A Rite of Passage:
More of us are feeling drawn to find meaning and purpose in life. The internet and the ease of getting information gives us the opportunity to experiment with different ways to be in the world more than ever before. Self-help and spirituality can offer us a deeper understanding of ourselves. An increased sense of peace and happiness can occur. This is often called spiritual emergence.
Spiritual emergence is a growing awareness of the spiritual dimension in one’s life. It’s the movement of an individual to a more expanded way of being that involves enhanced emotional, mental and physical health, greater freedom of personal choices, and a sense of deep connection with other people, nature, and the cosmos. (Grof & Grof, 1990).
When spiritual emergence is very rapid and dramatic, this natural process can become a crisis, and spiritual emergence becomes spiritual emergency. This has also been called a nervous breakdown, existential crisis, dark night of the soul, kundalini awakening, acute psychosis, an un-doing of the ego, de-conditioning, and non-ordinary states in awareness.
“Spiritual emergencies could also be defined as critical and difficult stages of a profound psychological transformation that involves one’s entire being.” Spiritual emergencies can often be a ‘normal’ part of the move towards an expanded consciousness and spiritual awakening. Being on a spiritual path, is not all love and light. For some people, there can often be symptoms of mental illness. (Groff and Groff, 1990).
What triggers a spiritual emergency?
- Being on a deep journey of self-discovery. The individual chooses to move towards a sense of their truth and to live with integrity.
- Plant medicine journey’s
- Experimenting with a variety of spiritual practices. Sometimes, too many practices can overload the nervous system. The kundalini (life-force energy) may awaken too rapidly and ‘blow a fuse’.
- Mental health breakdown, health crisis, grief and loss, marriage breakdown and any sudden change in one’s life.
What are the signs and symptoms of a spiritual emergency?
- Feeling totally overwhelmed
- A feeling like there is nothing to hang onto any more
- A feeling like “I’m going mad”
- Ups and down’s in mood like intense fear, self-doubt, confusion and depression and then in the same day, bliss and clarity
- Sensitivity being around other people
- Psychic and mystical experiences
- Unusual physical sensations
The Spiritual Emergency Tool Kit…
- Be re-assured, this can be adjustment period of letting go of what is not serving you and waking up to authenticity and integrity. It’s often challenging and can be very disturbing.
- Eat well – diet is very important during intense transformation. Eat plenty of protein like meat, fish and eggs, legumes, brown rice. Eat lots of veges. Green smoothies are great! Drink plenty of water
- Stay in your body – stay grounded. Walk outside with no shoes on.
- Spend lots of time in nature
- Daily routine, especially starting the day ‘right’ in the morning can be very supportive
- Be with the intense feeling when it’s coming up. Ride the ebbs and flows like a wave.
- Have an alter or symbol for you to remind you that your more than your experience. You don’t have to be defined by your challenges.
- Try and trust the process, it’s often a time of purification (‘burning’) of the old patterns and beliefs that are not serving you and humanity
- It can be helpful to temporarily stop any excessive physical practices
- Try not to believe every thought and feeling that is coming up
- Be very kind, loving and compassionate towards yourself
- Take some time off from work
- Self care, self care, self care!
- Regular light exercise
- Plenty of rest
- Excessive amounts of alcohol and illicit drugs can make it worse and delay your transformation
- Spend time in an ashram or retreat centre where there is lots of support
- If the experience is too intense for an extended period of time without any break, seek mental health support from a GP or hospital
- Talk with people who understand you
If you or someone else you know is struggling in this area and might like to explore getting some help, I’m offering complimentary Spiritual Coaching Sessions. During these sessions, I offer a lot of valuable guidance and then we explore whether my services can help in an ongoing way.
