortunately, I do not feel it’s a one-size fits all kind of experience. I believe each person will go through different sections of their spiritual journey at different times. Many times they may visit each section more than once. It all depends on each person’s individual needs. So, a how-to list doesn’t make much sense here. However, I can give you an idea of what you might expect based on the common experiences people have while on their spiritual journey.
Awakening: You most likely already realized that there is more to life than just what is right in front of you. The pandemic forced everyone inside and away from friends, extended family, coworkers and neighbors. All distractions now removed (after watching everything on TV and online), you were forced to face your true self, your inner thoughts, your ego, and even the dark corners of your mind. This is an important part of everyone’s spiritual journey because it is what catapults us into self-discovery and exploration of spirituality. Find out more and see if you’re going through a spiritual awakening by reading What is a Spiritual Awakening?
Acceptance: You may have opened your eyes a little bit to the possibility of the unknown. You probably also have begun to see that the spiritual world has more of an affect on your life than you previously realized. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean you won’t try to close your eyes again. It is way easier to hide from the truth and live in a world where your only focus is doing what’s expected of you. However, you may feel like something is missing. You may feel like your life isn’t fulfilling. Accepting that there is way more to discover about the world around you allows you to start to become comfortable with the idea that there is way more to discover about yourself as well. Allow yourself to believe that you are being guided by your ancestors, spirit guides, angels and the divine and doors, windows, and even gateways will begin to open up for you.
Resolution: Before you can truly explore yourself and connect with the spiritual world, you have to make sure that you are in a good place spiritually. This means really taking a deep dive into your thoughts and your beliefs. What do you really believe in? What were you taught that you feel you need to unlearn? Many people struggle in this phase to make sense between what they have been raised to believe and what they feel to be true, especially if they were brought up in a religious household. This is when you decide what you believe in. This time of questioning your faith and trying to figure out what your beliefs are, is often referred to as the “Dark Night of the Soul”.
Healing Past Wounds: Many of you are carrying around anchors, as my spirit guides call them, and you aren’t even aware of it because these anchors are moments from your past that you often don’t want to acknowledge. During this phase you will begin to let go of the emotional anchors that have held you back in your spiritual progress. It is necessary to clear out these stagnant negative energies you have collected over the years. When you heal, you release the negative energies that have been taking up space within you and you allow space for the light and positivity that you are welcoming in. So, what past hurts might you be holding onto that drain your energy daily by taking up space? Take your time with this practice for it will help you learn to recognize and restrain your ego, which is often what keeps you from healing from these past pains. Healing is a huge part of the spiritual journey. As you progress through each phase, you may uncover traumas you didn’t know existed. So, it is very common for the Healing Past Wounds phase to be visited multiple times throughout your journey.
Discovering Abilities: As we step out of the dark corners of our minds, we begin to recognize our spiritual gifts. Everyone is born with spiritual abilities, which is why you often see or hear of children being able to connect with spirits and angels. It is our culture that teaches us to ignore and even fear what once came so naturally to us. This is when you may begin to realize things like, it actually wasn’t a lucky guess you made but, really a vision you had of what to expect. Or, you aren’t just a friendly person. You are a beacon, an empathic soul whom people are drawn to for love, support and guidance. You may start to realize that the desire you have to help others is much more than just a calling. It is a purpose that brings you joy and makes you feel fulfilled because it is why you were sent here at this time, in this place. You may discover the spiritual abilities you were born with for the first time and/or your abilities may become amplified in this phase. As you continue to move forward on your spiritual journey, your abilities will most likely continue to grow.
Cultivating Growth: Speaking of growing, there is a time, or more like many times, in your spiritual journey that you will work on creating a nurturing space for your soul to continue to grow and fill with light. You will find new ways to heal and release energies that no longer serve you. Routines will be created and practiced to help raise your vibrations, providing a safe space for your light to expand. You may find yourself changing to a more plant based diet because it makes your body feel like it runs more cleanly, supporting your soul in a physical and spiritual way. You might come to the realization that exercise helps you feel grounded and strong as you continue on your quest. This is one of the stages that can come and go as it’s needed. So, don’t be concerned if you come back to this phase more than once.
Seeking Knowledge: You will want to devour every single book you can on spirituality and spiritual abilities. You may want to learn about how to read tarot/oracle/angel cards, the healing properties of crystals, how to connect with spirit guides and angels, etc. You will seek out like minded people and try to find your tribe. Friends may come and go as you look for those that get you, and that’s okay. There will be many encounters with many people, as well as dabbling in many different spiritual subjects. Be patient because you will find what feels right for you and recognize what doesn’t click for you. Take time to seek out the topics and people that make you feel at home. They are out there. When you find what you’re looking for, try your best to stay focused and pace yourself. Take one day at a time and one topic at a time, because there is no rush. Be patient and loving with yourself. This is not a competition nor is it a race.
Dedication: This is often one of the last stages of a spiritual journey. You have released the anchors of the past weighing you down. You are aware of your ego and you have it in check. A beneficial lifestyle for your body, mind and soul has been established and practiced consistently. Direction and purpose have been found. You no longer feel disconnected, nor do you feel lost but, more at home with yourself than ever before. This is the final dust off, the crossing of t’s and the dotting of i’s, the fine tuning phase.
Serving with Purpose: You now know why you are here and how you want to go about being of service. You follow your intuition and welcome guidance from the spiritual world. You see your path clearly laid out before you. Your top priority and everything you do is to serve with purpose and fulfill your soul’s calling. Things are obvious for you now. When you get to this phase, it is time to go out and forge your own destiny, mighty soul. For this is just the beginning.