For those of you have read my blogs, you’ll know I write about both the good and bad elements of being on a Spiritual Path. Some would say I’m not very spiritual by writing things that don’t seem pleasant, and that it deters people from pursuing or choosing a Spiritual Path. I am fully aware of that, and also that some Guides may not be that encouraging of my being so open about the less rosy side of spirituality. However, I am a firm believer Souls should have choices with the correct information available to them, and only then are in a position to make informed choices. Spirituality has a dark side as well as a light side and the wise should acknowledge that, for to pursue something and try to ignore parts that they prefer not to know leads to consequences and disappointment.
Some see a Spiritual Path as perfection, like what seems the perfect job. However, no job is ever 100% perfect as there will always be a downside or times that will be stressful or disappointing. The same goes for a Spiritual Path despite what we have been led to believe. Back in my college days I wanted to be a fashion editor and did some internships, and everyone thinks it’s a glamorous job. Well, it may seem that way, but it’s not always because the pay isn’t that good, photo shoots are all tightly budgeted, yes, there is pressure to show specific items and designers, it’s not as creative as you imagine (more commercial and practical), and you spend a lot of time at the desk and not swanning around at parties. After a few months it deterred me from pursuing it as a career, mainly because the money was so bad, and I realized there was no much nepotism is the industry. Rather than creative talent it was more about whether your face fitted and who you or your parents knew, and I chose not to pursue that path because it just wasn’t practical, and the job wasn’t what it was made out to be. I enjoyed my time on the magazine and learned a lot, but it wasn’t the kind of lifestyle I wanted and that was keeping up appearances to look glamorous on a very low and basic wage trying to make ends meet.
So what happens if you are about to embark on a Spiritual Path and you choose not to follow it, or if you are on one, and you want to abandon it? Can you leave the path? To me, the answer is yes, because as a Soul you have free will to do as you please. It also means that you can choose to pursue it again at a later date if you so desire. That’s my philosophy in life, in that you can return to things when you choose rather than feel pressured into doing it because others do or you think that’s what you ought to do. This is another reason why I get slightly annoyed at the commercial competitiveness of headlines such as ‘the top 10 under 30 entrepreneurs’ or people defining achievements based on age. It doesn’t matter when you do it; what does matter is that you do it for the right reasons. It makes people feel as if they ought to do things, when they aren’t ready for or they do things because they think that’s a way to achieve and be successful.
Maybe there is a loss of faith, or things just don’t make any sense and you can’t see that choosing a Spiritual Path will help you? The thing is, a Spiritual Path should make sense, but often it doesn’t make sense until later on and there is no way to know if or when it will make any sense. Patience isn’t my strongest trait, so I know the conflict when you yearn for answers and don’t want to wait for an indefinite period for them, so the temptation to jump ship is understandable. There are many reasons why one may change their mind about being spiritual or to follow a path based on those beliefs. One can get blocked on a path and feel disheartened, or perhaps deterred by a traumatic event such as a death of a loved one. It’s natural to want to opt out and heal instead. A Spiritual Path is not a straight road though, but one with lots of stop signs, bumps in the road, and even a few accidents. I myself have encountered these, which is why I am being open and honest about what can happen.
Choosing a Spiritual Path does not offer you immunity or protection from injury or harm, despite what other spiritual folks may say. Guides can protect you, but not from everything, and especially harm that you may have inadvertently generated yourself (for example lying, or betraying someone). Harm can also occur like a domino effect in that it can trigger other incidents without your knowledge, or vice versa where you become a victim through someone making a poor choice.
What choices do you have if that’s how you feel? Unfortunately unlike a nasty email you get you can’t just delete it and pretend it never happened, or on social media unfollow or block someone and think things will go back to square one. You cannot change what has already transpired, but what you can do is try to prevent further harm. Whatever has occurred must be seen through no matter how unpleasant, as you can’t just stop something without a conclusion being sought. It’s similar to handing in your notice at a job you don’t like or enjoy, and working out your notice, or if you get divorced or end a relationship you have to go through the difficult legalities and separation of possessions. No one wants to do it, but you have to do it to get closure. If you just leave your job on the spur of the moment, then you expect some consequences, and the same when you end a relationship there will be fall out. Basically you must tie up loose ends whatever the case.
Once you have had closure on outstanding issues, then have you left he Spiritual Path? Do you ever really come off it; do you consciously choose to do it because you have lost faith or because nothing resonates with you? I know many people get disheartened when they think life hasn’t treated them fairly, but ask yourself what exactly is fair? Do you measure what you feel you are entitled to against others? There is another misconception that if something bad happens then it can’t be spiritual, but the fact is the most important lessons are learned when bad things occur. Those are the tough love spiritual lessons. Remember, being spiritual isn’t about everything being perfect; it’s about accepting that things aren’t perfect and that we have choices in deciding what we believe in and why. It’s also about having faith in others and the Universe and that can be hard in what is currently a very materialistic world.
It may seem strange that I support those choosing not to follow a Spiritual Path if they don’t feel it is right. Some may say I should be trying to persuade them to stick at it and have faith, but that would make me no better than a dictator. A Soul must do what they feel is right, and of course there is guidance available, but the final choice is for the Soul to choose. I actually think a break (like a rest stop to get off the motorway or freeway) is a good idea because then you put less pressure on yourself, and there’s always the option to rejoin the path if or when you feel ready. Many spiritual folks take ‘time out’ for whatever reason, but few talk about it as not only is it personal but some see it as a failure. Recently I asked a friend what happened to a mutual friend who did readings and sat on the board of a spiritual center when I saw her name was no longer listed. Apparently she went through a withdrawal period and cut herself off from everyone all of a sudden, so stepping off the Spiritual Path can happen to everyone when they least expect it. I had actually muted her simply because her channeled posts were becoming too preachy to me and I didn’t want them on my feed. So even those with intensive spiritual lives can fall off the path without any notice.
For those who want out of being on a Spiritual Path, they are free to leave whenever they wish, but think they need to be released when it is they who are forcing themselves to remain on it. How do you know when you are off the path? That’s a hard one, because it’s all internal; each of us has a unique path and often people think they need to think and act in a certain way to be spiritual. When you ‘come off’ the path, you no longer consciously have those burdens or pressures as it comes from within. From this you learn you own spiritual boundaries, for spiritual beliefs change and grow and you determine what spirituality actually means to you.
Once you have awoken, you can’t really ever go back to square one or sleep again, but taking power naps is fine and isn’t a bad idea really. Even if you decide a spiritual way is not for you, that is something you have chosen and you have still learned from it. Think of it as being similar to cutting ties with a family member or friend that has done or said things that you don’t resonate with. You can’t pretend you never knew them, and if things do change you may reconnect at some later stage and be on good terms again.
There are also many who choose not to follow a Spiritual Path, but still hold spiritual beliefs, and that doesn’t make them any less spiritual than those who are on a Spiritual Path. Choosing not to pursue a Spiritual Path doesn’t mean that you are a cop out, a failure, or that you are afraid; quite simply it’s not right for you in the present circumstances and for the majority of Souls that incarnate, very few do genuinely acknowledge and pursue a Spiritual Path. Never think or feel that you obliged to pursue such a path in the belief that it will bestow luck and make you a good person, for it’s not cut and dry. It would be wrong to assume all spiritual folks never lie or do bad things, because we all have that capacity. It’s okay to put off getting on the path, and even if you get on it, you aren’t obliged to stay on it if it doesn’t feel right. The Spiritual Path always remains open, but it does change and never remains the same for each interaction we encounter alters it ever so slightly. In that sense we really are all connected somehow even if we are unaware of it.
The Soul Expedition 