396. Spiritual Work to Awaken Oneself is for the Brave, and You Can Do It

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Brave Souls: Embracing the Scary Side of Spiritual Awakening 

Let's explore the profound journey of spiritual awakening and ascension with warmth and insight. I’m honored to be your fellow traveler on this enlightening path.

Navigating the Shadows of Spiritual Development 

Spiritual enlightenment is often perceived as a journey filled with light and positivity, an experience of leaving behind darker moments for an existence surrounded by optimistic people and thoughts. While this trajectory is indeed possible, the reality of spiritual growth often involves facing some of the scariest aspects within oneself.

Imagine spiritual work as clearing out haunted attics of your soul, where forgotten memories and unresolved emotions linger. In this post, I’ll share a personal experience that underscores this metaphor and highlights the true courage required in spiritual development.

The Unsettling Power of Forgotten Memories 

As my consciousness has expanded on this spiritual quest, memories from ages past have re-emerged with clarity and force. These recollections are often benign but sometimes, they carry a sting of pain.

One such memory recently resurfaced—it was a seemingly trivial moment from my teenage years. I found myself excluded from a dear friend's surprise party. The memory conjured feelings of rejection, loneliness, and embarrassment. My first instinct when the memory resurfaced was to bury it, again, under the sands of forgetfulness. Yet childhood wounds have a way of holding sway over our present selves until they are acknowledged and understood. I also recognized that I was automatically rejecting the memory and wondered if there was an opportunity for healing if I would engage with the memory.

Healing Through Courage and Compassion 

It takes immense bravery to confront these haunting personal histories. My healing journey involved embracing the scared 14-year-old within me, understanding her pain, and allowing myself the freedom to feel and release these emotions. The soul mechanism of crying acts as a powerful agent of healing, as my friend Teresa Kaplan so beautifully articulates. Tears help melt away the frozen emotional ice, releasing dormant sorrows in a healing embrace.

Internal Family Systems: A Guide to Integration 

As I embarked on this path of reconciliation, resources like a book on Internal Family Systems became invaluable. Sent to me serendipitously by a friend, this book opened a new dimension of understanding.

The process of integrating these hidden fragments of ourselves, frozen in time due to distress or pain, opens not only doors to personal wholeness but also offers boundless compassion for others going through similar struggles. This newfound empathy can guide you to bring warmth to those feeling excluded or undervalued, using your experiences to foster connections and understanding.

The Courage to Awaken 

Spiritual awakening is indeed for the brave. It invites us to confront what we have long buried, to transform our fears into stepping stones along our path of ascension. Engaging with these aspects not only enhances personal growth, but it also enriches the collective experience of humanity.

Thank you for being part of this transformative journey. May you find blessings and insightful discoveries at every stage of your path.

For the full experience of this story and to further explore this episode’s insights, I invite you to listen to the full episode on the Soul Elevation podcast.

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