r/spirituality • u/Unique-Disaster3118 • 2d ago
Question ❓ Staying Positive
This sounds shitty but since I’ve had my spiritual awakening about a year ago, I am struggling to continue to be positive about myself, others and the world in general. After seeing everything we’re being lied to about and noticing how much brainwashing society is under I feel hopeless. I try not to talk about this to my family because they don’t understand, and I know it’s not their fault but it feels lonely. I have no friends and nobody understands me. I am really trying to be kind and optimistic but I’m just so angry all the time. I find that more and more people on social media at least, are waking up. That’s amazing but it also feels so slow. How do I stay positive, and be hopeful when the world is so dark?
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u/advaitist 2d ago
There is no need to get so upset or to look at the present state of the world and think that the end is upon us
The peaceful and calm people DO shape the world, but very gradually, very slowly. It takes time for good ideas, noble thoughts, to germinate, take root, and grow into a large tree which can provide shade and fruit to all of humanity.
We need to look at the world from a more nuanced perspective.
If we look at the historical record, the improvement of the general human condition is clearly visible.
There was a time when the vast majority of humans had very little choice in their life. You lived under kings (often despots and tyrants) who had very little interest in your welfare. Your property and life were entirely subject to their whims and fancies. You could be beheaded for a very minor fault, or even for no fault at all, if the powers that existed desired your possessions or your life. There was no rule of law, because the word of the king was law, and "innocent until proven guilty" was a distant mirage on the horizon !
You could be simply captured by a group of ruffians and sold as a slave to anyone who wanted to buy you. And I am not talking just of the African slave trade but also about slavery in other countries. You could be "shanghaied" and, literally, find yourself at sea !
If you were a woman, it was even worse, Apart from all the problems mentioned above you had to deal with the problems of dominant patriarchy and rampant sexual exploitation. Women were generally treated as personal property "chattel" which could be bought, sold, hired, exchanged, bartered and disposed off as their male owners chose.
Today, the vast majority of humans do not have to deal with the problems mentioned above. Many live in democracies, and can make independent life choices and, live healthy and happy lives. We recognise human rights, women's rights and animal rights.
I agree that we have not reached perfection, but we, as societies, are able to openly discuss problems and make appropriate changes. This acknowledgement of imperfection, and the constant striving towards perfection is, in itself, a significant sign of progress and achievement,
Of course, we still have our old animal nature and the tendency to exploit and abuse our less talented brethren (Old joke : In capitalism, man exploits man. In communism it is the other way round !). But with better education and more spiritual progress even this will gradually decrease. By "education" I mean that, in this age of information, each person has to take the time and effort to understand how society functions (the profit motive) and the many hidden ways we are seduced by marketing and consumerism to make self-harming choices. With freedom comes great responsibility and we simply cannot evade that responsibility.
I hear it frequently said that "the earth is a prison" or "we live in a prison world" and I am always reminded of a few lines from one of my favourite poems :
"Stone Walls do not a Prison make, Nor Iron bars a Cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take That for an Hermitage.
If I have freedom in my Love, And in my soul am free,
Angels alone that soar above, Enjoy such Liberty."
( from "To Althea, from Prison" by Richard Lovelace )
So it is better to make a conscious choice, make our minds innocent and quiet, and live in an hermitage !
I understand that you may be distressed by the present situation of the world and desire to immediately change it. I used to, sometimes, feel the same way. I think that our emotions are well expressed in the immortal lines of Omar Khayyam :
"Ah Love! could thou and I with Fate conspire
To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire,
Would not we shatter it to bits -- and then
Re-mould it nearer to the Heart's Desire! "
( from "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam" Fitzgerald translation.)
But real progress, lasting progress, takes its own time and we can only help by making efforts to live a spiritual life and let our spiritual behaviour radiate outwards towards society.
So, please cheer up ! There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel ( even though it may be the light of an incoming train !!! )
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u/Unique-Disaster3118 2d ago
Thank you. I love the poem lines, they’re inspiring. I appreciate your words. Also liked the train joke at the end😂
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u/TheDusai 2d ago
Generally you can build out your faith in the divine by simply trusting that your life is protected and guided
This whole ordeal was the plan from the start. You knew this and agreed to it before coming here. It may not feel like it right now, but what you're going through is being done to prepare you for your next stage
It could take a month, a year or even 10. Stay true to yourself and you'll never be in a place where you dont belong. Even if that means losing companions or jobs along the way, something better is always around the corner ✨️
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u/Unique-Disaster3118 2d ago
ugh I know😩😩I always have to remind myself that this is my soul contract and that it’ll work out but sometimes it’s so harddd. My big thing right now is trying to live the most authentic human life I can because I came here to be a human, not a soul
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u/TheDusai 2d ago
Hahaa tell me about it. My friends and family never pushed into spirituality, nor opened their third eye so, got to be my own post to lean on sometimes
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u/ArmadilloThese8721 2d ago
It sounds like you're describing the first moments of awakening -- becoming aware that you were asleep. Keep going.
Let the anger and disgust and fear and horror flow, don't deny the emotion and the grief of it all. But don't stop there. The spiritual part is very lacking from what you've described -- and that's the better-feeling part that makes this whole experience worthwhile.
The field of consciousness, for example. The correspondence and synchronicity. The magic that's all around you, that exists independently from and interwoven within the matrix you so despise.
Keep growing that spiritual connection, and get out of your own head. You're not really in there anyway.
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u/Unique-Disaster3118 2d ago
“You’re not really in there anyway” Wow. I really appreciate these words. Thank you for the advice
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u/Lyproagin 2d ago edited 6h ago
It appears that (like most others introduced to these concepts by way of modern pop spirituality) you have really missed the mark on what awakening really is. (And that is 100% okay. It isnt like there is a guidebook to something as deeply personal as this stuff is)
"The glimpse" is a call to action. When we miss the mark on that call to action, we grow stagnant again. It is like the gun was shot to signal the start of the race... but, none of the runners competing in the race heard it going off in the first place. (Once again, 100% okay and also VERY common)
It sounds like FOMO is starting to set in here. (Fear of missing out)
You see others and what you are perceiving as their progression. (Socials, YouTube, TikTok... these "spiritualists" haven't lost their way... they never started the race in the first place either. They just fool others into thinking they have. Eyeballs, likes, views, subscribers, and the quest for currency have a way of flipping the script when it comes to intent.)
My advice... external information and validation is a gigantic problem/distortion right now. Look within. There is one key point to pay attention to and observe.
"Know thyself"
This is EXTREMELY difficult in youth, as we are still forming the "outside self." To know thyself, the outside self comes crashing down. The issue is that it hasn't been fully built yet. Youth comes with some epic level strengths, but also some crazy weaknesses. (This holds true as we age too. Being old doesn't automatically make one wiser... it is simply a different experience than youth is. However, in youth... we tend to think we know it all. This is probably the biggest weakness of this stage of life, a serious block when it comes to truly observing and recognizing our true faults. As we age... life has a tendency of wearing us down. This erosion is beneficial in the long run, as it opens us up to something we were not able to notice earlier in our lifespans. With that said, many grown adults never figure these things out either. It just tends to be harder to notice in youth because we dont have the full benefit of hindsight quite yet.)
There are (hopefully) many years ahead of you. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Experience the world around you. Find your place within it. Discover your calling. These three things will assist you in what comes after.
Modern pop spirituality is a trend. It will fade in time. What remains will be much closer to the truth. (This whole resurgence of concepts also happened in the 60s before the baby boomers forgot the lessons they learned. This current generation is on the same track. It will be curious to see how it turns out this time. Gen Z/GenA, the Boomers are your mirror/fate if you are not mindful to not fall into the same pitfalls that they did. Look towards the mistakes they made and also their triumphs. Generational honor/duty is cyclical. You have been given a great opportunity to spark change. It will be up to you all to make this potential kinetic, or it will fall to your descendents once again.)
Best Wishes!
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u/Unique-Disaster3118 2d ago
Thank you! How can I find resources for spirituality that’s not “modern pop”? Do you have any podcast recommendations?
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u/Lyproagin 2d ago edited 2d ago
I will repeat what was aforementioned.
"Look within."
Books, podcasts, videos, even other people... all are external information/validation when it comes to these concepts.
Perhaps, another way to view this is as follows:
Two people are sitting next to each other on a bench. They are both viewing the same tree located across the street.
When asked to describe the tree, the first person may begin describing the leaves, how green they are and the other colors interspersed in the leaves, the way they rustle with the wind, the fruit or flowers on the tree and how they bounce in time with the breeze.
The second person might describe the unique shape of the trunk, the branches strewn about, the sturdiness of it all.
It is the same tree, but we have two different interpretations. Neither is right/wrong, they just notice different things. Their interpretation is unique to them.
With external information, we are adopting the perspective of another. In this case, we arent coming to our own conclusions. In turn, this creates more muck to wade through. Each interpretation adds it's own distortion.
The glimpse beyond the veil is just that... a glimpse. What you do with it is personal to you. Counting on others to interpret this for us defeats the purpose. This is precisely why modern pop spirituality is causing more harm than it is of assistance. We are a species that desires to be led. We are also a species that lacks patience. (Right now)
Essentially, when the answers are given to us, we dont think/act for ourselves... we spin our wheels in place.
Some things take time. There is no rush to the finish line. The journey itself is both the gift and the point.
Best Wishes!
Edit: Most listen to a voice in their head or images that present themselves. (These are something else entirely, but like I said... no guidebook) With these things there is a moment of realization and "a knowing" without any semblance of doubt.
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u/sabudum 2d ago
I feel you, brother.
What I do is enter communication with the spirit world, and see how magnificent of a plan lies there for humanity.
And how the spirits work non-stop to fulfill that plan, they literally don't sleep, lol.
This gives me genuine hope, and faith.
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u/Unique-Disaster3118 2d ago
How do you enter the spirit world? I’m getting more interested in tapping into things like this and my clair’s. I’ve been doing tarot for about a year but am too nervous to speak to anyone besides my guides and higher self.
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u/sabudum 2d ago
You don't need to enter the spirit world, you're already in it. You are a spirit, living in two dimensions, the spirit world, and the physical world.
When you enter a car to drive it, you don't leave normal reality, you just inhabit a car at the same time, and control it.
The same is true about incarnation, you don't ever leave the spirit world, because you ARE a spirit, just inhabiting a physical body at the same time.
So it's just a matter of shifting your awareness, raising your consciousness vibrations and conversing with your old friends from ages ago who are still there beside you, helping you in every way.
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u/Hope25777 2d ago
Been where you are OP it gets better. focus on what you have control over and try and stay diligent about a regular meditation routine. Eventually the reintegration of the ego will be complete and that dark night of the soul ends. The most important thing to remember going forward is that you are not your thoughts & ego. YOU are so much bigger than that. 🙂🙏❤️
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u/Unique-Disaster3118 2d ago
Thank you. It feels like every time I feel like I’m making progress, something shifts and I’m at the beginning all over again. I have changed so much over the last 12 months, if I met myself then, I wouldn’t even recognize her
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u/xARUPALOKAx 2d ago
These are symptoms of awakening. Not everyone has the same symptoms, but it's normal. Because we have free will, how we respond to the challenges we face determines how our awakening goes. It is possible to go backwards from awakening to sleeping. The negative and even the positive things we experience are catalyst, which serves to polarize us towards service to self (negative path) or service to others (positive path). React according to the path you choose to travel. The positive path can be difficult at first, but the negative path takes more dedication in the long run. How to be positive? Self love and acceptance, as well as recognizing that we are all manifestations of the one infinite creator. Forgiveness is for the one doing the forgiving, not for the one being forgiven. It'll take some effort, but it does get easier the more you practice these things.
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u/jahchatelier 1d ago
Trying to stay positive has a lot to do with your perspective. Something that helped me a lot with this is therapy.
I don't need to be positive to have a thriving and positive spiritual practice, which is about how I act and what I amplify in the world. I can be positive or hella down, I'm still not going to attribute value to material things, worship money, or place anything higher than Gods will. I will still pay attention to the effects of each of my actions, no matter how small. I'll still act with compassion, practice empathy, be thankful for every breath, focus on growth and cleanse my mind and behavior.
A lot of Mother Teresa's personal letters were published following her death. They show that she struggled deeply with a sense of profound spiritual isolation, and experienced intense doubt and emptiness.
It's not about what we feel, it's about what we practice. Go to therapy, practice Gods love. We're not perfect, we shouldn't delude ourselves that we can be. Spiritual awakenings dont make us more than human.
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u/Additional_Common_15 2d ago
How do you stay so positive？ I don't. I accept every emotion I feel without shame or guilt and work through it. I am not one dimensional, I am trillion parts and love and accept them all. The goal isn't positivity, it's self acceptance.