Phases of the journey

~ Karin

The spiritual journey consists of several phases.

Phase 1) Searching happiness ‘out there’.
Peace, joy, and fulfillment seem to be out there in the future, if we could just get that new job/car/partner/house/child. But the happiness found in the achievement of a new goal is fleeting at best.

Welcome to the human condition.

Phase 2) Searching and finding happiness ‘in here’.
This is an inward movement. Downsizing outer distractions like TV or social activities and withdrawing into the metaphorical cave for meditating.

This phase involves a painful stripping away of the attachment to the former personality (see my post about the Dark Night of the Soul).

Eventually, we find the unconditional Source of peace and joy inside of us. Job/car/partner/house/child may still be there, but they are no longer a requirement for happiness.

Phase 3) Returning to the marketplace
During this phase, the inner peace is tested while being active in the marketplace of life.

Walking through the rings of fear
For me, this phase is about sharing the insights of the spiritual journey. Getting out there and becoming visible, open, and vulnerable. It requires me to leave my comfort zone.

As of summer 2012, the usual chain of events in my experience goes like this:

At first, there is a call by the universe that I need to share in a particular format (anonymous in a forum, for starters, but with full name in a blog later). That call is delivered via the inner voice and is usually enforced by outer signs.

If I resist because of fear (which I usually do), I experience a strong sense of guilt and then there is a talk by my spirit guide. At first a gentle coaxing which turns into a stern lecture later.

If I still resist (which I usually do), there are dreams which tell me that I am procrastinating and which soon turn into warnings (“Share, or else…”).

And if I still resist (which I sometimes do), there are consequences like clogged drains mirroring my resistance, or even health problems.

Relief from the guilt and fear is found, once I yield and do what Source wants me to do.

Recently, I was told by my spirit guide to speak and share in a video format. After the usual battle of resistance (including health issues in the throat chakra region), I finally gave in and recorded this short video about the phases of the spiritual journey (1:30)
https://youtu.be/9z3O8flnm9s

40 thoughts on “Phases of the journey”

  1. Great video…thank you for your sharing! I too am feeling the resistance big-time, and it’s inspiring and encouraging to find other bloggers stepping out of their comfort zones despite the fear. Aleya

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    1. Thanks for your kind comment.
      Yes, this seems to be a time for stepping out of the comfort zone. I also see many bloggers coming up with a video or a voice recording.
      Probably the only way to get rid of this cycle of fear, resistance, procrastination, guilt, is to walk right through the fear.
      I hope I will remember this the next time…
      Blessings,
      Karin

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    1. Thanks for your comment. Yes, these are not clear cut phases, but more a forward spiralling movement. We should not get frustrated about the steps back. That is normal. It is like children learning to walk. They fall down and get up. But they don’t beat themselves up because they just fell down again.

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    1. Thanks for your encouraging comment, Linda.

      There is relief now. I am just happy that it’s over.
      The ‘vulnerability hangover’ is not nearly as strong as after the post about the Dark Night of the Soul.

      Now I want to relax again. Until the next homework assignment from spirit…
      Thanks for your support on this journey.
      Hugs,
      Karin

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  5. Thanks for this post and the video! It helps me see that I’m caught there in the middle, still stripping away attachments and learning to go inward. It’s certainly interesting how much suffering and discomfort results when we resist any part of the process. I remember Adyashanti said something like the more enlightened we become, the worse we will feel when we do something that is out of alignment with truth. Have you found that to be true so far in your experience? Has it gotten even harder to ignore the signs and callings from the universe?

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    1. Thanks for your thoughtful comment and your sharing.

      Yes, definitely, it becomes harder to resist the divine guidance. The procrastination period gets shorter and shorter.
      Penalties for not following the guidance of Source come earlier.

      The other thing I noticed is that inner peace is encouraged. That is, straying from inner peace results in consequences earlier and earlier. I wrote about it here

      On God’s short leash

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    1. Thanks for your kind and encouraging comment, Hariod.
      It feels odd to see and hear myself on video, and it is good to get feedback about how it comes across.
      Thanks for taking the time to watch the video.

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    1. Thank you for the taking the time to watch the video and for your kind comment, Nomzi. I am glad to hear that it resonated with you.
      Have a great week, too!

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  10. You have such a calming voice, I’m glad you were compelled to share via the spoken word. I look forward to hearing more! I am currently being tested in the “marketplace” and find myself turning back to the “in here”.

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    1. Thanks for taking the time to watch and for your kind comment, Karen.
      These phases are not clear-cut. It is more like a forward spiralling movement. 2 steps forward, 1 step back, that is what it feels like.

      The marketplace is testing me, too, these days. And this provides plenty of opportunity to practice the inner peace.
      I wish you all the best for your journey.

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    1. Thanks for taking the time to watch and for your kind feedback.
      Yes, it was a challenge to record it. Speaking to a lifeless camera hole just feels odd, so unnatural.
      Not to mention the technical challenges (- my first attempts were upside-down because I held my tablet the wrong way, which I didn’t notice, of course, until I had managed to import the stuff to the computer).
      Peace,
      Karin

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  13. Hi Karin. I am currently walking through the rings of fear stage (again). The first time was 5 years ago. I blogged about that. Most recently, it occurred again as I started my blog and chose not to be anonymous. However, I realized that I was quite anonymous as none of my friends in real life are connected to the blogosphere where I reside. So now I am getting the push to get active on social media (Twitter and Facebook). Twitter isn’t such a big deal I suppose, but I am resistant to Facebook because everybody I know in my daily life is connected there. I got Twitter going today and Facebook is still looming. I suppose I should just get it done:-) It is always a relief once I have moved through the rings of fear. The funny thing is that every time I go through the rings of fear I have been supported on the other side, so why should this be any different?

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    1. Thanks for your comment and your sharing, Brandi.
      It seems that we really go through similar phases and that this walking through the rings of fear is a common assignment on the path.
      What post of yours is about the first walk through the fear? Could you link it here? I would like to read it.

      Congratulations that you made it into Twitter. Each steps feels like a relief once it is done. I can understand that you are hesitant about Facebook if everyone you know is active there. It really is different talking about this stuff with like minded people than with folks who are not on this journey and who may ridicule us.

      I didn’t have to go to Facebook or Twitter yet. I would probably resist and procrastinate again if I got this prompt.
      I also feel that we are supported after we take each leap of faith. Recently, I read a St.Germain channeling where he talked about this being a period for stepping out of our comfort zone. Taking the leap of faith. He said something like, “I will be there to hold your hand.” I found that soothing.

      I wish you much courage to take all the leaps of faith you were encouraged to take.
      Karin

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        1. Wow, you went to Facebook. My congratulations! If I ever have to do that, I will think of you how bravely you went through that.

          Thanks for the link. Ah, I remember, I have already read that post but will check it out again.

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    1. Thanks for taking the time to watch and for the kind feedback. I got the same comment about the smile at the end today in an email. Yes, that is the smile of relief. Talking into this lifeless camera hole feels strange.
      But, maybe for my next video, I should remember to smile more :-)

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  16. Lovely to have met you via your video link dear Karin, and so right you are in what you say.. So often we resist and we are given sharp lessons at times until we listen to our inner dialogue .. My guides must have lost patience with me so many times.. :-) as they saw how stubborn a path I walked in the past.. :-)

    I love the phrase I heard several years ago..’ What we resist persists’ and once we learn to listen and move forward letting GO of that which we do not need, we then allow ourselves to go into the flow..

    So pleased our own paths crossed as we both learn to swim with the tide :-)
    Love and Blessings Sue xxx

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    1. Thanks for your kind and generous comment, Sue.

      Yes, I also wonder whether guides can lose patience ;-) Isn’t one supposed to be patient all the time when one is not incarnated ? I wonder, do they ever get as annoyed as I get?

      Letting go. That is a good point. This comes up frequently during the spiritual journey, and especially now.

      I appreciate walking and swimming this path together with you.

      Happy swimming,
      Karin

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    1. Thanks for your kind comment, Ka. I’m glad to hear it resonates with you. The spiritual journey is different for everyone, but some major phases and milestones seem to be universal.
      Best wishes for your journey,
      Karin

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