Life Challenges Are Spiritual Invitations | The Soul’s Perspective on Crisis, COVID, & Awakening

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Life has a way of pulling us into its routines—work, errands, scrolling on our phones, repeat. We can go weeks, months, even years without truly connecting to our soul. But from the soul’s perspective, challenges, whether personal tragedies or collective events, are often invitations to shift our focus.

I’m reminded of this every time I think back to five years ago, when COVID turned life upside down. We were all going through it individually, yet together, experiencing a global moment of uncertainty. In the middle of that collective trauma, I began hosting guided meditations online. People I had never met before were showing up in droves. They had been handed an abundance of time, and they were searching for something deeper.

Some cleaned closets, painted rooms, or took up hobbies they had set aside. Others dipped their toes into meditation for the first time. Many told me they’d always wanted to try but “never had the time.” Suddenly, they did.

My Own Awakening Through Crisis

Years before COVID, my own life was upended by a series of rapid, painful events:

• My sister-in-law passed away.

• Our beloved dog died three weeks later.

• My stepdad underwent brainstem surgery.

• My mother-in-law was hit by a motorbike and hospitalized.

• My stepmom was placed at the top of the heart transplant list and underwent surgery.

All of this happened within a few months. I felt crushed under the weight of it all. My coping mechanisms were failing, and I was desperate for something to help me stay afloat. Meditation had always intrigued me—its link to calming the nervous system, reducing anxiety, even shifting genetic expression—but I never “had time.”

It took my life falling apart for me to get serious. At first, I came to meditation to regulate my stress. Over time, it became my lifeline to spiritual connection and soul-level living.

Why You Don’t Need to Wait for Crisis

The truth is, your soul wants this connection without needing the push of a crisis. And when you already have it, you build spiritual reserves that can sustain you through intense challenges.

Recently, during the preparation for my Galactics Summit, I recorded a segment with guest Eesha Patel. She shared how, after her wedding, life became so busy she couldn’t keep up her regular practice. I could relate, as earlier this year I faced a major family medical situation that left me with almost no time to sleep, let alone meditate.

And yet, I didn’t feel spiritually depleted. Why? Because years of daily practice had built up an inner reservoir I could draw on, even when life was all-consuming.

Discipline Builds Resilience

This is why meditation isn’t something you “check off” after a week or a month. It’s cumulative. You wouldn’t go to the gym once and expect to be fit for life. The same is true for your spiritual practice.

During COVID, many who tried meditation during lockdown drifted away once life “went back to normal.” The invitation to connect at the soul level was still there, but comfort and old habits pulled them back.

From my perspective, every personal or collective crisis is an opportunity to:

• Reevaluate how we spend our time.

• Choose activities that nourish rather than deplete.

• Strengthen the connection with our higher self before life tests us.

You Are the Gatekeeper of Your Time

It’s easy to say, “I don’t have time to meditate” while spending hours scrolling social media or watching videos. I encourage you to look honestly at your daily life. Could you carve out five minutes? Ten? You don’t need to start big—just start.

You are the one who decides what gets prioritized. You are the gatekeeper of your time and energy. If you want to live from your soul’s perspective, it’s your responsibility to make space for that connection.

When the next challenge comes—and it will—you’ll have the reserves to face it not just as a human enduring hardship, but as a soul navigating awakening.

Listen to the full episode: Soul Elevation Podcast — Episode 469