Things I Wish I Knew Before My Spiritual Awakening
Not every teacher, book, or trend is for you. While I can't deny the effectiveness of "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck", the author's tone and way of explaining things felt abrasive to me. I took what he said with a grain of salt, and I'm glad I did. I wasn't sure I wanted to be taking advice from someone who was way too sexual towards Jennifer Aniston in a book that was supposed to be about releasing the need to fixate on things. If you don't feel like something is resonating, I would invite you to take a proper look at it before accepting it as complete irrefutable truth because truth is both universal and subjective.
Just because you're not a member of certain groups doesn't mean you can't take inspiration from or be curious about their practices. Personally, I find it very grounding to put my head to the ground when I pray the way they do in the Islamic faith. I also pray out loud like a Christian and meditate like a Buddhist. One of the most beautiful parts about a spiritual (re)awakening is that you truly get to choose your adventure, especially if you are not a member of any particular group that has its rules and practices laid out for them.
Things that used to sound absurd may actually make sense the more you learn. There was absolutely a point in time where I thought the concept of astrology seemed straight up ridiculous to me, but if you close yourself off to certain things then you close yourself off to completely understanding them. Since then, I have convinced my Catholic mother, my science-crazed fiancee, and several other people along the way of its legitimacy. I will never try to shove it down someone's throat, though - my goal is to serve as a resource for those who want to learn more.
My spiritual journey would help me work through my complicated feelings about organized religion. When I was growing up in the Catholic church, I never fully resonated with the teachings I learned about in Sunday school. I had so many questions that never seemed to get a direct answer, which led to me putting some distance between myself and organized religion once I went to college. This put some strain on my relationship with my parents as they wanted me to know God while I felt that the teachings of Catholicism were outdated and vague. We actually got into a fight that ended in me storming out of the house and crying on a park bench half a mile from their house. After that, they left me to my devices and were delighted to discover that I had found God, in my own way. Since then, my mom and I have had several discussions about how the Universe and God are one and the same and I felt more connected to a divine presence, and that's all she ever wanted for me in the first place.
Seeking out the truth in a society that tells you what to believe can be seen as an act of rebellion, but this act of rebellion is at its core an act of love. Society tells us to go to college, get a job, get married, and work a job until you retire, but so many people are discovering that this one formula may not really be a one-size-fits-all. I know so many people (many of which I've met through reading their charts) who are grappling with the fact that the world may not be as it seemed when they were growing up. This realization can be frustrating and disorienting, which is the main reason people turn to spirituality in the first place - to explain the unexplainable and make things make sense. If this describes you, then you're in the right place. If and when you ever need guidance, know that I am here for you and can without a doubt bring some clarity to your situation.
With love,
Amparo <3
