What is Spiritual Emergence?

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Spiritual Emergence is a natural process of human growth and transformation, it is also a natural process that is little understood and therefore misread when it is occurring. It can be characterised by heightened, expanded awareness, deeper experience of  sensitivity to not only self and individual but to the collective experience of interconnection presenting us with more bounteous connections when we are held within a framework of understanding. If however it is a spontaneous unexpected event triggered by a traumatic life event for someone who has little or no understanding or experience of the spiritual aspects of life it can be a frightening experience that is very challenging to navigate unassisted.

It is common to become more concerned even overwhelmed within this new, acute awareness of the world and its events happening around us.

 

 

The bigger existential questions in life – meaning, purpose our place in it can propel us into feelings of fear, deep sadness, anxiety, anger and many other previously suppressed emotions.  

Our current global experience of the pandemic has been a catalyst to many millions to be experiencing Spiritual Emergence but are in the grips of its as Emergency because of a lack of awareness and understanding of what is happening to our world and to each and every one of us

Spiritual Emergence - Spiritual Crisis/Emergency

 

 

Spiritual emergency may occur spontaneously or be triggered by challenging life events, the use of psychoactive substances or by the engagement in spiritual practices. When Spiritual Emergence becomes confusing, overwhelming and sometimes frightening it is here we begin to consider it as Spiritual Emergency, also known as Spiritual Crisis where guidance and support can greatly assist the process.

The term was first introduced by husband and wife team Christina Grof, a psychotherapist, and her husband Stanislav Grof, a psychiatrist, in 1989. Spiritual Emergencies come under the umbrella of Transpersonal Psychology and have been fascinating psychologists for years.

A spiritual crisis tends to be defined by a total loss of belief in, or connection to, previously held values and ideas. A person in the midst of a spiritual crisis may no longer understand the beliefs they used to hold or no longer feel they mean anything of value.

Often, spiritual emergencies can be incorrectly diagnosed as a nervous breakdown as they both feature a loosening of the grip on reality.

 

 

The difference between Spiritual Emergence and Emergency/Crisis?

Spiritual Emergence is the natural process of consciousness refinement that occurs when one begins and follows intended practice of spiritual exploration. It is the development of higher faculties that are best held with a guide, mentor or experienced practitioner. Many have Gurus and communities for the guidance and support present in such paths. Spiritual Emergence is the process on the path that will take the seeker to places within their personal mind, the individual mind and the collective for the alchemy of transformation. But it is during these times of plunging into the unexplored psyche that the path of emergence can flip into spiritual emergency.

When Spiritual Emergency happens it is spontaneous and sudden, it is a ‘side effect’ that happens in the psyche/mind when a person is not psychologically and emotionally ready, this is then very stressful, confusing and overwhelming.  Those having the experience can feel they are unable to cope with what they are experiencing.

 

 

A spiritual emergency/crisis is a period of rapid transformation, internal alchemy also known as spiritual alchemy and can be brought on by a number of events such as having healing, any venture into exploring spirituality – opening to spiritual practices such as meditation, kundalini yoga, the use of psychoactive substances both in addiction or as a gateway to spiritual explorations – for example ayahuasca ceremonies “There is an increased controversy surrounding Westerners' use of ayahuasca. One issue of importance is psychological resiliency of users and lack of screening by ayahuasca tourism groups in the Amazon. Given the powerful effects of ayahuasca coupled with lack of cultural support, Western users are at increased risk for psychological distress. Many Westerners who experience psychological distress following ayahuasca ceremonies report concurrently profound spiritual experiences. Because of this, it may be helpful to consider these episodes “spiritual emergencies,” or crises resulting from intense and transformative spiritual experiences”. Ayahuasca and Spiritual Crisis: Liminality as Space for Personal Growth

 

SARA E. LEWIS https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1556-3537.2008.00006.x

 

 

Sudden experiences of Loss – death, losing a job, relationship etc.  experiencing life limiting illness or injury, diagnosis of terminal illness.  All these and more can trigger a spiritual crisis that can look very much like many of the mental health crisis that are treated with medication and or not treated soon enough in our current medical world to prevent them embedding and becoming long term, chronic and incapacitating conditions. During this time, you might feel like you’re “going crazy” or “falling apart” because your sense of reality shifts entirely.

When Spiritual Emergence becomes overwhelming it is likely to be considered a Spiritual Emergency, also known as Spiritual Crisis.

It is an intense and life-altering experience, it is an opportunity for true growth and wisdom to arise although this can really only ultimately be fully supported in an environment of understanding the spiritual implications of this event which can lead to coherent spiritual awakening and enlightenment. Alternatively when not supported with the full awareness of what is occurring can leave the individual in very frightening, lonely and debilitating life experience here is where we find so many loose themselves in the malady of medication and a globally overstretched and under structured mental health systems that are not only letting down but actually loosing potential greatness in individuals that is trying to be birthed.

 

 

Malidoma Some, a West African Shaman whom I’ve had the privilege to learn from through attending conferences and lectures with some 20 years ago shares the perspective of mental illness through the wisdoms of the shamanic worldview.

https://malidoma.com/main/

In the shamanic view, mental illness signals “the birth of a healer,” explains Malidoma Patrice Somé. Thus, mental disorders are spiritual emergencies, spiritual crises, and need to be regarded as such to aid the healer in being born.

What those in the west view as mental illness, the Dagara people regard as “good news from the other world.” The person going through the crisis has been chosen as a medium for a message to the community that needs to be communicated from the spirit realm.

https://upliftconnect.com/the-shamanic-view-of-mental-illness/

 

In western medicine psychological disturbances are seen as pathology of the mind – a breakdown in ‘normal’ functioning that needs to be corrected with medication - that the attention given to such symptoms was based on pathology, on the idea that the condition is something that needs to stop. This was in complete opposition to the way it is held in the shamanic and Soul integration therapeutic view.

Individuals at times go through what Grof terms a ’spiritual emergency’; in this a person may develop unusual perceptions and a sense of consciousness that is apart from the ‘norm’. The psychiatric establishment based on a medical model would identify such experience as pathological, label it, and prescribe a drug to suppress it. But what if this experience can lead to an awakening?

 

 

Often times in the various crises, persons come into conflict with the dominant worldview, and they begin to feel alienated and isolated. There are some who respond to crisis through excessive worry and others who develop apathy, or complete despair all these presenting symptoms can and do look like mental health illness that are currently suppressed with pharmaceuticals denying individuals a great opportunity to move through their current experiences to a place of greater self knowledge and authenticity. In some cases yes medication is an intervention that can stabilise but used as an ongoing ‘cure’ I believe this has profound and detrimental consequences on the individual.   I believe people need people not medication to shut them down in themselves. It is necessary for there to exist a supportive network to help the person through the crisis so it may reach a transformative ending. It is possible after undergoing such a crisis to emerge with new insights, to develop new meanings, a renewed sense of purpose. But, it is necessary for there to be a journey, a journey in togetherness, where the person can feel safe and supported in conquering fears, to be able to face the intrusive thoughts and feelings of dread that haunt them. In this journey is the process of being able to shed the false self, to actually be able to be a human being with another human being, and to no longer feel that they must repress their feelings or must ‘play the roles’ or wear the masks that their life and society has imposed upon us.

 

 

If  you are asking yourself any of these questions or telling yourself any of these statements you may be in the midst of a Spiritual Emergence Am I going crazy? mad?

1. Do I have a mental health condition

2. Am I having a breakdown?

3. I can’t cope

4. Do I have a mental health condition?

5. Am I dying

6. Am I losing my mind?

 

 

 

Whilst there are medical and biological reasons that people can feel this way, it may be that what is happening is a process of Spiritual Emergency or Spiritual Crisis -  something most people have little or no knowledge of.

The psychiatric and mental health profession is slowly becoming more aware of the need to include a spiritual perspective in helping people suffering from psychological or emotional distress. Some well informed psychiatrists at the Royal College of Psychiatry – Special Interest Groups (SIG)  have been holding this view, even if it began with only a very few – 30 when I first attended their conferences 2 decades ago this has now grown to a membership of the SPSIG and steadily increased over the years and currently stands at over 3600.

“The SPSIG supports the exploration of such fundamental questions as the purpose and meaning of life, which are so important for mental health; the problem of good and evil; life events invested with spiritual significance, including birth, illness, bereavement, death and the near death experience; mystical and trance states, and spiritual and religious awakening.  Distinguishing between pathological and normal human experience is vital in order to understand better the overlap and the difference between the two”.    Dr Alison Gray, Chair                                                        
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/members/special-interest-groups/spirituality

 

 

There are also many alternative practitioners – energy medicine practitioners, Shamanic guides and other transpersonal therapists like myself who are in a position to assist you through your process offering various methods for working with the process of Spiritual Emergency.

With appropriate support, people can work through their spiritual emergency and can then integrate their experiences. They are more able to create a meaningful life for themselves and function at a higher level than before their crisis.

 

 

Some symptoms of spiritual emergence(y) you may be experiencing This acute onset can happen for many reasons, here a just a few:-

1. You struggle to sleep properly and may experience night terrors, vivid dream experiences.

2. You find it impossible to cope with everyday tasks (like going shopping, showering, cooking, keeping up with the bills, etc.)

3. It feels like your whole world is crumbling around you- things seem to be falling apart

4. Your inner and outer world blur confusingly - overwhelmed with concern and confusion. The sudden change in perception of the world is difficult to process

5. You may experience strange hallucinations (e.g., images, sounds, physical impressions)

6. You may believe, at some point, that you’re the reincarnation of enlightened figures like Jesus, Buddha, Mary, etc. (this is called ego-inflation and is a result of Universal Consciousness overlapping with your own personal consciousness)

7. You feel like you’re being sucked into a different dimension or black hole

8. Your grasp on the real and logical is weak (resulting in psychotic-like symptoms)

9. You may experience vivid past-life flashbacks

10. You experience a rollercoaster of emotions – fear, anxiety, sadness, anger

11. You feel strange sensations in your body (e.g., vibrations, shivers, heat, burning)

12. You’ve developed a medically unexplainable illness

13. Your light perception alters – ‘seeing’ things through a bright or a dark light

 

 

When your mind becomes completely clouded, it can become difficult to process thoughts. You might have too many thoughts running through your brain, making it hard to address any of them at all. Your mind could also feel completely empty as if there are so many thoughts that you can’t find any of them.

 

 

During a spiritual crisis, time and physical space might seem distorted. Recent events might feel years ago, and long-lost memories might feel as if they’ve just happened.

 

 

Your decision-making abilities will likely be impaired too. The overwhelming nature of your thoughts can make the smallest decision feel like the most important moment. Similarly, it can be difficult to remember things when your brain is already overflowing with thoughts and information.

When your thinking is impaired during a spiritual emergency, daily life can start to feel scary. Feeling unable to process what’s going on around you can be unnerving and disorienting. When your sense of reality falls away, the need for rules and order falls away with it. If you no longer feel life serves a purpose, why bother behaving? People experiencing a spiritual crisis might start behaving recklessly, doing dangerous activities, or things that would have previously gone against their morals. Can look like a bi polar hyper experience.

 

 

This tends to simply be a way of expressing themselves when the world feels confusing to them or a way of finding meaning in a life they no longer understand.

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: this is my experience and opinion developed through personal and professional development. It is not stated as ‘The Truth’ and as such you are not to take this information as such. Please seek medical assistance if you feel you require medical intervention and do not withdraw any medications you may be prescribed if you feel the information here is relevant to you. Please seek advise from your current medical practitioner at all times before making any life changes. Dec 2020