Getting Real
Being Real over Spiritual Bypassing. I have been in the world of spiritual healing for close to 30 years. What I truly love about building my relationship with the Divine is the openness between me and all that is greater than the singular Self. Also, I enjoy the flexibility of changing, and growing in my relationships to everything instead of being fixed in one limited belief system. It also provides the basis for freedom to be who and what I am meant to be. I don’t depend on other people’s interpretation of God, but rather develop my own spiritual relationships moment to moment. This is super meaningful to me. Maybe it would be for you as well.
Sometimes though, this can be messy. I am a Pisces. Deeply emotional, compassionate, empathetic and sensitive. I am wonderful until I get pushed too far! One thing I have recognized is that many people don’t tend to have a large capacity to hold speace for messy feelings. Yet lots of people need this. I do. I have had lots of practice.
Really, I know how important emotions are in leading us on our life path to feel and contribute in a world where this stream of consciousness is often put on the shelf. Feelings are part of being human. Feelings help us feel alive and spark joy as well as passion. This includes fears, angers, hates and rage. All is included. I believe if we could all find healthy ways to feel the wide berth of feelings that live inside of us, everyone would be a lot healthier. We would treat ourselves and each other much better.
Some people are not very self aware about feelings and emotions. They were never taught it was OK to experience all the feelings. Actually, I doubt many of us were given 100% approval when we played out tantrums or yelled at the top of our lungs as children. However, as we grow up, its very important for us to not bypass our emotional selves. It’s like cutting off part of our life force. t’s also destructive in how we treat each other at times. This often is reflected in how we project on to others instead of using self reflection.
One place that I have noticed this comes up is often in spiritual communities. A phrase, called “spiritual bypassing” is widely accepted to help us understand. Especially for many young people now this practice is growing. There is so much emphasis on expansion into the spiritual instead of self-discovery to be real. It’s being passed down through many “guru” type of teachers.
In any case, what spiritual bypassing means is the tendency to use spiritual (it can be religious also) practices or beliefs to avoid dealing with personal issues or truths. This can happen often when someone feels overwhelmed or something arises within that is painful.
While feelings can feel unbearable at times, it is important not to sequester those feelings permanently. You don’t always have to be nice, postitive or choosing the illusion of being perfect. None of us can be that all of the time. It’s a setup for disaster.
Spiritual bypassing can also happen when one wants to control their environment. By clinging to the “pretend shadow” that everything is OK when it is not, it helps one to avoid their real self. A person who does this might believe they are transcending, but instead it is a real avoidance tactic. It also is usually set up in blaming others so that superiority reigns. It’s not real though.
The shadow, the unconsicous part of us though longs for healing.In order to do this, we must be mindful and introspective about who and what we are in the moment. To live in two realities:one in the ideal, and the other in what is truly happening is a deep split. It is not enlightenment to be reasonable all the time and to not feel.
I bring this up because if you are looking for someone to lean into during your healing process, find someone who is authentically real and grounded in this world. We are human. We are here to live a human experience. Living up in the ethers is fun ane expansive, but not the total of who we are or where we are meant to live.
Nothing is more real than being “you” with awareness. Don’t fall for spiritual bypassing as being “The Truth”. Energy Healers can be like this quite a bit. So if you are looking for someone to help you navigate, find one who is firmly here, able to touch into their own life force physically, emotionally, to own their own belief systems and to be flexible with them, connected with their hearts and their spiritual selves too. We are whole. You are whole. We are just waiting to remember this through our awakening process.
Remember this my friends. I have witnessed too many people led astray by spiritual bypassing. Energy Work can feel great, but it is not integrated unless your energy healer is. Nothing is more fulfilling than being yourself and being real.
Sharon Hartnett CST-D and Energy Healer and Teacher
703 509-1792
www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com
