The idea of a spiritual journey is a thing that has been around since the dawn of Man.
It is thought having a spiritual life is something almost other-worldly. To truly be spiritual, one must abandon all things and live a life in isolation. Even if you devote your entire life to spiritual mastery, you still won't get enlightened.
I propose that everyone has the ability to become enlightened and that we need to rethink our approach to spirituality. Spiritual life is not about achieving anything or becoming anything, but about becoming more aware of what you are already. You can become aware of Who You Are simply by being wherever you are.
I'll share a number of ideas, exercises, and strategies to help you on your journey, but please do not worry if something does not resonate with you.
Ram Dass writes that spirituality is an individualized and highly personal journey. Listen to your own truth. I encourage you to give up the idea of an epic quest for enlightenment and start believing that there is no end to life. You are already spiritual, you don't need to go on a quest to become spiritual.
There's a great quote that says, "we are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey." Our spiritual journey is a process of awareness. We set an ever-unattainable goal and fail before we have even begun. When we think linearly, we tend to judge ourselves and others. This can lead to elitism and spiritual elitism. You don't have to strive to be spiritual, as you can relax and become more open and receptive to the world around you.
You gain a sense of continuous renewal by viewing life as a constant, interminable series of unfolding. Thinking non-linearly can help you through the tides of your consciousness, so you can feel more connected and spiritual. In the process of becoming spiritual, you become more aware of your inner sense of joy. Spirituality is about learning to trust in and act upon your inner joy. This doesn't mean you become a hedonist, but you learn to surrender to your inner self.
To prioritize joy over suffering, and to choose love over fear, it takes time and practice. In this process, you will encounter the ups and downs of your life in a more nuanced way as you confront the limiting beliefs you hold. Everything is as it should be, though some people want to be somewhere else because they think the present moment is incorrect.
If we want to become happier, we think that we need to be happy. We also set a goal to become happy. Therein lies the problem. To achieve something, we must start from a state of lack. The more we strive to "attain" happiness, the more we focus on lack, disbelief, and inability, preventing us from realizing that joy is already available to us. The seekers' dilemma is a paradox. The resolution is to realize that joy can't be achieved or attained and that it must be allowed.
In closing, let's do some breathing and happiness meditations.
To begin, close your eyes, take a few seconds to focus on your breath, and start to bring some of these principles into your life, right now.
As you breathe, activate the highest feeling of happiness you can remember. Activate it, and feel the positive emotion flowing through your body.
Imagine yourself happy, and ask yourself what thoughts you need to think, to become happy.
