Spiritual stress is defined as a state of pain, anxiety, or conflict experienced by those dedicated to their spiritual development, but disappointed about their progress. It is one of the biggest challenges facing spiritual seekers today and not enough spiritual leaders are talking about it.
In a different culture and at a different time, it was easy to understand what a "spiritual lifestyle" looked like. Those that wanted to walk a life of spiritual devotion entered a monastery, convent, sect, or temple. It's not that these seekers didn't have the same doubts, frustrations, questions, or resistance, but they lived a life devoted to spiritual reflection. They had the opportunity, time, and support to work through it and come to a new level of communion with Source. Today, however, we combine the sacred and secular into a modern form of mysticism. This has brought with it a deep freedom but also it's own set of challenges.
We lack structure, guidance, and a living sense of "the path" that the devotional communities and sacred cultures of the past provided.
It is up to us to determine what our individual spiritual lifestyle looks like.
This has left many of us struggling with spiritual stress.
Try this experiment. Think of any aspect of your spiritual development that feels like it is under strain – maybe you are experiencing doubt or frustration, confusion or resistance.
Read through the following descriptions. Each paragraph talks about one of the four basic spiritual learning styles. Which one are you?
Spiritual Servant: Someone who is genuinely dedicated to living a good and positive life, but whose spirituality is more in the back-ground. Primarily focused on acts of kindness, passion, compassionate communication, healthy relationships, optimism, and over-all well-being (for themselves and others) spiritual servants seek to live a purpose-driven life of meaning that makes a difference. The use of spiritual tools and techniques is cyclical and usually brings great joy and deeper connection when sought out. Servants don't take a lot of classes or seek personal coaching, but will if they feel truly inspired. Reading and reflection tend to be primary forms of development.
Spiritual Practitioner: Very much like the servant in approach, practitioners have a more active spiritual life. They look for classes, techniques, and various methods to develop, play, and explore. Often practitioners will feel called to a spiritually-oriented occupation. It is important to note this may not be the appropriate career path, but the education and transformation involved in training for the career is often very helpful in developing their relationship with Source. Community, learning, and a spiritual back-pack full of inspirational tools are the hallmarks of a practitioner. Practitioners can experience particular difficulty in maintaining a spiritual routine and often find this a source of great self-doubt and frustration.
Spiritual Warrior: Always called to deeper levels of integration and devotion, warriors are guided forward by challenge, self-healing, vision, and growth. They feel the evolutionary pull of spiritual development and can even experience pain in the face of the discord and disharmony of humanity and/or the planet as a whole. Filled with passion and purpose, warriors often feel called to walk an individual path even while feeling the urge to connect deeply with others. Regardless of their career path, spiritual warriors will be "messengers" - holding an inspirational and wise presence in any environment. Their spirituality is a noticeable and leading power in their lives. Stability and "not taking everything too seriously" will be challenges for the warrior.
Spiritual Elder/Master: Having absorbed and transformed the fire of growth into the warm glow of peace and fulfillment, elders are sources of strength, wisdom, connection, and reflection for others. Almost always they adopt a career that is spiritually- and teaching-oriented. They are true stewards of spiritual connection and knowing. Their spiritual values can be seen reflected in their choices and they weave the web of their lives consciously in co-operation with the divine. Their relationship with Source is private and shared intimately only with a few. Where it is shared en-mass it serves the purpose of illuminating the path for others.
Did you recognize yourself (or any of your friends) in these descriptions? Can you see that even this small piece of self-understanding has the potential to build your spiritual confidence and trust? Imagine what it would feel like to:
· Get clear on the five root causes of spiritual stress in today's modern mysticism - and the corresponding insights that help you move through them
· Perform a regular spiritual self-inventory (a light-hearted but thorough over-view of where you are spiritually and what your current strengths and weaknesses are)
· Discover your authentic spiritual personality - and learn how, in this modern world your psychology, relationships, and career can all combine with your spiritual development to create a robust and rich spiritual lifestyle
· Identify your core spiritual values and understand how to work with them to support and guide you - even through the most difficult situations
· Figure out which phase of spiritual development you are currently in and it's natural gifts and challenges
· Familiarize yourself with the spiritual development industry and your place in it. After all when the modern monasteries and temples are for-profit businesses run by spiritual entrepreneurs, what do you really need to know as a spiritual seeker?
· Understand that there are common stress points in this modern age of spiritual development that many, many people get stuck in - learning how to identify and how to get unstuck from these stress points is incredibly important
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Get started today by visiting spiritualstressbusters.com/freegift - You’ll be able to get more information on spiritual stress and access a free self-inventory tool and the Top 5 Most Important Spiritual Insights video series. After that, you are welcome to poke around the site and find free resources to help you in exploring every item listed above.
Arria Deepwater is a spiritual teacher and author who travels internationally for her work. She will be visiting the Lotus Center on Monday, October 4th for ONE DAY ONLY of private sessions. If you really want reflection, guidance, and insight into your current phase of spiritual development – a private session with Arria may be something you want to consider!
Sessions are $150 (incl HST) – cash, cheque or credit is accepted – claim your spot today, there are only 9 openings available.
To book an appointment call 1-877-814-6317 and for more information visit www.lovethreshold.com
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