Spiritual Bypassing

Yes, we do not heal and develop ourselves by creating distractions that separates and hides our true reality from self, we heal by embracing the cold light of reality head on and all that we are within it.

There is nothing to fear within the fullness of self, but self.:)

This article could have made it clearer that it is more about the pseudo end of spirituality than about authentic, true spirituality. It does make the distinction, but about halfway down. Anyone sincere about pursuing a spiritual path would embrace their own personal development - there was no mention of this.

Instead, I got the impression that it was trying to tar the name of spirituality and, if so, it is in very poor taste, misleading and would count as misinformation.

What an interesting article, Thank you for posting it

Yes interesting article (after a quick read-through), but I would want some evidence of his deeper understanding of what 'True' spirituality is. For example he dismisses 'Oneness' as a New Age idea when in fact it is ancient - a very ancient idea. His perception of 'Oneness' doesn'r seem to fit with mine.

It's all very well dismissing seeking spirituality as a sop to seeking somewhere tranquil and pain-free - and I do agree there have been plenty of these ideas on offer - but not all of us have gone there. His title is 'Spiritual Bypassing: When Spirituality Disconnects Us from What Really Matters'. OK, what does he think 'really matters'? Is conventional religion not a form of 'Spiritual Bypassing'? Are not "ritual and belief and dogma" not part of religion?

I do like his comment however: "The trappings of spiritual bypassing can look good, particularly when they seem to promise freedom from life's fuss and fury, but this supposed serenity and detachment is often little more than metaphysical valium [my italics], especially for those who have made too much of a virtue out of being and looking positive."

He describes authentic spirituality as "a vast fire of liberation, an exquisitely fitting crucible and sanctuary, providing both heat and light for the healing and awakening we need" - does anyone agree with that?

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He describes authentic spirituality as "a vast fire of liberation, an exquisitely fitting crucible and sanctuary, providing both heat and light for the healing and awakening we need" - does anyone agree with that?

, I once knew a young woman who was desperate to develop spiritually and psychically. She was drawn to me because of reiki - which she wanted to learn. At that time I wasn't a teacher. So she went elsewhere for that but still stayed in my orbit as I was attempting to help her with some issues from her childhood. I was absolutely dumbstruck one day when she glibly announced that she felt the reiki principle about not getting angry was wrong. Basically she would ignore any situation that threatened to make her angry. Now this may sound like a good thing to do .............but it was that attitude that was preventing her from facing up to her feelings about events in her childhood . And it was obvious to me that until she DID face up to her feelings, she was going to remain stalled in what was an almost childlike approach to life and spirituality that would prevent her developing . In the end the inevitable happened and she drifted OUT of my orbit . When I read the article about bypassing she came very vividly to my mind.

A genuine spiritual enlightenment can make uncomfortable demands on people. Maybe forcing them to face up to the less spiritual sides of their personality. We all have a darker side. I interpret that as being the 'heat' the writer of the article says people can shy away from.

I found the article interesting - but then I always find ANYTHING interesting that gets me thinking about my own beliefs, thoughts, way of life.

Hi Tashanie

I was absolutely dumbstruck one day when she glibly announced that she felt the reiki principle about not getting angry was wrong. Basically she would ignore any situation that threatened to make her angry. Now this may sound like a good thing to do .............but it was that attitude that was preventing her from facing up to her feelings about events in her childhood .

You are correct that she has misinterpreted what is promoted within the Reiki principle of choosing not to get angry, when we understand that nothing outside of self can make self angry, then we no longer have to choose to feel angry, we can choose to think and create a different way.

Past events do not exist outside of our memories and the inner conflicts that we have chosen to create by placing judgements upon them as we internalise them, so the reality is that there is no unresolved past issues, there are only current inner conflicts which have been an ongoing creation process within consciousness since they were first created within the fullness of self, it is not the past which needs healing as what has happened can't be changed, but what can be healed is always what is happening within the now or current moment of our life experience. 🙂

Hi Tashanie

You are correct that she has misinterpreted what is promoted within the Reiki principle of choosing not to get angry, when we understand that nothing outside of self can make self angry, then we no longer have to choose to feel angry, we can choose to think and create a different way.

Past events do not exist outside of our memories and the inner conflicts that we have chosen to create by placing judgements upon them as we internalise them, so the reality is that there is no unresolved past issues, there are only current inner conflicts which have been an ongoing creation process within consciousness since they were first created within the fullness of self, it is not the past which needs healing as what has happened can't be changed, but what can be healed is always what is happening within the now or current moment of our life experience. 🙂

Sadly she wasn't ready to deal with the issue. Instead she would spend most of her free time 'being spiritual' meditating, self healing, cutting cords -with the activity being the main focus rather than actually gaining insight from the experience.

She wants to have the same sort of work I do (reiki, readings etc) . But because she hasn't dealt with the issues, she is stuck in a very immature approach to life which means she doesn't have the insight to do readings or healing responsibly.

Hi Tashanie

Sadly she wasn't ready to deal with the issue. Instead she would spend most of her free time 'being spiritual' meditating, self healing, cutting cords -with the activity being the main focus rather than actually gaining insight from the experience.

Yes, people often choose to avoid taking on board personal responsibilities and get stuck in a rut in the process, but that is a personal choice which they are free to choose for themselves. The consequences of that choice is often the manifestation of the symptoms of pain and suffering, which is in itself a life choice experience that they are free to embrace if they choose it.

She wants to have the same sort of work I do (reiki, readings etc) . But because she hasn't dealt with the issues, she is stuck in a very immature approach to life which means she doesn't have the insight to do readings or healing responsibly.

There are many healers in the world who do not choose to heal themselves or be healed by a healer (which would allow them to heal from a place of inner wholeness instead of healing from a place of inner conflict).