How To Write A Spiritual Journey

Write an incident early in your book that validates your character's Lie in their lives.

What is an example of a spiritual journey?

In March, I finished Yuval Harari's Homo Deus, and one section in particular remained with me: his thoughts on spirituality and why religions are anything but spiritual. Religion is defined by Harari as follows:

Any all-encompassing myth that bestows superhuman validity on human laws, conventions, and values is referred to be religion. It establishes the legitimacy of human social systems by claiming that they are based on superhuman laws.

Religion claims that we humans are bound by a set of moral principles that we did not create and that we are powerless to change. This is the system of moral laws created by God and revealed in the Bible, according to a believing Jew. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, according to Hindu belief, devised the laws that were revealed to us humans in the Vedas. Other religions, ranging from Buddhism and Daoism to communism, Nazism, and liberalism, contend that the so-called superhuman rules are natural laws rather than the work of some god. Of course, from Buddha and Laozi to Marx and Hitler, each believes in a separate set of natural principles discovered and revealed by different seers and prophets.

The claim that religion is a mechanism for maintaining social order and organizing large-scale collaboration may irritate people who see religion as primarily a spiritual path. However, just as the divide between religion and science is shorter than most people believe, the divide between religion and spirituality is far greater. Spirituality is a journey, whereas religion is a transaction.

Religion offers us a well-defined contract with specified aims, as well as a thorough picture of the world. ‘God is real. He instructed us to act in certain ways. You will be allowed to paradise if you obey God. You will burn in hell if you disobey Him.' Because of the deal's clarity, society can create universal rules and ideals that govern human behavior.

Spiritual journeys aren't like that at all. They generally lead individuals on intriguing journeys to unknown locations. Usually, the quest begins with a big question, such as “Who am I?” What exactly is the purpose of life? What exactly is good? Spiritual searchers, on the other hand, are not easily satisfied with the ready-made answers offered by the powers that be. They are adamant about following the big question wherever it leads, not only to places they are familiar with or would like to see. Academic studies, for the most part, are a transaction rather than a spiritual journey, because they lead us to a preset destination that has been sanctioned by our elders, governments, and banks. ‘I'll study for three years, pass the tests, earn my BA, and find a well-paying career.' Academic study may be transformed into a spiritual trip if the major questions you discover along the road lead you to unforeseen places you couldn't have imagined at first. A student might start studying economics in order to get a job on Wall Street, for example. However, we may label what she learns a spiritual journey if it leads her to a Hindu ashram or to assisting HIV patients in Zimbabwe.

Why would you call such a journey “spiritual”? This is a holdover from ancient dualist faiths, which held that there were two gods, one good and the other wicked. According to dualism, the benevolent deity created pure and eternal souls who lived in a spiritual paradise. However, the malevolent god – also referred to as Satan – created a material universe. Because Satan didn't know how to make his creation last, everything rots and disintegrates in the world of matter. Satan enticed souls from the pristine world of spirit and imprisoned them inside material bodies in order to breathe life into his faulty creation. A human being is a good spiritual soul trapped inside an evil physical body. Since the soul's prison, the body, decays and inevitably dies, Satan tempts the soul with corporeal pleasures, particularly food, sex, and power. When the body disintegrates and the soul has the opportunity to return to the spiritual world, the soul's desire for bodily pleasures tempts it back into a new physical body. As a result, the spirit wanders from body to body, squandering its days in the chase of food, sex, and power.

Dualism teaches people to free themselves from material enslavement and return to the spiritual world, which is foreign to us but is our true home. We must resist all material temptations and deals during this pursuit. Because of this dualist tradition, any journey on which we question the conventions and deals of the mundane world and embark on an unknown adventure is referred to as a “spiritual” voyage.

How many of us are actually on a spiritual path, according to this definition of spirituality? Few people, I believe, can honestly state they reject all material temptations and deals in favor of aggressively pursuing big questions.

If anything, it reminds me of all the religions I follow and how little I question their tenets–liberalism, which believes in the equality of all people; capitalism, which believes in trade and markets; animalism, which believes that all animals are sentient beings; and a variety of others that I'm sure have labels I'm unaware of.

If I were to classify anything I do as “spiritual,” it could be moments like this when I can take a step back for an hour and ask myself why I believe what I believe, how I came to those ideas, and if it makes sense for me to continue believing what I believe. It's feasible that I'll become tired or bored soon and return to my numerous distractions and commitments, but it's also possible that a particular line of thinking will drive me to change my mind, seek a new belief, or slightly tweak an existing perspective. This practice–reflecting and thinking about a few important questions on a regular basis–is a strong defense against having ossified views that make it difficult for me to accept a different worldview. And I can't ignore the value of reading and how books can help us achieve these meditative states.

I'll leave you with this final quote from Harari on the cycle that transforms spiritual journeys that seek to examine, if not destroy, current belief systems into their own:

The spiritual journey is always tragic from a historical perspective, because it is a lonely route appropriate only for individuals rather than entire societies. Human cooperation necessitates more than simply questions, and people who rail against stultified religious structures frequently end up creating new ones to replace them. It happened to the dualists, whose spiritual quests turned into religious institutions. It happened to Martin Luther, who found himself drafting new law books, founding new institutions, and designing new ceremonies after opposing the Catholic Church's laws, institutions, and rituals. It happened to Buddha and Jesus as well. They violated traditional Hinduism and Judaism's laws, rituals, and systems in their relentless search for the truth. However, more laws, ceremonies, and structures were eventually erected in their honor than in the honor of any other figure in history.

What are the 3 elements of spirituality?

In their eternal wisdom, all shamans, healers, sages, and wisdom keepers of all centuries, continents, and peoples claim that human spirituality is made up of three aspects: connections, values, and life purpose. These three components are so strongly linked that it may be difficult to tell them apart. Take a minute to ponder on each facet of human spirituality to determine the state of your spiritual well-being if this is possible. This will be a three-part monthly series, starting with relationships.

Internal (your domestic policy)—how you deal with yourself, how you nurture the relationship with yourself and your higher self—and external (your foreign policy)—how you relate, support, and interact with those people (and all living entities) in your environment—are the two categories of relationships.

What criteria would you use to assess your internal relationship, and what steps could you take to improve it?

How would you assess your external relationships, shifting from the perspective of domestic policy to international policy?

What happens when you have a spiritual awakening?

As Kaiser argues, this is the start of your spiritual journey, as you begin to doubt everything you previously believed. You begin to purge certain aspects of your life (habits, relationships, and outdated belief systems) in order to make room for new, more meaningful experiences. You may sense that something is lacking, but you aren't sure what it is. It's common to feel disoriented, confused, and down during this time.

How can I learn spirituality?

“The most significant thing about ourselves is what comes to mind when we think about God.” A.W. Tozer (A.W. Tozer) (A.W. Tozer) (

I read the preceding quote by A.W. Tozer, a theologian and philosopher, when I was in college. The message was so powerful that it has stayed with me for nearly 15 years. It keeps reappearing in my head on a frequent basis.

I understand that spirituality is a difficult subject that elicits a plethora of strong feelings, intellectual debates, and far too many horrible emotional traumas. Nonetheless, I feel the previous quote is correct. Nothing is more important in our lives than our spiritual awareness. And it's a topic we should have far more frequently than we do.

Our beliefs have a huge impact on our lives, whether we have consciously cultivated a personal spirituality or not. It has a huge impact on us, whether we are aware of it or not. Take a look at how it affects our understanding of…

• Ourselves. Is God concerned about my well-being? Is He angry with me or happy with me? Who am I if there is no God? And where did I come from?
• Others. Do all lives have the same value? If that's the case, what's the basis for it? What is my role in providing care for others?
• Minimalism. What will we replace the chase of material riches if we have withdrawn it from our affections?
• The environment in which we live. In what ways should we be concerned about the world and the environment in which we live? Is the survival of our species more important than our motivation in this regard? And, if so, how do we, as humans, behave appropriately with it?
• Morality. Is there a greater power that has constructed a moral set of truths for the universe? Or does each person's morality define his or her own?
• Evil. What am I supposed to make of the world's evil and suffering? Is there a cause for it? How far should I go in trying to stop it?
• Money. Is it true that the cosmos bestows wealth and status on certain people but not others? Or does the individual gain money/status? When I get it, what should I do with it? Is it my job to look after people who have less?
• Afterlife. Is it true that there is life after death? Is death something to be feared or something to be embraced? In any case, what should I be doing today to prepare for it?

Without a question, our perceptions of spirituality have a significant impact on our lives. As a result, exploring it is one of the most crucial adventures we may ever undertake.

I completely recognize that this community includes readers of all religious and non-religious backgrounds. That is a reality for which I am eternally grateful. I should also point out that this post is not an endorsement of any one faith. Instead, my objective is to encourage everyone of us to think more deeply about the significance of spirituality in our daily lives. And encourage us to embrace the adventure with enthusiasm rather than fear.

You will never regret any time spent increasing your awareness of the Universe because of the critical function it plays. Let me provide seven initial steps that are fundamental to our personal investigation of spirituality, whether you have never tried, have tried but given up, or spend time every day pursuing one specific God.

A Beginner's Guide to Exploring Spirituality

1. Honor those who have gone before you. The search for spiritual knowledge is as old as humanity itself. Billions have gone before you, and countless hours have been spent in search of spirituality. Don't take their efforts for granted. Consider their studies and writings, even if they aren't from the religion you've grown accustomed to.

2. You must take charge of your own journey. Your vision of God must be determined alone by you. You should not accept another's teachings at face value (even your closest mentor or parent). Your spirituality must ring true in your heart and your soul must rejoice in it—or it is meaningless.

3. Begin right now, just where you are. We all have unique character traits such as compassion, laughter, self-discipline, and love. Make use of them as a starting point. Are you going through a difficult time in your life (illness, loss, rejection)? Use it to fuel your quest for a deeper understanding of spirituality. According to Lao-tzu, “A thousand-mile trip begins with a single step.” In every way, he was correct. Start your trip with whatever the most logical initial step is for you.

4. Seek God's assistance. By this, I mean that making the request has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Your request may be answered if there is a God. Even if you don't believe in God, the act of making the plea will help you focus your senses and desires.

5. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Spiritual development, like everything else in life, takes time and effort to master. Take a few more steps in a different direction if you don't find your answers after your initial few steps. Time, effort, and energy will be required. However, considering its impact on our life, it is always worthwhile to put forth the effort.

6. Don't be scared to ask questions that you don't know the answer to. Although it may seem counterintuitive to the pursuit's purpose to leave questions unresolved, we should not be afraid of them. Some will forsake the road completely because of these unresolved questions. And, while spirituality should provide answers to our deepest questions, it is implausible to expect that our minds will be able to comprehend all of the universe's complexities.

7. Be cautious of “Everyone is correct” is a way of thinking. There is no God if there isn't one. If there is a God, He is one of a kind. Personally, I am suspicious of the belief that God can change from one person to another, as that theory collapses under its own logic. God is exactly who he is. It is also our obligation to locate Him successfully.

Again, I recognize that everyone of us will experience this trip in our own unique way. Spirituality is a very personal topic, and various people will have different experiences with it. This is not a post endorsing any one faith. It's just a note of encouragement and a reminder that this trip is crucial.

I don't usually moderate comments very carefully (unless they turn offensive). However, I have a recommendation for this article. I'd be curious to hear about your personal spiritual path in the comments section below. How did it all start? And how did you come to that conclusion? I believe that this discussion will be more beneficial and encouraging than a precise explanation for your point of view.

What is a spiritual message?

Our guides communicate with us through spiritual messages and experiences. They can offer advice or insights into how we can live our life, as well as providing comfort in the knowledge that we are not alone. They can even act as a reassuring virtual hug. These signals frequently provide answers or assurance that we are on the “correct” or “best” path.

Spiritual messages and experiences can take various forms and colors, but they all contain an element of synchronicity at their foundation. You're well aware that the chances of this happening are extremely tiny. They have a “different,” “magical,” “unique,” or “divinely sent” quality to them. These messages or experiences make you pay attention or at least remark, “Hmmm…something is going on here,” which is more than a coincidence.

For example, when I first began my shamanic journey, I debated whether or not I should begin giving my shamanic services to others. I sought advice from my power animal. (A power animal is a spirit guide who takes the appearance of an animal and works beside you to assist you.) Often, the animal's unique features and strengths are just what you need to solve a problem. For example, an armadillo can teach you how to defend yourself, whereas a skunk can teach you how to give and receive respect.) As I stepped off the bus and went the two blocks to my office, I asked the inquiry. As I walked to work, I noticed three people sporting some aspect of my power animal, which is unusual for me. It was enough to make me stop and think about it…and realize that my power animal was telling me that he was on board with me on this adventure and that I should go for it.

Spiritual messages and experiences can manifest themselves in a variety of ways, including a song, an animal, a recurring series of numbers, a dream, a gut feeling or intuition, and strange/ unexplainable events such as lights turning on and off or the scent of your grandmother's perfume when you're alone in the house. These messages may be repeated for us to assist us remember or integrate the information offered.

I was going through one of the most difficult periods of my life a few years ago. I was emotionally shut off, in misery, and unable to fathom how I could ever be happy — let alone live — my life. I began having this dream, which lasted over a year and changed as I changed and began to come back to life. In my first dream, I went down to my house's basement and noticed a chest of drawers. I didn't remember seeing this chest of drawers before, so I went over to see what was inside. When I opened the drawers, there were dozens of live birds within. In the drawers, there were even several baby birds residing in nests. I was concerned that these birds had been confined to the drawers, and I dashed around frantically bringing them food and water.

The dream altered when I began to sense glimmerings of optimism in my life, and the birds flew out of the drawers and hopped/flied around the basement. I was still concerned that they didn't have food or water, and I promised to provide it to them once I found them in the basement. The birds were no longer in the basement when I resumed my normal life; instead, they were flying around the main area of the house. Finally, the birds in my dream moved outside when I made significant adjustments in my life.

Over the course of a year, I discovered that the birds symbolized my goals and dreams. I had tucked my aspirations and goals away (apparently in a dresser!) when I originally had the dream because I didn't feel I could even think about them because I was going through such a horrible period. My hopes and dreams began to take tiny hops in the basement as I began to feel hope. I wasn't entirely embracing them yet, but they weren't hidden up any longer. My hopes and dreams began to see daylight (in my house) and become more a part of my day-to-day existence when I reached the stage where I had worked through my sadness (in the main part of my house). And when I went back to living my aspirations and dreams, they were out in the open (in the yard, where everyone could see them). This was a really strong dream sequence for me, and I believe it was my guides telling me that I will be able to overcome the issue and resume my normal life.