We are nonphysical, spiritual consciousness experiencing a material human existence. In the scope of eternity, we are spiritual beings that spend a very short time living this human experience. You are already a spiritual being; always have been – always will be. Why would you throw away even a single human day, trying to be what you already are? And why would any of us succumb to the parasitic antics of the countless “Masters” and “Preachers” and “Gurus”… oh my?!?
For years, centuries, and millennia we have had these masters and preachers and gurus (oh my) trying to teach us to be something we already are. We are enchanted by their charismatic and pain-anesthetizing words, but during this process, we lose connection with our human potentiality. So we end up with plenty of spiritual solutions to deal with our stressful human feelings, but no practical strategies to avoid those feelings and situations to begin with.
We end up buying these books in the Spiritual, Self-Help, Personal Growth sections of the book store (notice these sections get bigger and bigger). We attend the huge expo events, with masters and preachers and gurus speaking and peddling their “miracle” products; talking about transcending your humanity and liberating yourself from the material word… while charging you very real human money for their products and services.
Life is challenging. We have money issues, relationship issues, health issues, personal issues, professional issues, etc… So of course these charismatic orators and brilliant marketers have success selling us their “solution” or “secret” or “salvation” to our problems. But we fail to see that we get caught up in a cycle of needing their anesthesia instead of just confronting the issue that causes us the problems to begin with.
You have problems paying bills? That’s not a spiritual problem, it’s a financial one. Stop looking elsewhere for the solution and DEAL with it. If you’re having relationship issues, that’s not a spiritual problem. Get your head out of the clouds and put it back into the parameters of your partnership. DEAL with your communication issues, or maturity issues, or friendship issues, don’t seek an answer from a source that was not the issue to begin with. You are already a spiritual being… you have been created with every tool you need to remedy your situations and live your purpose… anyone who tells you different either lacks an understanding of the depth of our existence and potentiality or is trying to sell you something (or both).
You don’t have a spiritual problem, or a mystical energy problem, or a prayer problem, or meditation problem; what you have is a very human problem that can only be fixed in a very human way. While spiritual techniques can offer amazing relief for such life stresses, they cannot solve the cause of the stress. The reason we see more masters and preachers and gurus (oh my) come into the commercial world and we watch the associated sections of the book stores grow and grow is because they figured out an effective way to offer a simple cure to a problem we don’t have… and we fall for it 100% of the time.
If you want true change in your life, you MUST take responsibility. Embrace the truth that your spirituality wasn’t the cause of your stress and it’s not going to be the solution either. If you want something different, you must live differently. Incorporate a healthy balance of your spirituality and humanity. Pray, meditate, visualize; then get up and take actions that will bring them to life. Pray, meditate, visualize for better finances; then make better financial decisions. Pray, meditate, visualize for better relationships; then make mature, love-driven decisions. Pray, meditate, visualize for a healthier life; then exercise and make better food choices. LIVE your prayer, ACT on your mediation, BE your visualization.
How would your life be different if you finally let go of your need to be validated or nourished by the preachers and masters and gurus (oh my); and finally looked at yourself in the mirror and said, “I’m going to breathe life back into my life. I’m going to take responsibility, I’m going to take action, and I’m going to live my life, my prayer, my meditation, my faith, and my dreams as a VERB!” Let today be the day you embrace your spirituality without turning your back on your humanity. Squeeze this amazing human experience for all its nourishing juices. Take action towards the life you see for yourself. Don’t just look to the sky and beg for it; put your feet on the ground and create it! You are more powerful than you know! Explore the depth of that power today!
© Steve Maraboli
From the bestselling book, “Unapologetically You”