Forget Spirituality; The Art of Being Human

By in Mastershift

by David Starlyte

Call yourself “spiritual”. What does it mean?

Does it mean now you judge people because they don’t understand how elevated you are; because that’s what you are now, elevated? Above other people?

Swami Satyananda taught this regarding the uncertain concept of the immaterial: “Spiritual life begins with a question: “Who am I?” “Where have I come from? What is my path of arrival? What will be the dock of my departure?”

This seems a more authentic way of being “spiritual” in that it merely acknowledges the important existential questions.

We need to keep coming back to our origin. Where did we come from? Honour that part of our journey and then see the expanse of our lives in terms of where we are going to end up. How will we depart this earthly venture?

It seems “spiritual notions” are causing a great deal of judgement and confusion in our modern world. People who have studied yoga, meditated, visited ashrams in India, studied religion/s, become teachers, or devotees, or who simply read a few spiritual books; are wracked by judgements, insecurities and their wounding still continues. Their shadows grow longer and their darkness ever-more repressed.

They wanted to escape themselves but they can’t. They failed and they’re angry. They divert their anger at people who are “not as spiritual” as them. Those who have not suffered like they have. The people who have had less tragedy can’t relate to their lofty status.

I’ve often been told, “you can’t understand me as you haven’t been (fill in the gap) like I have been, so your opinion is meaningless”. The woundedness has become a reason to push people away so we don’t have to face the awkward truth of being so uncomfortable within ourselves that we can’t bring another close. When we feel unlovable we push people away even further. It’s like we don’t want to be reminded of this feeling of being unloved; even though the more we push people away, the more unloved we are.

Toko-pa Turner, writes in “Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home,”

“While the New Age has awakened many to the power of creative intention, it has simultaneously pathologized the so-called ‘negative emotions’ and stricken them from our social palette of acceptability. We live under a kind of hegemony of positivity which emphasizes pleasure over pain, gain over loss, happiness over sadness, and the creative over the destructive. We are taught to ‘rise above’ things like anger, anxiety, sadness—and by whatever means necessary, stay in bliss and light. This kind of bypassing is dangerous because it teaches us to not only dissociate from the multiplicity of ourselves but from the magnificent spectrum of life itself.”

There is a bypassing of conscience here. I have felt judged because I ate fish; that I’m not spiritual enough. A conscious person would never eat flesh after all. One day everyone will be raw vegan as that’s the most spiritual path. Or breatharian. Because we can live off air and sunshine.

Maybe I’m not on your level.

I’m sorry.

I do breathe the same air and walk on the same earth. I drink the same water. Sometimes I don’t even meditate at all. Some days I do no yoga or stretching and some days I’m just bone lazy. OK I’ll admit it, I am not perfect (surprise surprise).

I am just so tired of all the judgement and hypocrisy. From these so-called “spiritual” people or “conscious people” (be weary of them) who go around telling people they are looking for a “conscious” man or woman. Run away.

The worst judgement I’ve experienced lately was at the hands of a “conscious woman” who on repeated occasions got mad at me. One time because I said “come to India” and then she thought that meant I wanted to travel with her (like together) and I admitted that wasn’t my plan. She became furious. I wasn’t on her level. The next time she asked me about her profile picture on Facebook, “what do I think?” I told her it looked a bit serious, “I would love to see your beautiful smile.” She was so angry, she was seething. I wasn’t appreciating her radiant light. I clearly wasn’t conscious enough to appreciate that she breathes a higher gas and farts a higher vibration. She admitted to me that it was her “spiritual ego” – and urged me to appreciate her spiritual ego because I needed to honour that part of her. Seriously.

All I got was that she is above reproach and can throw her fury around because it’s just her “spiritual ego.” Who could be worthy of such a towering spiritual being!?

I’m sorry but this kind of behaviour is what psychologists are for. Since when did “spiritual” people stop going to psychologists? They need to go! I’m sorry if I seem too judgemental but since when did spiritual become the new crazy? It’s like the craziest people I’ve met lately think they are spiritual and therefore not mentally ill!

Spiritual bypassing happens when people can’t be real with each other or themselves. When they can’t be authentic. It’s an escape from the self  and an escape from being raw. Pretending is easier than facing the truth; that the person who stares back at you in the mirror is a human being like everyone else.

Perhaps for our real “spiritual life” to begin, we must first ask the question,”Who am I?” “Where have I come from? What is my path of arrival? What will be the dock of my departure?”

Maybe we need to just remove this “spiritual” concept from our vernacular and identify in a different way. The old religions seem unable to hold people to their narrow worldview. So the new age has taken people hostage and these people are the new “spiritual.” Let’s just be human.

Being human is more than enough for me!

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