The Spiritual Ride Can Get Bumpy | Unexpected Challenges Along the Path

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In episode 546, I talk about how spiritual awakening is often described as a journey toward enlightenment, ascension, or self realization. Many of us begin this journey believing that if we find the right teacher, the right system, or the right organization, we will be carried all the way through to the end.

In reality though, spiritual growth is rarely a straight path. In fact, believing that one path will take you all the way can quietly become the very thing that keeps you stuck.

When we first awaken, everything feels new and expansive. We may experience powerful insights, emotional openings, energetic shifts, and a deep sense of connection. This is often the phase where spiritual teachings feel life changing, even miraculous. But over time, something can shift, and only we can recognize it for ourselves.

The same teachings that once ignited your soul may begin to feel repetitive. The growth slows, the inspiration fades. You may find yourself rehashing the same concepts without feeling deeply nourished or expanded. At least, this was a reality for me when I became enmeshed in an organization that focused on one teacher's work.

This does not mean the teachings were wrong, but rather that I had grown.

Spiritual paths are often designed to meet a particular level of consciousness. As consciousness evolves, what once supported growth can become a ceiling. It's important for us to be honest with ourselves if this happens so we don't spin our wheels in order to be comfortable or polite.

When Comfort Becomes Stagnation

There is nothing inherently wrong with devotion, structure, or consistency. Some people thrive by going very deep into one lineage or system for their entire lives. But comfort can - almost invisibly - replace growth.

A question worth asking yourself is not whether your path feels safe, but whether it is still challenging you to become more conscious, more sovereign, and more aligned with your true self.

If your spiritual environment discourages curiosity, exploration, or honest questioning, that is something to pay attention to. Growth requires movement, and just because certain teachings have helped you get to where you are now does not mean you have to stay there forever.

Many spiritual seekers experience a phase where they hand their power over to teachers, leaders, or organizations they believe are more evolved than they are. This often comes from a genuine desire to grow quickly and to do things the right way. The danger arises when we let our obedience overtake discernment. Your intuition and signals from your body may start telling you it's time to move on before your mind and courage catch up.

When a system teaches that it alone holds the truth, discourages outside perspectives, or subtly pressures you to disconnect from your own intuition, these are massive signs that things have shifted from guidance into control. True spiritual development strengthens your inner authority, not replaces it. Any path that requires you to override your own knowing in order to belong is not serving your highest growth.

Outgrowing Spiritual Systems Is Natural

Human consciousness is evolving rapidly. The planet is changing. Our nervous systems, awareness, and energetic capacities are not the same as they were even a century ago.

It is natural to reach a point where you realize that you want to explore beyond what a single system offers. New frameworks, new perspectives, and new tools may resonate with you as your consciousness expands.

Outgrowing a spiritual path does not invalidate what it gave you. It simply means it has completed its role in your evolution. Honoring that completion is part of spiritual maturity. Incidentally, it is not uncommon to receive pushback from your teacher or spiritual organization if they realize you are parting ways, and this is a great indication of their true spiritual maturity and motivation. If they are not ready to let you go, this could be more to do with their egoic need for followers than your need for their guidance.

As you deepen into your spiritual sovereignty, you may notice that mainstream society reflects you less and less. Pop culture, media, and collective narratives are designed to reinforce material identity, fear, and distraction. When your awareness shifts beyond those patterns, it can feel isolating because you don't see that same behavior wherever you look around you.

You may find it harder to relate to conversations you once enjoyed. Entertainment may feel empty, and social relationships and activities may change. This can feel uncomfortable to say the least, but it's a sign of inner realignment. And that inner realignment is uncomfortable!  As you let go of what no longer resonates, new connections emerge. You begin to attract people, conversations, and experiences that align with who you are becoming rather than who you were.

Reclaiming Spiritual Sovereignty

At its core, authentic spiritual awakening is about embodiment, not dependence. It is about allowing Source, higher intelligence, and soul wisdom to express through you rather than outsourcing your authority to external structures. This doesn't mean rejecting all teachers or guidance out of hand. Rather, stay open to new information coming to you and engaging with it consciously, discerningly, and without surrendering your inner compass.

If you feel stuck, disillusioned, or quietly unfulfilled on your spiritual path, it does not mean something has gone wrong. It may simply mean you are ready for the next phase of your awakening. Be honest with yourself. Listen deeply. Trust what is trying to emerge through you.

Your soul knows the way forward.