Starting on the Journey to Spirituality

by AlicePopkorn

Article by Elizabeth Dabrowski

I believe it is worth mentioning that this article is not based on any academic studies. It's the essence of my own and other people's I have met continuing journey towards better understanding of our existence, improving and taking control of our lives. My main intention is to reach those who can benefit by reading its content, who can identify their own struggles with mine and take some comfort from my experiences.I am planning to keep writing on this subject, again sharing thoughts and conclusions based on my own observations and my own life.

The Introduction to spirituality happens in many ways and usually enters our lives when we become very dissatisfied with answers our belief system provides. Without even realizing on conscious level we start searching for something new and different by asking questions and not receiving satisfying solutions. Depending on your background you may embrace the new and startling ideas and dive into unlimited ocean of new theories or you may struggle from the very beginning trying to free yourself from rules and beliefs rooted very deeply in your upbringing.

Example: I was brought up as a Catholic, not very strict though. Through my primary school I was attending religion classes which gave me very basic knowledge of what was expected of me as far as faith in God was concerned. I could never comprehend the idea of an omnipotent God who usually took from the ones who had little and gave more to those who already had plenty anyway and was called loving and just at the same time; God who knew everything about me, every single thought and intention ( not always the noblest ones) which produced enormous fear of him as he supposed to reward and punish accordingly, but the biggest challenge was to love him with all my heart! That was too much even for my 10 years old brain to accept and I usually despised and blamed him for everything what went wrong in my life. Of course, this is very simplified but even so can set you for life!

So the unconscious s! earch be gins because you start questioning and new ideas arrive 'knocking' on your mind. It can happen in so many ways; through a book, movie, internet, someone says a word which will ignite your interest or may be through a significant event. However it will happen it leads us further and we will be seeking more and more consciously, with a growing hope of finding The Truth. We grasp the first bit of information and we feel like rediscovering the world again! Finally we found the answers, we're going to share them with every one we know and soon we all be happy for ever after! Will we? Not quite, not that simple.

Example: In my case it happened through a book. Looking back now, I can recognize that I was obviously 'ready' and well prepared by life by that time. The book was titled "Being Happy" by Andrew Matthews, quite funny and very easy to read but at the same time it opened my eyes and changed me and my life. I was married for ten years and was working persistently on my husband to change, with different results depending where we were in our marriage. I used to use phrases like "you have to", "you can't", "how could you?", etc. And suddenly I'm reading that the only person I can change is me! And that he doesn't have to, and he can and if I don't like the way he is and what he does I may choose not to be with him! The good news was that usually when we change the people around us will 'change' as well, eg. they will start treating us and behaving around us differently. Eureka! now, I thought, I will tell everyone to read it and we all will be happy!

People, even the closest to us, won't react the way we would like them to, for many many reasons, and everyone needs their own reason. None of the ways is better than the other, they just different like each of us is. I believe the important thing is to remember that it is your own journey and even your closest friend or soul mate doesn't have to share it with you. What works for you doesn't have to work for them, which is absolutely o.k. and there! 's nothi ng wrong with any of you. You are unique, and so is the other person so, please, do yourself a favour and accept the fact that a spiritual journey is a very personal experience and different for each of us and as such could be lonely some times. Of course, we'll be exchanging and sharing stories and experiences with like minded people, giving assurance to the ones struggling with what we already know and listening to the ones who already experienced what we are actually going through. Some of us will succeed quicker in some areas than others.

The main point is though not to compare as each of us, even each of two siblings (the same parents, the same upbringing rules), have different subconscious programming and limitations, eg. your one year older brother may have problems with forming good relationships where you may find yourself impossible to be financially successful.

It's very tempting at this stage, when we gain some understanding but not enough to comprehend a bigger picture, to fall into believing that any solution will be the right one for us. As I said earlier we're all different and so different things and ideas will work not only for different people but also at different times in our lives. Often we're simply not ready yet for some solutions.

The beautiful part of it is when something does work you become almost as an observer to what is happening to you, it feels as it meant to be, the results are astonishing, the change easy and simple, the truth obvious and when you look back you cannot believe what and why was so hard in the first place.

Nobody can really tell you how much you have to learn and experience, how long it will take and when will you reach the 'finishing line'. As a matter of fact there's no such thing as with every bit of new understanding another level of spiritual inadequacy will be uncovered and you will never finish the learning because the journey is a goal in itself.

Elizabeth J Dabrowski writes on the subjects of Spirituality, from many! differe nt perspectives. To find out more, visit her website http://www.beingawoman.net

About the Author

I write about what I have experienced myself, either personally or as an observer. Even though many people have influenced and shaped my theories, they are mainly based on my own development and as such reflect my very personal point of view. To find out more, visit my website http://www.beingawoman.net