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Discernment – Navigating The Spiritual Minefield
15th May 2015
By Christina Lavers
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
There is so much spiritual information floating around of varying quality, and for people who are just starting to awaken and connect with the spiritual aspects of life, it can be a challenge to discern the true gems from the trash.
I decided to compile some tips I have pieced together in relation to seeking external information and mentoring along my journey, and share it here today in hopes it helps others on their path to navigate the ‘spiritual minefield’.
Of course there are many fantastic teachers and teachings out there… finding them is all about discernment.
The Proponent of Light
This is someone who focuses on love and light. Their words of love ring true and make us feel warm and fuzzy. Their messages are filled with hope and positivity. They encourage the seeker to repel negativity, and become love and light. Their doctrines, however, dispense a neutered version of spirituality. Their practices can make the seeker feel good, feel like we are participating in something profound, without actually enabling true deep transformation.
The problem is that while some of what they say may be true, they are actually missing half of the picture. Balance is crucial in healthy spiritual development. And while it is great to celebrate the beautiful, light-filled aspects of being, it is also crucial to explore and integrate the dark aspects of ourselves. When the darkness is ignored or pushed away, it remains unresolved and continues to burden us at an unconscious level. Only through integration of our own darkness can we truly become realized beings, reflections of the whole.
You Are Special
There is no doubt that we are all special in our own unique way, and with so much negative programming in our world, making this realization is an essential step on our journey. However, there are different ways this awareness can develop. When information pertaining to our specialness is designed to appeal to the ego it can be problematic. Some teachings on offer make seekers feel as though we are part of a special elite spiritual club. “You are the brave ones; you are special…” The information appeals to the wounded, misunderstood aspect of the personality. When this aspect feels ‘seen’ and celebrated, an inflation occurs… and it feels good.
Instead of feeling like a weird misfit, we begin to feel like a chosen one; rather than the strange one, we become the exceptional one. However, this ‘inflation’ is not real growth because the information allows us to distance our self from the feeling of inferiority by stepping into a feeling of superiority, which is just the other side of the same coin.
True healing and humility occur when there is an acknowledgement and integration of both sides. By owning both our strengths and weaknesses we gain the ability to operate from a solid space of integrity and authenticity.
The Arrogant Teacher
This is a person who makes the seeker feel as though spiritual wisdom is only for the few with the intelligence to grasp the concepts that they espouse. The spirituality they promote is convoluted and has an elitist flavour. These people are masters at defending their position, not because they are right, but because they have highly developed the art of manipulating information for their own benefit. Often these types of teachers lord their knowledge over their followers in an attempt to make us feel inadequate. When we are grappling with our own sense of worth we might be inclined to believe that this teacher holds the secret we require, and strict adherence to their doctrines will eventually reveal it to us.
In reality spirituality is simple, and is accessible to everyone: the answers are all within. A big aspect of the spiritual journey is the process of recognizing where we have given away our power, and taking back our own authority.
One of the common aspects of a spiritually advanced person is that their sense of empathy and compassion is highly developed. This does not mean that they buy into ‘victim scripts’, or try and save anyone. Rather they recognize that everyone is divine and capable of finding their own way, but they also understand the difficulties of the journey, and their hearts are touched by the plight of others. The more advanced they are, the more they can feel their deep connection to everyone and everything.
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