Alternate Title: If you desire spirituality, then find your path
Let’s do things a bit differently today. Let’s have a heart-to-heart.
However, scroll down to Spirituality is not just a trend, if you want to skip my tidbit.
Disclaimer
I’ll be honest, I’m new to spirituality. Like, less-than-6-months-commitment kind of new. Even though I’ve had weird things happen now and again, I’ve spent decades avoiding the real deal.
But of course, I have my excuses. Actually, do any of these ring a bell for you?
- I already hated the religious practices of my family. [And it left a bad taste in my mouth towards religion and spirituality in general.]
- I struggled to accept that I could be logical and spiritual.
- Since I was a teenager, I’ve thought that I needed to “hold myself back.” [Exploring and analyzing the various sectors of spirituality probably would go against that.]
- Fear of the unknown. [Okay, it’s not the “unknown” per se. It’s more the idea of “what do I do if something bad happens?” Because I’ve seen plenty of scary movies where things happen even if you’re an innocent bystander.]
- I didn’t believe it was valuable enough. [Considering how detached I am, that’s quite the peculiar assumption. I definitely need something to ground me (and simple reality ain’t it).]
So, what changed things?
I’ve been really trying the past year or so to change my life. Starting with my foundation, I’m overhauling much of my perspective and approach to life. For the first time, I’m seriously allowing myself to take the wheel and steer my life to where I want to go. Rather than letting society and perceived expectations do it for me.
So… simply put, what changed was me.
Spirituality is not just a trend
You probably know where I’m going with this. But, it wouldn’t feel quite right to do this post without including this section too.
You see, yes. Spirituality is a trend. But, that’s definitely not all it is. And it shouldn’t be all that it is to you.
Just going off my research alone, it’s obvious that spirituality has many, many different avenues and beliefs. At the least, it offers you a way to broaden your perspective and engage in personal growth. You just need to find what works for you. And yes, that may seem daunting. But, you don’t have to rush into anything.
The thing about spirituality is: you’re allowed to explore and decide for yourself what’s true, at your own pace.
It’s your spiritual journey. That means you create your own path and discover what’s right for you. That’s what matters.
That being said, there is a history of stigma around spirituality. And it’s worse in some places than others. But, if you’re able and willing to explore more, I highly recommend it. It feels good to move away from singular truths.
[Although admittedly, there are people that still insist on singular truth within the spirituality community. But in my experience, it’s easier to explore different perspectives without judgment compared to main religions.]
So, without further ado…
Here’s 3 signs that you should finally take a leap of faith into spirituality.
1. You’re already interested in spirituality
Everyone has their own beliefs, whether it’s backed by current mainstream science or not. However, not everyone is willing to explore and question their beliefs. Why?
Well, as indicated in my Disclaimer, there’s a bunch of reasons. Fear of the unknown, anxiety, bad past experiences, etc. However, if you choose not to explore your spiritual side, at best you can only distract yourself from it. You can’t explore your beliefs by ignoring them.
What if I want to ignore it?
Personally, I think everyone is free to choose. If you’re not ready to dive into spirituality then don’t. After all, I’m sure some happy people don’t consider themselves spiritually inclined. And I imagine, not everyone needs to be conscious of their spirituality. You can “talk the talk,” without knowing how to explain it.
However, that being said, should you permanently ignore it?
I can’t give you a perfect answer. But, I assume that if you’re still curious regardless, you should give it a go. You don’t have to go full-throttle. But, you can dip your feet in. And why not give it a test round? Take your time and avoid anything that makes you feel unsafe.
If you don’t like something after a while, discard it.
Plus, it’s okay to make mistakes. You’ll figure out what’s right for you over time.
2. It feels like you’re missing something important
This can apply to anyone. From the CEO at a Fortune 500 company to the millennial barely managing to pay rent. I think most people reach a point in their life where it’s apparent something is amiss. Often we tell ourselves something like, “if I had more money” or “if my crush liked me back” then life would be wonderful. And while that can partially alleviate or distract us from the problem at hand, it rarely solves it.
But then, we all have a reason to be unhappy. And it’s not like negative emotions are inherently wrong. After all, they basically exist to tell us that something needs improvement.
No, what’s important to note here is that some people are capable of maintaining an amazing, positive view despite their circumstances. That there are people who can face crisis after crisis, and not only survive, but thrive.
But, why is that?
Because you can have the “perfect” life, but still be left unsatisfied. Meanwhile, someone who struggles every day to make ends meet could be the happiest person in the city. So, isn’t this a prime example that life is a matter of perspective?
And if so, perhaps we each can grow and adapt to be better suited to handle adversities. Which could indicate that a deep missing sensation we have throughout our lives, one that can’t always be dismissed by major events or trauma, could be a signal that something is amiss within ourselves. And that resolving it would make us stronger and more capable.
Now, I don’t mean to suggest that all feelings of being at a lost mean it’s time for a great spiritual journey. But, that sometimes that could be exactly what you need.
To quote Kipo from the great Netflix hit:
You need to do some soul-searching.
– Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
3. You feel nudged to explore
There are many ways this can happen. For example:
- A major life-changing event happens
- A random interaction with a stranger
- Someone close to you speaks up about their beliefs
- You’re “drawn” to a certain place/person/ideology
- A specific scene book/show/movie/game gets to you
Whatever it is, you have a desire to learn more. You can have feelings of anxiety or joy. It doesn’t matter. Regardless, there is a part of you that’s intrigued.
Now, before I go on, let’s make something clear. Not every curiosity you have is special. At least, that’s my opinion. I believe that life can genuinely be random. So, the one time something catches your interest could be a coincidence. But, by the third time around… consider taking a chance.
What I’m saying is, if you keep getting “nudged” then gather some information. Take a small risk. Explore the possibilities.
At the least, be willing to discover what intrigues you.
If you know the answer and still don’t want to dive deeper… then okay.
But, until you have those answers, why reject spirituality?
Go on, give it a chance.
Leave a Reply