Do You Feel Pressure to Conform to the Spiritual Community?
I am very, very happy to be a part of the spiritual community. I’d say we have some of the nicest, most compassionate and most forward-thinking people on Earth! Beyond that, I like to interact with people who believe in tolerance, and who aren’t afraid of standing out a little.
With that being said, I’ve come to notice that despite our community’s willingness to be different, there is (ironically) still an undercurrent of conformity that sits just beneath the surface. I believe that while many “spiritual people” have learned how to challenge the status quo and walk a different path from the rest of the herd, it can still be hard to 100% let go of our human herding tendencies. Sometimes it can feel like we’ve walked right out of one herd, just to join another.
I mention this today because I want to make it clear that becoming more in tune with your spiritual self is ultimately a personal journey, and there are an infinite number of paths you can take. Spiritual growth is about learning who you are, and how to listen to and trust your instincts. So while there are many things that spiritual people often do, this doesn’t mean you must follow the spiritual herd in order to be a spiritual person.
Sometimes I get the impression that many members of our community worry that they aren’t spiritual “enough.” It’s as if there is an unspoken belief that many of us have that says in order to be spiritual you must meditate daily, do yoga, follow a vegan diet, eat all organic, dress a certain way, use crystals, sage your house and be anti-establishment. While all of these choices and activities have the potential to accelerate spiritual growth, if they are required they are simply new chains of bondage that prevent us from following our own spiritual path and truly awakening.
I’ve often heard from people who believe that there is something they should be doing in order to reach a higher place of spiritual awareness. They think that if they just start a yoga routine, or if they just learn how to meditate properly, the answers they are looking for will present themselves.
But the truth is, you can become more spiritually aware at any time, and at any place. This is because becoming spiritually aware is about opening up to who you are. It is not about shoving yourself into box.
While many people in fact do find their spiritual awakening through meditation, many others awaken in different ways. I’ve heard of people who have become connected through through sports, through work, through relationships, through trauma or even through taboo lifestyle choices like drugs. You can become more spiritually awake at any time, because it really isn’t about what you’re doing, rather it’s about your willingness to ask for and receive guidance from within.
So today’s message is this: be where you are and do what feels right to you as often as you can. You are a spiritual person regardless of your decision to partake in the traditional “spiritual activities.” As they say,
“You are a spirit having a human experience, not a human having a spiritual experience.”
Remember, you aren’t any less of a spiritual person if you eat at non-organic food. You aren’t any less of a spiritual person if you’ve never meditated.
You are a spiritual person simply because you are aware of your spirit. For a more spiritual experience, follow your spirit and let it lead you where it wants to go. For some of you, that may be yoga class, but for others it might be something as commonplace as the grocery store.
Be yourself, and make lifestyle choices that resonate with the voice inside. This is how you best follow your spiritual path, and open up to the guidance that will lead you to where you want to be. Regardless of where you are right now, you are exactly where you need to be.
Thanks for reading,
Andrea
Are you interested in conscious living and the Law of Attraction?
If you like my daily blog, you might also enjoy a membership with Raise Your Vibration Today. Members learn how to reach their goals with positive thinking and receive personalized support along with full access to my video tutorials, guided meditations, ebooks, and audiobooks. Try out a membership for 30 days for just $0.99. You can also subscribe to my newsletter for more free tips like these!
2 Comments
Michael Christensen
Thank you Andrea, awesome article!
The late Dr Wayne Dyer, opened the door for me, I was the one that stepped through it. I am spiritual because…I choose to be, not because its the fab or latest trend. I do yoga, because its easier for me (and I was never really a gym person).
I tried vegan for a week, definitively not doing that again. Now I do have a vegan day once every week or two 😉
However I do meditate, at least twice a day, sometimes more.
I ask questions, I do not conform. If you conform (to anything really) you are just a sheep in a massive herd. I believe that we are free spirits capable of making our own decisions – good or not so much, which is what gives us our uniqueness in the body we inhabit.
“I am that I am”
Andrea Schulman
I’m with you on the veganism Michael. I love cheese too much to give it up LOL! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, much appreciated 🙂 -Andrea