‘‘It is only with heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to eye.’’ -Antoine de St Exupery
Spiritual Awakening or spiritual growth and psychotherapy are not always paired together. This is because modern science has been more focused on the mental aspects of our being (consisting of the mind, individual consciousness, intellect and ego) and our physical body (including the brain, organs and senses) rather than our soul body. While hugely beneficial in other ways, excluding our soul, spirituality or consciousness from the conversation, doesn’t help to answer questions such as:
Who are we?
What are we made of?
And why are we here?
As transpersonal therapists, we believe in addressing both the symptom and the cause of any issue. Working from a spiritual perspective gives us the freedom to remove mental and emotional complexities from the root. Moreover, we recognize that ancient wisdom traditions offer insights regarding human development and psychological growth that the Western world is only now starting to validate through research. As western trained and licensed psychotherapists who have studied meditative and yogic practices, we advocate the use of a variety of these practices for their psychotherapeutic benefits such as reduced anxiety and depression. We also have the unique perspective of integrating Eastern ancient traditions with evidenced based and trauma informed practice for the ultimate wholistic perspective.
We move away from any reductionist approach that typically results in misinterpretations of client spiritual experience and embrace the transformational effects of spiritual growth in conjunction with therapy.
Ninety-five percent of our actions are driven by cognitive impressions formed in our conscious mind through repeated actions, habits and thoughts (these are automatic by the time we’re adults). This phenomenon can also be defined as an emotional memory in the subconscious and can be understood as blocked energy, disruptions in relationships, inner chronic experiences of fear, anger or sadness, and can even result in chronic pain or disease. All human suffering arises from forms of wrong identification with only a limited part of who we are (identifying with our body, mind, habitual patterns of thinking or limited roles). EMDR can be a powerful connector to our subconscious and also to our innate natural wisdom and ability to self heal. Too, EMDR is sometimes used to help our clients hear their inner higher Self voice.
Connecting with our inner spirit allows us to experience feelings of wellness beyond the ego. It allows us to move from superficial experiencing to deeper feeling; from the complexity of the mind to the simplicity of the heart.
Our essential nature is pure, unbounded, infinite.
In our work together, we personalize various modalities including meditation, talk therapy, EDMR, IFS and breathwork to still the constant reverberating thoughts and enable states of pure awareness.
the effects of spiritual awakening:
Studies indicate that 91-100% of individuals who participated in a study understanding the effects of yoga or meditation reported:
– a quieter mind with fewer thoughts
– the development of witness consciousness
– a stronger more disciplined mind
– increased ability to focus and maintain focus
– being less rigid (polarized) and better able to adapt
– being less concerned with being right or wrong, less identified with notions of good and bad
– being more conscious and less automatically influenced by shifts in emotional moods and feelings
– decreased identification with the body, the mind and its contents
– ability to go with the flow, or be in flow
– detachment from desires to have things the way one wants them rather than the way they are
– more intuitive, nonlinear thinking (which is more right brain dominant and wholistic)
– emotional purification
– experiences of love of self and others
– ability to sit with feelings longer and connect with the Self beyond the emotion (beyond the foreground feelings)
– knowing the answer to “Will this feed my spirit/soul?” Resulting in a clear emergence of priorities and values guided by the inner self versus outside influences/expectations/norms
-being in the moment
– following your intuition
– ability to feel and face fear, recognizing the the fear is worse than the actual feared event
– not worried about the past
– not worried about the future
– embracing being perfectly imperfect from a place of grace, love and self-compassion
– understanding how the mind works
– increase in playfulness, spontaneity, fun and not taking oneself too seriously
– feeling flow and synchronicity
– experiencing “riding the wave” of emotions
– shifting from identification with the ego to oneness or no separation between individuals- where separation or rejection does not exist
– feeling more control over one’s life
– increased ability to accept paradox
– release of attachments, expectations and dependence
– reframing painful experiences, problems or challenges as opportunities to learn, grow or expand
– living more from the heart, more intuitively, vs. decisions purely based in the mind
– knowing the importance of self expression and realizing that when we don’t express, our energy drops
We don’t have to buy into the simplistic notions of a recluse who meditates away from society or it’s opposite notion of a “love and light” always smiling version of spirituality. We can embrace a more mature, integrated notion of spirituality and of spirtual awakening, one that is immersed fully in the world and functions from a place of expanded possibilities, increased self-responsibility and giving expression to the highest version of yourself through your work, relationships, family and daily activities.
If you resonate with our approach and wish to explore this way of working further, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
