How Avoiding Reality Undermines Your Spiritual Path
I know firsthand that the metaphysical is sexy and exciting. When the world has attempted to condition you to crave the 9–to-5 grind, and failed, it’s tempting to escape as if your hair is on fire. All in all, the esoteric is a healthier escape than alcohol, heroin, or credit cards. It’s also comforting to know that there’s something bigger out there.
But, like the mundane, spirituality is not all there is. Getting stuck in spirit communication, past lives, and dream interpretations negates an important factor: you are here, on earth, experiencing the mundane, for a reason.
The world around us needs us to be present. When my niece comes to me for advice on how to deal with an estranged friend, she’s looking for practical advice, not a tarot reading.
Our communities need us to show up in tangible ways. Food insecurity, domestic violence, mental illness, and poverty are real problems that require real-world solutions. You can’t solve social ills with group meditation alone.
Spirituality doesn’t exempt us from our responsibilities. If anything, it deepens them.
If you believe you’re here to help the world in a spiritual sense, then go where the help is needed. That might mean putting aside esoteric teachings and embracing practical actions.
If someone is hungry, give them food. Don’t tell them they will manifest a meal if they do the 369 manifestation method. Real help means showing up and doing the work, even when the “vibe is low” or reality feels heavy.
(Now, if you want to use spirituality as a way to feel better than others instead of helping others, just say that, babe.)
The beauty of spirituality is that it doesn’t have to be separate from the mundane. I believe the magical, metaphysical, and spiritual belong in our day-to-day lives — not as an escape, but as a lens through which we view our experiences. For me, it’s about framing.
I’m reminded of David Foster Wallace’s iconic commencement speech, “This is Water.” Wallace’s argument for the function of a liberal arts education aligns with how I view spirituality in everyday life:
“Learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience.”
Spirituality helps us shape how we think about the world, but it doesn’t replace practical action. For example, when I volunteer at a domestic violence shelter, I frame it as part of my higher calling to help women. I am fulfilling my purpose, but I also stay grounded in the present, focused on the tangible help I’m giving. Whether I’m filling out paperwork or organizing donated clothes, I’m aware that I’m here to be of service in the real world. I don’t bring up fate or astrology when someone is in a vulnerable place.
All of this to say, it’s possible to live a magical life while remaining fully present. It’s preferable that you do. Otherwise, you’re not ascending, you’re avoiding.
Living to meditate is just as meaningless as living to pay bills. You’re living in the mundane world for a reason. Go out and do something.
Thank you for making it this far. I have a new download available: What every tarot card means in a money reading. Perfect for tarot readings regarding business, workplace, or personal finances (for entertainment purposes only, obviously).
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