Spiritual emergence

Life is a journey. The part of the journey we call spiritual is about exploring the spiritual awareness within us all. The practical part of the journey is about bringing our thinking, emotions, lifestyle and relationships into alignment with this awareness – not a small task!

For the most part, the journey is a gentle, step-by-step, life-long progression. From time to time, the progression speeds up. These accelerated times can be invaluable opportunities for personal growth when you can assimilate them. On the other hand, when you don’t know what is going on or have insufficient support, these otherwise wonderful times can be confusing or even troubling. What a shame!

While there are teachers and group leaders who are aware of the subtleties of the unusual times during personal growth, there are others who seem to have little training or experience in this field. Talking to a yoga teacher who was extolling the virtues of how the techniques he taught opened the kundalini, I found to my surprise that he actually had no clue what help or support would be needed should someone’s kundalini suddenly rise. How perplexing! Isn’t this like showing someone how to accelerate a car without giving any training about how fast moving cars handle?

It is wonderful that techniques that open the doors to deep states of consciousness are now so readily available, but we also need to know how to integrate, ground and assimilate the energy and awareness opened to. This aspect simply hadn’t been included in this yoga teacher’s training. I’m sure he is not alone – this area has of spiritual teaching has received far too little attention.

We all like cars that quickly get us to our destination, but we know that we first need driving lessons. We need at least a rough idea of how the car works, how to check its fluids, take note of the warning lights on the dashboard and how to drive within the capacity of the car and the road. The same is very much true for these human vehicles.

For the one entering into beautiful but unusual states of consciousness, information, guidance and support can be a life saver. Newly opened eyes peak out on the world, asking, ‘does anyone have a road map to this new terrain?’ And when the car overheats in the midst of an exquisite, light experience, what then? What kind of mechanic understands mystical car repairs? ‘Help!’

Powerful awakenings and times of accelerated personal growth often need specialized help and support. A network of professionals from different fields have been set up here in Ottawa to provide a referral service for a range of support during periods of powerful spiritual transformation. The intent is to help facilitate the smoothest possible transition into clear, integrated alignment with spirit.

For yoga teachers, spiritual guides, counselors, health professionals and those personally undergoing powerful transformation who are interested in increasing their understanding of the mechanics of spiritual transformation, a program is offered to enhance understanding of the nature of kundalini and spiritual emergence care taking. For more details, contact Kaia at 565-6336.

We are moving towards a more conscious world. As more people practice yoga, meditation and other transformative practices, and as humanity shifts towards more conscious ways of perceiving, spiritual openings, kundalini awakening and other mystical experiences are likely to become more common. This is to be welcomed. When well understood and supported, these awakenings and times of concentrated personal growth bring great opportunities.