Greetings!
It has been awhile since I have blogged, so I am excited to take a moment to write about something near and dear to my heart. There is some controversy around this topic amongst the spiritual practitioner community, but I would not be authentic if I chose to tiptoe around it for the sake of not making others uncomfortable. I am going to talk about spiritual superiority and why it's harmful.
Spiritual superiority is the concept that those who are more "enlightened" or have more spiritual knowledge and training are somehow more advanced or "better" than others. There are spiritual practitioners out there who believe that because they have the ability to access spiritual information, they are special. They wear this arsenal of knowledge as a badge of honor and are quick to form judgements about others who do not fall in line with their thinking. In their minds, they came to Earth at this time to help raise the consciousness of the planet and help others awaken. They may call themselves lightworkers and hide behind that term to justify their words and actions. They believe they serve the greater good and somehow that gives them a free pass to push their agendas and will on everyone around them, including those who did not ask for their opinion.
The irony behind spiritual superiority is that it stems from egocentric beliefs and programming. When one is operating from the ego, they view the world through their own lens and experiences and often cannot see others' viewpoints as valid. They may struggle with empathy and holding space for others because they are so focused on convincing the world that they are "right." Spiritual practitioners in this case believe that the way to help others is by getting them to see what they see.
Why is this harmful? Clients often seek out spiritual practitioners when they are in a vulnerable, fearful state. They are in need of guidance, healing and help with understanding what they are experiencing. When someone is in this mental state, they can be very impressionable and rely on the practitioner's expertise to help them navigate what they are going through. If the client does not have much spiritual knowledge, they may not have the background or skills to discern what is accurate or in their best interest. Because of this, they may believe that the practitioner has all the answers.
What can happen when the dynamic between the practitioner and client is based on the superior vs. inferior, is a number of things. First off, the client may form a co-dependency with the practitioner. They start to believe that they are not capable or to be trusted to make any major life decisions on their own. They may believe that they are in need of being saved and inherently unworthy. Instead of receiving the healing they require to grow and restore their self-worth, they get caught in a cycle of unhealthy behavior. Second, the client may internalize the idea that only "special" people have access to spiritual information. This deepens the co-dependency causing a greater divide. Practitioners may inadvertently stunt the client's growth out of their own fears of needing to keep clients stuck in this co-dependency for the sake of retaining them. Fearing that if the clients heal, they won't need the practitioner anymore. Finally, a client may end up feeling so disenfranchised that they give up on healing and spirituality entirely. Because they haven't healed and received the tools they need to grow, they may believe that there must be something "wrong" with them.
Why do some spiritual practitioners engage in spiritual superiority? Because they are human and have their own healing to do. They are not "bad" and likely have good intentions, but they too must do the work. Every single soul requires healing. Every single soul is here to grow. Every single soul is worthy. It doesn't matter how evolved you believe you are, you are no better than anyone else. There is no room for competition, judgement, or control in healing. Until the practitioner reaches a level of awareness around these concepts, they will be limited in what they can do to help others. Healers are not special, sacred, or better. Our job is to to help clients heal, support their growth, restore their trust in themselves and help them discover their own Divine spark within. Clients do not need to be told what is right for them, they need to be given the opportunity and the tools to come to that conclusion on their own.
Finally, there are those in this world who simply do not want to change. They are not ready to awaken and they are not prepared for the changes that come with it. So often we want others to change to accommodate us. We are uncomfortable around them and want them to see the world as we do. We may believe that if they awakened, their lives would be better. This is again rooted in the ego. We do not know what is best for anyone but ourselves. We do not get to force our will on others nor do we get to decide that they are "wrong" and we are "right." What we do have control over is whether having people in our lives is right for us. We do outgrow others and sometimes it is best to move on for our own growth and well-being. Rather than go in anger, fear or spite, we can choose to go in love. We can wish them well and continue on our journeys with peace in our hearts. Spiritual practitioners need to uphold healthy boundaries and be there for clients on their terms, rather than push someone who isn't ready to take the next step.
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I am here to support you in your healing and growth, thank you for choosing me to walk beside you.
Light and love,
Jena