Spirituality is not a luxury item

Things don’t feel so pleasant at the moment. I think for many people, the election results have turned their world upside. I’m seeing fear, anger, frustration and worse- apathy, despair and resignation. I know I’ve personally floated between all of these feelings. While it's completely normal to feel these things, it's unhealthy to allow them to navigate your future.

We are spiritual beings...

Over the years, I’ve read many a blog about these crazy times. John Beckett talked about “The Storm” and Byron Ballard talked about “Tower Time” since 2016. I don’t think any of this was fear mongering, it was preparation. And now it’s all here once again, and honestly, there’s a lot of fear and trepidation because we just don’t know- will this be the worst of the worst that many of us feel like it will be?

I’m not going to talk about all that. I could start and never end when it comes to what my fears are, and what looks like is about to happen. What I want to talk about is not the prep work- as I’ve said, people have been talking about this for years. And honestly, I can’t tell you what to do right now, because I’m at a loss myself. Other than be strong, be vocal, protect myself and stand for my community, I have no clue what to do. Is online protesting effective? Does it make a difference?

So what I want to talk about it why spirituality is not a luxury item to be put to the side for "better times" and why spiritual companions, therapists and priests/priestesses are important in the days ahead.

Here's the thing: I want to make a difference, but I’m not in a position of gathering folks and fighting. My role is listener and healer. I am a priestess. (The Morrigan has said that incitor is a role, but I’m still figuring that part out too.) So what can I do?

The only thing I can do for my community is to be there for others. Really, whether we are living in a progressive society that’s relatively peaceful, or a nation facing fascist upheaval, my role doesn’t change- I’m there to make sure your spiritual side is being addressed on a personal level.

Some of these are luxuries, some aren't, all are tools at our disposal.

And that’s hard with an unknown future. When things get hard, we tend go into survival mode. We reduce luxuries. Bare minimum, most important things become focus. And we live in a society that considers spiritual development to be a luxury. It’s not. Spirituality is NOT a luxury. Spirituality is intertwined with all our other needs- physical, mental, emotional, and social. Spirituality connects us, to both a higher good, and other people. It gives us purpose, it strengthens us. It grounds us. It can help us hold onto positive feelings and deal with stress. It’s linked to healthier lifestyles and longevity. It can reduce depression, anxiety and provide clarity. It is, for many people, the foundation of our being.

Anyone who has ever been in a spiritual companionship session with me will note something- I don’t make you talk about your beliefs, your prayers, your spiritual work- a lot of time we talk about your life. What is going on within it, what’s going wrong, what’s going right…and we explore how your spirituality is improving it- or where your spirituality might be lacking.

When things get bad, it’s really easy to say “fuck the spiritual.” It’s easy to mad at The Gods and The Universe. Thing is, if it’s easy to love and embrace the spiritual when things are good, but not when things are bad, is that not just a convenience? How long will a relationship last if you’re only happy and in love when things are perfect? Faith is still embracing your spiritual growth when things aren’t going as smoothly. Faith is loving while you struggle to adapt.

Luxury, but a relaxing one, and one you can create yourself with ingenuity.

Spiritual companions remind you of this. Spiritual companions encourage, and see the beauty of your journey, no matter how difficult they might be at the time. We aim to help you make sure you are hearing the divine in every step, every corner, ever sunbeam and shadow. We also make sure you're taking care of yourself. We let you know that you aren't alone. And we aim to make sure you don't lose your spirituality in the overwhelm of adversity and troubled times.

So don’t give up on your spirituality. Don't skip your spiritual care. Don’t give up your practices, your faith and don’t stick your spirituality in the same category as luxury. It’s not. It’s your foundation. It is the place of your morals and ethics and how you see the world, and the universe. It will give you strength, perspective and direction. It will help, on the highest level, get your through bad times.

And I'm going to add this bit, because while it's not the point of the post, it needs to be said. We all understand that money and resources might be tight. And I understand not everyone can afford a spiritual companion (which is why I try my best to offer services at a heart-based rate when you need it) though I do believe that no one should be working for free, even on a spiritual level. Many of us have studied and practiced our skillset for many years, and we deserve to eat and pay our bills too. This isn't about companionship and services, though I view them as an invaluable tools. This is about make sure you don't put your spiritual tools away, and you don't skip tending your spirit because you think they aren't important enough right now.

Trust me, they are very important right now.