stages on the spiritual journey

For most people, the spiritual journey takes many years. In fact, one could say it is an endless journey. Everyone’s journey is unique and yet we can generally classify some different stages that most people pass through. Really these are stages in life.

To begin with we are growing up as a child, looked after by our parents or others, dependent, growing, learning. At some point we become an adult, more independent, self-sufficient. Typically we live in a material world with a rather technical understanding of life; perhaps emotional as well, with a lot of anguish, suffering, psychological suffering.

At some point, usually due to this suffering, we turn to the inner world and our spiritual journey begins. It is a journey to discover the truth of the matter of who we are, of our relationship to the rest of existence. To help us on this path we typically follow a discipline or a religious teaching. Perhaps we try several different methods or several different teachings.

This stage of intense seeking can last several years. It is a frustrating business at times. Yes there are benefits, many benefits, along the way and yet deep down we still know that we have not reached that ultimate flowering of our consciousness, we have not reached our truth. This stage of searching and seeking takes much effort, energy, intensity. For us to make real progress this search needs to be of the highest importance to us, more valuable than anything else in our life, our top priority.

Then, if we are lucky, at some point we can relax, we have passed the worst and we can surrender to life, enter the flow and allow existence itself to carry us the rest of the way. This part of the journey is felt as rather effortless, a gift, as many illusions drop away and we deepen into our being effortlessly. Finally, by grace, by chance and good fortune, we can flower. The last illusions about oneself can disappear and we are left in a beautiful world, in paradise on Earth, to live out the rest of our days without worries, without problems, at peace, feeling with every breath the full beauty of existence.