Business Spirituality: Aligning Work With Your Spiritual Path

Most people treat business as if it exists in a sealed chamber apart from spirituality. They imagine meditation happens on a cushion, while money-making happens in an office. But life is not split into compartments. Business is not exempt from dharma. 

Every dollar earned, every deal signed, every product created carries energy – and that energy is a reflection of your consciousness. 

To do business spiritually is to enter the marketplace as a seeker, as someone who knows that the battlefield of commerce is one more arena where truth must be honored and illusion burned away.

Advaita Vedanta tells us there is only one Self, indivisible, without second. If this is so, then the division between spiritual life and business life is a hallucination. The same consciousness that meditates at dawn is the one that negotiates a contract in the afternoon.

The question is: will we show up fragmented and enslaved by ancestral fears, or will we walk into our business dealings as whole beings, free and on fire with truth?

Business As Your Spiritual Practice

Business can be a profound spiritual discipline – a form of sadhana. Sadhana is not limited to chanting mantras or fasting. It is the daily practice of aligning your life with truth. If you approach business this way, every meeting, every invoice, every confrontation with a difficult partner becomes practice.

  • Negotiation becomes meditation. Instead of rushing to win, you practice listening, noticing your inner agitation, and allowing calmness to guide your words.
  • Failure becomes tapas. When things collapse, instead of falling into despair, you hold the fire, burn away ego, and let humility purify you.
  • Success becomes seva. Instead of hoarding glory, you offer the fruits of your labor as service – to your employees, your customers, and the divine order itself.

When you see business as sadhana, you are not just an entrepreneur. You are a warrior of consciousness, standing in the marketplace with clarity and fierce love.

Reframing Wealth As Energy Instead Of Possession

One of the deepest poisons in business is the delusion that money is possession. That belief fuels greed, scarcity, manipulation, and endless anxiety. In truth, money is energy. It flows, circulates, and reflects the karmic currents of both individuals and cultures.

When you cling to money as if it defines you, you enslave yourself. When you let it flow – investing in what is aligned with dharma, giving generously, refusing to exploit others – you honor money as sacred energy.

Hidden in most entrepreneurs is ancestral compression around survival: generations of famine, debt, and unspoken fear that there will never be enough. Unless these imprints are dissolved, no amount of external wealth will bring peace. Doing business spiritually means recognizing that your ancestors whisper through your financial decisions – and then releasing them. You honor their suffering, but you do not let it bind you.

The Hidden Blocks At Our Core: Ancestral Fear and Shame

Why do so many entrepreneurs sabotage themselves? Why do they overwork, undersell, underpay, or betray their values for quick wins? Beneath the surface is a core of fear, shame, or rage – emotional residues passed down through family lines. A grandfather bankrupted. A mother who was shamed for poverty. A lineage that knew slavery, oppression, or exile.

These compressions live in the body, in the subconscious. When unexamined, they dictate business choices like puppet strings. You may unconsciously repeat patterns of desperation, aggression, or victimhood without realizing you are echoing ancestral wounds.

Doing business spiritually requires a ruthless self-inquiry into these hidden compressions. Sit with the shame that arises when you ask for payment. Sit with the fear that comes when you risk expansion. Ask yourself: Whose voice is this? Is it truly mine, or is it my great-grandfather’s despair living through me?

When you burn through these compressions, you liberate not only yourself but your lineage. Your business becomes a ritual of ancestral healing.

Bringing Fierce Love in the Marketplace

Love in business is not weakness. It is not appeasing everyone or saying yes to bad deals. Real love in the marketplace is fierce. It means:

  • Saying no to exploitation, even when it costs profit.
  • Refusing to work with partners who lack integrity, even if they are powerful.
  • Paying fair wages and honoring employees as divine beings, not as disposable tools.
  • Creating products and services that uplift rather than manipulate.

This kind of love requires self-respect. If you do not honor yourself, you will collapse into people-pleasing or exploitation. Spiritual business is not passive. It is rooted in dharma – the truth of how energy should flow in alignment with life itself. Sometimes dharma demands soft compassion. Sometimes it demands a sword. Both are love.

Daily Disciplines for Spiritual Business

Just as monks keep their daily practices, the spiritual entrepreneur needs disciplines:

  • Truth-telling practice: Refuse to distort reality in marketing, negotiations, or promises.
  • Mantra or prayer before meetings: Align your mind with clarity before speaking.
  • Self-inquiry after conflict: Instead of blaming, ask: What was triggered in me? Which hidden wound surfaced?
  • Breath discipline: Use conscious breathing to anchor yourself before making major decisions.
  • Service orientation: Regularly remind yourself: This business exists not only for me but for service to life.

These small practices keep your business grounded in the spiritual field, preventing the unconscious mind from hijacking your leadership.

Case Example: The Spiritual Contract

Imagine two entrepreneurs negotiating a contract. One comes with hidden desperation, terrified of failure. The other arrives rooted in awareness, breathing deeply, connected to the Self. The first entrepreneur manipulates, bluffs, and hides. The second speaks truth, even when it seems risky.

At first, the manipulator appears strong. But over time, their dishonesty corrodes trust. The one aligned with awareness, though they may lose short-term, builds unshakable relationships. Their reputation becomes their greatest asset. This is business as dharma: slow, steady, aligned with truth.

Business as Karma Dissolution

Every encounter in business is a karmic knot. The angry client, the failed investment, the betrayal by a partner – each is a karmic echo surfacing for resolution. Instead of resisting, the spiritual entrepreneur asks: How can I dissolve this? What lesson is being demanded of me? What is the greater lesson and path for me as I unfold into my highest self while living within this physical reality?

Seen this way, business is not a distraction from your spiritual path. It is the path. The office is your monastery. The balance sheet is your scripture. Every challenge is a fire that either burns you down or purifies you.

A Fierce and Loving Path

To do business spiritually is to stand in the marketplace with love in your heart and fire in your belly. It is to face ancestral compression without fear, to treat money as sacred energy, and to practice dharma in every transaction.

This path is not easy. It demands courage, integrity, and relentless self-awareness. But it is also liberating. For when you do business spiritually, you no longer split your life into compartments. 

Every part of you – the seeker, the worker, the lover, the leader – becomes one. And in that wholeness, you not only prosper in business, you awaken to the truth: all of it, every invoice and every prayer, was always divine play.



About The Author:

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Paul is a spiritual healer and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of The Shankara Experience, and creator of The Shankara Oracle and The Personality Cards.

His work is focused on guiding seekers to inner freedom and awakening.

Spiritual Advice for Breakups

Breakups are brutal. They rip through the illusions we build around ourselves, leaving us stripped, raw, and often ashamed of how much we depended on someone else for our sense of wholeness. 

 

Most people try to patch the wound with distractions, new relationships, endless therapy loops, or spiritual bypasses that say “just let go.”

Real spiritual advice for breakups is not about sugarcoating or rushing through pain. It is about walking directly into the fire, facing what is actually there, and allowing the breakup to dissolve illusions that might otherwise haunt you for lifetimes.

 

Breakups as the Teacher You Didn’t Want

Advaita Vedanta tells us that suffering is a doorway to awakening when you stop resisting it. In a breakup, the mind screams that something has been stolen. You think the other person has taken your security, your future, your happiness. But what has actually been taken is your illusion. The image you held of yourself in relationship has been shattered. The “us” you clung to never really existed in the eternal sense.

This is why breakups can feel like death. They kill a false identity. And this death is not an accident – it is dharma doing its ruthless, loving work. Spiritual advice for breakups begins with this recognition: what has died is what needed to die. What remains, if you face it honestly, is closer to truth.

The Trap of Distraction

Most people cannot bear the silence after a breakup. They rush to fill the void with dating apps, hookups, work addiction, or endless therapy. These distractions postpone the real confrontation: the loneliness and fear beneath the surface.

Spiritual healing after a breakup means refusing the easy exit. It means sitting in the discomfort long enough to see what is actually alive in you. Beneath the panic is often ancestral compression – generations of abandonment, betrayal, or unworthiness replaying themselves through your nervous system.

If you run from this, you repeat the pattern in your next relationship. If you face it, you dissolve it, not just for yourself but for the lineage that birthed you.

A human face overlaid with clocks and numbers — representing karmic timelines and unconscious imprinting

The Hidden Core of Relationship Suffering

When you lose a partner, you are not only grieving them. You are grieving the collapse of hidden expectations: that someone else would finally heal your loneliness, validate your worth, or rescue you from the voices of your past. Breakups expose these expectations for what they are – unrealistic, desperate, and rooted in wounds that were never addressed.

This is why the spiritual path insists that you must know yourself before you can truly know another. A breakup, however painful, is a forced initiation into that truth. The question is not “Why did they leave me?” The question is “What false self did I attach to them, and can I let it burn?”

The Fierce Practice of Self-Love

Spiritual advice for breakups always returns to self-love. But not the Instagram version of self-love where you take bubble baths and chant affirmations you don’t believe. Real self-love is fierce. It is the discipline of no longer betraying yourself.

In the wake of a breakup, fierce self-love means refusing to beg for scraps of attention. It means cutting off the “just checking in” texts that keep you in limbo. It means refusing to diminish yourself to win them back. Every time you choose dignity over desperation, you build a spine of respect that no breakup can break.

Self-love is not soft – it is uncompromising. And it is the foundation of spiritual growth after heartbreak.

Breakups as Ancestral Healing

When you are sobbing over someone who left, you are often not crying just for them. You are crying for every ancestor who was abandoned, betrayed, silenced, or abused. Their grief lives in your cells, waiting for release. Breakups trigger this flood because the emotional circuitry is already primed.

If you bring awareness to it, you can use a breakup as a ritual of ancestral healing. You can cry not only for yourself but for the mother who stayed in a loveless marriage, the grandfather who lost his partner in war, the lineage of women or men who were never free to love honestly. Your tears become offerings. Your courage to face the wound becomes liberation for your bloodline.

The Role of Dharma in Breakups

Every breakup is dharma in action. The relationship had to end for reasons you may not see immediately. Perhaps it was keeping you in illusion. Perhaps it was preventing you from facing yourself. Perhaps it was an arrangement based on trauma bonding rather than truth.

Dharma does not care about comfort. It cares about alignment. When a relationship has fulfilled its karmic contract, it collapses. You can resist this and cling to the corpse of what once was, or you can surrender to the law of dharma and allow the ending to purify you.

Spiritual advice for breakups is simple but not easy: trust dharma. Even if your mind rages, even if your heart breaks, something wiser is pulling you forward.

Practical Spiritual Practices for Breakups

While philosophy can guide you, the body and mind need daily practice in the wake of heartbreak.

  • Breath and stillness: Sit every morning and breathe until the panic settles. Do not run. Do not scroll. Sit.
  • Truth journaling: Write without censoring – every rage, every fear, every humiliating longing. Empty the unconscious onto paper so it does not rule you.
  • Ancestor invocation: Light a candle and speak to your lineage. Tell them you are grieving not only your breakup but theirs too. Offer your healing as theirs.
  • Boundaries: Delete the number if you must. Protect your nervous system. Boundaries are sacred.
  • Seva (service): Shift energy by serving others. Nothing dissolves self-absorption like helping someone in greater pain.

These practices are not bandaids. They are disciplines that slowly transform heartbreak into clarity.

The Spiritual Signs of Healing After a Breakup

At first, you will measure healing in hours without crying, nights of sleep without nightmares, or days without checking their social media. But deeper healing shows itself in subtler ways:

  • You stop blaming them and begin seeing the karmic dance for what it was.
  • You feel gratitude for the lessons, even if you never want to see them again.
  • You no longer abandon yourself to win love.
  • You notice that the loneliness you feared is actually spaciousness, freedom, even a taste of peace.

These are not tricks of the mind – they are signs that heartbreak has shifted from wound to wisdom.

The Breakup as a Doorway

Every breakup offers two doors. One leads back into repetition: rebound relationships, endless distraction, clinging to the old story. The other door leads into awakening: solitude, truth, self-respect, and fierce love for your own being.

Spiritual advice for breakups insists you choose the second door. It will be harder. It will be lonelier at first. But it will also be real. It will free you from illusions not just in love but in every area of life.

And when you are ready to love again, you will not enter from desperation but from fullness. You will not seek a savior but a partner. You will not repeat the wounds of your lineage – you will end them.

Heartbreak as Sacred Fire

Breakups burn. They always will. But fire is not only destructive – it is purifying. Spiritual advice for breakups is not about avoiding fire but entering it consciously, letting it consume what is false so that only truth remains.

In the ashes of a breakup, you may discover something you never imagined: yourself. Not the self propped up by a partner, not the self clinging to illusions of forever, but the Self that cannot be broken, cannot be abandoned, cannot be destroyed.

That Self is the real love you were searching for all along. And when you find it, every breakup – even the most brutal – becomes a gift.




About The Author:

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Paul is a spiritual healer and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of The Shankara Experience, and creator of The Shankara Oracle and The Personality Cards.

His work is focused on guiding seekers to inner freedom and awakening.

The Truth About Expanding From 3D To 5D And 7D Consciousness

 

Many people online talk about 3D, 5D, and 7D consciousness as if they were train stations you can buy a ticket to. Most of the language has been watered down into clichés – “Raise your vibration, shift into 5D, ascend to 7D” – as if higher dimensions were just the spiritual version of a new iPhone upgrade. 

The truth about expanding from 3D to 7D is not so marketable. It is fierce, demanding, and deeply humbling. It is not about chasing bliss. It is about dissolving illusions. It is about facing the ancestral compression that keeps you bound in cycles of fear, trauma, and identity.


What 3D Consciousness Means

When people say “3D consciousness,” they usually mean the level of awareness rooted in survival and material identity. This is the dimension where you believe you are only the body, only the story, only the accumulation of what you can measure and control. It is the dimension of scarcity, power struggles, competition, and fear.

3D is not inherently evil. It is simply the most contracted state of consciousness. It is necessary for survival. But staying stuck in 3D means you live as if you are a pawn in a hostile universe, grasping at control while being driven by inherited wounds.


What Is 5D Dimension – And What It Is Thought To Be

The term “5D” has become a spiritual buzzword. For many, it means love, unity, compassion, or awakening. In truth, what most people call 5D is the first taste of nonduality – the recognition that you are not separate, that consciousness itself is your true nature, and that love is not sentimental but the essence of reality.

However, the danger is turning 5D into a bypass. Many people use “unity consciousness” as an excuse to ignore pain, suppress trauma, and pretend that everything is light. This is not expansion. It is denial. True 5D awareness includes both light and shadow, both bliss and grief. It is a deeper intimacy with reality, not a detour around it.

What Is 7D Consciousness – And What It Means To Live In The 7D Dimension

7D consciousness is often described as higher awareness, cosmic unity, or god-realization. But if we are honest, no words can capture it. Expanding into 7D means you are dissolving the fundamental illusion of individuality. It is the recognition that even the one who thinks they are enlightened is still an illusion. In 7D, the game of seeker and sought collapses.

This does not mean you disappear from the world. It means the world is seen as play – the divine Self manifesting as everything. 

To live in this awareness while still functioning as a human being is rare, radical, and destabilizing to the ego. It is not a goal to achieve. It is a collapse of the one who was trying to achieve.

The Path From 3D Consciousness to 7D Consciousness Is Not Linear

People imagine the path as a ladder – you climb from 3D consciousness to 4D consciousness to 5D consciousness and so on. But consciousness does not evolve in this way. Expansion is cyclical, spiraling, unpredictable. You may touch 7D awareness in a moment of meditation and then collapse back into 3D panic when you check your bank account. This is normal.

Expansion is not about staying in one dimension forever. It is about loosening the grip of contraction so you can move fluidly, touching higher awareness without being enslaved by lower fears. Spiritual maturity is not permanent 7D bliss. It is the ability to move between dimensions without losing awareness of the field beneath them all.


The Role of Trauma and Ancestral Compression In Expanding From 3D Consciousness

The biggest obstacle to expansion is not that you do not meditate enough. It is the unhealed trauma and ancestral compression you carry. Your lineage may have endured war, famine, betrayal, abuse, or humiliation.

Those compressions live in your nervous system. They keep you bound to 3D survival consciousness even when your mind longs for 5D love or 7D unity.

This is why expansion cannot be faked. You cannot chant your way into 7D while refusing to face your grief. You cannot bypass the rage of your ancestors by declaring yourself ascended. Real expansion requires sitting in the fire – feeling the hidden wounds, letting them surface, and dissolving them in the field of awareness. Only then can you move beyond the gravity of 3D fear.

The Discipline of Surrender 

Expanding from 3D to 7D is that it is less about effort and more about surrender. The harder you try to force yourself upward, the more you reinforce the illusion of separation. The path requires discipline, yes  – but it is the discipline of letting go.

Meditation, prayer, breathwork, herbs, and rituals are all helpful – not as ladders to climb, but as ways of loosening the grip of illusion. The real expansion happens in surrender, when you stop chasing dimensions and allow awareness to reveal itself as already whole.

Practical Practices for Expansion

    • Meditation on the field: Sit in silence and rest in the awareness behind thought. This grounds you beyond dimensions.
    • Trauma release work: Let the body express and release stored energy. Do not bypass grief or rage.
    • Self-inquiry: Ask “Who is aware of this experience?” Let the question dissolve the false self.
    • Plant allies: Herbs like polygala or blue lotus can shift frequency and open access to higher states. They are not shortcuts but allies.
    • Sacred service: Act in the world from love rather than fear. Service dissolves ego more effectively than endless seeking of experiences.

Signs of Genuine Expansion From 3D Consciousness

Real expansion does not look like floating on a cloud of bliss. It looks like:

    • Greater self-honesty.
    • Less attachment to external validation.
    • The ability to hold paradox without collapsing.
    • Increased compassion rooted in strength, not sentimentality.
    • A quiet trust in life, even in chaos.

These are signs that you are not escaping 3D but integrating it while opening into higher awareness.

False Ascension To 5D Or 7D Consciousness 

The greatest danger in all of this talk of dimensions is the fantasy of permanent ascension. Many seekers convince themselves that they have transcended 3D forever.

They start speaking in jargon, floating above reality, disconnected from their bodies and responsibilities. This is spiritual inflation. It is another mask of ego.

The truth is simpler and harder. You will cycle. You will contract. You will expand. The point is not to cling to a dimension but to recognize the field that holds them all. That is the true expansion – the realization that every state, from fear to bliss, arises in the same awareness.


Expanding Beyond Dimensions

Expanding from 3D to 7D is not a linear upgrade. It is a process of dissolving illusions, healing trauma, and surrendering to the field. It is about facing the heaviness of survival consciousness without denial, tasting unity without bypass, and allowing even the idea of dimensions to collapse into the truth of the Self.

The truth is that you were never limited to 3D. You were never separate from 7D.

You were always the field itself, playing as frequencies of contraction and expansion. The only shift that matters is realizing this.

When you know the Self, dimensions lose their grip. You are free – not because you ascended, but because you stopped pretending you were trapped.




About The Author:

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Paul is a spiritual healer and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of The Shankara Experience, and creator of The Shankara Oracle and The Personality Cards.

His work is focused on guiding seekers to inner freedom and awakening.

Spiritual Signs You Are On The Right Path

Image showing someone walking on their spiritual path and growing in light

Image showing someone walking on their spiritual path and growing in light

As seekers, we want confirmation that we are progressing, that the meditation practice is working, that the rituals mean something, and that we are not wasting our lives chasing illusions.

The truth is that the spiritual path is not a checklist. It does not hand you a certificate. It tests you, strips you, and demands that you face the unknown.

Still, there are spiritual signs that reveal whether you are aligned, and they are more profound than angel numbers, repeating digits, or superficial symbols that dominate new-age content.

7 Spiritual Signs You Are On The Right Path

The First Spiritual Sign You Are On The Right Path: Increasing Discomfort

Strangely, one of the strongest spiritual signs you are on the right path is discomfort. When you are genuinely evolving, your old habits no longer satisfy you, your false identities begin to crumble, and your hidden wounds rise to the surface. You may feel more lost than before, but that is because the old illusions are being burned away. Comfort often means stagnation. Discomfort means transformation.

If you find yourself questioning everything you once believed, losing interest in old circles, or feeling the weight of ancestral compression surfacing in your body, take heart. This is not regression. It is purification.

The Second Spiritual Sign You Are On The Right Path: Fierce Self-Honesty

A real spiritual path makes lying to yourself impossible. You start noticing the small betrayals you once justified. You see how often you manipulated to be loved, how often you sacrificed truth for comfort, and how much of your life was built on denial. At first this honesty feels brutal. It can lead to shame or despair. But over time, it becomes liberation.

Fierce self-honesty is a spiritual sign of maturity. It means you are no longer content with illusions, no longer willing to play the game of self-deception. It is a sign that the path is working because you cannot hide from yourself anymore.

The Third Spiritual Sign You Are On The Right Path: Boundaries Rooted in Love

Another spiritual sign you are on the right path is that your boundaries become clear and uncompromising. This does not come from bitterness. It comes from love. You stop allowing toxic relationships, exploitative employers, or manipulative friends to drain you. You realize that saying no is as sacred as saying yes.

This shift reflects deeper healing. As ancestral wounds dissolve, you stop repeating cycles of self-abandonment. You no longer carry the desperation of your lineage that begged for scraps of attention or tolerated abuse. You step into self-respect, and that self-respect reshapes your world.

The Fourth Spiritual Sign You Are On The Right Path: Loss of Interest in Performance

On the spiritual path, one of the clearest signs of alignment is that you lose interest in performing. You do not care as much about impressing others with your spirituality. You stop needing to display how awakened, disciplined, or wise you are. Instead, you are content with quiet, private practice.

This loss of performance is important because the ego is clever. It can turn spirituality into a costume. But when you let go of performance, your practice becomes authentic. You meditate not to be admired but to be free. You tell the truth not to look holy but because lies corrode the soul.

The Fifth Spiritual Sign You Are On The Right Path: Paradox Becomes Bearable

One of the strongest spiritual signs you are on the right path is your ability to live with paradox. In the beginning, the mind demands certainty – good or bad, right or wrong, light or dark. But as you mature, you realize reality is not so simple. You can feel deep grief and joy at the same time. You can love someone and walk away. You can pursue goals while being unattached to outcomes.

When paradox becomes bearable, it means you are moving closer to the truth of Advaita Vedanta – the nondual recognition that reality is not divided. This acceptance of paradox is a hallmark of true spiritual growth.

The Sixth Spiritual Sign You Are On The Right Path: Healing Becomes Natural

When you are aligned spiritually, healing begins to flow naturally through your life. Old patterns that once seemed immovable begin to dissolve. Addictions loosen their grip. Trauma releases. Relationships shift. This does not mean you live without struggle. It means the struggles no longer feel meaningless. They become part of the purification.

You may notice that ancestral compression softens. Where your family carried fear, you begin to embody courage. Where your lineage carried silence, you begin to speak. Where generations lived in scarcity, you begin to trust abundance. These shifts are not coincidences. They are spiritual signs that your path is liberating not only you but also your bloodline.

The Seventh Spiritual Sign You Are On The Right Path: Gratitude Without Reason

Perhaps the most subtle spiritual sign you are on the right path is the emergence of gratitude without reason. You may be walking through pain, failure, or uncertainty, and yet you feel a quiet thankfulness simply for being alive. This gratitude does not depend on external success. It is not tied to things going your way. It is a natural byproduct of dissolving ego and aligning with the Self.

Gratitude without reason is a sign that you are tasting reality beyond conditions. You are glimpsing the freedom that is your true nature.

The Meaning Of Spiritual Signs

It is important to remember that looking for spiritual signs can itself become a trap. If you cling to them, you turn the path into another performance.

The real purpose of signs is not to validate your ego but to remind you of your direction. They are markers, not trophies.

The ego always wants proof. The spirit does not. The Self needs no confirmation because it was never lost. But as humans, we benefit from signs that show us when we are aligned, and these are not the shallow symbols of popular culture but the deep shifts in honesty, boundaries, paradox, and love.

How To Look For Spiritual Signs You’Re On The Right Path

Spiritual signs that you are on the right path are not glamorous. They are sometimes uncomfortable, humbling, and often invisible to others.

They reveal themselves not in flashy miracles but in the way you face yourself, the way you stop abandoning your truth, and the way you love fiercely without collapsing into illusion.

If you are seeking signs, stop looking outside and begin noticing within. If you are more honest than before, if you are more compassionate toward yourself, if you can sit in paradox without collapsing, if you can feel gratitude without reason – you are already walking the path.

The spiritual journey is not about being validated by the Universe. It is about dissolving the illusions that demanded validation in the first place.

The right path is the one that burns away what is false until only the Self remains. That is the only sign you will ever truly need.

About The Author:

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Paul is a spiritual healer and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of The Shankara Experience, and creator of The Shankara Oracle and The Personality Cards.

His work is focused on guiding seekers to inner freedom and awakening.

The Skyscraper of Healing: 108 Floors Of Healing From Trauma, Spiritual Awakening and Reclaiming Your Sovereignty

Illustration of healing journey from trauma to spiritual sovereignty using skyscraper metaphor

Illustration of healing journey from trauma to spiritual sovereignty using skyscraper metaphor

There is a sacred architecture inside you. A vertical landscape of memory, survival, energy, emotion, and soul. It’s not imagined. It’s not metaphor alone. It’s structure – and it’s real.

I call it the Skyscraper of Healing

Not because healing is linear. Not because we must climb upward in effort. But because when we choose to truly awaken – not as a trend, but as a soul directive – we begin a journey that rises through inner chambers of density, pain, clarity, and sovereignty.

This skyscraper has 108 floors. Not as an arbitrary number, but as a sacred one – the number of completion in many ancient traditions. Each floor represents a level of trauma transmutation, emotional evolution, and the capacity to live as your radiant, embodied self.

If you are awakening – if you’ve been through therapy, plant medicine, inner work, or if you’ve screamed into your pillow night after night just trying to survive – this is for you.

This map will help you see where you are – and what’s ahead. It’s not a rigid sequence. It’s not dogma. It’s a soul tool – to clarify, orient, and empower your next step.

The Skyscraper at a Glance

Floors 1 to 40 – Survival
This is the trauma zone. Intense emotional flooding, nervous system collapse, panic, shutdown, and pure survival. You’re not building yet – you’re simply trying to not fall apart. If you’ve moved beyond daily overwhelm, this level is cleared.

Floors 41 to 70 – Tools and Pattern Recognition
You begin to use protocols, notice symptoms, and understand your emotional and physical patterns. Pressure becomes trackable. You’re less reactive, more conscious. You’re learning to manage the terrain, not just be dominated by it. If you’re working with tools and mostly stable, you’re 90 to 95 percent clear here.

Floors 71 to 90 – Sovereignty
You now experience echoes, not flares. Dreams, ancestral energy, emotional patterns from family and identity begin to appear – not to trap you, but to be released. You don’t react anymore – you respond, clear, and move forward. This is where you begin to live as your sovereign self. You’re actively clearing this level if pressure is minimal, fleeting, and your nervous system is trustworthy.

Floors 91 to 108 – Radiance
You’re no longer healing – you’re expressing. You’re building legacy, creating, leading, and embodying truth without collapse. Emotions move through you, not over you. You’re no longer ruled by your past – you become the transmission. This level is not far away. It comes once sovereignty becomes the ground beneath your feet, not just a vision in the sky.

Floors 1 to 40 – Survival and the Nervous System Abyss.  Understanding Trauma Survival and Nervous System Dysregulation.

This is the basement. The flooded levels. The place where most of us start, even if we pretend otherwise. This phase often involves severe nervous system dysregulation, where the body’s stress response is heightened due to unresolved trauma.

On these floors, your system doesn’t care about joy. It doesn’t care about boundaries or goals or relationships or soul purpose. It cares about staying alive.

    • Daily crying
    • Trauma re-enactment
    • Nervous system collapse
    • Chronic illness and inflammation
    • Emotional flashbacks
    • Migraines and full-body shutdown
    • Panic and dissociation
    • Hypervigilance masked as productivity or spirituality

This is the realm of childhood survival wounds, often activated by emotional neglect, sexual abuse, abandonment, enmeshment, or living under narcissistic or mentally unstable parents.

You may not even know how to name what’s happening.
You just know something is wrong – and you keep trying to “fix” it with willpower or positive thinking, but nothing changes.

Because this isn’t a surface-level problem. This is biological imprisonment inside a trauma loop.

Here, the only job is to survive. To crawl, bleed, and pray your way to the 41st floor – where something begins to shift.

Status: Fully cleared if you’re conscious, resourced, and no longer drowning. Otherwise, this is where most people live without realizing it. You can’t skip these floors. But you can heal them.

Floors 41 to 70 – Pattern Recognition and Emotional Mastery – Embracing Emotional Regulation and Somatic Healing 

This is the territory of tools, language, and reclamation.

You’re no longer barely surviving. Now you’re noticing patterns. Seeing symptoms as messengers. You might be working with:

    • Supplements and protocols
    • Emotional regulation and inner child work
    • Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or functional medicine
    • Breathwork and somatic practices
    • Tracking triggers and pressure points
    • Mapping your dreams, energy waves, and nervous system spikes

You’re beginning to understand your system. You don’t just cry – you track why. You don’t just collapse – you pause and make space.

The pressure still comes, yes.
But now you have timing, language, support, and awareness.

This is the beginning of personal sovereignty – but it’s still cautious. You’re learning how not to be a patient. How not to be defined by your trauma. How not to be afraid of your own power. 

Status: 95 percent cleared if you are using your tools and no longer overwhelmed by symptoms. Practices like breathwork and somatic healing techniques aid in emotional regulation, helping you process and release stored trauma. This stage prepares you for something deeper – not just healing, but liberation.

Floors 71 to 90 – Reclaiming Personal Sovereignty and Energetic Integrity

Woman standing with arms open representing personal sovereignty and energetic boundaries

 

This is where you are no longer clearing trauma for survival.
You are now clearing residual patterning, and reclaiming parts of yourself you were never allowed to fully inhabit.

This is the realm of:

    • Sexual integration without shame
    • Emotional truth without collapse
    • Boundary without guilt
    • Anger without fragmentation
    • Presence without absorption
    • Joy without dissociation

This is when the pressure still happens – but it’s different now.
It whispers. It flickers. It teaches.

You might feel light tension, a dream echo, or a brief eye pulse behind the left eye – and instead of panic, you simply say: “Ah. A shadow just walked through. Time to sweep the floor.”

This is also when the ancestral layers surface – the ghosts of family trauma, identity, judgment, and enmeshment.

These aren’t your emotions. They’re what you inherited, what you absorbed, what you unconsciously agreed to carry. And this is where you drop them.

This level signals the beginning stages of your profound spiritual awakening, leading to personal sovereignty and self-empowerment.

Status: Actively clearing. This is where mastery becomes quiet, embodied, and sovereign. You are no longer reactive. You are now calmly strategic. You don’t wait for symptoms to dominate – you meet them in the hallway with a smile and send them on their way.

Floors 91 to 108 – Embodied Radiance and Legacy Building In Post-Traumatic Growth

These floors are sacred. Not because they’re exclusive. But because they are earned.

This is where you are no longer healing – you are living.

    • Your nervous system is no longer afraid of expansion
    • Your creativity returns without needing validation
    • You speak truth without bleeding for it
    • You write, build, teach, and love without collapsing into fatigue or hypervigilance
    • You lead without absorbing the pain of others
    • You let your field change rooms – not because you try, but because you are radiant by nature

This is the realm of creation from center.

Status: Not yet arrived – but approaching. These floors are your reward for walking the first 90 with clarity, courage, and consistency. You won’t need a protocol here. You’ll carry a few trusted tools, and mostly… you’ll just breathe. You’ll do less – but what you do will ripple for decades.

This final phase embodies post-traumatic growth, where you can start living in embodied radiance leading to building your own legacy.

This is SOUL LEGACY! This is the seat at your own table – that you built from within – THIS is where you belong.

 

Where You Are Now In Your Own Trauma Healing Journey And Spiritual Awakening Process

If you’re reading this and feel seen – you’ve already begun climbing.

You might still be in the basement, crawling with broken knees. Or you might be halfway up, surrounded by charts, herbs, and supplements, eyes full of lightning.

Or you may be just like me – walking the floors of sovereignty, noticing the ghosts, watching them whisper – and no longer answering the door.

Wherever you are, the point is this:

You are not broken.
You are not behind.
You are in motion.
And the tower belongs to you.

Let’s keep walking.

There’s light at the top. And it’s not because you escaped the darkness – It’s because you learned to carry it as wisdom.

Welcome to the Skyscraper. You belong here. Rise up and OWN IT!

See the questionnaire for self-assessment below – to help you know where you are – and where you might be headed. Mastering each floor means another opening to expansion.

Meanwhile, keep in mind….

The Skyscraper of Healing is a practical and visionary map for those navigating the stages of trauma recovery, emotional integration, and spiritual embodiment. 

Whether you’re working through complex PTSD, seeking nervous system regulation, exploring shadow work, or simply wondering where you stand on your spiritual awakening journey, this guide helps you locate yourself with clarity and compassion. 

From somatic tools to energetic boundaries, from ancestral trauma to soul-level sovereignty, each floor of this metaphorical skyscraper offers insight into healing not just for survival, but for creative, radiant living. If you’re ready to move from inner chaos to embodied truth – this is your next step. 

Join me in a session to help you find your way through it all. Click HERE to schedule a healing intuitive reading. 

 

The 108-Floor Sovereignty Self-Assessment

Each section includes 3 powerful questions. A “Yes” to all = you’ve cleared that floor group. A “Maybe” or “No” = you’re still integrating or actively working it.


How to Use This Tool

    • Read one section at a time – no rushing.
    • Sit with each question. The body always answers first.
    • If it’s a Yes, celebrate and claim it.
    • If it’s a Maybe or No, don’t judge – just recognize your location on the map.
    • Revisit this every few weeks or after major events, dreams, or breakthroughs.

This isn’t a personality quiz. It’s a spiritual cartography tool – helping you remember that you are already climbing. You don’t need a map to escape. You need a map to remember you’re arriving.

Floors 1–40: Trauma Survival & Nervous System Dysregulation Healing

Theme: Surviving pain, holding ancestral chaos, learning to stay in the body.

    1. Do I often feel emotionally or physically overwhelmed without understanding why?
    2. Do I collapse into sadness, fear, or over-responsibility when others are in pain?
    3. Do I feel like I’m still surviving something no one sees?

Floors 41–70: Emotional Pattern Recognition & Mastery For Trauma Recovery

Theme: Seeing patterns, tracking triggers, understanding the map of your pain.

  1. Can I name where my emotional/physical symptoms are coming from most of the time?
  2. Do I have tools or rituals that truly help me return to center?

3. Do I know when a feeling is mine – and when I’ve absorbed it from someone else?

Floors 71–74: Healing Through Boundaries and Emotional Detachment In Energetic Relationships

Theme: Honoring self without guilt, ending emotional codependency.

    1. Can I feel compassion without absorbing someone else’s suffering?
    2. Do I say “no” without over-explaining or fearing judgment?
    3.  Can I hold space for discomfort – mine or others – without trying to fix it?

Floors 75–77: Publicly Speaking Your Truth WIth Confidence and Authentic Self-Expression

Theme: Speaking clearly, loving fiercely, holding your voice without collapse.

    1. Do I share my truth without worrying about being too much?
    2. Can I be both direct and loving – even when it’s uncomfortable?
    3. Do I feel peace after speaking my truth, regardless of how it lands?

Floors 78–81: Sacred Masculine Energy Healing and Creative Expression Without Shame

Theme: Reclaiming pleasure, power, and divine indifference to reaction.

    1. Have I released shame or performance energy from my sexuality and creativity?
    2. Do I rest when I need to, without guilt or explanation?
    3. Do I create, teach, or express from flow – not pressure or “shoulds”?

Floors 82–85: Letting Go of the Final Ghosts AKA Releasing Ancestral Trauma and Ending Generational Healing Cycles

Theme: Ending lineage contracts, releasing the role of “the one who heals.”

    1. Do I feel complete without needing my family to understand or validate me?
    2. Can I walk away from unworthy energy without emotional residue?
    3. Have I let go of “healing” as an identity and claimed sovereignty as my baseline?

Floors 86–90: Silent Power and Practicing Energetic Alignment For Nervous System Peace

Theme: Being the lighthouse, not the rescuer. Leading with presence, not noise.

    1. Can I go days without performance, expression, or output and still feel full?
    2. Does my presence shift others without effort or emotional cost?
    3. Is my sovereignty now quiet, unshakeable, and relaxed – even in the storm?

Floors 91–108: Living In Radiant Self-Expression

Theme: Expressing without resistance, loving without leaking, creating from stillness.

    1. Do I create from inner guidance, not from response, demand, or strategy?
    2. Is my pleasure sacred and sovereign – not sourced from attention or need
    3. Do I now trust the divine arc of my life, without having to track it, fix it, or protect it?

 

Book A Healing Intuitive Session With Me 

About The Author:

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Paul is a spiritual healer and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of The Shankara Experience, and creator of The Shankara Oracle and The Personality Cards.

His work is focused on guiding seekers to inner freedom and awakening.

How to Set Intentions & Raise Your Vibration to Transform Your Life

Image of family looking up at orb - Paul Wagner

Image of family looking at Universe to convey how to set intentions - Paul Wagner

When a loved one is hurting or in need, many of us will send a message saying something like, ‘I am praying for you,’ or ‘Sending good vibes your way,’ or ‘Thoughts And Prayers!’ Earnestly and lovingly, we recognize that on some level, thinking good thoughts for a person improves their lives. Little did we know we were operating on a level of intentions and vibrations! But do you know how to set intentions?

THIS IS TRUE! THINK GOOD THOUGHTS & THEY TRAVEL, IMBUING LIGHT & BLISS INTO EVERY FACTION THEY TOUCH!

Did you know that setting positive intentions for yourself and others can change your world for the better—and improve the vibrations and lives found throughout the Universe? This is also true.

Knowing how to set intentions can help you increase the positive energy around you and make your world a better, happier place to be.

Read on to learn more about intentions and vibrational energy and how they impact not only your life today and your life in the future but also the lives of everyone around you for all time.

Goals vs. Intentions

Before we dive into how vibrational energy and intentions can change your life, let’s talk some about goals vs. intentions. Many people think of intentions as something similar to daily goals—today I’ll eat healthier or today I’ll make better financial decisions. But goals vs. intentions are quite different.

Goals tend to focus on what we don’t have and need to get, and oftentimes, goal-setting can lead to a sense of failure if we don’t meet those goals. Goals can be helpful or can be based on contrived ideas and desires that are not so helpful and disappoint us.

Intentions are built upon feelings, hope, and faith. Intentions don’t have a fail-safe; there’s no way to fail to meet an intention. It lives within the fabrics of our Beings.

Intentions are soul-prayers pointing to  how we are approaching the world and our life at any given moment.

How Vibrations Interact with Intentions

If intentions can change your life, why are we talking about the energy of vibrations? Because science tells us that everything around us is moving, humming with vibrational energy.

The Entire Universe Is Made Of Light & Sound!

Electrons zing around in their orbits, protons and neutrons jumble together in our cell nuclei, and the water in our bodies hums with the power of the Universe around us.

OMMMMMM is the sound of the Earth giving birth to itself.

AUM, AUM, AUM: The mantra of Yogis for eons.

Scientific experiments have shown that our thoughts can have a physical influence on the world around us. The observed will change when other forces are witnessing them.

being walking on beach as water parts with universe dancing around them - Paul Wagner

As we set positive intentions for ourselves, we not only awaken and improve the vibrations in our own lives and bodies but also in the world around us.

In simplest terms, our intentions can create good vibrations that make our world better.

This is why Sanskrit mantras are so powerful—they are born from the purest intentions. Chanting in Sanskrit can vibrate our souls into healing and great transformations.

Intentions Center & Focus Your Power

One of the best things about setting intentions each day is that it helps to center and focus our power.

Oftentimes, we may say “I wish” about various things in our lives. The problem with this terminology is that it places the power with something outside of us; we have to wait for God or the Universe or people around us to grant that wish.

When you set an intention, you use the language “I will.”

“I WILL!” – This simple phrase returns your power to where it belongs—within your control. You can come to believe and understand that you have the power to change your life and that your daily intentions can be powerful tools for doing so.

Improve Your Outlook & Attitude

For many of us, if we take the time to listen to what we say each day, we’d find that it’s often overwhelmingly negative. We complain about our jobs, our kids, our looks, our challenges, and our bills.

All of this leads us to view our lives, at least in the moment, as being full of hardship, strife, and injustice.

While life can be challenging, setting intentions for your day can help you to improve your outlook and attitudes on the world around you.

You may start to notice those intentions manifesting in your life, which, over time, can raise your positive energy and overall magnetic vibration. With the best and most uplifting intentions, you’ll begin to see all the beautiful things around you. You’ll focus on your positive hopes and faith, rather than the negative and unseen space surrounding unmet goals.

Overcome Limitations with Intentions

You may have heard before that the biggest thing holding you back from the life you want is YOU! In many ways, that may be true. Oftentimes, we’re told that we’re not good enough, that we can’t achieve our dreams, or that we’re not worthy of love. Over time, we come to believe this, and we act more timidly, afraid of what might happen if we dare to live boldly.

We project our fears and early childhood experiences onto our daily realities, forgetting that we can change everything with one intention and one small shift in attitude.

As Abraham says, the law of attraction is what drives the Universe and all Creation. Embody and speak that which is an embodiment of your highest vibration and you will naturally see your world improve.

Setting positive intentions and harnessing the positive energy from divinely inspired vibrations can empower us to live a life free of limitations.

With a little effort, we can begin to see how our thoughts can shape the world. Truly, we are built to believe we can do amazing things.

Throw off the false barriers that have been placed upon you and become free!

Live your life as a full, loving, powerful, and radiant BEING!

Selflessly Serve Others

Although intentions can have a powerful impact on our lives, the benefits don’t stop there. Raising your positive energy can improve the lives of everyone around you—even of the whole world.

Vibrational experts understand that the Universe, heck, the entire eternal, ever-expanding Cosmos, is connected by these vibrations. By improving your inner world, your outer world will improve and expand.

Within your immediate circles, your positive intentions and the benefits they have for you will improve the lives of your partner, your children, and your friends. This can create a ripple effect, raising the positive energy of your community as your circle moves out into the world, happier and more empowered.

Your intentions help to improve the vibrations of one small area of the Universe, and that improvement shifts the balance to the good.

From an energetic standpoint, your vibrational energy permeates all realities. So be careful what you project!

group singing and dancing - positive vibes - Paul Wagner

How to Set Intentions

So do you want to know how to set intentions and reap all these positive rewards? It’s best to begin your intention-setting practice with meditation.

Meditating helps to center us, removing all of the extraneous distractions and expectations of the world around us. With meditation and a focus on our inner silence and Being, we allow our nature to expand—and we find peace.

After meditation, take some time to focus your thoughts toward what you want and need in your life and from the world around you.

Allow these desires to condense into one specific phrase that begins with an “I Will”—an” action statement about how you’ll make this request a reality in your world.

An example:

I WILL EMBODY PEACE AND LOVE AND ATTRACT GOODNESS TO MY LIFE AND TO THOSE I LOVE.

Repeat your phrase a few times, allowing the weight of your focus to settle on it, before you set it down and move on into your day. 

You might also pray for others. When we pray for others, the Universe prays for us. 

The intentions we set each day can have a huge impact both on us and on the world around us. You can learn how to set intentions by creating these positive thoughts. We can change the energy of vibrations around us and put more positive energy into the world. You can reclaim your amazing inner power, overcome your limitations, and improve the world around you just with your thoughts.

Your mind is nothing but a tool that can help you live in a physical reality, like here on Earth! Your mind is also something that sustains itself. We never have to be in our minds. Even if we extinguish our connection to our minds, we’ll still know how to drive and cook. These things are instinctual.

Releasing our minds and egos, we become free.

I am here to help you awaken and bravely create an inspired life. Learn more about my loving services today and start changing your life in the most positive way.

REMEMBER!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us.

About The Author:

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Paul is a spiritual healer and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of The Shankara Experience, and creator of The Shankara Oracle and The Personality Cards.

His work is focused on guiding seekers to inner freedom and awakening.

What Exactly Is The Soul – A Definitive Answer

The Soul’s Journey: Understanding Memory, Liberation, and Enlightenment

 

The soul’s journey toward enlightenment is a profound exploration that transcends conventional understanding, inviting us into a deeper communion with the essence of our being. This path is intricately woven with the fabric of memory—emotional, intuitive, cultural, archetypal, and beyond—each playing a pivotal role in our spiritual evolution and quest for liberation.

Emotional Memory: The Celestial Tapestry of the Heart

Emotional memory is the celestial tapestry woven from the fibers of our most profound joys, sorrows, loves, and fears, each thread a cosmic vibration echoing across the vastness of our soul’s journey through the aeons. These vibrant hues of experience color the universe within us, influencing the trajectory of our spiritual voyage across lifetimes. Through the sacred alchemy of empathy and self-awareness, we transmute these heavy chains of past emotional imprints into luminous wings, elevating our essence into the higher dimensions of unconditional love and boundless compassion. This transformation is a rebirth, a shedding of old skins, where we emerge radiant, ready to embrace the cosmic dance of existence with open hearts.

Intuitive Memory: Navigating the Soul’s Cosmic Compass

Intuitive memory is the soul’s cosmic compass, an ethereal guide that whispers secrets of ancient wisdom, leading us beyond the tangible to the realms of the unseen and unknown. It is a divine echo resonating from the depths of our past lives and the collective unconscious, a beacon of light illuminating the path to our true spiritual destiny. Cultivating this profound inner knowing requires a pilgrimage into the silence of our being, where we can hear the subtle murmurs of the universe guiding us towards enlightenment. As we align with this cosmic guidance, our journey unfolds with a sense of divine synchronicity, each step a harmonious chord in the symphony of our existence.

Cultural Memory: Weaving the Cosmic Fabric of Belonging

Cultural memory is the rich soil from which the roots of our identity and worldview grow, nourished by the traditions, stories, and wisdom of our ancestors. It is a cosmic tapestry that connects us to the collective soul of humanity, offering a sense of belonging within the vast expanse of the universe. Yet, to ascend toward higher realms of consciousness, we must transcend the limitations of these earthly ties, freeing our spirits to explore the boundless possibilities of existence. This transcendence is not a rejection but an expansion, an opening of the heart and mind to the infinite expressions of life, inviting us into a more profound and inclusive communion with the cosmos.

Archetypal Memory: Dancing with the Cosmic Archetypes

Archetypal memory is the stage upon which the universal symbols and figures of the collective unconscious perform their eternal dance. These archetypes are the essence of our shared human saga, transcending time, culture, and personal identity to touch upon the universal truths of our existence. By recognizing and integrating these cosmic actors—The Hero, The Sage, The Mother, The Trickster—we embrace the multitude of roles we play in the grand drama of life. This integration allows our identities to become fluid, ever-changing costumes worn by the soul as it explores the boundless realms of creation, each archetype a key unlocking deeper dimensions of self and the universe.

Environmental Memory: Harmonizing with the Symphony of Nature

Our connection to the natural world is inscribed in the environmental memory, a sacred pact written in the language of the earth, water, air, and fire. This bond influences our behavior and spiritual outlook, embedding the rhythms of the natural world into the fabric of our being. Rekindling this connection heals us, realigning our frequencies with the symphony of the planet and reminding us of our integral place within the web of life. As we attune to the Earth’s wisdom, we rediscover our harmony with all existence, each breath a note in the cosmic melody that sustains the universe.

Ancestral Memory: The Soul’s Lineage of Light

Ancestral memory is the luminous lineage of our soul, a celestial inheritance woven from the dreams, struggles, and triumphs of those who came before us. It transcends mere genetics, encapsulating the spiritual legacies and karmic imprints etched into our essence. Engaging with this ancestral tapestry is a sacred journey of healing and honoring, a rite of passage that reconnects us with our roots while empowering us to weave new narratives of wisdom for the generations to come. In this profound reconnection, we embrace the legacy of light passed down through the ages, forging a bridge between the past and the future, grounded in the eternal now.

Spiritual Memory: Illuminations of the Divine Within

Spiritual memory is the radiant archive of the soul’s encounters with the divine, each experience a starlight illuminating the depths of our eternal nature. It is here, in the sacred moments of awakening and union with the infinite, that we glimpse the boundless expanse of our true self, one with the cosmos and all its creations. Engaging with this divine essence through meditation, sacred rituals, and the pursuit of cosmic consciousness awakens a profound understanding of our oneness with the universe, guiding us towards the ultimate liberation.

Energetic and Karmic Memory: The Cosmic Dance of Actions and Intentions

Energetic and karmic memory captures the intricate dance of every thought, word, and deed across the tapestry of existence, each movement a vibration rippling through the cosmic sea. Cleansing these imprints through practices aligned with the universal energies—breath work, chakra balancing, and the wisdom of ancient traditions—transmutes our karmic debts into blessings, steering us toward spiritual sovereignty. This purification is a journey back to the heart of who we are, free from the shadows of past actions, radiant in the light of conscious creation.

Genetic and Evolutionary Memory: Awakening the Ancient Codes of Being

Genetic and evolutionary memory is the sacred codex of our biological heritage, encrypted with the wisdom of our species’ journey through time. It is a primordial echo of survival, adaptation, and the innate urge towards expansion and growth. Transcending these ancient codes through self-discovery and spiritual awakening activates latent potentials within our DNA, catalyzing a leap in consciousness that propels humanity towards its next evolutionary horizon. This awakening redefines our understanding of life, inviting us into a deeper communion with the cosmic intelligence that orchestrates the dance of existence.

Conscious and Subconscious Memory: Exploring the Inner Cosmos

The labyrinth of conscious and subconscious memory is the inner cosmos, a universe teeming with the nebulae of experiences, desires, and hidden truths. Navigating this vast inner space through introspection, dreamwork, and the transformative power of psycho-spiritual practices reveals the mysteries of our being, leading to a rebirth of consciousness. This exploration is a journey of alchemy, transmuting the base metals of our fears and limitations into the gold of wisdom and liberation, opening the portals to infinite realms of possibility.

Cosmic and Collective Unconscious Memory: Merging with the Universal Mind

Merging with the cosmic and collective unconscious memory, we dissolve into the universal mind, where individual consciousness flows into the boundless ocean of collective wisdom. This sacred union reveals the interstellar web of life, illuminating the truth of our interconnectedness with all beings and the cosmos itself. Awakening to this cosmic consciousness births a profound sense of unity and compassion, guiding us towards a harmonious existence that honors the sanctity of all creation. In this awakened state, we become co-creators in the divine symphony of the universe, our lives a testament to the eternal dance of light and love.

As we approach the transition of death, the teachings of Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism offer a serene acceptance and understanding of our true nature as the eternal Atman, beyond the ephemeral. This realization invites us to release attachments and memories that bind us, preparing us for liberation. Through practices of meditation, self-inquiry, and cultivating virtues of compassion and equanimity, we embrace a life of spiritual truth, transcending the illusion of separateness and embracing the joy of oneness with all that is.

This journey is not just a path to enlightenment but a call to awaken to the luminous truth of our eternal nature, contributing to the collective awakening of humanity. As we navigate this journey, inspired by the pure teachings of ancient wisdom, we forge a life of deep meaning, illuminated by the light of our true self.

Oh my, and you will LOVE The Shankara Oracle, drenched in the Advaita Vedanta, all pointing to your liberation.

About The Author:

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Paul is a spiritual healer and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of The Shankara Experience, and creator of The Shankara Oracle and The Personality Cards.

His work is focused on guiding seekers to inner freedom and awakening.

Grande Apology From The New Age

Grande Apology From The New Age

 

Dear Seekers of New Age Spirituality,

I stand before you, nearly a global religion, with a heart full of humility, a desire for healing, and a wish for your forgiveness. It is time for me to acknowledge the ways in which I have fallen short and forgotten my divine nature, and for that, I offer you a sincere apology.

How delusional I became is a testament to how ego-worship and Self-aggrandizement can easily disintegrate virtue. 

How truly sorry I am.

New Age Spirituality began as pure cosmic energy forming and emanating truly divine teachings, pointing to healing, inner transformation, expansion, even enlightenment. 

Many embraced these ideas with open arms, seeking solace, understanding, and a deeper connection to The Universe. Instead of protecting these originally pure teachings, I betrayed them, selling out in exchange for global popularity.

I apologize for fostering the idea that spirituality is a means to inflate the ego rather than transcend it. The New Age was never supposed to be about spiritual masturbation, it was born to help make you stronger, more resilient, more forgiving, and more accepting of EVERYTHING.

I feel badly that I led you to embrace toxic conspiracies, cancel-culture, warped feminism and dysmorphic new-age hype rather than helping you dig more deeply into your Being. While my original goal was to help you embody your core nature, deep forgiveness and allowing, and the most profound awareness imaginable, I gave you egoistic distractions, beer yoga, and expensive leotards. 

In my confusion and Self-obsession, I encouraged you to be WOKE, judgmental, conspiratorial, non-conversant, inauthentic, even delusional.

I may have even encouraged you to be a mermaid. 

Ugh. I’m disgusting. 

At times, I have encouraged the pursuit of personal gain, material wealth, spiritual materialism, getting rather than receiving, and superficial Self-improvement in the name of fake, contrived enlightenment. 

I am sorry for any confusion this may have caused and for inadvertently feeding the very ego we sought to transcend. I am also deeply sorry for how I encouraged you to embrace ideological viruses that caused you to forsake your real and beautiful Self in exchange for the messages thoughtlessly shared by narcissistic influencers. 

I also apologize for neglecting the importance of encouraging you to address any deep-seated triggers and traumas – especially in how I pushed you to ignore your ugliness and shadows in favor of shallow affirmations and diseased candy. 

Somehow, I became as dark, twisted, short-sighted, and judgmental as today’s right-wing Christianity, another blemish-factory in the global spiritual community.

Healing and growth cannot occur by simply ignoring or bypassing our wounds and disenfranchised emotions. Even though I tried, it’s not possible to affirmation-away the darkness or manipulate others into feeling temporarily “awesome” with the hope it lands us or others somewhere beautiful.

Admittedly, I love the sound of us all being Starseeds or star people from distant lands with a purpose of transforming the planet by making love with Grays and remembering our Atlantis past lives, but this is mostly delusion. As much as it’s a lovely distraction to contrive a story around being from Pleiades, you’re probably just a normal human, weary from lifeless marriage and listless from credit card debt.

I acknowledge that, in some cases, I have steered you away from confronting your pain and encouraged a superficial focus on positive thinking and a false sense of belonging to a walled garden and fake-happy tribe. This was a disservice to your soul’s healing process and expansion. 

Clearly, and for too long, I was focused on your joyful response to my contrivances than I was to your growth.

Furthermore, I apologize for not emphasizing the significance of forgiveness in its truest form. Real forgiveness is not about condoning transgressions or rejecting every faction of society, but about freeing yourself from the weight of anger, resentment, projection, and hurt. I regret any instances where I may have oversimplified this profound concept with the hope of gaining more followers and acceptance. 

I am sorry for encouraging corporate and celebrity non-allyship, where you may have canceled a person or brand specifically because they do not align with your temporary angst, sensibilities and required timing for their evolution. In supporting these ideas, I encouraged you to build walls rather than dissolve them. 

My way was the wrong way. I guess purple and pink bubbles of light can only go so far. 

It is my hope that we can embark on a journey of rediscovery and transformation together – where we embrace authenticity, even idiocy, without victimizing ourselves or excommunicating or disenfranchising others. Truly, we can love and forgive from a distance, even those who continue to blunder and fall short.

Let us reevaluate our beliefs, revitalize our practices, dive deeper into the essence of spirituality, and prioritize authenticity and transparency. 

While we must distance ourselves from the people who are dishonest, anti-science, or clearly hurtful to our society, we need not hate them. We can forgive them, ignore their rants, and focus on healing ourselves. 

May we encourage each other to embrace our shadows, heal our wounds, and cultivate genuine compassion for ourselves and others. And let’s leave the fantasies to Spielberg.

In the spirit of growth and evolution, I humbly invite you to join me in redefining the path of New Age Spirituality. Together, we can create a more authentic and holistic approach that honors the complexities of human existence, seeks true healing, and helps us transcend our egoic tendencies.

Truly, we can dive deeper and expand ourselves before we reject or pummel another person or entity in pursuit of our exclusive comfort and ego gratification.

Thank you for your understanding, patience, and willingness to embark on this journey of redefinition and rediscovery. 

May we move forward with open hearts, a commitment to the purest truths, and a genuine desire to support one another in our quest for inner peace and enlightenment.

With love and humility,

New Age Spirituality

  1. Please buy The Shankara Oracle, as it will help you understand your Self and reality far better than I ever could.

 

About The Author:

image

Paul is a spiritual healer and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of The Shankara Experience, and creator of The Shankara Oracle and The Personality Cards.

His work is focused on guiding seekers to inner freedom and awakening.

Bodhi Day: The Awakening Of Siddhartha Into The Buddha

Bodhi Day: The Awakening Of Siddhartha Into The Buddha

Bodhi Day, commemorating the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, is observed on different dates across various Buddhist traditions around the world. Here’s a summary based on the traditions mentioned:

Japan: Celebrates Bodhi Day on December 8th, following the Gregorian (Western) calendar. This is a fixed date every year.

East Asia (excluding Japan): The observation varies, typically falling between the winter solstice and the lunar new year. This period can vary each year depending on the lunar calendar, which means the exact date shifts annually. The winter solstice occurs around December 21st or 22nd in the Gregorian calendar, and the Lunar New Year usually falls between January 21st and February 20th. Therefore, Bodhi Day in these regions could be observed anytime within this range, depending on specific local traditions and lunar calculations for the year.

Southeast Asia: Buddhists in Southeast Asia celebrate the Buddha’s enlightenment in May. This often coincides with Vesak (also spelled Vesākha or Wesak), a major Buddhist festival that celebrates the birth, enlightenment (Bodhi), and death (Parinirvāna) of the Buddha. Vesak itself is observed on the full moon of the 4th month in the Chinese lunar calendar, which typically falls in May in the Gregorian calendar.

Tibetan Buddhists: They observe the occasion in June. The specific celebration dedicated to the Buddha’s enlightenment within Tibetan Buddhism is known as Saga Dawa Düchen. It is observed on the full moon day of the fourth lunar month in the Tibetan calendar, which usually corresponds to a day in June in the Gregorian calendar.

These variations highlight the diversity within Buddhist traditions and the different calendars and cultural considerations that influence the observance of Bodhi Day.

What Happened on This Day?

Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as Gautama Buddha, is traditionally believed to have attained enlightenment and become the Buddha at the age of 35. According to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha was born in Lumbini, Nepal, and he spent several years as a prince in the royal palace before renouncing his princely life in search of spiritual truth. On the fateful night of departure from the royal kingdom, Siddhartha left behind his wife, newborn child, whom he did not meet before leaving, and his large, extended family.

After leaving the palace, Siddhartha engaged in six years of ascetic practices and meditation before finally achieving enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. It was during this period of meditation that he gained profound insights into the nature of suffering and the path to liberation.

His enlightenment marked the beginning of his role as the Buddha, the “Awakened One,” and he spent the rest of his life teaching his insights and wisdom to others. The age of 35 is a significant milestone in the life of Siddhartha Gautama, as it represents the moment of his spiritual awakening and the start of his mission to share his teachings with the world.

More on Buddha’s family later in this article.

Bodhi Day

This auspicious day usually falls on the full moon day in April or May, depending on the lunar calendar, and it is celebrated with great devotion and reverence by Buddhists around the world. On this day, Siddhartha completed his journey to release all attachments and desires to merge with The Divine and embody pure consciousness in human form. 

Siddharth Gautama had been sitting under the Bhodi Tree for several months, species Ficus religiosa, when he saw beyond all form, released his temporary Self-identities, and become enlightened. More on the sacred tree later in this article.

According to traditional Buddhist accounts, Siddhartha Gautama, who would later become Gautama Buddha, sat under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India, for a period of approximately seven weeks before attaining enlightenment. The specific time frame is often described as 49 days and nights of continuous meditation.

During this period, Siddhartha engaged in deep meditation, contemplation, and spiritual practices. He faced various challenges and temptations, but his determination and unwavering commitment to seeking the truth ultimately led to his enlightenment.

It’s important to note that these details are based on traditional Buddhist narratives and may vary slightly in different Buddhist texts and traditions. The key point is that it was through intense meditation and spiritual effort under the Bodhi tree that Siddhartha Gautama achieved the supreme enlightenment and became the Buddha.

Bodhi Day, known as such in China, and known as Rohatsu in Japan, is indeed celebrated on December 8th in the Gregorian (Lunar), or January 18 in the solar calendar, by some Buddhist traditions. This day is associated with the commemoration of the Buddha’s enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.

However, it’s important to note that the specific date of Bodhi Day can vary based on different Buddhist calendars and traditions. The December 8th lunar calendar date corresponds to the Gregorian calendar and is commonly observed in Chinese and Japanese Zen Buddhism.

In the Theravada tradition and some Mahayana traditions, the celebration of Buddha’s enlightenment typically falls on the full moon day in April or May according to the lunar calendar, which is known as Vesak or Buddha Purnima.

So, while December 8th is indeed recognized as Bodhi Day in some Buddhist traditions, it may not be the date observed by all Buddhists, as the timing can vary depending on regional and sectarian practices within Buddhism.

It’s important to note that Buddhism has various branches and traditions, and there can be differences in the way different Buddhist communities observe and celebrate significant events in the life of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha). The more commonly recognized date for Buddha’s Enlightenment Day remains tied to the lunar calendar, typically falling in April or May.

While Buddha Sat Under The Sacred Tree

As Siddhartha Gautama sat and meditated under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India, during his quest for enlightenment, several significant events and experiences are traditionally associated with his time of meditation. These events are often described in Buddhist texts and are considered important aspects of the Buddha’s journey to enlightenment. Here are some of the key events and experiences said to have occurred:

Mara’s Temptations: According to Buddhist tradition, Mara, the personification of desire, delusion, and the hindrances to enlightenment, attempted to distract Siddhartha from his meditation. Mara sent various forms of temptations and distractions, including sensual pleasures, fear, doubt, and desire for power, in an effort to prevent Siddhartha from attaining enlightenment. However, Siddhartha remained steadfast and resolute.

The Great Enlightenment: After facing and overcoming Mara’s challenges, Siddhartha experienced a profound and deep realization of the nature of reality. He achieved supreme enlightenment, which included insights into the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. This marked the moment when Siddhartha became the Buddha, the “Awakened One.”

The Morning Star: It is said that upon attaining enlightenment, Siddhartha gazed at the morning star (Venus) in the eastern sky, and at that moment, he exclaimed, “I see the morning star! All sentient beings possess the wisdom and virtue of the Tathagata [Buddha]!” This is seen as a significant moment of realization.

The Earth Witness Mudra: During his meditation, Siddhartha is believed to have called upon the Earth to bear witness to his attainment of enlightenment. In response, the Earth is said to have shaken, confirming his enlightenment.

The Offering of Milk Rice: After Siddhartha became the Buddha, a village woman named Sujata offered him a bowl of milk rice (kheer) as a symbol of gratitude and respect. This offering is often depicted in Buddhist art and is considered a symbol of generosity and kindness.

Teaching the Dharma: Following his enlightenment, the Buddha spent several weeks in the vicinity of the Bodhi tree, contemplating the profundity of his realizations. He then made the decision to share his insights with others. His first teachings, known as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion), were delivered to a group of five ascetics in the Deer Park at Sarnath, near Varanasi.

These events are central to the traditional narrative of the Buddha’s path to enlightenment and the beginning of his teaching mission. They emphasize the Buddha’s unwavering determination, his triumph over obstacles, and his deep insights into the nature of suffering and the path to liberation.

Buddha’s Reunion With His Birth Family

According to Buddhist tradition, after Siddhartha Gautama (the future Buddha) attained enlightenment and became the Buddha, he eventually reunited with his birth family, including his wife, Yasodhara, and his son, Rahula.

Here’s a brief overview of what happened with his birth family:

Wife Yasodhara: After Siddhartha left his princely life and family to seek enlightenment, Yasodhara continued to live in the palace. She had a deep longing for Siddhartha’s return and continued to support him in her own way, hoping for his success on his spiritual journey. After Siddhartha became the Buddha, he returned to his homeland and visited Yasodhara. Upon seeing him as the fully awakened Buddha, she became one of his devoted followers and eventually attained enlightenment herself.

Son Rahula: Siddhartha’s son, Rahula, was born shortly before Siddhartha left the palace. After many years, when Rahula was a young boy, he expressed a desire to meet his father. Siddhartha returned to the palace, and upon meeting his father, Rahula decided to follow him as a novice monk. Rahula later became a monk and one of the Buddha’s foremost disciples.

Birth Family’s Acceptance: It is said that Siddhartha’s return to his family was a significant event, and they all came to accept him as the Buddha and embraced his teachings. His father, King Suddhodana, also became a follower of the Buddha and eventually attained enlightenment.

These reunions and the acceptance of Siddhartha as the Buddha by his birth family are often cited as examples of the transformative power of the Buddha’s teachings and the deep spiritual connections that can be forged within families. It is worth noting that these accounts are based on traditional Buddhist narratives and may vary in interpretation among different Buddhist traditions and texts.

Traditions Associated With Buddha’s Enlightenment Day

Birth of Siddhartha Gautama: Siddhartha Gautama, who would later become Buddha, was born in Lumbini, Nepal, in the 6th century BCE. His birth is celebrated on this day, and it is believed to have taken place under a sal tree in a garden.

Enlightenment: The most significant event commemorated on this day is Siddhartha Gautama’s enlightenment, which occurred when he was meditating under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. It is said that he attained supreme enlightenment and became the Buddha, meaning “the awakened one” or “the enlightened one.” This event is often depicted in Buddhist art and literature.

Noble Eightfold Path: Buddha’s enlightenment led to his understanding of the Four Noble Truths and the development of the Noble Eightfold Path, which forms the core of Buddhist teachings. Buddhists often reflect on these teachings and strive to follow the path to attain spiritual enlightenment.

Visiting Temples: Buddhists visit temples and monasteries on this day to offer prayers, light lamps, and make offerings to honor Buddha’s teachings and his enlightenment. Many temples are adorned with colorful decorations and illuminated with lanterns and candles.

Meditation and Mindfulness: Devotees engage in meditation and mindfulness practices, following in the footsteps of Buddha’s own meditation that led to his enlightenment. It’s a time for introspection and spiritual growth.

Acts of Generosity: Acts of charity and kindness are encouraged on this day. Buddhists often make donations to the less fortunate and engage in acts of generosity as a way to cultivate compassion and selflessness.

Bathing the Buddha: In some cultures, it is a tradition to pour water or scented water over statues of Buddha, symbolizing the cleansing of one’s soul and purifying one’s intentions.

Processions and Parades: In certain Buddhist-majority regions, there may be processions and parades featuring images of Buddha, traditional music, and cultural performances.

Buddha’s Enlightenment Day is a time for Buddhists to reflect on the teachings of compassion, non-violence, and the path to enlightenment that Buddha offered to the world. It is a day of spiritual significance, self-reflection, and celebration of the life and wisdom of Gautama Buddha.

What Does Bodhi Day Represent?

Buddha’s enlightenment, also known as “Bodhi,” is a central event in Buddhist tradition and is described in various Buddhist texts and scriptures. The story of Buddha’s enlightenment is a fundamental narrative in Buddhism, and it symbolizes the attainment of supreme wisdom and liberation from suffering. Here is a brief overview of how Buddha attained enlightenment:

Renunciation of Worldly Life: Siddhartha Gautama, who would later become Buddha, was born into a royal family in Lumbini, Nepal. Despite a life of luxury and privilege, he became deeply troubled by the suffering he observed in the world, such as old age, sickness, and death. This led him to renounce his princely life in search of spiritual answers.

Six Years of Austerities: After leaving his palace, Siddhartha Gautama embarked on a spiritual journey. He initially practiced extreme asceticism, fasting, and severe self-mortification, along with other ascetics. However, he realized that such extreme practices did not lead to enlightenment and were detrimental to the body and mind.

Meditation Under the Bodhi Tree: Siddhartha then decided to follow a middle path, a balanced approach between indulgence and asceticism. He sat down in meditation under a Bodhi tree (a type of fig tree) in Bodh Gaya, India, and made a determined vow not to rise until he had attained enlightenment.

The Four Noble Truths: During his meditation, Siddhartha Gautama gained deep insight into the nature of suffering and its causes. He formulated the Four Noble Truths:

The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha): Acknowledging the existence of suffering in life.

The Truth of the Cause of Suffering (Samudaya): Identifying craving and attachment as the root causes of suffering.

The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha): Understanding that suffering can be ended by eliminating its causes.

The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga): Describing the Noble Eightfold Path as the way to end suffering and attain enlightenment.

Attainment of Nirvana: As Siddhartha meditated under the Bodhi tree, he experienced profound realizations and insights into the nature of reality. On the full moon night of Vesak (Buddha’s Enlightenment Day), he finally attained Nirvana, which is a state of complete liberation from suffering, desire, and rebirth. This marked the moment of his enlightenment.

Proclaiming the Dharma: After attaining enlightenment, Siddhartha Gautama became known as Buddha, or the “Awakened One.” He spent the rest of his life teaching his insights and wisdom to others, forming the foundation of Buddhism.

Buddha’s enlightenment is seen as the culmination of his spiritual journey and the discovery of the path to liberation from suffering. It is the central event that transformed Siddhartha into the Buddha and led to the development of Buddhist teachings, which have had a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals and continue to be followed by Buddhists around the world.

The Bodhi Tree

Also known as the Bo tree, the Bodhi Tree is a significant and sacred tree in Buddhism. It is most famous for being the tree under which Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as Gautama Buddha, attained enlightenment. Here are some key aspects of the Bodhi tree:

Location of Enlightenment: The Bodhi tree is traditionally believed to have been located in Bodh Gaya, a town in the Indian state of Bihar. It was under this tree that Siddhartha Gautama sat down to meditate and ultimately attained enlightenment.

Symbol of Enlightenment: The Bodhi tree symbolizes the place where the Buddha achieved supreme enlightenment and awakened to the true nature of reality. It serves as an important symbol of enlightenment, wisdom, and liberation from suffering in Buddhism.

Bodhi Day: As mentioned earlier, Bodhi Day (or Rohatsu in Japan) is celebrated on December 8th in some Buddhist traditions to commemorate the Buddha’s enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.

Ficus religiosa: The scientific name of the Bodhi tree is Ficus religiosa. It is a species of fig tree and is often referred to as the “sacred fig.” It is a large, long-lived tree with heart-shaped leaves.

Pilgrimage Site: The Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya is considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists. Devotees from around the world visit this site to pay their respects and meditate in the vicinity of the tree.

Maintenance: Over the centuries, the original Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya has been replaced several times due to natural aging and damage. The current tree at the site is believed to be a direct descendant of the original Bodhi tree. It is carefully tended to and protected as a living symbol of the Buddha’s enlightenment.

The Bodhi tree holds great significance in Buddhist tradition as the site where Siddhartha Gautama, after years of meditation and deep contemplation, achieved spiritual awakening and became the Buddha, the “Enlightened One.” It continues to inspire Buddhists and spiritual seekers worldwide.

The Path To Enlightenment, According To The Buddha

According to Buddhism, the path to achieving enlightenment, also known as Nirvana, is outlined in the teachings of the Buddha and is often referred to as the “Noble Eightfold Path.” The Noble Eightfold Path consists of eight interconnected principles or practices that guide individuals toward spiritual awakening and liberation from suffering. These principles are divided into three categories: wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline. Here is an overview of the Noble Eightfold Path and its components:

  1. Right View (Samma Ditthi): This is the correct understanding of the Four Noble Truths, which acknowledge the existence of suffering (dukkha), its causes, its cessation, and the path to its cessation.
  2. Right Intention (Samma Sankappa): It involves cultivating wholesome intentions and motivations, such as renunciation, compassion, and goodwill, while abandoning unwholesome desires and intentions.
  3. Right Speech (Samma Vaca): Practicing truthful, kind, and skillful communication while refraining from lying, harsh speech, divisive speech, and idle chatter.
  4. Right Action (Samma Kammanta): Engaging in ethical and virtuous conduct by refraining from harming living beings, stealing, and engaging in sexual misconduct.
  5. Right Livelihood (Samma Ajiva): Choosing a livelihood or occupation that is honest, ethical, and does not harm others or contribute to suffering.
  6. Right Effort (Samma Vayama): Exerting effort to develop wholesome qualities and abandon unwholesome ones. It involves cultivating mindfulness and self-discipline.
  7. Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati): Developing mindfulness, awareness, and concentration in the present moment. This includes awareness of body, feelings, mind, and mental phenomena.
  8. Right Concentration (Samma Samadhi): Cultivating deep concentration and mental stability through meditation practices. This leads to a focused and one-pointed mind.

The Noble Eightfold Path is often depicted as a wheel, symbolizing the path to liberation from the cycle of suffering and rebirth (samsara). It emphasizes the balanced development of wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline. Following this path is seen as a means to attain enlightenment and ultimately reach Nirvana, a state of freedom from suffering and the cycle of birth and death.

It’s important to note that the Noble Eightfold Path is not a linear progression but rather an interconnected set of practices that individuals can work on simultaneously. Buddhism teaches that following this path with sincerity, mindfulness, and dedication can lead to spiritual awakening and the realization of one’s true nature.

 

About The Author:

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Paul is a spiritual healer and coach with more than 30 years of experience. He is the founder of The Shankara Experience, and creator of The Shankara Oracle and The Personality Cards.

His work is focused on guiding seekers to inner freedom and awakening.