The Fallacy of Awakening: Why “Being Spiritual” Isn’t What You Think

I have to confess:

There’s a phrase that makes me want to puke every time I hear it:

“When I was awakened…”

Usually said in a soft, breathy voice by someone wearing lots of linen, waving sage smoke around, and staring dramatically into the distance.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for spiritual growth.

But let me tell you what I’ve seen behind the scenes.

The Bragging Rights of “Awakening”

When I was living in Bali, the “spiritual capital of the world,” I met people who loved to talk about their awakening.

They’d say things like:

• “The muggles just don’t get it.”
  
• “I’m vibrating too high for this conversation.”
  
• “I only hang out with conscious people.”
  

Meanwhile:

• Their relationships were disasters.
  
• They were broke or scamming people.
  
• They were having secret affairs under the banner of “sacred sexuality.”
  
• They’d ghost friends for not being “high vibe enough.”
  

I’m sorry, but if your life is a flaming trash heap and you treat people like dirt, you are not enlightened.

The Guru Hustle

Some of the most “awakened” folks I met in Bali were men teaching “tantric healing sessions”—which was basically a code for having sex with women under the guise of “energy clearing.”

Women, desperate for healing, fell into their arms believing:

• Sex would heal their trauma.
  
• Ejaculation retention would transfer divine masculine power.
  
• They’d be spiritually “upgraded.”
  

It was predatory. And it made me furious.

Enlightenment has nothing to do with:

• How many mantras you chant.
  
• How many crystals you own.
  
• How many times you’ve done ayahuasca.
  
• How white your linen pants are.
  

The Danger of Spiritual Elitism

Another thing that drives me nuts is the arrogance of spiritual elitism:

“I’m more awakened than you.”

Spiritual people acting superior because:

• They read Eckhart Tolle.
  
• They meditate longer.
  
• They’ve “dissolved their ego.”
  

They call others “muggles,” as if the entire world is Harry Potter and they’re the chosen wizards.

Let me be blunt:

Judging someone else’s spiritual journey is the LEAST spiritual thing you can do.

Everyone Is on a Spiritual Path

Here’s the truth nobody wants to say:

There is not a single person on this planet who isn’t on a spiritual journey.

The woman working the register at the gas station? She’s on a spiritual journey.
The single dad trying to hold his family together? He’s on a spiritual journey.
The woman who left the church because it broke her heart? She’s on a spiritual journey.

We’re all walking each other home.

Spirituality Is About Behavior

Your spiritual level is not measured by:

• How many times you say “Namaste.”
  
• How many yoga classes you attend.
  
• How many sage bundles you burn.
  
• Whether your Instagram aesthetic has crystals and gold lettering.
  

It comes down to one thing:

How you treat other people.

This is what Jesus taught:

• “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
  
• Forgive.
  
• Serve.
  
• Show compassion.
  

And there’s the catch:

You can only love others as deeply as you love yourself.

Self-love is the root.

When you love yourself:

• You stop manipulating people.
  
• You stop needing to prove how enlightened you are.
  
• You stop judging others for their journey.
  
• You start living in authentic compassion.
  

Spiritual Bypassing vs. Spiritual Living

It’s easy to hide behind the glitter of spirituality.

To:

• Meditate your pain away instead of dealing with it.
  
• Blame “bad vibes” instead of taking accountability.
  
• Ghost people instead of having hard conversations.
  

That’s spiritual bypassing.

Real spirituality isn’t about escaping humanity. It’s about embracing it.

The Hard Truth

Sometimes life is ugly.
Sometimes it hurts like hell.
Sometimes you’re not “high vibe.”

And that’s okay.

Being spiritual isn’t about floating above reality—it’s about walking through it with love.

An Invitation

So if you’re tired of the spiritual circus—tired of the superiority and the unicorn bullshit—I see you.

And I want you to know:

• You’re not less spiritual because you cry.
  
• You’re not failing because your life feels messy.
  
• You’re on the path, right where you’re supposed to be.
  

If you’d like to go deeper into healing and real, embodied spirituality, I share my own story in my book:

👉 I Am Not Your Villain; I Am Your Mother

May we remember:

• No one is above another.
  
• We’re all students.
  
• And true spirituality will always be measured by love.

Dive Deeper Into This Journey

If this resonates with your spirit and you’re yearning to go deeper into your healing and spiritual awakening, I share much more of my personal story and the insights God has given me in my book:

 I Am Not Your Villain; I Am Your Mother

May it be a light on your journey.

Together, we’re stepping into a new world—one healed heart at a time.

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With grace,
Mandelynn Moses
It’s God’s world, and we are taking it back.